The
COURIER
Easter Sunday April 21
April 2019
Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
Pope Francis: Christianity Without Tenderness Does Not Work VATICAN CITY, March 18, 2019 (CNA) - Meeting with representatives of a charismatic group dedicated to caring for the sick, Pope Francis emphasized the need for tenderness as the natural Christian response to human suffering. The word “tenderness,” Pope Francis warned, is “a word that today risks being dropped from the dictionary.” “We must take it up again and put it into practice anew. Christianity without tenderness does not work. Tenderness is a properly Christian attitude: it is also the very marrow of our encounter with people who suffer,” he said. The pope met March 18 with men and women religious from the Camillian Charismatic Family. Founded by St. Camillus de Lellis in the late 1500s, the Camillians around the world serve the sick, with an emphasis on the poor and dying. Pope Francis praised those present for their work of “loving and generous donation to the sick, carrying out a precious mission, in the Church and in society, alongside the suffering.” He encouraged members of the Camillian family to always remember that their charism of mercy toward the sick is a gift from the Holy Spirit, meant to be shared with others. Charisms, he said, “always have a transitive character: they are orientated towards others. Over the years, you have made efforts to incarnate your charism faithfully, translating it into a multitude of apostolic works and in pastoral service to the benefit of suffering humanity throughout the world.” St. Camillus de Lellis initially founded an order of men, at a time when active consecrated life for women “had not yet matured,” Pope Francis noted. Two congregations for women were created in the 19th century, and secular insti-
Credit: CNA
tutes were established in the 20th century. These developments, the pope said, “have given completeness to the expression of the charism of mercy towards the sick, enriching it with the distinctly feminine qualities of love and of care.” He offered prayers that Mary, Health of the Sick, might especially guide and accompany the consecrated women, teaching them maternal dedication and tenderness. Together, Pope Francis said, these different Camillian groups make up “a single constellation, that is, a ‘charismatic family’ composed of men and women religious, secular consecrated persons and lay faithful.” “None of these realities is the sole custodian or single holder of the charism, but each receives it as a gift and interprets it and updates it according to his or her specific vocation, in different historical and geographical contexts,”
Tenderness, cont'd on pg. 2
The Courier to Begin Church Mailings in July, 2019 WINONA--Beginning with its July 2019 issue, the Courier will be mailed in groups of unlabeled copies to churches in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester for parishioner pick-up on the first Sunday of each month. The Courier reminds readers that staff are happy to continue home delivery to anyone who wants it. To avoid interruption in home delivery, readers should respond by June 10, 2019, with their name, address and reader ID (the number directly above the name on the mailing label) to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 55 W Sanborn St. Winona, MN 55987 or nreller@dowr.org.
Any reader who indicated a preference for home delivery in response to the ad that ran on page two of the Courier's past six issues (October of 2018 to March of 2019) has already been added to the home delivery list, and no additional action is required. The Courier thanks its audience for reading, and looks forward to reaching readers in a new way.
INSIDE this issue
Don't Be Shy; Visit IHM page 8
...Fourth Annual Men's Conference page 13
Butterfly Brilliance from a Caterpillar Crawl page 14
Pope Francis Watch
The Courier Insider
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Pope to Migrants: The Church Suffers with You
Articles of Interest
...People of the Resurrection_____________4 ...About Prayer and Fasting______________5 ...Sacrament of New Life___________________6 ...Diocesan Pentecost Celebration__________7 Don't Be Shy; Visit IHM______________________8 ...Include Young People_____________________9 Catholic Schools Updates__________________10 Protecting Children...______________________12 ...Fourth Annual Men's Conference________13
Credit: CNA
By HANNAH BROCKHAUS
RABAT, MOROCCO, March 30, 2019 (CNA) - Immigrants are an important part of the Church and she is aware of the ways they have and are suffering, Pope Francis said to a group of African migrants Saturday. “You are not the marginalized; you are at the center of the Church’s heart,” the pope said March 30. “The Church is aware of the sufferings that accompany your journey and she suffers with you.” Visiting Morocco March 30-31, Francis met with a group of about 80 immigrants at the Caritas center of the Archdiocese of Rabat. From several African countries, most of the immigrants present at the center for the pope’s visit are only in Morocco temporarily while they wait to try to get to Europe. Caritas helps them with food and to find jobs and accommodation. “In reaching out to you in your very different situations, [the Church] is concerned to remind you that God wants us all to live our lives to the full. The Church wants to be at your side to help you achieve the very best for your life,” he said. The pope noted that there has already been a lot of positive steps taken in the face of the modern immigration crisis, especially in developed countries. But he also warned that the progress of society cannot be measured just by technological or economic advances. “It depends above all on our openness to being touched and moved by those who knock at our door,” he said. “We know that it is not easy – for those who arrive and for those who receive them – to encounter a foreign culture, to put ourselves in the shoes of people quite different from ourselves, to understand their thoughts and their experiences,” Francis said. “As a result, we often refuse to encounter the other and raise barriers to defend ourselves.”
Tenderness, cont'd from pg. 1
he said. In this way, the different ecclesial bodies all work together “to witness in every time and place Christ’s merciful love towards the sick.” “At the centre there remains the original charism, as a perennial source of light and inspiration, which is understood and embodied dynamically in the various forms.” Looking forward, Pope Francis urged the Camillians to be open to new apostolates, at the prompting of the Holy Spirit. April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
Butterfly Brilliance from a Caterpillar Crawl___14 But faces of those in need “shatter and debunk all those false idols that can take over and enslave our lives,” he added, “idols that promise an illusory and momentary happiness blind to the lives and sufferings of others.” A city without the capacity for compassion is “arid and inhospitable,” “a heartless society… a barren mother,” he said. Pope Francis encouraged a “promotion” of migrants within a culture and society and condemned their collective expulsion, which he said does not consider individual cases. Promoting migrants begins, he said, “with the recognition that no human being is worthy of being discarded, but rather should be seen as a potential source of personal, cultural and professional enrichment in whatever place they find themselves.” “Host communities will be enriched if they learn how best to appreciate and utilize the contribution made by migrants, while working to forestall all forms of discrimination and xenophobia,” he stated. Addressing migrants directly, the pope said everyone should be involved in the effort of building a more dignified and fraternal life: “I like to think that the very first volunteer, assistant, rescuer or friend of a migrant is another migrant who knows at first hand the sufferings of the journey.” Francis emphasized that “every human being has the right to life, every person has the right to dream and to find his or her rightful place in our ‘common home!’ Every person has a right to the future.” “May the Lord, who during his earthly life experienced in his own flesh the suffering of exile, bless each one of you. May he give you the strength needed never to lose heart and always be for one another a ‘safe haven’ of welcome and acceptance,” he concluded.
He instructed them “always to cultivate communion among you, in that synodal style that I have proposed to all the Church, listening to each other and everyone listening to the Holy Spirit, to value the contribution that every single situation offers to the single Family, so as to express more fully the multiple potentialities that the charisma includes.” Through fidelity to their founder, and by listening to and accompanying those experiencing poverty and suffering today, the pope said, the Camillians “will know how to make light shine, always new, on the gift received; and many young people the world over will be able to feel attracted by and to join with you, to continue to bear witness to God’s tenderness.”
...Psychological Grounds for Annulment______15 ...Everything Is Connected__________________16 Diocesan Headlines________________________17 Diocesan Calendar_________________________19
The Holy Father's Intention for
April 2019 Doctors and their Collaborators in War Zones For doctors and their humanitarian collaborators in war zones, who risk their lives to save the lives of others. Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of the Diocese of WinonaRochester, announces the following appointments: Defender of the Bond Rev. John Griffiths: appointed Defender of the Bond in the First Instance, effective February 4, 2019.
Catholic Daughters Rev. Timothy Biren: appointed Minnesota Catholic Daughters of the Americas State Chaplain, effective May 4, 2019, to May 1, 2021.
Child Abuse Policy Information The Diocese of Winona-Rochester will provide a prompt, appropriate and compassionate response to reporters of sexual abuse of a child by any diocesan agent (employees, volunteers, vendors, religious or clergy). Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should call the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 507454-2270, Extension 255. A caller will be asked to provide his or her name and telephone number. Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is committed to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries. The diocesan policy is available on the diocesan web site at www.dow. org under the Safe Environment Program. If you have any questions about the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Mary Hamann at 507-858-1244, or mhamann@dowr.org. The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 110 - 4
Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Publisher Matt Willkom, Editor Nick Reller, Associate Editor Telephone: 507-858-1257 Fax:507-454-8106 E-mail: nreller@dowr.org Subscription Rates: $5 per year in the U.S. Parishioners in the diocese subscribe through their parish. Periodicals postage paid at Slayton, MN Postmaster.
Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the 10th of the month prior. (ISSN 0744-5490)
Thank You for Your Witness ear Friends in Christ,
Rome Bishops' Meeting
On February 21-24, the Holy Father met with the presidents of the world’s bishops’ conferences, on the topic of Protection of Minors in the Church. The Pope realizes that, unfortunately, the abuse of minors is a global problem, and thus necessitates a global response. The two-fold goal of this muchanticipated gathering was to help bishops throughout the world become better aware of the suffering of victims of abuse, and to help them better understand the procedures at various levels that are to be followed in combatting abuse. The four-day Rome gathering consisted of prayer; testimonies by
Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn Bishop's Calendar
victims of abuse; presentations by various speakers on the themes of responsibility, accountability, and transparency; break out discussions by language; a penitential liturgy; and a closing Mass on Sunday, which included an address from Pope Francis. To facilitate discussion and give direction to the conference participants, Pope Francis provided a 21-point summary of suggestions and discussion points, compiled from various commissions and bishops’ conferences. These suggestions for potential courses of action included creating a handbook to outline procedures for handling accusations of abuse, notifying civil authorities, and including lay experts in the process of investigating accusations against clerics. Here in the United States, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and local dioceses have implemented many of the suggestions and protocols discussed in Rome. Additionally, the president of the USCCB, Cardinal DiNardo, shared that he, along with all the bishops of the U.S., in union with the Holy See, will work to create a code of conduct for bishops, create protocols for handling accusations made against bishops, and strive to implement easy-to-navigate and transparent procedures for responding to and investigating allegations of misconduct against minors. I know it is not easy to continue to face the scandals created by the abuse and cover-up of bishops and priests and others in the Church. To all those who have been wounded by those in the Church – I am sorry. I am sorry for the trauma that you have suffered, that your trust has been shattered, innocence lost, and faith shaken. Please know that I continue to pray for all victims of abuse, especially those who have suffered at the hands of clergy
April 1, Monday – April 3, Wednesday Presbyteral Triduum Retreat - Buffalo, MN April 3, Wednesday 7 p.m. - Communal Penance Service - St. Charles Borromeo Church, St. Charles April 4, Thursday 6:30 a.m. - Lauds & Mass - IHM Seminary, Winona 8:30 a.m. - Live Interview with Leighton Broadcasting KWNO AM 1230 & FM 98.7 - Winona 6 p.m. - First Communion & Confirmation Waseca Federal Correctional Facility, Waseca April 5, Friday 6 p.m. - Confirmation at All Saints Church, Madison Lake; with All Saints, New Richland; Immaculate Conception, St. Clair; St. Ann, Janesville; and St. Joseph, Waldorf April 6, Saturday 11 a.m. - Confirmation at Resurrection Church, Rochester 4:30 p.m. - Mass - St. Marys Hospital Chapel, Rochester April 7, Sunday 3 p.m. - IHM Faculty for discussion April 8, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU 3 p.m. - Sacred Heart Major Seminary Board Meeting via Conference Call April 9, Tuesday 9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour 10:30 a.m. - College of Consultors Meeting Pastoral Center, Winona 7 p.m. - Informational Meeting for Bishop Quinn
and religious, and know that I am always willing to meet with victims and listen to their stories in person. Thank you for your continued witness of faith during these trying times, and please continue to pray for me, and all bishops and priests, that we may be the faithful shepherds that we are called to be. Thank you for your prayers, and know that you are daily in mine. Also, be sure to include Cardinal DiNardo in your prayers, as he recovers from a recent stroke. Men's Conference
I invite and encourage all men of the diocese to attend the fourth annual Man of God Men’s Conference on Saturday, April 27, at Loyola Catholic High School in Mankato. This is a wonderful opportunity for men to come together to grow in fraternity and faith. The day will include inspiring speakers, Mass, time with the Lord in Eucharistic Adoration, the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Penance, and great food. Our culture needs strong men of faith, and it is important for men to encourage each other in living out their call to be leaders in their families and in the Church. Thus, I hope you will join me for the Man of God conference on April 27. Registration and more information can be found online at dowr.org, and questions can be directed to Peter Martin at pmartin@dowr.org or 507-858-1273. Baccalaureate Mass
Every year, it is an honor to celebrate the Baccalaureate Mass for those students graduating from our Catholic high schools. Here in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, we are blessed to have four Catholic high schools, so that many of our youth are able to experience K-12 Catholic education. Thank you for
and the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Pilgrimage to Greece in the Footsteps of St. Paul: October 8-18, 2019 - Resurrection Church, Rochester April 10, Wednesday 7 p.m. - Confirmation at St. Columbanus Church, Blooming Prairie; with Sacred Heart, Hayfield; and St. John Baptist de la Salle, Dodge Center April 11, Thursday 10 a.m. - Holy Hour & Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting 7p.m. - Record Solemn Easter TV Mass - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona - All are welcome. April 12, Friday 3 p.m. - IHM Seminary Civil Corporation Board Meeting - Resurrection Church, Rochester 4:30 p.m. - IHM Seminary 16th Annual Bishops and Rector Dinner - International Event Center, Rochester April 13, Saturday 9 a.m. - Holy Hour & Diocesan Pastoral Council Meeting - Resurrection Church, Rochester April 14, Palm Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Mass - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester April 15, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU 6 p.m. - Diocesan Chrism Mass - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester April 18, Holy Thursday 10:31 a.m. - Guest speaker on Real Presence Catholic Radio 7 p.m. - Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona
your support and generosity to our Catholic schools, which enables our families and parishes to provide Catholic education to our children, and assist their parents in passing on the faith to the next generation. This year’s Baccalaureate Mass will be held in Winona, at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, on May 1. All students graduating from Cotter, Lourdes, Loyola, or Pacelli, along with their families, are invited to this special Mass. Each graduate will receive a crucifix at the end of the Mass, to take with them to college or on the next step in their journey. I also ask you to pray for all the high school and college graduates in the diocese, that they may be strong in living out their faith in the world. Monthly Holy Hour for Evangelization
In the Gospel, Jesus gives His apostles the “great commission,” to, “Go… and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Unfortunately, today there are many people who do not know the joy of having a relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. Some may not be baptized, but many others were raised in the Church but for some reason have drifted away from practice of the faith or don’t see how our Triune God has any relevance in their life. But Jesus came to save us from our sins and heal our brokenness, and He offers joy and eternal life to those who believe in and follow Him. Furthermore, He gave us the Church and the sacraments to help us on our way to heaven. Yet so many people do not know this good news and have not experienced the joy and peace that come from living a life rooted in communion with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.
April 19, Good Friday 12 p.m. - Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona
April 20, Holy Saturday 8 p.m. - Solemn Easter Vigil - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona April 21, Easter Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Solemn Easter Mass - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester April 26, Friday SMU Celebration of Scholarship and Honors Convocation - St. Mary’s University, Winona April 27, Saturday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Diocesan Annual Men’s Conference - Loyola Catholic School, Mankato April 28, Sunday 11 a.m. - RCIA Candidate Reception & Confirmation - St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish, Mankato 7 p.m. - RCIA Candidate Reception and Confirmation - St. Thomas More Chapel at St. Mary University, Winona April 29, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU April 30, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Clergy Personnel Board Meeting Pastoral Center, Winona May 1, Wednesday 11 a.m. - DOW-R Catholic High Schools Baccalaureate Mass - Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Winona
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While there are many ways and opportunities to evangelize, no efforts will bear fruit without prayer and fasting. This is why the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Office of Missionary Discipleship is initiating a novena consisting of one day each month, for nine months, where people from across the diocese commit to praying and fasting for the intention of evangelization in southern Minnesota. These days will normally be the third Friday of the month, and the novena started on March 15, with the second day of prayer and fasting on April 12. In addition, on each monthly day of prayer and fasting, one parish in the diocese will host a Mass or Holy Hour for evangelization. I invite you to join me in this effort, that we may see a renewal of faith in southern Minnesota, and that many people may hear and accept the good news of Jesus Christ and come or return to His Church. More details on this initiative, including the list of dates throughout the year, can be found at dowr.org, on the Missionary Discipleship page. May the Lord bless you, and thank you for your continued prayers.
From the Bishop
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Sincerely in Christ,
Most Rev. John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona-Rochester
May 2, Thursday 1 p.m. - Holy Hour & Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting 6:30 p.m. - National Day of Prayer Service Autumn Ridge Church in Rochester May 3, Friday 11 a.m. - Holy Hour & Diocesan Finance Council Meeting - Pastoral Center, Winona 4:30 p.m. - Mass - Catholic Daughters Convention Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester May 4, Saturday 11 a.m. - Confirmation at Saints Peter and Paul Church, Blue Earth; with St. Mary, Winnebago; Holy Family, East Chain; and St. John Vianney, Fairmont 4:30 p.m. - Holy Hour & Vespers, followed by Dinner & End-of-Semester Skits - IHM Seminary, Winona May 5, Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Confirmation at St. Ignatius Church, Spring Valley; with Sacred Heart, Adams; St. Patrick, Leroy; St. Finbarr, Grand Meadow; St. John, Johnsburg; Queen of Peace, Lyle; and St. Peter, Rose Creek 2 p.m. - Confirmation at Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester May 6, Monday 1 p.m. - St. Paul Street Evangelization - Corner of 8th & Main Streets, Winona 7 p.m. - Confirmation at Church of the Crucifixion, La Crescent; with Holy Cross, Dakota; St. Mary, Houston; St. Patrick, Brownsville; St. Joseph, Rushford; and St. Peter, Hokah April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
Catholic Foundation
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Christian Stewards
People of the Resurrection This column is the work of the International Catholic Stewardship Council. It is reprinted here with permission.
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or those immersed in the secular world, Easter will come and go quickly. The pastel bunnies, the chocolate eggs, the color-splashed jelly beans which appeared in the marketplace so temptingly just as Christians were beginning the fasting of Lent, have long been swept from the store shelves to be replaced in anticipation of the next marketable holiday. For the Christian steward, how backward this all seems. Yes, we believe that the Paschal mystery and the life-changing events of Easter are not over. They are not an end but a triumphal beginning, and they have altered us in a quite radical way.
The mystery and miracle of Easter challenge us to live as different people, as people of the Resurrection. What does this mean? For those new Catholics who participated in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), a period of mystagogy helps to understand this mystery. Indeed, this ancient Greek word actually means “to lead through the mysteries.” During mystagogia, many parishes introduce their new members to service in a quite practical way. Here are the ministries of the parish; here are the charities we support; here are the needs of our community and our congregation. How do you choose to live out your faith in the Resurrection in a quite tangible and real way? How do your gifts fit into our needs? Essentially, however, this is a question that the Easter season calls forth in all Christian stewards, not just our newest members. We have lived through Lent and the Paschal mysteries, all the while trying to deepen a relationship with the person of Christ. It’s as simple, yet as amazing and complex as that. The deeper the relationship grows, the more we become rooted in it, the more this relationship with Christ comes to dominate our lives. We no longer compartmentalize Jesus; we hold him at our center. And the mysteries lead us to the fundamental question at the heart of all Christian stewardship, the question that Easter compels us to ask: How do I steward my resources – my time, my money, my abilities and gifts, my very life – so that they are in service to the Kingdom of God? It’s not a part-time question. It’s not a seasonal question that’s swept off the shelf periodically. It’s the basic question which the Easter season demands of us: Jesus, how do you want me to serve you?
Congratulations! Since our kickoff, the following parish has met its goal for the 2019 Catholic Ministries Appeal:
St. Joseph Parish Waldorf
Monica Herman
Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota mherman@catholicfsmn.org
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lease consider supporting the 2019 Catholic Ministries Appeal Renew Faith, Extend Mercy, Inspire Hope, the theme again of this year’s 2019 Catholic Ministries Appeal, is fitting during this time in our history. The work of the Church is important, and, as we draw closer to each other, we know that we are called by Christ to continue His work. He is, after all, the head of our Church and the embodiment of who we are as Catholics. He offers us an infinite amount of love and mercy that flows from His Most Sacred Heart. We are strengthened through Him to go forth and Renew Faith, Extend Mercy and Inspire Hope together as one Church. The good works made possible through the Appeal create opportunities for thousands of Catholics throughout southern Minnesota in their lifelong journeys of faith. You may have doubts about financially supporting the Appeal due to litigations and pastoral plans for parish reclustering. However, I believe in the resiliency of the faithful throughout our diocese and in their desire to help ensure that the Church continues Her mission. Ministries made possible by the Appeal include: retreats and conferences, through which our young people encounter Christ; faith formation education preparing our laity to share the story of our faith; catechetical training for hundreds of priests, parish staff and school staff; support with vocations discernment; resources to strengthen marriages and families; and community outreach to the poor. Wide arrays of ministries are available for thousands to Renew Faith, Extend Mercy and Inspire Hope because you and others make it possible. Thank you for considering a donation to the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Your gift supports ministries and services that carry forth the Bishop’s mission and vision, including adult and youth catechesis, youth ministry, sacramental marriage, life at all stages, Catholic schools, televised Mass, and much more. Remember, every gift makes a difference! www.catholicfsmn.org
All Saints Church Windows Restored Submitted by FR. MICHAEL CRONIN
NEW RICHLAND--10 of the 12 historic stained glass windows at All Saints Church in New Richland have been fully restored because of the generosity of parishioners who raised $100,000 in 2018 through the Catholic Ministry Appeal. This year, the parish hopes to raise an additional $50,000 through the appeal to restore the last two and largest remaining windows.
Fr. Michael Cronin is the pastor of St. Ann Parish, Janesville; St. Joseph Parish, Waldorf; and All Saints Parish, New Richland April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
About Prayer and Fasting Susan Windley-Daoust
Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org
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reetings this great holy month, where we remember the cost and the gift of our salvation! Many people of every age and in all regions of the diocese have told me they want to share out the good news of Jesus Christ—that God is real, hope is real, and our worship and faith communities are places to encounter the living God. But they don’t know how, or where to start. Where to start is easy: you start by praying. Part of that prayer is asking God what he wants, what is his plan for you in the Great Commission. You may not be called personally to make disciples of all
nations, but you may well be called to share the good news with a family member or neighbor! We all have a crucial role to play through our baptism. Through our baptism, we are called to evangelize. And that means we need to pray for a deepening of our discipleship. We can always go deeper. Here is the good news: part of that prayer is praying for others - praying for others to encounter the living God. And every single person reading this can do this. We are inviting you to do it this year. As our diocese invests in fostering lives of missionary discipleship, we need to initiate this move with prayer, and if you can and are so moved, fasting. This March, we began a novena of monthly days of prayer and fasting for evangelization, usually the third Friday of the month (April 12 is the one exception). We are praying for ourselves and for the good of our friends and neighbors. This is an act of love. And Jesus told us to do this before we do anything else. There has been a lot of praying for missionary discipleship already, but we are upping the power by asking for the entire diocese’s intercession to God, to call us to
Monthly Days of Prayer and Fasting for the Evangelization of Southern Minnesota
March 15, April 12, May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20, October 18 and November 15, we are praying for: •
friends and family who do not know the fullness of God’s love and care for them
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people who have drifted away from the Church, and are inactive, that they may be led to reencounter Christ in his Church
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people in southern Minnesota who have never heard of God’s personal plan for their lives
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people in southern Minnesota who have rejected God, for their return
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people in our communities who are struggling to embrace what it means to be an adopted son or daughter of Christ in his Church
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people to recognize their vocations and live them out gratefully and fully
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• •
the initiatives of different parishes and communities in this diocese designed to reach the spiritually lost: Alpha, ChristLife, discipleship quads, FOCUS, Renew, Saint Paul Street Evangelization teams, St. James’ Coffee, Cursillo, TEC, Retrouvaille, Unbound prayer teams, Catholic in Recovery, and others that we as the people of God will be an authentic and humble witness to the joy of the Gospel, confident not in our own abilities but in God’s support that all of us will take the responsibility to seek ways to deepen our individual relationships with Jesus Christ that as baptized disciples, we continue to recognize that we are called to propose the Gospel and help make new disciples that we are called to the Great Commission in our local communities
5 Missionary Discipleship
First Things First
become Spirit-led evangelists who know how to introduce people to Christ, and for God to prepare the hearts of those who need to encounter his love and mercy. Fasting is a way of putting our bodies into our prayer. These petitions are acts of love. Love requires sacrifice. Fasting, however you engage it (food? Social media? Coffee?) is a deliberate and unnecessary sacrifice. Fasting underlines our prayer. Consider it. How do you do this? Note the dates, circle them on your calendar (or smartphone) and join us in praying for these intentions. Add your own - the concerns of your family, initiatives in your own parish, specific people in your community. Listen to your heart on this. Many years ago, when I became aware of the power of prayer, I decided to pray for a close friend of mine who was an atheist and deeply damaged by his experience of Church. We had talked a lot over the years with no real change on his part, but he remained my friend, a genuinely good man. So I prayed that he may come to know God. Two weeks later, he called and said, “You know, I don’t know what’s going on, and I still have major issues with Christianity, but I can’t help thinking that God is real. I don’t know what that means, except, in some way, I think you’re right. And I needed to tell you that.” I was stunned. But it made clear that God can work real miracles through our prayers. Please consider cutting out and saving the creamcolored box of diocesan petitions located on this page. Know you are not alone; many are praying. A parish each month is devoting a Mass or Holy Hour to this cause, and prayer with faithful expectation that God is alive, the Lord is risen and on the move in this diocese.
Catholic in Recovery Coming to Diocese �erhaps you have found yourself struggling with an addiction, compulsive behavior, or unhealthy attach-
ment to something that is keeping you from a close relationship with God. You may be participating in a recovery program and wondering how to blend its spiritual wisdom with the traditions of your faith. Catholic in Recovery is a nonprofit ministry designed to combine faith, fellowship, and freedom to support those who desire a new way to approach whatever barriers stand in the way of living life to its fullest. We are glad to introduce Catholic in Recovery meetings to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The aim of Catholic in Recovery meetings is to bring freedom to those struggling with addiction or unhealthy attachment. In addition, they are available to supplement one’s personal recovery with a sacramental understanding of God’s mercy using the traditions of the Catholic Church. We rely on our faith's understanding of Jesus Christ as our Savior and Higher Power, who, aided by the Holy Spirit, is present as we gather to share experience, strength, and hope with each other. Regardless of
Recovery, cont'd on pg. 17
April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
Lay Formation & RCIA
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Sharing the "Path of the Catechumens" to the
Sacrament of New Life
This month's column is written by my colleague Camille Withrow, who is the program associate for RCIA ministry in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. -Todd Graff
Camille Withrow
This article draws on content from the general introduction of Liturgical Press's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, paragraphs 1-6.
The Sundays of Lent … introduce us to the experience of a baptismal journey, almost as if we were retracing the path of the catechumens, of those who are preparing to receive Baptism, in order to rekindle this gift within us and to ensure that our life may recover a sense of the demands and commitments of this sacrament which is at the root of our Christian life.
�
-Pope Benedict XVI, General Audience, Ash Wednesday, 2011
s we journey through the season of Lent, those in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) across our diocese are prayerfully walking with us as they prepare for the upcoming Easter Vigil. While we all eagerly await this celebration, it has an added importance in the lives of our catechumens and candidates. At the Easter Vigil, our catechumens will be initiated into the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Our candidates will be received into full communion with the Church through the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. The reception of these sacraments will strengthen these newly initiated and received members in their life of discipleship within the Church. As our catechumens receive Baptism, their sins are forgiven, and they are brought to new life as children of
God. Through the Sacrament of Confirmation, the newly baptized and the candidates will be filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and strengthened to bear witness to Christ in the world. As they come to the Eucharistic table, these newest members of the Church receive the Body and Blood of Christ in the promise of one day joining in the eternal banquet of Heaven. It is important to remember that these three sacraments enable all of us, not only those who have recently received them, to carry out the Church’s mission in the world with courage and compassion. Our catechumens, who are not baptized, are going through a similar journey as the rest of the baptized faithful this Lent. In fact, the Lenten season was originally a time of preparation for receiving the Sacrament of Baptism. While catechumens are preparing for their baptism through prayer, penance, and conversion, the rest of the Church is also called to renewal in living out our own baptismal promises. During Lent, the Church as a whole listens more intently to the word of God as we devote ourselves more faithfully to prayer. We are encouraged to fast, pray, and do penance as we prepare for our baptismal renewal, sharing the same focus as the catechumens in their period of “purification and enlightenment.” Since we share this common path with our catechumens, I will reflect more deeply on the Sacrament of Baptism. Sacrament of New Life
The Sacrament of Baptism is intrinsically connected to Lent and to the celebration of the Easter Vigil. As Pope Benedict affirmed: The Church has always associated the Easter Vigil with the celebration of Baptism, step by step. In it is brought about that great mystery through which man, dead to sin, is enabled to share in new life in the Risen Christ and receives the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead (cf. Rom 8:11) (Ash Wednesday 2011).
Baptism is the sacrament of new life as well as the doorway to the Kingdom of God. Christ established
Todd Graff
Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org
this sacrament and offers to all the gift of eternal life. In baptism, we are cleansed and every stain of sin is washed away. All who are baptized with water, “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,” are consecrated as members of Christ’s Body and enter into communion with the Blessed Trinity. Those who are to receive this high dignity of baptism have been prepared by God’s Word in the scriptures, by the prayers and pastoral support of the church community, and by their profession of belief in the Trinity. Lent serves as a time of more intense spiritual preparation for our catechumens, whose formation takes on a more interior character intended to purify their hearts and minds and to develop a deeper knowledge and love of our Savior, Jesus Christ. While we, as fully initiated members of the Church, are focusing our attention during Lent on turning back to Christ in a spirit of penance and renewal, our catechumens are waiting to receive new life in Christ. Through baptism, our catechumens will share in his Paschal Mystery as they die to sin and rise to new life. Baptism’s effects are generated “by the power of the mystery of the Lord’s passion and resurrection. Those who are baptized are united to Christ in a death like his; buried with him in death, they are given life again with him, and with him they rise again.” (RCIA, #6). Since baptism makes present the Lord’s Paschal Mystery, each celebration of the Sacrament of Baptism should reflect the joy of Christ’s Resurrection – especially so when it is celebrated at the Easter Vigil. Baptism is also a spiritual rebirth which makes us God’s adopted sons and daughters. Through this sacrament, its recipients are initiated into the Church and are called to a royal priesthood. As Christians, we hold the Rite of Baptism in highest honor, and this sacramental bond of unity links all who are signed by it. This bond is of great importance as the newly initiated will rely on the support and guidance of the Church as they take on their new identity as members of the Body of Christ. The prayers of the local parish community have been important throughout the catechumens’ journey, and are especially important in this Lenten season as they prepare more intensely for their rebirth in the waters of baptism. As we ourselves await the joys of Easter through this Lenten period of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, let us especially keep in prayer those who are preparing to receive the Sacraments of Initiation this Easter. And, at the Easter Vigil, let us welcome these new members of the Church, our sisters and brothers in Christ, with great joy and thanksgiving! Dear friends, on this Lenten journey let us be careful to accept Christ’s invitation to follow him more decisively and consistently, renewing the grace and commitments of our Baptism, to cast off the former person within us and put on Christ, in order to arrive at Easter renewed and able to say, with St Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20).
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-Pope Benedict XVI, Ash Wednesday 2011
June 7-8 Is the
Diocesan Pentecost Celebration
� Church on Fire, A Church on Mission - “…To Be
Saints for God’s Greater Glory” is the theme for a diocesan evangelization and discipleship event to be held on Friday - Saturday, June 7-8, in Rochester. •
•
On Friday, the diocese will host the Millennial Church Conference. “This unique, engaging, and refreshing day-long conference will empower clergy, Church staffs, and lay leaders to reach out to Millennial adults in simple, practical, and personal ways.”
On Saturday, a day of prayer, sharing, witness, and worship will be offered, featuring The Vigil Project (www.thevigilproject. com). The day will lead into the celebration of the diocesan Pentecost Vigil Mass on that evening at the Co-Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist.
The Millennial Church Conference is a response of a few Catholic young adult ministers wanting to equip more Catholic leaders in dioceses, parishes, and organizations to engage the Millennial generation. We help leaders in parishes and dioceses effectively create communities that understand, empower, and connect with young adults. Nearly every leader in the parish has a role to play in this vision, and we provide principles, language, and vision for how every member of the parish or diocese can work to reach the next generation. •
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The Millennial Church Conference [From www.millennialchurchconference.com.] The statistics are staggering. • •
80% of Millennials who were raised Catholic stop practicing their faith by the age of 23.
15% of Millennial Catholics attend Mass on a weekly basis.
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Understand: You will learn about the fundamentals of evangelization in a Millennial context, the common characteristics of this generation, and the unique and diverse challenges facing them today. Empower: You will walk away empowered by new strategies, a new understanding, and a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit. Connect: You will connect with other leaders in your area while learning how to connect young adults to your parish, even if you aren’t a millennial.
Pete Burak will be the main presenter for the conference, joined by other young adults active in church life. Pete serves as the director of “i.d.9:16,”
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a ministry devoted to helping young adults become intentional disciples of Jesus Christ. He is a 2010 graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, and has a master’s degree in theology from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI. Pete is a frequent speaker at numerous youth and young adult events, and he is the camp co-director of Pine Hills Boys Camp. Pete and his wife, Cait, have two daughters, Grace and Erin, and a new baby boy, Donovan. For more information about the Diocesan Pentecost Celebration, and to register for the event, go to: www.dowr.org/pentecost.html. You can also contact Director of Lay Formation & RCIA Todd Graff at 507858-1270 or tgraff@dowr.org.
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8
Don't Be Shy; Visit IHM Rev. Jason Kern
Vocations
Director of Vocations jkern@dowr.org
Seminary visitors play a card game during the March 16-17 information weekend.
�urrently, there are a lot of ques-
tions in the Church being asked about seminary formation and how we as a church can be sure that the men being ordained are receiving adequate formation. As a vocations director, I work with men who are considering applying for seminary as well as with our current seminarians by collaborating with the priests who are on faculty at the seminaries where our men our formed. As vocations director for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, I have also been assigned to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary right here in Winona. This is a college seminary where men work on their undergraduate degrees and undergo our formation program as they discern if, indeed, God is calling them to diocesan priesthood. In this house where 50 men reside and study at St. Mary’s University, I can
speak candidly about the quality of men who are in residence here. While they are coming out of today’s culture and have many areas in which to grow, these men, who are all under the age of 30 this year, are being given tools to deal with everything from stress and social interaction to deeper issues, such as those related to sexuality or family of origin difficulties. Truth be told, for every guy, we have very detailed work happening in areas of woundedness or healing. The men studying for the DOW-R at IHM are honest and transparent about their own struggles, and we work to build their gifts and abilities. No institution is perfect and can account for everything that could ever transpire in a man’s life, but I couldn’t be more encouraged by the quality of
Visitors to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary stand with some of their hosts in the IHM Chapel April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
men coming out of IHM Seminary, and those who are studying for the priesthood for our diocese. Bishop Quinn entrusts responsibility to priests who he trusts, and Bishop Quinn knows the men he ordains. Keep praying for these men to be open to being holy and caring priests who radiate Christ to our parishes and communities. On the weekend of March 16-17, IHM Seminary hosted an Information Weekend for men who might be interested in entering the seminary. From eight dioceses, nearly 50 men came and enjoyed a weekend here at the seminary. Our house was overflowing, and a local hotel had to be utilized to host so many visitors. Every guy who came for the weekend was at a different place in terms of his own discernment, whether feeling called to enter seminary or just checking out what the life entails, but from my perspective, it seemed like a great weekend. The IHM seminarians assisted in hosting by giving their vocations stories, answering questions, showing guests around, and even playing basketball or watching a movie with them. God is continuing to call the right men to lead the church as priests in the generation to come. May we continue to pray and encourage those on the journey of discipleship to do God’s will and find the path to the fullness of life in Christ!
Synod Document:
Listen to, Support, Guide, Include Young People 9
CopyrightŠ 2018 Catholic News Service www. CatholicNews.com Reprinted with permission of CNS. By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The Catholic Church and all its members must get better at listening to young people, taking their questions seriously, recognizing them as full members of the church, patiently walking with them and offering guidance as they discern the best way to live their faith, the Synod of Bishops said. While the synod's final document spoke of friendship, affection, sexuality and "sexual inclinations," those issues were not the center of concern in the lengthy final document, which was released Oct. 27, 2018. The synod, which began Oct. 3 and was to conclude with a Mass Oct. 28, brought together 267 voting members -- cardinals, bishops, 18 priests and two religious brothers -- and 72 experts and observers, including three dozen men and women under 30 to discuss "young people, the faith and vocational discernment." For the vote on the final document, 249 bishops and priests participated; two-thirds approval, or 166 votes, were required to keep a paragraph in the document. The version they voted on had 167 numbered paragraphs. The focus of the final document was on improving ways to support young Catholics' baptismal call to holiness, to welcome the contributions they make to the church and help them in their process of growing in faith and in deciding the state of life that would best correspond to what God wants from them. The emphasis on the church listening to young people also led to an emphasis on the church listening to all people -- including women -- renewing communities and structures for a "synodal church" where all members listen to, support and challenge one another and share responsibility for the church's one mission of spreading the Gospel. "Listening is an encounter in freedom, which requires humility, patience, willingness to understand and a commitment to working out responses in a new way," the document said. "Listening transforms the heart of those who live it, above all when they take on an inner attitude of harmony and docility to the Spirit of Christ." The bishops said they heard from many young people a need for "courageous cultural conversion and a change in daily pastoral practice" to promote the equality of women in society and in the church. "An area of particular importance in this regard is the presence of women in church bodies at all levels, including in leadership roles, and the participation of women in church decision-making processes while respecting the role of the ordained ministry," the document said. "This is a duty of justice." However, the final document was amended before passage to remove one specific suggestion on where to begin promoting greater equality in the church. The draft document had called for "avoiding the disparity" at the synod between the men's Union of Superiors General, which has 10 voting members at the synod, and the women's International Union of Superiors General, which had three non-voting observers at the assembly. The document acknowledged how, in some countries, young people are moving away from the church
Students at Lourdes High School in Rochester
or question its teachings, especially on sexuality. The church's response, the synod said, must be a commitment of time and patience as it helps young people "grasp the relationship between their adherence to faith in Jesus Christ and the way they live their affectivity and interpersonal relationships." Church teaching that all people are called to chastity and to refraining from sexual relations outside the bond of marriage between a man and a woman must be presented clearly, but not with a judgmental attitude, it added. The document mentioned young people's questions about homosexuality, sexual orientation and differences between men and women and called for "a more in-depth anthropological, theological and pastoral elaboration" on the church's position on those issues. The final document used the term "sexual inclination" rather than "sexual orientation" as the draft document had. "The synod reaffirms that God loves every person and so does the church, renewing its commitment against all sexually-based discrimination and violence," the final document said. "It also reaffirms the decisive anthropological relevance of the difference and reciprocity between man and woman and considers it reductive to define the identity of persons solely on the basis of their 'sexual orientation.'" The paragraph, listed under "Sexuality: A Clear, Liberating, Authentic Word," passed by the required two-thirds, but received the fewest favorable votes -178 -- while 65 bishops voted against it. Members of the synod also praised young Catholics who are involved in their parishes or communities, who dedicate themselves enthusiastically to service projects, who offer their time and talent to the celebration of parish liturgies and who are willing to do even more. However, the document said, too often young volunteers are met by priests and other adults who doubt their commitment or preparation or are simply unwilling to share responsibility with them. While young people can feel overlooked or ignored, the synod members said such attitudes are detrimental to the church and to its missionary mandate. The final document said young people challenge the church to be better and their questions force older church members to find clearer ways to express church teaching or to respond to new situations with the wisdom of faith. "Their criticism, too, is needed because not infrequently we hear through them the voice of the Lord asking us for a conversion of heart and a renewal of structures," the synod members said. The clerical sex abuse scandal and financial scandals in the Catholic Church are leading many people, not only young people, away from the faith, the synod acknowledged. Apparently responding to some bishops who felt the draft document's section on abuse gave too much
Youth & Young Adults
Aaron Lofy
Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org
prominence to the topic's importance in the United States, Ireland, Australia and Chile, the final document treated it in three paragraphs rather than the earlier five. However, the final document, like the draft, said, "The Synod expresses gratitude to those who have had the courage to denounce the evil they have suffered: they help the church become aware of what has happened and of the need to react decisively" to ensure abuse does not continue to occur. Behind the crime of abuse, it said, there lies a "spiritual void" and a form of exercising power that led some priests to believe their ordination gave them "power" over others rather than called them to serving others. On "vocation," synod members emphasized how the basic, common Christian vocation is the call to holiness, which can and should be lived out in every state of life: young or old, single or married or in the priesthood or religious life. "Vocation is neither a script a human being is called to recite, nor a spontaneous theatrical moment leaving no traces," the document said. God calls each person into a relationship with him, respects the person's freedom and yet has a plan for each person's life; discovering that plan requires prayer and self-examination. The final document urged particular attention to marriage preparation programs as "a kind of 'initiation' for the sacrament of matrimony" and to careful selection of candidates for the priesthood and to seminary programs to ensure that future priests are men who can recognize the gifts of others, relate well to women and men of all ages and are devoted to serving the poor. Young people who are poor or experience discrimination -- especially migrants, victims of religious persecution and those struggling to find employment -- received special attention at the synod and in the final document. In fact, the synod said, "the world of young people is also deeply marked by the experience of vulnerability, disability, illness and pain" and Catholic communities have not always done everything possible to welcome and assist them.
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Catholic Schools
10
St. John Vianney, Fairmont:
We Are Blessed! By SARAH STRIEMER
�
t’s hard to believe that the year is flying by as fast as it is! Each month of this school year has presented wonderful blessings and exciting challenges. When students arrived at St. John Vianney School in the fall, they were excited to see our new gym floor and stage curtain. We are very grateful to the Michael and Elizabeth Garry family for their generous donations toward our gym floor. Later on in the year, our local Knights of Columbus purchased a new scoreboard for the gym as well. It is like a whole new space! St. John Vianney School was able to host the onsite MNSAA Accreditation team in October. Our team of teachers, staff, and parents worked many hours to prepare for this visit, and it paid off. We are happy to say that we are fully accredited for another seven years! The team, which consisted of five members from across Minnesota, stated the following in their report after their visit: The team was impressed by the diligence of the teachers to do their important work of instructing the children. We were also impressed by the openness, friendliness, and respectful attitude of the
students. The parents were eager to talk with us about why they valued the education their children are receiving at St. John Vianney School. St. John Vianney School has many treasures-the mission that is taught, the children who learn, the teachers who teach, the parents who give support, the talented support staff, and the dedicated administration. All the team members noted and commented on the most unique of all treasures: the family that is St. John Vianney School, with adults and children working toward a common and deeply held purpose.
We are very grateful for the time that the MNSAA team spent at our school and for the reassurance that we are doing what we are supposed to be doing here each day with our students. We kicked off Catholic Schools Week with our 15th Annual Dinner Dance on January 26 at the Fairmont Knights of Columbus Hall. This is a formal evening for parents, grandparents, alumni, and community members to join together in celebration of our school. We had a great meal, a wine wall, a live auction and two wonderful speakers, and our KCs did the drawing for the prizes of the $100 raffle tickets that they sold. This year they sold 900 tickets and were able to give us the gift of $54,000! This money is going to be put toward installing air conditioning in our building this summer. Our St. John Vianney Endowment Board works diligently to grow the donations that are given to them so
Marsha Stenzel
Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org
that they can in turn support the school through generous donations. Last spring, they gifted us $79,500! We are very thankful for the donations that they give us each year and look forward to working with them to keep our school going strong. Currently, we are looking forward to finishing out the 2018-19 school year strong. We have many field trips and programs to look forward to. The students are working hard each day to learn new things and have fun, new experiences. Our students are excelling in academics each day, due to the dedication of our teachers and parents. According to our NWEA testing, 84% of SJV students are at grade level or above in Math, Reading, and Science. Registration is currently open for all classes for the 2019-20 school year. Feel free to contact us for more information on St. John Vianney School. 507-235-5304 or sstriemer@sjvschool.net We are so very grateful for all the prayers and support that are shown to us throughout the school year. We are blessed to be part of a great community! Sarah Striemer is the principal of St. John Vianney School in Fairmont.
Cotter President Receives Leadership Award Submitted by ANNMARIE DEMARAIS
�announce otter Schools, Winona, MN, is pleased to that Sister Judith Schaefer, OP, Ph.D.,
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President of Cotter Schools, has recently been named a recipient of the 2019 Minnesota Independent School Forum (MISF) Leadership Award. MISF is the largest membership organization serving the private and independent school sector in Minnesota. The MISF Leadership Award recognizes the hard work and dedication of school heads, presidents, principals, superintendents, or executive directors. The award celebrates the ability of its recipients to instill passion in themselves and the people with whom they work; to bring innovative ideas forward and to fruition; and to understand how to help move change forward in an organization by effectively
communicating with key internal and external stakeholders to help them understand and participate in the change process. Sister Judy was nominated for the award by the Cotter Schools Board of Directors. Sr. Judith Schaefer Sister Judy has served as President of Cotter Schools since 2012. She came to Cotter Schools from Saint Mary’s University where she served as Professor of Theology. Sister Judy is a professed member of the Sinsinawa Dominicans. Sister Judy will be presented with her award at the 2019 Private and Independent Education Awards on Sunday, April 28, 2019, at the University of Saint Thomas. Please join us in congratulating Sister Judy on this most-deserved honor! Annmarie DeMarais works in the Office of Mission
at Cotter Schools in Winona.
To Serve the Lord with Gladness 11 St. Mary, Caledonia, Students Live the Corporal Works of Mercy, One Month at a Time Submitted by REBECCA SWEDBERG
�
Catholic Schools
t St. Mary’s School in Caledonia, our focus for the school year is “To Serve the Lord with Gladness.” It is not enough to strictly learn about Jesus; it is essential to teach our students how to live out the teachings of Jesus in everyday life. Therefore, our focus for the school year has been the Corporal Works of Mercy. Each month, our students and staff focus on one of the Corporal Works of Mercy and model how Christ treated others. During the month of October, the focus was December the Corporal Work of Mercy to Bury the Dead. November Throughout the month, our younger students made sympathy cards that were given out to grieving pennies to earn points for their class were imprisoned for their faith and were visited families. While our younger students made cards, and silver coins to deduct points from by fellow believers. Prayers were offered for the the older students went to Calvary Cemetery to other classes. The challenge is to earn imprisoned, families of imprisoned and victims, clean headstones and rake up leaves. the most points! The fifth- and sixthand the wrongly accused. A visit to the While at the cemetery, they also took the grade classes made a video to share Houston County Justice Center was It is not time to pay their respects to those who with the school giving students ideas of scheduled, but had to be postponed have died. enough to different ways to give alms to the poor, other than due to weather-related school closings. The Corporal Work of Mercy for the money. We hope to reschedule the visit in the month of November was to Feed the strictly learn For the month of April, the third- and fourthspring. Hungry. At our monthly all-school con- about Jesus; grade classes will introduce the Corporal Work of Throughout the month of February, vocation prayer service, the first- and Mercy to Give Drink to the Thirsty. The students the school focused on the Corporal Work second-grade students challenged the it is essential at St. Mary’s School will learn what we can do to of Mercy to Visit the Sick. It is easy for us school to collect food for the food bank not waste water and what goes into giving us clean to get so caught up in the busyness of in Caledonia. All month long, the entire to teach our water. We plan to visit the Caledonia Water and our world today that we forget about school brought in non-perishable food students how Sewer Department at the end of April to help us those who are suffering from illness, items, which were then given to the food learn about our water and how they provide us whether they suffer in their own home, to live out bank for Christmas. clean water. in a nursing home, or in a hospital. Each Implementing the Corporal Works of Mercy For the month of December, the student wrote a person they would like the teachings into our school year has given our students a Corporal Work of Mercy was to Shelter to pray for on a cross, which was placed chance to serve others. By living out the Corporal the Homeless. Through generous dona- of Jesus in on our prayer board. Please continue to Works of Mercy through selfless, compassionate tions from our St. Mary’s School famipray for those who are suffering from everyday life. acts, the students at St. Mary’s School have been lies, we were able to purchase material illness, loneliness, or sadness. able to live out the teachings of Jesus. It has also to make 62 tie blankets to share with The Corporal Works of Mercy for shown the students how truly blessed they are. the elderly people in our community. In early March is to Give Alms to the Poor. The students are December, the Caledonia High School Leadership participating in a Penny War to raise money for a Rebecca Swedberg is the principal of St. Mary School group met to cut fabric into blankets. Then St. local charity, Ring and Run. Students are bringing in Caledonia. Mary’s students joined together to tie all the blankets. The preschool and kindergarten students delivered the blankets as Christmas gifts to the Caledonia Care and Rehab and Buckley Assisted Living. All of the residents were delighted to receive the blankets. St. Mary’s students were introduced to the Corporal Work of Mercy to Visit the Imprisoned during January’s all-school convocation prayer service. Students learned that many early Christians February
October
Sacred Heart School, Waseca, is proud of its 4th graders who participated in the 2019 Catholic Daughters of the Americas Education Contest. This year's theme was Doing My Best to Do Good. Multiple snow days posed a challenge to the student artists, but between their hard work and the gracious deadline extension provided by the school's CDA representative, the projects were completed. Pictured L to R are: (front) Cash Lynch, Otto Schoenrock, Rhylee Tucker, Jacob Harguth, (back)
March
Ian Farley, Alex Breck, Catholic Daughters of the Americas Education Chairman Carole Schumacher, Berkly Hinna and Belle Miller. April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
Safe Environment
12
Protecting Children
April Is Child Abuse Prevention Month! The contents of this column appearing before the dotted line are reprinted with permission from the 2019 Prevention Guide, produced by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families; the Administration for Children and Families; and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
•
hen children are nurtured, they can grow up to be happy and healthy adults. But when they lack an attachment to a caring adult, receive inconsistent nurturing, or experience harsh discipline, the consequences can affect their lifelong health, well-being, and relationships with others. What is Child Abuse and Neglect?
•
�
• Neglect is failure to provide for a child’s basic needs.
•
• •
• Physical abuse is physical injury as a result of hitting, kicking, shaking, burning, or otherwise harming a child. Sexual abuse is any situation where a child is used for sexual gratification. This may include indecent exposure, fondling, rape, or commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production of pornographic materials.
Emotional abuse is any pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth, including constant criticism, threats, and rejection.
Trafficking is another type of child maltreatment. The term “sex trafficking” means the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act. Why Does Child Abuse Occur?
Child abuse and neglect affect children of every age, race, and income level. However, research has identified many factors relating to the child, family, community, and society that are associated with an increased risk of child abuse and neglect. Studies also have shown that when multiple risk factors are present, the risk is greater. Some of the most common risk factors include the following: • • •
Immaturity. Young parents may lack experience with children or be unprepared for the responsibility of raising a child.
Unrealistic expectations. Lack of knowledge about normal child development or behavior may result in frustration and, ultimately, abusive discipline. Stress. Families struggling with poverty, unstable housing, divorce, or unemployment may be a greater risk.
•
Substance use. The effects of substance use, as well as time, energy, and money spent obtaining drugs or alcohol; significantly impair parents’ abilities to care for their children.
Intergenerational trauma. Parents’ own experiences of childhood trauma impact their relationships with their children.
Isolation. Effective parenting is more difficult when parents lack a supportive partner, family, or community.
These circumstances, combined with the inherent challenges of raising children, can result in otherwise well-intentioned parents causing their children harm or neglecting their needs. On the other hand, evidence shows that the great majority of families who experience these circumstances will not abuse or neglect their children.
ever caring, ever strong, always present, always just: You gave your only Son to save us by his blood on the cross.
When you call to make a report, you will be asked for specific information, such as the following:
In Federal fiscal year (FFY) 2017, the most recent year for which national child maltreatment statistics are available, about 4.1 million reports were made to child protective services concerning the safety and well-being of approximately 7.5 million children. As a result of these reports, a nationally estimated 674,000 (unique count) children were found to be victims of child abuse or neglect. Child deaths are the most tragic results of maltreatment. In FFY 2017, an estimated 1,720 children died due to abuse or neglect. Of the children who died, and for whom child-specific data were reported, 75.4 percent suffered neglect and 41.6 percent suffered physical abuse either exclusively or in combination with another maltreatment type. Statistics on this page are taken from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Children’s Bureau. (2019). Child Maltreatment 2017. Retrieved from https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/research-data-technology/ statistics-research/child-maltreatment. What Are the Consequences?
Child maltreatment is a traumatic experience, and the impact on survivors can be profound. Traumatic events, whether isolated (e.g., a single incident of sexual abuse) or ongoing (e.g., chronic emotional abuse or neglect), overwhelm children’s ability to cope and elicit powerful physical and emotional responses. These responses continue even when the danger has passed, often until treatment is received. What Can I Do If I Suspect Child Abuse or Neglect?
Anyone can and should report suspected child abuse or neglect. If you think a child is being mistreated, take immediate action. Call the police immediately.
�entle Jesus, shepherd of peace,
join to your own suffering the pain of all who have been hurt in body, mind, and spirit by those who betrayed the trust placed in them.
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The child’s name and location
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What you have seen or heard regarding the abuse or neglect
• •
How Many Children Are Abused and Neglected in the United States?
the cries A Prayer for Healing Victims of Abuse �earsisters
�od of endless love,
Mary Hamann
Safe Environment Program Manager mhamann@dowr.org
•
The name and relationship (if known) of the person you believe is abusing the child The names of any other people who might know about the abuse Your name and phone number (voluntary)
Reporting the situation may protect the child and get additional help for the family. Many nonprofit, public, education, social service, and childcare organizations in your community play a role in providing supports and services to children, youth, and families. Parenting education, crisis/respite care, transitional housing, and literacy programs as well as family resource centers, teen parent support groups, fatherhood groups, and marriage education classes support families in important ways. We are lucky in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, where we can all become part of the solution to child abuse. As people of God, we need to support the efforts of the diocese by completing background checks, signing the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Code of Conduct, and, most of all, attending a VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children for Adults live awareness training. After completing this session, we will be equipped to go out into our parish and community knowing: 1. the warning signs of child abuse.
2. how to control access to our children through screening. 3. how to monitor all ministries and programs.
4. how to be aware of child and youth behavior. 5. how to communicate our concerns.
In conclusion, I want to thank all the people who were VIRTUS trained in 2014 or earlier for completing their online recertification training, Keeping the Promise Alive 3.0. If you still have not completed this training and need assistance, please contact me at mhamann@dowr.org or 507-858-1244. Thank you for all you do to keep our children and young people safe!
of our brothers and
who have been gravely harmed, and the cries of those who love them. Soothe their restless hearts with hope, steady their shaken spirits with faith. Grant them justice for their cause, enlightened by your truth.
�
oly Spirit, comforter of hearts, heal your people's wounds and transform brokenness into wholeness. Grant us the courage and wisdom, humility and grace, to act with justice. Breathe wisdom into our prayers and labors. Grant that all harmed by abuse may find peace in justice. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. ©2014, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
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Don't Miss the
Fourth Annual Men's Conference Director of Faith Formation and Life, Marriage & Family pmartin@dowr.org
be held in Mankato for the first time on Saturday, April 27, at Loyola Catholic School. Bishop Quinn, who will be present throughout the day, invites all men to attend
Prayer for an End to Infanticide
this faith-filled event (and to bring a brother in Christ!). We are excited to have two amazing keynote speakers who will help us to grow closer to Christ by examining what masculine spirituality is and how men are called to battle in spiritual warfare. Not only will men hear two fantastic talks, they also will have the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, to adore Christ in the Eucharist, to participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and to enjoy the fellowship of hundreds of other Catholic men from throughout the diocese and the region! We hope to see you there! Register at www.dowr.org/event-details/547
Life, Marriage & Family
Peter Martin
�he Fourth Annual Men’s Conference will
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THE U.S. SENATE RECENTLY FAILED to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act - legislation that prohibits infanticide by ensuring that a child born alive following an attempted abortion would receive the same degree of care to preserve her or his life and health as would be given to any other child born alive at the same gestational age. Please join us in prayer for an end to infanticide:
Jesus, Lord of Life, transform the hearts of all elected leaders to recognize that infanticide is wrong and must not be tolerated. Open hearts and minds to recognize and defend the precious gift of every human life.
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Catholic Charities
14
Butterfly Brilliance
from a Caterpillar Crawl Names in this article have been changed for confidentiality.
�
hen was the last time you found yourself face to face with a fuzzy, creeping, crawly caterpillar? Do you remember feeling compelled to pick it up and let it crawl its way up your arm or twirl its way around your fingertip, imagining the day when it would be transformed into a brilliant butterfly? Once that humble caterpillar starts transforming, there is no turning back. Its full potential will be reached, and you will soon marvel at the beautiful butterfly in your midst. In essence, that caterpillar is a metaphor for you and me as followers of Jesus. When we are transformed through our new life in Christ, we begin the process of reaching our full potential. There is no turning back to the old version of ourselves. We are meant to have new life and to have it abundantly. At Catholic Charities, we seek transformation for those we serve. With your support, our staff and volunteers tirelessly strive for the transformation that allows those we serve to reach their full potential. When you support the efforts of Catholic Charities, you express your understanding that those who are poor in body or spirit start the journey patiently working toward
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the day when their brilliance shines and brings joy to all they encounter in life. Transformation is always an inside-out process for those we serve. All of God’s blessings that bring about healing begin on the inside of us and are then manifested outwardly. He turns our caterpillar challenges into butterfly brilliance! What is perhaps the most remarkable outcome is that transformation doesn’t end with those we serve. As you provide compassion and support, God’s grace is working within you; that inside-out process of transformation is created within you. You are forever changed when you serve as an instrument of God’s grace—you take on the brilliant image of Christ. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come” (Corinthians 5:17). In 2018, with your help, we served 7,951 people--more than 1,500 more individuals than in the prior year. That is an incredible investment in compassion and a lot of butterfly moments! You helped transform the lives of children, families in crisis, vulnerable adults, seniors, refugees, the uninsured, the poor, the homeless, and the unborn. Here are just a few of the inside-out transformative stories we are able to share because of your compassion. • Henry, an elderly gentleman with diabetes who was lacking prescription drug insurance, was assisted by our Medication Application Service Caseworker with enrolling in programs that allowed him to receive his prescriptions at no cost.
• Brittany, a single mother with two young children, was provided a pathway to move onward to complete her education and upward to employment in her chosen healthcare profession. Her Catholic Charities licensed social worker accompanied her on this journey to selfsufficiency.
Mary Alessio
Director of Advancement Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota
• Tom, a young father suffering from depression, was provided with competent and caring mental health services from one of our licensed therapists so that he is now able to re-engage with his wife and children and retain his employment.
• David, a middle-aged gentleman suffering from multiple losses and challenges, found himself homeless this winter. He was welcomed by compassionate and caring volunteers who staff our Winona Community Warming Center and was connected with various services that are helping him begin again.
• Martha, a widow with no children and suffering from advanced dementia, was provided with respect and compassionate care by a Catholic Charities caseworker who serves as her court-appointed guardian/conservator. •
John and Sue, both suffering the effects of arthritis, are enrolled in the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program through Catholic Charities’ Health and Wellness Program. They are both thrilled to report they are finding renewed strength and flexibility and are sharing walks and enjoying time with their grandchildren again.
Next time you find yourself face to face with a fuzzy caterpillar, I hope it reminds you that there is a butterfly within each one of us. And with your help and compassionate support, we will dedicate our efforts to helping in that transformation process for those we serve at Catholic Charities. God bless you for believing in our mission and, most especially, for believing in those we serve. Heartfelt thanks for your compassionate support of the Catholic Charities Annual Appeal—Mother’s Day Weekend—May 11-12. Your support is life-changing. You are transforming lives and helping them reach their full and brilliant potential!
Myths and Facts Around
Psychological Grounds for Annulment �lthough here in the Winona-Rochester Tribunal
we try marriages on a variety of grounds, it seems that the most “famous” grounds for marriage nullity are those relating to psychological issues. Unfortunately, this also means that there are a lot of misconceptions floating around. So this month, let’s take a look at some myths and facts around the psychological grounds for marriage nullity: Myth: Any mental health problem is grounds for nullity.
Fact: In order for a mental health issue to render a marriage invalid, it would need to fit into one of three specific canonical categories. These are set out in Canon 1095, which states: The following are incapable of contracting marriage: 1° those who lack the sufficient use of reason;
2° those who suffer from a grave defect of discretion of judgment concerning the essential matrimonial rights and duties mutually to be handed over and accepted; 3° those who are not able to assume the essential obligations of marriage for causes of a psychic nature. To break this down a little bit more, Canon 1095, 1° refers to those who lack the rational use of their mind altogether, as would be the case for someone suffering from, for example, severe dementia or a psychotic state in which they were completely out of touch with reality. Cases like this tend to be as rare as they are obvious (but they can happen!). Canon 1095, 2° refers to situations where a person may have some use of reason, but still lacks the ability to evaluate the choice of marriage and apply it to him or herself in a rational, intellectual way. Or in other words, a person suffering from a canonical “grave defect of discretion of judgment” is unable to make a free and knowledgeable choice to marry.
Myth: Getting a declaration of nullity on a psychological ground always means that you are mentally ill.
Additionally, our concern in a marriage case tried on canon 1095 is an individual’s psychological capabilities at the time of the wedding. And so even our conclusions in a nullity trial wouldn’t necessarily say anything about an individual’s present day mental health.
Myth: Just about anyone can get an annulment on a psychological ground.
Ask a Canon Lawyer
Jenna Cooper
Tribunal Coordinator & Judge jcooper@dowr.org
Canon 1095, 3° describes scenarios where a person might be able and free to make a rational choice of marriage, but because of psychological issues he or she is not capable of doing all the things which are necessarily a part of being married. For example, a person might suffer from a severe addictive or compulsive disorder which, to their own dismay, leaves them subjectively incapable of remaining faithful to their spouse.
15
Fact: It is true that if you were to look at all the declarations of nullity actually granted, a good percentage of them would have been granted on some form Fact: One important thing to note is that the aboveof canon 1095, so in that sense nullity mentioned canonical categories, or even declaraon account of psychological issues isn’t tions of nullity granted on these grounds, are not the exactly unusual. However, if you were to same thing as clinical psychiatric diagnoses. consider instead all the marriages that For one thing, even though tribunal judges have take place overall, it’s actually relatively years of higher education, we are not mental health rare that any given one of them would professionals! This is why whenever a case is tried be null due to psychological problems on the part of on canon 1095, canon law requires us to seek the one of the parties. input of a qualified expert in psychology (in our God designed marriage as a normal tribunal, we have a psychiatrist and a cliniand ordinary vocation for adult human cal psychologist who assist us). And Do you beings, so marrying validly doesn’t while of course in a general way que h take any unusual gifts of grace we as tribunal staff hope for the cano s t i o n ave a n la abo or exceptional human maturity. mental health and well-being you ut w t hat Granted, having a happy and of all those who have cases to s w o u l d e e l spiritually fruitful marriage with us, our goal in a marriage her answ i k e e might require a fairly high e nullity trial isn’t to diagnose red ? E jcoo m degree of both maturity and per@ and treat mental illness, but ail w d cooperation with grace. But i o th rather simply to figure out the w r. o " r C g the bar for having a valid marour que truth about what actually hapier s t i riage is set much lower than o pened at the time of a particun" the i n the one for having a happy and subj lar wedding. e c t holy marriage. It is fully possible It is also good to note that line . for a couple to make an impruit is possible for an individual to dent choice to marry, even while experience an incapacitating psythey were psychologically capable of chological issue at the time of conconsent; and it’s also possible to have an sent but not necessarily have any diagunhappy marriage that is nevertheless valid. nosable mental illnesses—e.g., a person who The upshot of this is that an invalidating psychowas under the influence of mind-altering drugs logical issue would have to be something that was when he was standing at the altar might have an an unusual problem or deficit; and not merely the invalid marriage as per can. 1095, 1° or 2°, but once “normal” lack of wisdom, experience, and insight the drugs wear off, he might not have any diagnosthat most younger adults experience at some point. able disorders. On the other hand, a person might have even Myth: If the nullity of my marriage is tried on canon a serious mental illness that still allows them 1095, that means the Church thinks I’m crazy! to marry validly. For instance, something like obsessive hand washing can be a serious probFact: This is not what our tribunal staff—let alone lem that requires professional treatment. But “the Church”—actually thinks. it might not necessarily prevent someone First of all, when we set ground during a nullity from understanding marriage, trial, all this means is that we have a specific queschoosing marriage, or fultion we’re asking. We don’t arrive at any conclufilling the most basic sions until the case is judged at the very end of the obligations of marprocess. ried life. But, more fundamentally, in the tribunal we don’t hold any negative opinions against someone just because they may have or have had a mental illness or other psychological difficulty, any more than we would personally judge someone for having diabetes or a broken bone. A psychological issue that causes the nullity of a marriage isn’t anyone’s “fault,” and our role in the tribunal is simply to seek the truth of what happened, not to embarrass anyone or assign blame. Furthermore, we have a great deal of respect for those who acknowledge they may have a mental health issue and seek help.
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When It Comes to Politics, Faith in the Public Arena
16
Everything Is Connected
�oday, people working to advance
certain priority in our social and political engagement. But to achieve short-term wins on the life Catholic social teaching often find issues, many are prone to dismiss concern over themselves in opposing camps, dividenvironmental destruction or the well-being of ed along party lines. But the Church’s immigrants because those issues do not compare political work is about putwith the destruction of life brought on ting back together what has American by abortion or assisted suicide. been torn apart by a highOther Catholics emphasize the ly partisan culture. In his politics have concrete needs of people in their encyclical Laudato si’, Pope become midst and how to meet them. They are Francis proposes integral disintegrated, unpersuaded by what seem like moral ecology as a new frameabstractions—precisely because the work for reunifying the and even while life issues are often framed as mere Church’s mission of public both parties opposition to some immoral action, engagement. as a defense of the human person get it right on not in light of the web of relationships in A Schism in some issues, which we exist. Catholic Social Teaching And yet, isn’t there something neither has common to the two perspectives? Isn’t Have you noticed how rare- a consistent it the very same “throwaway culture” ly all dimensions of Catholic social which now populates our prisons, our vision of social teaching coexist peacefully in the politlandfills, and our graveyards? Our culical engagement of many Catholics? life capable of ture’s tendency to discard whatever— How often are “social justice Catholics” or whoever—is old or inconvenient is building a truly working at cross-purposes with “prorapidly polluting both the earth itself life Catholics?” Catholics who devote just society. and the human community. We need themselves to protecting the unborn a more integrated way of approaching or defending marriage don’t always see eye-to-eye all the social issues as Catholics. with Catholics who prioritize serving the poor or caring for the natural ecology, and vice versa. Principled, Not Partisan To be sure, the “life issues,” because they typically involve intrinsic moral evils, must have a At the Minnesota Catholic Conference, our policy positions do not fit neatly into the polarized, leftright framework that still dominates the political landscape. Instead, on our bill tracker (mncatholic. org/actioncenter), you will find positions opposing assisted suicide and abortion, but you will also find support for clean water funding, and opioid epidemic response, immigrant driver’s licenses, and others. Minnesota's students deserve to attend This is not arbitrary. Nor is it the “mushy schools that meet their individual educational middle,” a way of pandering to both the right and needs. Parents, as the primary educators of the left. Rather, it is reflective of a consistent ethic their children, need to be enabled to enroll of life that puts back together what our political their children in the school that they feel best culture has pulled apart. American politics have become disintegrated, and even while both parties meets those needs. The good news is there is get it right on some issues, neither has a consisnow legislation, the Opportunity Scholarship tent vision of social life capable of building a truly Tax Credit (SF 1872), that will provide famijust society. lies with access to the schools of their choice In light of these difficulties, we can look to and ensure we have educational freedom in Pope Francis, who offers a new way of looking Minnesota. at Catholic social teaching in Laudato si’. In it, he Let your senator know that you support proposes “integral ecology,” which means helping Opportunity Scholarships for our kids! It only the natural and human ecologies to flourish while takes a few minutes to contact your legislators, respecting both. and it will make a positive difference in the lives of our children. Integral Ecology: You can visit our action center (http:// A New Vision for Catholic Social Teaching www.MNCatholic.org/actioncenter) to send A vision statement for integral ecology could be your Senator a message asking for the support the chorus from Laudato si’: “everything is conof the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (SF nected.” When one aspect of our lives is out of 1872). You can also reach them on the phone sync with Gospel principles, whether in our perby calling the Minnesota Senate’s mainline at sonal lives or in our public engagement, the whole (651) 296-0504. “spiritual organism” suffers. It is the same way with the political ecosystem:
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Sarah Spangenberg
Communications Associate Minnesota Catholic Conference
we cannot address a social problem in a narrow or isolated manner because our problems arise within a society of broken or disintegrated relationships and the failure, in some instances, to live our relationships with others well. That’s what the tradition means when it refers to structures of sin. And those structures can be dismantled only through personal conversion and addressing how they affect a whole ecosystem of social relationships. To get at downstream effects, we must see the source of the problem “upstream.” Because of the significance of integral ecology for public policy engagement in the life of the Church today, the bishops of Minnesota have approved the publication of a brand-new document by the Minnesota Catholic Conference titled Minnesota, Our Common Home. This resource is intended to help all of us grow in cultivating integral ecology within our families, in our daily lives, and in our call to be faithful citizens—all right here, in our home state. You can download or order your own copy by visiting www.mncatholic.org/ourcommonhome. As you read and pray through this document, we pray you are challenged and encouraged in your call to care for our common home, whether in your own backyard or on Capitol Hill.
Obituaries
Sister Evelyn Thillen, OSF, 92, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Monday, March 18, 2019. Evelyn Appolonia Thillen was born January 15, 1927, in Caledonia to John and Appolonia (Welscher) Thillen. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1947 from Saint Peter Parish in Caledonia. Sister Evelyn made first vows in 1949 and perpetual vows in 1952. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, in 1963. Sister Evelyn was a primary teacher for 41 years. She taught in several Catholic schools in the Diocese of Winona: Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Easton; Holy Trinity, Rollingstone; St. Gabriel, Fulda; St. Francis, Rochester; and St. Mary, Owatonna. She also taught at St. Peter School in Delano; St. Andrew the Apostle in Silver Spring, MD; and St. Raphael School in Springfield. From 1991-2002, Sister Evelyn resided at Tau Center, Winona, where she served as sacristan, receptionist and book store manager. She retired to Assisi Heights in 2002. Sister Evelyn is survived by her Franciscan Congregation, with whom she shared life for 72 years, and several in-laws, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Valery and John Thillen and four sisters: Laurayne Vick, Melba Privet, Carol Scheiber, Fern Richards and Esther Felton. The Funeral Mass was on Monday, March 25, in Lourdes Chapel at Assisi Heights, followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery, Rochester. Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Suite 100 Rochester, MN 55901.
Recovery, cont'd from pg. 5 17
where you are today, we believe you will grow to find a personal relationship with Christ by participating in a Catholic recovery fellowship. Catholic in Recovery meetings have been forming in parishes across the country since 2017. During that time, individuals and families have found hope to combat alcoholism, drug addiction, compulsive overeating, pornography and sex addiction, gambling addiction, fear, control, and resentment. We pray together, celebrate recovery milestones and those returning to the sacraments, and launch into an open discussion upon reading a weekly reflection which overlaps scripture from Sunday’s Mass readings, recovery principles, and liturgical themes. Connecting with others who share similar experiences and have found new life and happiness is at the foundation of Catholic in Recovery’s mission. In the coming weeks and months, a group will be forming in Winona and plans are being made to establish meetings in other parts of the diocese. If you are interested in more information or to be a part of developing a local fellowship, please contact Susan at (507) 858-1277 or, if you are in the Winona area, please contact Tom at (507) 429-2936. More information regarding Catholic in Recovery can be found at www. catholicinrecovery.com. We look forward to serving the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in a new and Christ-like way.
In the Diocese
Rev. Msgr. Joseph Mountain, 91, of Rochester, died on Thursday, March 14, 2019, at Madonna Towers in Rochester, where he had lived since 2008. Joseph William Mountain was born on August 13, 1927, in Mankato to Thomas and Margaret (Norton) Mountain. He grew up in Mankato, where he attended parochial school and Loyola High School. He graduated from Loras Academy in Dubuque, IA. Joe attended Loras College from 1944-48 receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in the classics. He then entered the St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. He was ordained on May 1, 1952, at Good Counsel Convent in Mankato by the Most Reverend Edward A. Fitzgerald. Msgr. Mountain’s assignments as a parochial vicar were at Ss. Peter and Paul in Blue Earth, St. John the Evangelist in Rochester and St. Joseph the Worker in Mankato. As pastor, he served at St. Rose of Lima in Avoca, St. Mary in Lake Wilson, St. Columban in Preston, St. Mary in Winona, St. John the Evangelist in Rochester, St. John Baptist de la Salle in Dodge Center, Holy Family in Kasson, Sacred Heart in Hayfield and Sacred Heart in Waseca. Other notable assignments include teaching religion and social studies at Lourdes High School in Rochester; parochial administrator for St. Bernard in Stewartville, St. Mary in Lake City, St. Ignatius in Spring Valley and St. Mary in Ellsworth; regional episcopal vicar; dean for the Mankato Deanery; moderator for the Council of Catholic Women and member of the College of Consultors. After joining the rank of senior priests on August 1, 1995, he served as priest moderator for St. Teresa in Mapleton, St. Matthew in Vernon Center and St. Joseph in Good Thunder. Fr. Mountain was presented as a Monsignor candidate by Bishop John Vlazny and became Msgr. Mountain on Dec. 5, 1997. He lived on Cannon Lake in Faribault for a number of years. Fr. Joe enjoyed reading; traveling, including many trips overseas; and boating and was a die-hard Vikings fan. Fr. Joe is survived by cousins and many friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and his
brother John Mountain. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered for Msgr. Mountain on Monday, March 18, 2019, at the Co– Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester. Officiating was Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Bishop of Winona-Rochester and the priests of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester. Burial followed at Calvary Cemetery in Rochester. Memorials are suggested to the Priest’s Retirement Fund in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
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The Courier Crossword
By W.R. CHESTER
Down
6. Catechism acronym
4. Easter
Across
1. Holiness written in gold
18
8. East side basilica
9. The only begotten 12. ____ unum sint
In the Diocese
14. Provincial chief
15. Former Archbishop of Canterbury 17. Seat of Wisdom 18. Side table
Just Keep Praying By JEANETTE FORTIER
�’ve been attending a few funerals of late, and the lun-
cheons afterward have proven to be very interesting! The first thing I notice is how organized and efficient the kitchen crew is. In my latest experiences, it's been mostly women serving food, pouring coffee, refilling dishes, without a hitch. They greet people with smiles, comfort the mourning family or friends and move like a whisper through the parish hall, taking care of all the details. They have taught me about grace and service. I pray for all those who serve God in this way. At another funeral, I had the opportunity to sit with parishioners and a priest. We had a wonderful conversation as Father shared about his recent vacation experience. Father taught us something new about a country we as parishioners had never visited. I learned about the importance of time and conversation. I pray for our priests who have (it seems) so little time for relaxed conversation. During the lunch at another funeral, as I was eating a great meal, I felt a hand on my shoulder! As I looked up, there was a lovely young man standing over me. “Are you Jeanette?” I said I was. He went on to say, “I promised myself that if I ever saw you, I would apologize for my awful behavior in junior high religion class. I think back on those years, and I was really terrible. I’m so sorry! You did spark an interest in faith in me, though.” (I remember he wasn’t the only one; there were nine boys in his class.) He shared what he was doing now, and we ended the conversation with a hug and a thank you. This young man taught me that you never know how the seeds of faith you try to plant (to the best of your ability) will grow and bloom. You (and I) just keep praying. Women of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, I extend to you an invitation to attend an event where you will experience women of service and grace, time of conversation and stories, experiences of faith and prayer: the National Convention of the Council of Catholic Women in Atlanta, GA, August 20-24, 2019. You will find convention information and registration at nccw.org. Jesus sent his disciples out two by two; maybe your parish can send two of you to this wonderful gathering. You will learn, be empowered, and bring back wonderful information to be of service to your parish community. Consider the possibility and just keep praying! Jeanette Fortier is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
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2. Under pre-baptismal instruction 3. Cloistered religious woman 5. Second Gospel
7. Son of St. Helena
10. Sin which is not deadly 11. Divine _________
13. ____ wide the doors to Christ. 16. Creed reference to reverence
˅ Last Month's Answers ˅
SUBMISSION to the calendar Please note: submission deadline is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. All submissions must be sent electronically to nreller@dowr.org by the deadline to assure receipt and possible inclusion in the events calendar. Thank you for understanding that, due to space limitations, not all events nor story submissions will fit; however, we strive to include as many as possible. A current list of events is also available at www.dowr.org.
Regular Prayer Mass for Life & Marriage is held at St. Mary Church in Winona the first Thursday each month at 8:30 a.m. Holy Hour of Prayer for Life, Marriage & Religious Liberty is held first Saturday each month 8:30-9:30 a.m. (after Mass for Life & Marriage) in the Cathedral's Adoration Chapel, 360 Main Street, Winona. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed and a rosary offered. All welcome. Prayer Vigil & Public Witness Against Abortion is held 3-4 p.m. Tuesdays in front of Semcac Clinic (delegate of Planned Parenthood) at 76 W 3rd Street in Winona. Contact: Patty 507-429-4636 Masses of Reparation for Sins in the Diocese are held daily in parishes throughout the diocese. Info: cb@wabashaemail.com Cor Jesu is held at the Cathedral in Winona, 7-9 p.m. the first Friday each month, September through May. Cor Jesu is an evening of Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, and music in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All are welcome to attend! For more details, search for Winona Cor Jesu on Facebook, visit cascwinona.org/prayer/corJesu, or call Kristopher Kaufman (859-7601619) or Steven Lehn (507-312-9041).
Traditional Latin Mass Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul, Sundays 4:15 pm Wabasha, St. Felix, Saturdays 9 am
The Televised Mass
Other Events St. Charles Borromeo Church, St. Charles April 12, Friday Monthly day of prayer and fasting for the evangelization of the diocese. All are invited to fast as they are moved and pray for the evangelization of southern Minnesota. Specific intentions may be found on the diocesan website, under the Office of Missionary Discipleship. St. Charles Borromeo Church will dedicate Mass at 8 a.m. and Eucharistic Adoration from 9-noon for the evangelization of diocese. St. Mary's School, Owatonna April 13, Saturday 33rd Annual Knight of Knights Auction, a benefit for St. Mary's School, 4-9 p.m. Silent auction begins at 4; live auction begins at 7; checkout available starting at 8. Extraordinary raffles, great food & beverages, even better company. All are welcome. Wear your best flannel! 730 S Cedar Avenue in Owatonna. Chapel of Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mankato April 14, Sunday The Rose Ensemble presents Voices of Angels, Benedictine Gregorian chant and choral music from baroque Italy, at 2 p.m. $15 general admission. $10 seniors 65+ and students with ID. Children 12 & under are free. Contact: RoseEnsemble.org or 651-225-4340. The chapel is located at 170 Good Counsel Drive in Mankato. St. Columba Church, Iona April 14, Sunday Spring Dinner served 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in St. Columba Hall. Ham, mashed potatoes & gravy, sweet corn, coleslaw, desserts, pie. Free 0-3; $5 4-8; $10 9-adult. Lots of great raffle prizes. Take-outs and valet parking available. Everyone welcome!
Offered as a service for the homebound every Sunday on the following stations: KTTC, Channel 10 (Rochester) at 9 a.m.; KEYC, Channel 12 (Mankato) at 7:30 a.m; & KEYC-DT2, Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 (Mankato) at 9:30 a.m. Donations for the continuation of this program may be sent to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Attn: TV Mass, PO Box 588, Winona MN 55987.
Hispanic Priests / Sacerdotes Hispanos Padre José Morales Capellán en la Mayo Clinic, Rochester Tel. 507-266-7275 Padre Luis Alfonso Vargas Vicario Parroquial de St. Francis of Assisi, Rochester frluisvargasdw@gmail.com Tel. 507-288-7313 Padre Javier Ibarra IVE Párroco de SS. Peter and Paul, Mankato Tel. 507-388-2995 ext. 103
Padre Miguel Eduardo Proaños Vicario Parroquial de St. Mary, Worthington frmiguel2005@yahoo.com Tel. 507-375-3542 Padre Raul Silva Vicario de la Pastoral Hispana en la diócesis de Winona Y Párroco de Queen of Angels, Austin PadreRaulSilva@gmail.com Tel. 507-433-1888
Spanish Mass Schedule Albert Lea, St. Theodore Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul St. Charles, St. Charles Borromeo 11 am Sun. 1 pm Sun. 7 pm Sat. Austin, Queen of Angels Owatonna, Sacred Heart St. James, St. James 11 am Sun.; 5:15 pm Fri. 11:45 am Sun. 12 pm Sun. Windom,St.FrancisXavier Lake City, St. Mary Pipestone, St. Leo 11:30 am Sun. 6:30 pm each 3rd Sat. 2:30 pm Sun. (bilingual) Worthington, St. Mary Madelia, St. Mary Rochester, St. Francis 7 pm Sat.; 11 am Sun.; 7 pm Sat. Noon Sun. & 7 pm Thurs. 6:30 pm Tues. & Fri.
St. Paul Church, Minnesota CIty April 14, Sunday Annual Palm Sunday Ham Dinner & Church Festival. Ham & scalloped potato dinner $10 per person, or $25 per family. Bake sale, basket raffle, 50/50 raffle and silent auction.
Ss. Peter & Paul Church, Mankato April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 2:303:45 p.m. exposition, homily, silent adoration, confessions, consecration to Divine Mercy, benediction.
Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester April 15, Monday Diocesan Chrism Mass at 6 p.m. Come witness the blessing of holy oils and consecration of Sacred Chrism to be used in the Diocese of WinonaRochester in the coming year.
St. Ann Church, Janesville April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 9-10 a.m. Adoration & chaplet before 10 a.m. Mass.
All Saints Church, New Richland April 27, Saturday Divine Mercy Holy Hour 4 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration and Chaplet of Divine Mercy, followed by 5 p.m. Mass. Loyola High School, Mankato April 27, Saturday Man of God fourth annual diocesan men's conference 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring keynote speaker Fr. Paul Hoesing. $25 per person. Contact Peter for more info: pmartin@dowr. org or 507-454-4643 x273. Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 2:30-4 p.m. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Veneration of the Divine Mercy Image, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, Benediction. Confessions throughout. Refreshments to follow. Holy Redeemer Church, Eyota April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 2-3:15 p.m. Exposition, 1st & 2nd class relics (including True Cross), rosary, confessions, music with choir. Divine Mercy Chaplet at 3. Join us! Queen of Angels Church, Austin April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy prayer service 2 p.m. Adoration, readings, chaplet, confessions. Resurrection Church, Rochester April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration 1-5 p.m. 1:00 movie The Face of Mercy, followed by personal testimony in the Great Hall. 2:45-5 devotions, adoration, sung chaplet, veneration of image, relics, confessions, benediction. Sacred Heart Church, Waseca April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Chaplet at 1 p.m.
Executive Director
Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota, a nonprofit corporation of the state of Minnesota, seeks an executive director in its Winona office. The executive director is responsible for the overall design, implementation, and oversight of all social service and social justice programs of Catholic Charities for the 20 southern counties of Minnesota. A key responsibility includes achieving significant positive outcomes for poor and vulnerable people throughout southern Minnesota. The successful candidate must possess a master’s degree in a relevant field with 8-10 years experience preferably, in nonprofit program and agency administration, program development, and fund development. Must be a practicing Catholic and understand and support the moral and social teachings of the Church, including the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. Please email a resume and cover letter to scollom@ccsomn.org or mail to Catholic Charities, Attn: Sheila Collom, PO Box 379, Winona MN 55987 by April 30, 2019. www.ccsomn.org
St. Ann Church, Slayton April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration. Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament 2 p.m. Confessions 2-3 p.m. with 2 priests available. Divine Mercy Chaplet after confessions. St. Columbanus Church, Blooming Prairie April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration. 3 p.m. Holy Hour, adoration, confessions, sung chaplet. Benediction at 4. St. Felix Church, Wabasha April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 3-6 p.m. Adoration, chaplet, confessions, vespers, benediction. St. James Church, St. James April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration 3-5:30 p.m. Chaplet at 3. Exposition & confessions 3:30-5:30. Benediction at 5:30. St. John Vianney Church, Fairmont April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Novena prayed at 3 p.m. daily from Good Friday until Saturday, 4/27. Divine Mercy Sunday (4/28) celebrated 12:30-2 p.m., featuring the chaplet, holy hour, adoration and confessions. St. Joseph Church, Owatonna April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday Celebration 3-4 p.m. Adoration, Divine Mercy Chaplet, Rosary, Benediction. St. Joseph Church, Waldorf April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday. 7 a.m. Holy Hour with adoration and chaplet, followed by 8 a.m. Mass. St. Mary Church, Caledonia April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 11 a.m. Eucharistic Adoration, Divine Mercy presentation, chaplet, benediction. St. Mary Church, Lake City April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Celebration 2:30 p.m. Adoration, confessions, rosary, chaplet, benediction. St. Mary Church, Worthington April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Bilingual Service 2-3 p.m. Exposition, confessions, prayers, chaplet, procession, benediction.
St. Patrick Church, Brownsville April 28, Sunday French toast breakfast following 8 a.m. Mass, served until noon in Breza Hall. French toast, southern-style scrambled eggs, sausage, cheesy hash browns, fresh fruit, coffee, milk & orange juice. Big Ticket and basket raffles, bake sale, silent auction, kids' games. $7 adults. $3 ages 6-12. Free under 6. 604 Adams Street in Brownsville. St. Peter Church, Rose Creek April 28, Sunday Divine Mercy Sunday celebrated at 3 p.m. Resurrection Church, Rochester May 2, Thursday Catholic five-week grief support series, Grieving with Great Hope, DVD and small group format, on Thursdays, May 2 - May 30, 1:30-3:30 p.m. in Zenk Hall. For anyone grieving the death of a loved one. All are welcome. No charge to attend. Call the church office to register (507-288-5528) or take a form from the Resurrection Church gathering space. More info: goodmourningministry.net St. Joseph Church, Owatonna June 1, Saturday Mini-retreat for the Seven Sisters Apostolate, women who commit to praying one Holy Hour per week for their pastor or bishop. Speaking to the group will be Bishop Quinn, Apostolate Foundress Janette Howe, and St. Joseph Pastor Fr. Jim Starasinich. More speakers may be added. More details coming soon! Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester June 7-8, Friday-Saturday Diocesan Pentecost Celebration at the Kahler Grand Hotel and the Co-Cathedral. Friday is the Millennial Church Conference (millennialchurchconference.com). Saturday is a day of worship and witness featuring The Vigil Project (thevigilproject.com), followed by the Pentecost Vigil Mass that evening at the Co-Cathedral. Todd Graff has details: 507-858-1270 or tgraff@dowr.org. Assisi Heights, Rochester June 16-22, Sunday-Saturday Seek First the Realm of God, a retreat presented by Fr. Tony Gittins, CSSp. What is "this" Jesus asks us to do in his memory? Are we people of hope? These questions and more will be discussed. $450 includes meals and lodging for the week. $250 commuter discount rate. Register by April 22 online at rochesterfranciscan. org (select June 16 on the Events calendar), or call 507-280-2195. Poland and Prague September 8-18, 2020 11-Day Pilgrimage to Poland and Prague, featuring the Passion Play of Oberammergau, hosted by Fr. Timothy Reker, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Mankato and Holy Family Parish in Lake Crystal. For more information on this pilgrimage, contact Fr. Reker at 507-388-3766 or treker@sjwhf.org
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April, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org
April 2019
• The Courier