The Courier - May 2019

The

COURIER

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary May 31

May 2019

Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org

Sisters of Winona Area Warming Center St. Francis Respond to � Immigration Concerns Three Successful Seasons at the

By LYNETTE JOHNSON and TOM PARLIN

he Winona Area Warming Center, a program of Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota, completed its third season on March 31. Catholic Charities started a collaboration with concerned Winona community members to provide a warm shelter for the homeless starting in the winter of 2016-17. Besides the shelter, the Warming Center has provided food, laundry facilities, and information about other helping agencies in the Winona community. The outpouring of support from the Winona community - including the helping agencies, law enforcement, health care agencies, and individual community members - has been exceptional.

The Warming Center's third season saw vast growth in the number of guests per night from November 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019, offering overnight shelter to 53 individuals. Our compassionate volunteers made sure that we were staffed every night, including the holiday season, sometimes picking up last-minute shifts to ensure we would be open for our guests! 204 shift volunteers logged approximately 3,700 hours at the Warming Center.

Additional volunteers cleaned the Warming Center every week and helped pick-up and deliver the Center’s laundry.

We provided our 53 guests with a total of 1,379 nights of shelter, reaching 80.4% of our capacity and doubling the second season's numbers.

Thank you to all of our volunteers who helped the Warming Center offer our fellow community members a warm, safe, compassionate place to stay during the winter months. Everyone who contributed in any way made this

By RUTH SNYDER, OSF

�e, the Sisters of Saint Francis of

Catholic Charities Parish Social Ministry Director Tom Parlin (standing L), Warming Center Coordinator Lynette Johnson (standing 2nd from L), and Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota Executive Director Bob Tereba (standing center) stand in Winona City Hall with members of the Winona Human Rights Commission, a member of Community Bible Church, and Warming Center volunteer after receiving the John Latsch Human Rights Award in August 2018.

possible! Thank you to the shift volunteers, openers and closers, laundry volunteers, cleaning volunteers, donors, and steering committee. You are the reason that, during our season, approximately eight people per night had shelter, food, clean laundry, a hot shower, and a warm bed.

The Steering Committee should be commended for their constant support of the Warming Center, volunteering many

Warming Center, cont'd on pg. 4

Rochester, recognize the challenges our immigrant brothers and sisters face on a daily basis. In response to the gospel message, we ask, “How can we be silent?”

Many of us actively work to meet the needs of those individuals who suffer, as we advocate for systemic and structural change in our broken Immigration system.

This ministry is a part of our heritage, dating back to 1968, offering summer programs with migrants who came to work in Hollandale, Blooming Prairie, and other southern Minnesota towns; including Geneva, Bixby, Owatonna and Ellendale. Through teaching, nursing, social programs and pastoral ministry, our Sisters have continued to offer assistance and be in solidarity with immigrants in many other states, including Iowa, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, California, Washington,

Immigration, cont'd on pg. 4

INSIDE this issue

'To Be Saints for God's Greater Glory'

page 7

When an Annulment Isn't Possible page 15

Love Your Enemies

Political page 16

Pope Francis Watch

Pope: 'The Common Good 2 Has Become Global'

Articles of Interest

...Philantrhopy Is a Sacred Call_______________5 Decision Point: Pentecost___________________6 'To Be Saints for God's Greater Glory'________7

The Courier Insider

...Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act___8 Theologians Examine ... Sex Abuse Crisis_____9 Catholic Schools Updates__________________10 The Forgotten Gift_________________________12 Is It Worth Fighting Over?_________________13 'I'd Rather Die Dancing'____________________14 When an Annulment Isn't Possible___________15 Love Your Political Enemies______________16

Credit: CNA

By COURTNEY GROGAN

VATICAN CITY, May 2, 2019 (CNA) - Pope Francis called on nations to work toward a global common good Thursday, particularly in confronting climate change, human trafficking, and nuclear threats.

“In the current situation of globalization not only of the economy but also of technological and cultural exchanges, the nation state is no longer able to procure the common good of its population alone,” Pope Francis told the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences May 2.

“The common good has become global and nations must associate for their own benefit,” Francis said, noting that some nations today have “a spirit of opposition rather than cooperation.”

The pope called “building the common good of humanity, a necessary and essential element for the world balance.”

“While, according to the principle of subsidiarity, individual nations must be given the power to operate as far as they can, on the other hand, groups of neighboring nations - as is already the case - can strengthen their cooperation by attributing the exercise of certain functions and services to intergovernmental institutions that manage their common interests,” he said.

Pope Francis said that when a “supranational common good” is clearly identified, as in the case of climate change or human trafficking, it necessitates a special legal authority capable of facilitating solutions.

He called for new paths of cooperation among nations to achieve peace today when “multilateral nuclear disarmament appears outdated and does not stir the political conscience of nations that possess atomic weapons.”

“If, now, not only on earth but in space, there are offensive and defensive nuclear weapons, the so-called new technological frontier, raised and not lowered the danger of a nuclear holocaust,” he said.

The pope warned against “nationalism that raises walls” or leads to antisemitism or hatred of others.

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences addressed the revival of nationalism at their plenary session May 1-3, “Nation, State, NationState.”

“The Church observes with concern the reemergence, almost everywhere in the world, of aggressive currents towards foreigners, especially immigrants, as well as that growing nationalism that neglects the common good,” Pope Francis told the professors gathered in Vatican May, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org

City for the plenary.

However, Pope Francis rejected the idea of “a universalism or generic internationalism that neglects the identity of individual peoples.”

“The Church has always urged the love of its people, of their homeland, to respect the treasure of the various cultural expressions, customs and habits and the right ways of living rooted in peoples,” he said.

Pope Francis quoted St. Thomas Aquinas’ answer to the tenth objection to the ninth question in his Disputed Questions on Spiritual Creatures, noting that he believes St. Thomas has a beautiful idea of what it means to be ‘a people’: “As the Seine river is not ‘this particular river’ because of ‘this flowing water,’ but because of ‘this source’ and ‘this bed,’ and hence is always called the same river, although there may be other water flowing down it; likewise a people is the same, not because of a sameness of soul or of men, but because of the same dwelling place, or rather because of the same laws and the same manner of living, as Aristotle says in the third book of the Politics.”

Pope Francis went on to talk about the importance of welcoming and integrating migrants.

“It is the task of public authority to protect migrants and to regulate migratory flows with the virtue of prudence, as well as to promote reception so that local populations are trained and encouraged to consciously participate in the integrating process of migrants who are welcomed,” he said.

“The way in which a nation welcomes migrants reveals its vision of human dignity and its relationship with humanity. Every human person is a member of humanity and has the same dignity,” Pope Francis said.

The Holy Father's Intention for

May 2019 The Church in Africa, a Seed of Unity That the Church in Africa, through the commitment of its members, may be the seed of unity among her peoples and a sign of hope for this continent.

Diocesan Headlines________________________17 Diocesan Calendar_________________________19

Bulk Mailings Begin in July!

Starting with our July 2019 issue, unlabeled copies of the Courier will be mailed in bulk to churches in the Diocese of WinonaRochester for parishioner pick-up on the first Sunday of each month.

We are happy to continue home delivery for anyone who wants it. To avoid interruption in your home delivery, please respond by June 10, 2019, with your name, address and reader ID (number directly above your name on the mailing label) to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 55 W Sanborn St. Winona, MN 55987 OR nreller@dowr.org If you indicated that you prefer home delivery in response to our previous ads, we already have you on our home delivery list. No additional action is required.

Thank you!

Courier Staff

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 - 5

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)

A Blessed Easter Season to You! ear Friends in Christ,

Consecrated Life

On May 12, we celebrate the Fourth Sunday of Easter, which is also known as “Good Shepherd Sunday.” This day marks the 56th annual World Day of Prayer for Vocations, a day on which the whole Church is invited to reflect upon the importance of vocations to the ordained ministry and consecrated life, and how our communities can help young men and women discern the vocation to which the Lord is calling them.

The theme of the 2019 Word Day of Prayer for Vocations is “The Courage to take a risk for God’s Promise.” In Pope Francis’ message for this year, he speaks

Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn Bishop's Calendar

about how it can be difficult to step out and take the risk of embracing one’s vocation. We can be afraid to follow the Lord and leave behind the security of what is comfortable and familiar.

However, our Holy Father reminds us that our view of the world is limited and that it takes an encounter with the Lord for us to be able to see the beauty of His plan for our life. In the end, following Christ is the path toward “our own happiness” and is “for the good of those around us.” Not only will we know the peace and joy of our Triune God when our life is in accord with the Lord’s will, but when we answer the call to the ordained or consecrated life, we also build God’s kingdom on earth by being “bearers of a promise of goodness, love and justice” in a world that desperately needs “courageous Christians and authentic witnesses of the kingdom of God.” Our Triune God does not coerce or force us, but lovingly calls us into relationship with Himself. He invites us to boldly follow Him wherever He calls us, always trusting in His promise to be with us always, regardless of what hardships may come our way. Let us be a Church that prays for and encourages religious vocations, and let us be confident in knowing that joy comes from giving one’s entire life to the Lord.

Here in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, we will celebrate our annual Mass for Consecrated Life on Wednesday, May 22, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. This is a day to celebrate the many consecrated men and women present and ministering in our diocese, and to thank them for the witness

May 1, Wednesday 11 a.m. - DOW-R Baccalaureate Mass - Basilica of St. Stanislaus, Winona 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Mary, Caledonia; with St. Olaf, Mabel; Assumption, Canton; and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Harmony May 2, Thursday 1 p.m. - Holy Hour & Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting 6:30 p.m. - Live Interview - National Day of Prayer Service - Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester

May 3, Friday 11 a.m. - Holy Hour & Diocesan Finance Council Meeting - Pastoral Center, Winona 4:30 p.m. - Catholic Daughters Convention Mass & Banquet - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester May 4, Saturday 11 a.m. - Confirmation - Ss. Peter & Paul, Blue Earth; with St. Mary, Winnebago; Holy Family, East Chain; and St. John Vianney, Fairmont 4:30 p.m. - Holy Hour, Vespers, Dinner & Endof-Semester Skits - IHM Seminary, Winona May 5, Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Confirmation - St. Ignatius, 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 - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester

of their lives. Please pray for all those who have responded to the Lord’s call with a generous heart, and for an increase of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. Our Triune God does not stop calling, but it is we who sometimes stop listening.

Let us strive to always follow the Lord more closely, and encourage others to do the same!

Catholic Charities Annual Appeal

Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota works throughout the Diocese of Winona-Rochester to provide services to the poor and vulnerable among us, from all walks of life and many different backgrounds. Through Catholic Charities’ 17 programs and seven locations in southern Minnesota, the staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities serve families in crisis, the homeless, the unborn, the uninsured and underinsured, refugees, seniors, vulnerable adults, unmarried mothers, single parents, and children in need. I am very grateful for all those who selflessly serve our brothers and sisters every day, and who work hard to provide hope and healing to those who are broken in body and spirit.

It is through your generous monetary contributions, that those at Catholic Charities are able to practice the corporal works of mercy. In the Diocese of WinonaRochester, Catholic Charities holds its annual appeal in parishes on Mother’s Day weekend, which this year is May 11/12. It is through your assistance that Catholic Charities can continue its life-changing work; last year they were able to serve 7,951

individuals throughout the diocese. I encourage you to please be generous in giving to this year’s Catholic Charities Mother’s Day Appeal. Thank you in advance on behalf of all those who will be touched by your gifts.

Pentecost Celebration

This year, our annual Ministry Days for clergy and lay leaders will be in the form of a special two-day diocesan Pentecost Celebration, an evangelization and discipleship event on Friday, June 7, and Saturday, June 8. This event is entitled, A Church on Fire, A Church on Mission ~ “To Be Saints for God’s Greater Glory” and is open to all who are interested in attending. This conference will be held in Rochester, leading up to our Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist. Please spread the word to those who may be interested in attending; more information and registration forms can be found on our diocesan website at www. dowr.org/Pentecost.html.

Friday, the first day of the conference, will consist of the Millennial Church Conference.

The “millennial” generation comprises those who were born in the early 1980s to the mid1990s, and who are now in their early twenties to mid-thirties.

This Millennial generation is a segment of the population that is increasingly falling away from the practice of the faith, and identifying as “Nones” - those who claim no specific religious belief or affiliation. In this daylong conference, speakers from the Millennial Church Conference will help attendees gain the tools to engage Millennials and reach

May 6, Monday 7 p.m. - Confirmation - Crucifixion, La Crescent; with Holy Cross, Dakota; St. Mary, Houston; St. Patrick, Brownsville; St. Joseph, Rushford; and St. Peter, Hokah

May 15, Wednesday 11 a.m. - Mass - IHM Seminary Formation Workshop Week - Winona 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Joachim, Plainview; with Immaculate Conception, Kellogg

May 7, Tuesday 11 a.m. - St. Felix School Mass, Wabasha

May 16, Thursday 10:31 a.m. - Real Presence Radio Guest 1 p.m. - Holy Hour & Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting

May 8, Wednesday 10:30 a.m. - Real Presence Radio Guest 2 p.m. - Fr. Gerald Conway Funeral Mass Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Charles Borromeo, St. Charles; with St. Aloysius, Elba; Holy Redeemer, Eyota; St. Rose of Lima, Lewiston; Immaculate Conception, Wilson; and St. Anthony, Altura May 9, Thursday 9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour 10:00 a.m. - Priest Pension Plan Board Meeting May 10, Friday 6 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Joseph the Worker, Mankato; with Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato; and Holy Family, Lake Crystal May 11, Saturday 11 a.m. - SMU Commencement - Toner Center Gym

May 17, Friday 5:30 p.m. - St. James Coffee Brew Ha Ha! - Rochester May 18, Saturday 9:30 a.m. - Confirmation - St. Joseph, Owatonna; with Christ the King, Medford; Sacred Heart, Owatonna; and Holy Trinity, Litomysl May 19, Sunday 2 p.m. - Confirmation - Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Winona; with the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona; St. Casimir, Winona; St. John Nepomucene, Winona; St. Mary, Winona; Holy Trinity, Rollingstone; St. Paul, Minnesota City; and St. Mary, Minneiska May 21, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Mass & Lunch with the Hermits of St. Mary of Carmel, Houston

May 12, Sunday 10 a.m. - Confirmation - Sacred Heart, Waseca

May 22, Wednesday 12:10 p.m. - World Day for Consecrated Life Mass & Luncheon - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona

May 14, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Deans Meeting - St. Theodore, Albert Lea 3 p.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee Meeting St. Theodore, Albert Lea

May 28, Tuesday 7 p.m. - Presbyteral Ordination of Deacon Zane Pekron - Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Rapid City, SD

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out to this young adult segment of the population.

Saturday, June 8, will feature The Vigil Project, a group that will lead us in a day of prayer, witness, and worship, and will include a mission concert. The day will conclude with our annual Pentecost Vigil Mass, an extended vigil Mass similar to the Easter Vigil, during which we will be praying for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the people and ministries in the Diocese of WinonaRochester. A special invitation to the Pentecost Vigil Mass is extended to those who have recently been baptized and received into full communion during the Easter Season, their sponsors and families, and all lay movements and apostolates present in our diocese. Even if you cannot attend the conference, you are welcome to come for the Saturday evening Pentecost Vigil, which will be held at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist at 7p.m.

May you all have a blessed Easter Season, and thank you for your continued prayers for me, your priests, and our diocese.

Blessed are all of you.

From the Bishop

�

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona-Rochester

May 30, Thursday 1 p.m. - Holy Hour & Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting June 1, Saturday 11 a.m. - Seven Sisters Apostolate Mini Retreat - Q & A - St. Joseph, Owatonna 5:30 p.m. - Mass - St. Mary, Worthington - Fr. Joseph Corpora main celebrant 7:30 p.m. - Spanish Mass - St. Mary, Worthington - Fr. Joseph Corpora main celebrant June 2, Sunday 9 a.m. - Mass - St. Mary, Worthington - Fr. Joseph Corpora main celebrant 11 a.m. - Spanish Mass - St. Mary, Worthington - Fr. Joseph Corpora main celebrant June 3, Monday 5:30 p.m. - Premier Bank Golf Day Dinner Owatonna Country Club June 4, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Holy Hour & Presbyteral Council Meeting - St. Theodore, Albert Lea June 5, Wednesday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. - Minnesota Catholic Conference Meeting - St. Paul June 7-8, Friday - Saturday Diocesan Pentecost Celebration - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist & Kahler Grand Hotel, Rochester 7 p.m. - Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Co-Cathedral May, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org

Warming Center,

4

cont'd from pg. 1

hours every week throughout the year!

These dedicated individuals helped carry out the mission of our Warming Center by providing input and putting in extra hours when gaps needed to be filled.

With the growth of the Warming Center, we also saw the need for support staff. We hired an intern in the second half of the season, which gave us an onsite staff person five days a week and helped communicate needs of the Warming Center with volunteers and guests.

Catholic Charities' Winona Area Warming Center is undergoing an expansion project in the basement of Community Bible Church in Winona.

Immigration, cont'd from pg. 1

Illinois, and Nebraska.

Presently, many of our Sisters are involved in active ministry. Sisters Mary Kay Mahowald and Arnold Ritchey live in El Paso, TX, and work with many immigrants seeking asylum from Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Sisters Patricia Himmer, Mary Goergen and Marilyn Geiger have accompanied them for shorter periods of time. Most recently, Sister Patricia Keefe was part of a delegation visiting Honduras to learn the causes of migration in that country. This delegation was sponsored by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, SHARE el Salvador (Salvadoran Humanitarian Aid, Research and Education Foundation), the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas and the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity. In addition, for over 14 years, Sister Ruth Snyder has worked with the Hispanic communities in Austin and Rochester. In 2017, we declared our designation as a sanctuary-support congregation, coordinating efforts and support to the other religious groups in Rochester who offer sanctuary.

Our Immigration Working Group alerts the Sisters when an issue is before Congress. Individually, many of our Sisters send e-mails or make phone calls

Sister Mary Kay Mahowald (center) attended the 31st Annual Border Heroes Award fundraiser for Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, TX. May, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org

the project will help to accommodate more beds, Community Bible Church has made a commitutilizing the space better with anticipated larger ment to provide the space in their basement for the numbers in the future.

Warming Center from the very beginning. They not In order to take advantage of this opportuonly provide the space without charging rent, but nity from Ames Construction, we needed to start they pay the utilities. They have also been very supthis project while we still had two portive of the new construction projmonths remaining in the season. ect to expand the Warming Center Warming Center Statistics Catholic Charities of Southern space. We appreciate our partnership Minnesota approved entering into with them and are excited for the 1,379 shelter nights provided this project as long as we could future!

80.4% capacity filled remain open every night for our The Warming Center was proguests. The construction project 53 homeless people served vided a great opportunity this winter. (unduplicated) is ongoing, and we hope to have it Ames Construction offered to help add finished soon. a bathroom to keep up with the growth 211 volunteers serving The volunteers were flexible in numbers per night at the shelter. 3,700 volunteer hours during this process and accomWhen meeting with Community Bible modating to the changes, knowing Church and Ames Construction, the that each night the setup at the group saw potential for a much larger shelter might be different. The Warming Center had project, but it would need to be based on what the to be creative to operate with only a couple areas space and code would allow. The renovation project available to us during this time, and items piled will take the Warming Center from a one-bath, onewhere we could fit them. When Season Four begins shower facility to a three-bathroom, two-shower on November 1, 2019, the finished result will be a facility. The project will also provide other renovawelcoming space for everyone! tions, such as a larger storage room, larger sleeping Lynette John is the coordinator for the Winona Area room, larger kitchen, and relocated laundry room.

Warming Center.

In the off season, the Warming Center will work on obtaining a Conditional Use Permit with the City of Tom Parlin is the director of parish social ministry for Winona that will also increase capacity numbers so Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota. to our legislators to support pending legislation that benefits immigrants.

Members of our Congregation support the Refugee Resettlement program of Catholic Charities.

We unite our voices with those of the Catholic Bishops, LCWR (Leadership of Catholic Women Religious), and various local groups in continuing to advocate for Comprehensive Immigration Reform that would give a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented persons now living in the United States.

Las Hermanas de San Francisco Responde a la Inmigración Por HNA. RUTH SNYDER, OSF

�osotras, las Hermanas de San Francisco de

Rochester, MN, reconocemos los desafíos que nuestras hermanos y hermanas inmigrantes enfrentan diariamente. En respuesta al mensaje del evangelio, nos preguntamos, “¿Cómo podemos quedar callados? " . Muchas de nosotras trabajamos activamente para atender las necesidades de los que sufren y abogan por un cambio sistémico y estructural en nuestro sistema de inmigración que está roto.

Este ministerio es parte de nuestra historia , comenzando en 1968 con los programas del verano con migrantes que vinieron a trabajar en Hollendale, Blooming Prairie y otras ciudades del sur de Minnesota, incluyendo Geneva, Bixby, Owatonna, and Ellendale. A través de la educación, enfermería, programas sociales y pastoral, nuestras hermanas han continuado ofreciendo ayuda y solidaridad con los inmigrantes en muchos otros estados, incluyendo Iowa, Texas, Nuevo México, Colorado, Carolina del Norte, Georgia, California, Washington, Illinois, y Nebraska .

En la actualidad, muchas de nuestras hermanas quedan involucradas in este ministerio. Hermanas Mary Kay Mahowald y Arnold Ritchie viven en El Paso, TX y trabajan con muchos inmigrantes de Honduras, El Salvador y Guatemala que buscan asilo.

Rochester Franciscan Sisters and Cojourners attended the Immigration Rally in downtown Rochester in the summer of 2018

Hermanas Pat Himmer, Mary Goergen y Marilyn Geiger las han acompañado durante periodos del tiempo más corto. Recién, Hna. Pat Keefe formó parte de una delegación que visitó a Honduras para aprender sobre las causas de la migración en ese país. Esta delegación estaba organizada por la Conferencia de Liderazgo de Mujeres Religiosas, SHARE (Ayuda Humanitaria Salvatoriana , Fundación de Investigación y Educación), las Hermanas de Misericordia de las Americas, y el Movimiento Interreligioso para la Integridad Humana.

Además, por más de 14 años, Hna. Ruth Snyder ha trabajado con las Comunidades Hispanas en Austin y Rochester. En 2017, declaramos nuestra congregación un santuario-apoyo, coordinando esfuerzos y dando apoyo a los otros grupos religiosos en Rochester que ofrecen santuario.

Nuestra Comité de Inmigración alerta a las hermanas cuando hay una legislación ante el Congreso.

Individualmente, muchas de nuestras hermanas envían correos electrónicos y hacen llamadas telefónicas a nuestros legisladores para apoyar legislación que beneficia a los inmigrantes.

Las miembros de la Congregación apoyan el programa de Reasentamiento de Refugiados de Caridades Católicas. Unimos nuestras voces con las de los Obispos Católicos, LCWR (Liderazgo de Mujeres Religiosas Católicas) y los grupos locales, continuando a abogar por una Reforma de Inmigración Integral que daría un camino a la ciudadanía para los 11 millones de personas indocumentadas que ahora viven en los Estados Unidos.

St. Katharine Drexel's Life Teaches Us that

Philanthropy Is a Sacred Call Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota mherman@catholicfsmn.org

The following is reprinted with permission from Patheos.com, where it first appeared on March 3, 2019.

By ELIZABETH ZEIGLER

� n her feast day in March, I reveled in a little-known fact about St. Katharine Drexel.

Her name is commonplace on hospitals, schools, churches, missions, and college campuses. Her work for and reach to the most marginalized was undoubtedly tremendous. She was the embodiment of a missionary disciple.

Hers was a life lived at the peripheries – despite, or perhaps because of, her family’s wealth – to meet and be with those most in need.

Yet, what some may not know about St. Katharine is her patronage. She is the patron saint of both philanthropy and racial justice. And it is this legacy that unlocks for us the future of the Catholic Church.

still apparent today. She went on to establish the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament congregation and founded a secondary school for African-American students in New Orleans that would eventually become Xavier University of Louisiana.

Oddly enough, raising the kind of money St. Katharine and her family donated can be viewed as a funny business, an unfortunate necessity bordering on a dirty deed. As a professional fundraiser in the Church, I know this feeling all too well. It is a feeling that the sacred must not be confused or watered down by the temporal – that giving and asking for material wealth are actions devoid of spirituality, a realm God does not frequent.

St. Katharine’s life teaches us just the opposite – that philanthropy is a sacred call, one of the most holy ways to serve the Church and live out one’s faith.

Simply put, St. Katharine sanctified philanthropy. And in doing so, she made the ask – fundraising – not a bad word, but a holy one. She modeled a spirituality of stewardship for us all, before it was given a name.

Today, we look to St. Katharine for the promise her life and legacy hold for the Church. We are pulled by her life of service and gift to elevate philanthropy so that those it serves around the globe – the good of the Church – can flourish. It is an exhilarating call to answer and a compelling ask to make.

Catholic Foundation

Monica Herman

At its most basic, philanthropy is goodwill to the human race. It is so vital that without it, society as we know it would cease to exist. Humanity therefore depends on philanthropy, and, in particular, on Catholic philanthropy.

The Church – thanks to saints such as St. Katharine and countless other women and men who lived in service to others – is one of the greatest forces for good in the world. Through the millennia, its schools, hospitals, shelters, and sanctuaries have provided physical and spiritual care for billions around the globe. No other institution on the planet can say the same. And yet, this work is only possible with holy and inspired Catholic philanthropy – the kind of passionate, full-hearted giving by which St. Katharine lived.

From a young age, St. Katharine was drawn to alleviating injustice around her. Her family opened their home to shelter and care for the poor each week.

She felt pulled in particular by the plight of Native- and African-Americans, donating time and money in service to marginalized and overlooked communities.

As with many saintly women and men, St. Katharine’s work and faith were one, each reinforcing her commitment to give back to the Lord with increase.

The fruits of this generosity are

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Elizabeth Zeigler is President and CEO of Graham-Pelton Consulting, of which GP Catholic Services is a division.

Congratulations!

Since our kickoff, the following parishes have met their goals for the 2019 Catholic Ministries Appeal:

St. Katharine Drexel. © St. Mary's Press

Chaput Honored at Bishops and Rector Dinner

By SUSAN FISER

�

n Friday, April 12, Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) hosted its 16th annual Bishops and Rector Dinner at the Rochester International Event Center. This event celebrates the work that IHMS does in forming seminarians. This year the seminary is home to men studying to be priests for 15 dioceses.

At this year's event, Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia was awarded the Immaculate Heart of Mary Award for what he has done throughout his life to promote and celebrate diversity and discernment to the priesthood.

While Archbishop Chaput was the Archbishop of Denver, he continued the work of his predecessors by, two years after his episcopal ordination, opening St. John Vianney Theological Seminary, as well as by continuing to work with Redemptorists Mater Seminary, both located in Denver, CO. By the time Archbishop Chaput became the Archbishop of Philadelphia, he had ordained 71 men for the Archdiocese of Denver. As the Archbishop of Philadelphia, he continues this work with the men who attend St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia.

After accepting the Immaculate Heart of Mary Award Archbishop Chaput delivered a speech entitled Faith and Hope for an Uncertain Time, in which he touched upon what it means to think of ourselves as Catholics in a modern world. He went on to explain that by looking at the past, we can find patterns that have existed before and thus learn from others' experiences and apply them to the issues we face today.

Chaput, cont'd on pg. 17

All Saints New Richland

Immaculate Conception St. Clair

Good Shepherd Jackson

St. Joseph Waldorf

Holy Family Kasson

St. Luke Sherburn

Bishop John Quinn with Archbishop Charles Chaput, recipient of the 2019 Immaculate Heart of Mary Award May, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org

6

Decision Point: Pentecost

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Missionary Discipleship

lessings this Easter season to everyone!

Have you ever had the sense that all the storylines of your life converge at a particular event? It can be amazing, eerie, and often we don’t realize it until afterward. But sometimes we face something we know is going to happen, and know that everything in our lives came to this, and it changes everything.

That is Easter. I remember being with a friend who was getting baptized at Easter Vigil. She was a political refugee, living in the United States, and her history defined the word “hard.” But to see her standing in front of that baptismal font, and hear our priest say to her, “God has brought you here,” knowing her history and what a miracle this was, we all cried. The Lord brings so many frayed and varied threads of our life together through his death, resurrection, and call. Healing out of injury, meaning out of meaninglessness, truthful identity out of false names. New life, true life, eternal life as a beloved son or daughter of God. But that holy convergence is not just the Easter Vigil; it is also the Pentecost.

I am asking you—honestly, imploring you—to allow this Pentecost to be a decision point, where you decide to embrace the Great Commission, whatever that means. This coming Pentecost is building to be one of those liturgical and communal events where you can deliberately pray to the Holy Spirit, and give Him permission and freedom to work in your life--in the mission God has given you for your life, and the life of your parish and community.

We are in difficult times from almost all perspectives. I don’t need to belabor them here, but take a moment and name them for yourself: your own challenges, and the challenges of our Church and society.

And then remember: God has a plan for the people of Southern Minnesota, and his Church. He has never left us orphans! Never! The sending of the Holy Spirit at the Pentecost is an essential element of the good news of Easter. “We are an Easter people, and alleluia is our song,” said Pope St. John Paul II. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to sing in good times and in bad. And people are dying—literally dying—to hear the Lord’s song, in our voice.

In all my time living in this diocese (18 years), I have never seen this much energy, attention, and hope converge on celebrating the Pentecost together.

We have an amazing opportunity to be renewed in the Spirit with our Pentecost celebration this June 7-8, and I ask you to be there (in spirit if need be, but in the flesh if you can!). We will learn from some of our most Spirit-led Catholic millennials how to evangelize our youngest (and nearly all they say applies to the older generations, too). We will praise the Lord together with The Vigil Project. We will practice ways of fostering discipleship for mission in our parishes. Those who are willing are hitting the streets of Rochester and evangelizing, praying for God’s people, serving them, and praying with them. And then we bring all of our hopes, dreams, and lives before the Lord in the Pentecost Vigil Mass. This event can be our decision point. The Lord never withholds the Holy Spirit. Indeed, if you are baptized, you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. But we need the Holy Spirit’s power to step out and evangelize. Otherwise, it is our work and not the Spirit’s work.

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Let this Pentecost be a decision point for each of us. I have spent nearly a year meeting many people in this diocese, and can confidently say the Holy Spirit is already moving in this diocese to a new moment of renewal and evangelization. But we must make a decision to do more than be attracted to it. This celebration can be our “yes” moment. Yes to the Lord’s plan, and our individual parts in it, for renewing the people of Southern Minnesota. No more admiring, considering, weighing. We’re praying for a renewal of the first Pentecost.

It’s traditional to do a Pentecost novena. I like to keep it simple. I invite you to pray this humble prayer with me the nine days (or more!) leading up to Pentecost:

Susan Windley-Daoust

Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org

Holy Spirit, I give you permission to act in my life.

Purify my heart, and help me to know your will, and my part in your plan for making disciples in southern Minnesota.

Pour out your power and zeal on your people for the evangelization of the people you love.

May Jesus Christ’s name be known and loved. Amen!

And I’ll see you in Rochester June 7-8, where I expect great things!

'To Be Saints for God's Greater Glory' Todd Graff

God asks everything of us, yet he also gives everything to us. He does not want to enter our lives to cripple or diminish them, but to bring them to fulfillment…. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us a fervent longing to be saints for God’s greater glory, and let us encourage one another in this effort.

–Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate, #175, #177

�earGreetings Friend in Christ, of Joy in this Easter Season! Our dioc-

esan church will gather again this year on the Vigil of Pentecost to pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the people and ministries of our diocese. This year, we are expanding on this event to offer a two-day gathering, a Pentecost Celebration, which will culminate in the celebration of our diocesan Pentecost Vigil Mass at the Co-Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist in Rochester.

A Church on Fire, A Church on Mission ~ “…To Be Saints for God’s Greater Glory”, a diocesan evangelization and discipleship event, will be held on Friday - Saturday, June 7-8, in Rochester. For more information (program details, schedule, locations, etc.) and to register, go to: www.dowr.org/Pentecost.html.

The Millennial Church Conference

On Friday, the diocese will host the Millennial Church Conference. “This unique, engaging, and refreshing daylong conference will empower clergy, Church staffs, and lay leaders to reach out to Millennial adults in simple, practical, and personal ways.” Here is some background on the conference: The statistics are staggering.

•

80% of Millennials who were raised Catholic stop practicing their faith by the age of 23.

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15% of Millennial Catholics attend Mass on a weekly basis.

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.

•

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.

[Italicized text is from www.millennialchurchconference. com.]

The Vigil Project

On Saturday, we will offer a day of prayer, sharing, witness, and worship, featuring The Vigil Project, leading into our celebration of the diocesan Pentecost Vigil Mass on that evening at the Co-Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist. Here is some background on The Vigil Project:

The Vigil Project is a community of artists that collaborates to make music and resources for an authentic encounter with God and sincere prayer. We write songs, make records, and shoot videos. We also develop written and recorded content to support group studies, music leaders, and people like you.

Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them. No videos, recordings, resources or other mediums of the Truth we find on a screen can replace the power found in a community gathering to pray together in person.

Our live events are simply an opportunity to gather the Church in a specific location to pray, to worship, and to journey more deeply into the heart of God. All of the music and videos we create find their fulfillment in the opportunity to worship together with real people in real time.

Pentecost Vigil Mass On Saturday evening, Bishop John Quinn will celebrate a special Vigil Mass for the Solemnity of Pentecost at 7:00 p.m. at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester.

Everyone is invited, and a special invitation is extended to those involved in the various lay movements and apostolates, retreat ministries, charismatic prayer groups, etc. present in the diocese. This includes the alumni and students of our diocesan Institute of Lay Formation, which forms lay women and men for discipleship and gospel witness.

This Mass will also be a celebration of the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all those women and men who will have recently entered the Church through the RCIA, along with their sponsors and everyone who has helped them on their journey.

An Invitation

7 Lay Formation & RCIA

Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org

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.

The title for our Pentecost Celebration is, A Church on Fire, A Church on Mission. Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”), challenges each of us and the Church to go forth as a “community of missionary disciples.” He calls the Church to “a pastoral and missionary conversion which cannot leave things as they presently are.... [L]et us be ‘permanently in a state of mission’” (#24, #25).

I invite you, as a missionary disciple, to be part of A Church on Fire, A Church on Mission, and to join us for these Spirit-filled days. Grace and Peace in our Risen Lord!

Spirit-filled evangelizers means evangelizers fearlessly open to the working of the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, the Spirit made the apostles go forth from themselves and turned them into heralds of God’s wondrous deeds, capable of speaking to each person in his or her own language. The Holy Spirit also grants the courage to proclaim the newness of the Gospel with boldness in every time and place…. Jesus wants evangelizers who proclaim the good news not only with words, but above all by a life transfigured by God’s presence.

–Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium #259

[Italicized text is from www.thevigilproject.com.]

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Life, Marriage & Family

8

USCCB Pro-Life Chairman Urges Passage of Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act

The following was released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on April 9, 2019.

WASHINGTON–Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, made the following statement in response to today’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Abortion Until Birth: The Need to Pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act:

New Movie Tells Story of Abortion Clinic Worker Turned Pro-Life Advocate Jan. 31, 2019 (CNA) - A movie chronicling the conversion of a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who became a pro-life advocate [was] released in theaters nationwide on March 29.

A trailer for the film Unplanned, which tells the story of Abby Johnson, was released on Jan. 31.

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Archbishop Naumann’s full statement follows: This bill draws the public’s attention to the shameful reality that the United States is one of only seven nations worldwide that allows the barbaric practice of late-term abortion, when a child likely feels pain and might even live outside the womb with appropriate medical assistance. Such abortion procedures after the middle point of pregnancy also pose serious physical dangers to women. With the vast majority of Americans strongly Based off Johnson’s book of the same name, Unplanned recounts her experiences in the abortion industry. After being first approached at an on-campus activities fair, Johnson began volunteering at Planned Parenthood as a clinic escort. After graduation, she took a job with the company and eventually became the director of the Bryan, TX, clinic. In 2008, she was named as the clinic’s employee of the year.

During her time working at the nation’s largest abortion provider, Johnson herself had two abortions.

Due to a personnel shortage, she was called in to assist in an ultrasound-guided abortion for the first time in September 2009. She was initially disconcerted to note how much the unborn child, after 13 weeks, looked like the image she had seen of her own living daughter while pregnant.

The next few minutes changed Johnson's life irrevocably, as she watched the baby - whom she had believed to be incapable of feeling anything - squirming and twisting to avoid the tube into which it would be vacuumed.

“For the briefest moment,” she wrote in her memoir, “the baby looked as if it were being wrung like a dishcloth, twirled and squeezed.

And then it crumpled and began disappearing into the cannula before my eyes.”

“The last thing I saw was the tiny, perfectly formed backbone sucked into the tube, and then it was gone.”

Shocked by what she had seen, Johnson still continued her work running the clinic and promoting its work, at first. Just a few weeks later, however, she was in the nearby office of the Coalition For Life, telling its director Shawn Carney – whom she knew from his years of opposition to Planned Parenthood – that she could no longer continue helping women have abortions.

In a 2011 interview with CNA, Johnson said she joined the pro-life movement to help women understand the truth about abortion, not to become a public figure. She said that it was Planned Parenthood, not the Coalition For Life, that turned her departure into a public battle.

“Planned Parenthood released this to

Peter Martin

Director of Faith Formation and Life, Marriage & Family pmartin@dowr.org

supporting a ban on late-term abortions, it is time for Congress to pass this bill. I also pray that consideration of this bill moves our country closer to recognizing all unborn babies as legal persons worthy of our love and respect.

Abby Johnson in 2015.

the media” in late 2009, she said. “Planned Parenthood made this a news story. This is something that they did.”

“This is not what I planned for my life. But God set this up for me – and it would be the wrong thing, to turn away from something that He has planned for my life.”

Johnson went on to found the organization And Then There Were None, which seeks to assist abortion workers with leaving the industry and finding a new career. Although not shown in the film, Johnson and her husband subsequently converted to Catholicism and are currently expecting their eighth child.

And Then There Were None has helped nearly 500 former clinic workers leave the abortion industry.

Unplanned stars Ashley Bratcher as Johnson.

During filming, Bratcher discovered that her own mother had planned on having an abortion when she was pregnant with her, but walked out of the appointment instead.

Unplanned was written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, the writers of God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2. The movie was partially funded by Michael Lindell, a born-again Christian and the founder of the company MyPillow.

The film will be distributed by Pure Flix.

Theologians Examine Role of Power, Clericalism in the Sex Abuse Crisis Solutions to the abuse crisis, Pecknold said, cannot be seen solely as being carried out through "political rearrangement, review boards, new relations between civil and canon law" because they do not address the root of the scandal. Likewise, he added, seeking solutions to the crisis "by rooting out all deep-seated same-sex attraction, or embracing same-sex attraction," ending celibacy or opening the priesthood to women "are more at the root of dysfunction than they are at the root of the cure."

"We must see the crisis as a turn away from the father, and so we must understand that any solution to the crisis will attend to those external forms best suited to returning the interior altars of the heart and mind back to the father," Pecknold said. "We must find our solution in Abel's sacrifice and not in Cain's."

Safe Environment

ones, and the use of titles such as "your excellency" for bishops, "your grace" for archbishops and "your eminence" for cardinals.

Mary Hamann The theologian offered suggestions to minimize Safe Environment Program Manager clericalism beginning with the development of a mhamann@dowr.org "sound theology of the ministerial priesthood" in which ordination is not the "conferral of special powers" but one in which a priest is drawn "into a new relationship with Christ and Christ's church CopyrightŠ Catholic News Service sent in mission." www.CatholicNews.com.

Priestly formation also, he said, could be removed from the "quasi-monastic seclusion" of

By DENNIS SADOWSKI, Catholic News Service a seminary and be based in the realities of parish WASHINGTON, March 27, 2019 (CNS) -- Two sysministry. tematic theologians examined how power and cleriHe called for wider involvement of the local calism among Catholic clergy played a role in crechurch, including laity, in the selection of bishops, as ating the sexual abuse crisis that has rocked the was practiced especially during the first four centuries of Catholic Church's history. church anew since June during a daylong Catholic Pope Francis' call to synodality, the inclusion of University of America conference. many voices in the affairs of the church, also offers a While offering differing perspectives, Richard Gaillardetz of Boston College and Chad Pecknold of way forward, Gaillardetz said.

The Catholic University of America agreed March "Prayerful listening to the laity by 26 that clericalism needed to be addressed if the bishops and all clergy, while necessary, church is to begin recovering from the scandal. is not sufficient if we are really intent on Pope Francis has described clericalism as an breaking up the clerical sedimentation attitude embraced by priests and bishops in which that exists in our church," he said. "Or to they see themselves as special or superior to others. transpose metaphors, we cannot pour Gaillardetz explained that clericalism manifests 'new wine' of ecclesial synodality into the itself in "the maintenance of a distinct clerical iden'old wineskins' of canonical structures tity" that often lacks solidarity with the people of still tainted by clerical privilege. What is God, a sense of being "exempt from criticism or needed is a richer culture of collaboration accountability by those outside the clerical guild, in church governance at all levels." and an instinct "to protect the good reputation of Pecknold based his arguments on how their guild at all costs." the church could address clericalism in On the other hand, Pecknold theorized that Pope Francis' desire "for the priest to be a clericalism stems from a willingness to turn away father and not an executive." He described from God and the call to true priestly ministry as the pope's view on clericalism as "a more exercised by Jesus rather than solely the desire to interior breach, a breach of the relationship fathers should have to their children." maintain power and influence over others.

Addressing the theological roots of the The theologians supported their arguments in crisis, Pecknold called for firmer groundpresentations during the latest in the university's ing of seminarians in church teaching that ongoing "Healing the Breach of Trust" conferences. stresses God as father. He particularly The conference was the third in a series sponsored by the school's Catholic Project, which was cited Pope Benedict XVI's 2005 encyclical "Deus Caritas Est" ("God Is Love") as formed in 2018 to examine the clergy sexual abuse scandal after it erupted again last summer. Subtitled offering a way forward for the church in "What's Really Going On? The Root Causes of the understanding God as father.

Current Crisis," the conference's sessions also Pecknold also expressed concern explored the role of organizational behavior, sexualabout celebration of Mass, calling for the ity and sexual teaching, and how the media reflects liturgy to be "celebrated with the greatest possible reverence for the Lord." He the causes of clericalism. returned to the writing of Pope Benedict, Gaillardetz argued that the seeds of clericalism who said liturgical theologians had taken rest in the current theology, structures and practices "great liberties" with the directions on associated with being a bishop. Documents from the liturgical reform in Vatican II documents.

Second Vatican Council, he said, support the ideas that place a bishop first in how he relates to the He said Pope Benedict in his papacy entire college of bishops or in relation to the local was disturbed by theologians who treated church. liturgy "as their own invention." In doing "Yet today church law and custom continue to so, Pecknold said, Mass has become a accentuate the bishop's relation to the episcopal "human performance rather than a solemn work of God that transports us all college as a whole and the pope in particular and mystically to Calvary." attenuate his relationship to his flock," he said.

Pope Benedict, Pecknold explained, Gaillardetz identified church practices that he maintained that such "liturgical relativbelieved "played a role in sustaining and entrenching clerical culture." He pointed to the Vatican's pracism" had "reduced the Mass to the immatice since the 19th century of appointing bishops nent frame in much the way metaphysics with "minimal input" from local churches, frequent gets reduced from 'thinking about being' transfers of bishops "often as a form of ecclesiastical to 'thinking about human power.' And this promotion" from small dioceses to more prestigious brings us full circle back to clericalism."

9

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Catholic Schools

10

Another Year Ends at

WACS and Cotter Marsha Stenzel

Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org

Students repair bikes in the Cotter Bike Lab.

Submitted by NIKI PETERSON

�ingn Winona, we are blessed with two thrivCatholic school systems: Cotter Schools

for grades 7 through 12 and Winona Area Catholic Schools (WACS) for grades Pre-K through 6.

With the 2018-2019 school year ending, we look back fondly on all of the memories that we created with our students, faculty, staff, and the Winona community.

Recently, Cotter President Sister Judith Schaefer, O.P., was honored as the 2019 recipient of the Minnesota Independent School Forum Leadership Award. This award is given to an individual who demonstrates hard work and dedication while serving in the role of president, superintendent, or principal. We are so grateful for Sr. Judy and all that she does for our students and our schools.

In October, we celebrated our fifth annual Founder’s Day. This year, we honored Bishop Joseph Cotter, the first bishop of the Diocese of Winona, and Bishop Patrick Heffron, the founder of Cotter High School, for their dedication and vision to Catholic education. Our students, faculty and staff held a mid-day remembrance at St. Mary’s Cemetery where both bishops are laid to rest.

In January, we said goodbye to Father Jim Berning.

Father Jim was the beloved pastor at St. Mary’s Parish and for Cotter and WACS. He was reassigned to St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Rochester. We miss Father Jim

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and his energy, sense of humor, and the genuine way he cared for our students and the community of Winona.

Service is a large part of our Christian faith. Last year, our students completed more than 6,000 hours of community service. This year, we opened the Cotter Bike Lab. Students repair unwanted bicycles, procured from donations, and donate them to Winona Volunteer Services to be given to families in need. Several students also completed weekend “urban plunge” trips to Minneapolis and a summer mission trip to Jerusalem Farms. Seven students and one staff member were commissioned as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion last November. They now serve our student body during Mass.

This year, we have had several of our athletic teams and clubs earn awards, many at the state level. In the spring, the 2018 girls’ softball team earned a state berth where they won the consolation bracket. We also had several track and field athletes advance to state. Grace Ping (1600m) and Lauren Ping (3200m) won state championships in their respective races. In the fall, our girls’ soccer coach, Marie Barrientos, was named Coach of the Year and forward, Olivia Gardner, earned All-State honors. The girls’ cross-country team participated in the state meet and placed 3rd overall. Grace Ping was the state champion. This winter, Gabe Welch and Viva Graff earned All-State recognition for band and orchestra. Additionally, Gabe was selected as a feature soloist.

Colin Cada, Siena Kuehn, and Grace Miller were selected to the ACDA All-State Honors Choir. Our music listening team of Aidan Carlson, Ceili DeMarais and Rita Row advanced to state in February. Our speech team won the conference championship for the fifth straight year and ten members were individual conference champions.

The junior high math team placed first in their division, which included 7th grader Jack Spiten placing first overall. We are very proud of our students. They achieve as much outside of the classroom as they do inside.

Thanks to our very generous benefactors and grant monies, we were able to add and enhance our current STEM offerings through Project Lead the Way (PLTW) for our students. PLTW courses include Introduction to Engineering, Principles of Engineering, Computer Science, Electronics and Robotics.

As an international boarding school, we are uniquely blessed to have several countries throughout the world represented in our student body. Each year, International Week is a special time that highlights the diversity of our school. Students participated in hands on activities including an art show, talent show, and, the highlight of the week, the International Dinner. Students prepare dishes from their native countries and community members enjoy sampling them during this event.

As we prepare to congratulate and say good luck to the Class of 2019, we are incredibly grateful for our magnificent students, faculty, staff and the amazing Winona community that values and supports our Catholic schools. We look forward to making new memories during the 2019-2020 school year.

Niki Peterson works in Marketing and Communications at Cotter Schools.

11 Catholic Schools

Baccalaureate Mass Held in Winona WINONA - On May 1, 2019, the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker, in Winona's Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Bishop John M. Quinn celebrated a Baccalaureate Mass with graduating seniors from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's four Catholic high schools: Loyola in Mankato, Pacelli in Austin, Lourdes in Rochester, and Cotter in Winona. Concelebrating were pastors representing the school communities: Fr. James Berning, Fr. James Steffes, Fr. RaĂşl Silva, Fr. ThĂŠ Hoang, Fr. Mark McNea, Fr. Jason Kern, and Fr. Timothy Reker. Also assisting were Deacon Justin Green, Deacon Matthew Wagner, and St. Stanislaus Pastor Fr. Patrick Arens.

In his homily, Bishop Quinn discussed the difference between dreams and plans, referring to St. Joseph's life as an example of following God's plan even when it doesn't match our dreams.

"Have great dreams, but ask God for the plan," he said. "Joseph kept Jesus part of his life all the way to his death ... If you allow God's plan to fill your life, you may not be a millionaire, may not be wellknown, but know this: you'll be doing God's work and changing the world."

At the end of Mass, Bishop Quinn blessed baskets of olive wood crucifixes, which were then distributed to students by their pastors as a reminder of Christ's love.

In a letter featured in the event's program, Bishop Quinn told the graduates: Catholic schools are born out of the heart of the Church as a response to the command of the Lord to go into the whole world and preach, teach, and baptize. To be truly educated, Jesus Christ, who is the fullness of truth, is recognized as the beginning and the fulfillment of all learning and knowledge.

We Are Hiring!

St. John Vianney Catholic School, Fairmont, seeks applicants for the following positions starting in the 2019-20 school year: Preschool Director (Full Time) Applicants should possess or be eligible for the appropriate license. Those interested should mail or email a letter of application, resume, current transcript, and credentials to: Mrs. Sarah Striemer, Principal St. John Vianney School 911 South Prairie Ave. Fairmont, MN 56031 or sstriemer@sjvschool.net For inquiries, call Mrs. Striemer at 507-235-5305.

Elementary Music Teacher (.35 FTE) An additional .55 FTE is available through Martin County West School District if interested. Scheduling between St. John Vianney and MCW will allow for concurrent employment.

Applicants should possess or be eligible for the appropriate license. Those interested should mail a letter of application, resume, current transcript, and credentials to: Mrs. Sarah Striemer, Principal St. John Vianney School 911 South Prairie Ave. Fairmont, MN 56031

Mr. Chad Brusky, Principal Trimont Elementary School 77 West Beech St. Trimont, MN 56176

For inquiries, call Mrs. Striemer at 507-235-5305 or Mr. Brusky at 507-639-2071.

Both positions will be open until filled.

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Youth & Young Adults

12

The Forgotten Gift

Michael Ottman

This month's column is written by Coordinator of Youth Ministry Michael Ottman.

�

t’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The weather is changing, the pollen is about to fill the sky white, and families are gathering around food and desserts - but not for Christmas. The season of graduation parties is upon us. It is always an exciting time anticipating family celebrations like Christmas by beginning the countdown of days. Do you remember having that same feeling when graduation was drawing near, or maybe you are experiencing that excitement now? The finish line is in sight and the days are numbered until that joyous day. It is a natural rush of emotions when a big holiday is near or an achievement of life lies before us.

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Another milestone, the Sacrament of Confirmation, may be getting closer or has already happened for you. To all those who have been confirmed or are about to be, congratulations! This is only the beginning.

Have you ever desired a gift on Christmas day that consumed your mind? That one gift that, if you just opened it, would make the day perfect? Do you remember waking up early Christmas morning with excitement coursing through your veins, and rushing to the tree in anticipation that your greatest joy is hidden behind wrapping paper? At that moment, every other gift waiting for you is a distraction to what you are truly seeking.

Excitement mounts when it is finally time to start opening the gifts. The first bag you pick up doesn’t weigh the right amount. The beautifully wrapped box next to it isn’t the right size. Nerves start to creep in as you see the gifts dwindle from under the tree. The socks grandma gave you and the book your parents hoped you would read are just sitting on a pile of disappointment. All the gifts are gone. Your heart breaks that you did not receive the one gift you desired.

My confirmation day was a similar experience.

Through my preparation for the sacrament, I was told the Holy Spirit would come down upon me, and I would receive these seven amazing gifts of the Holy Spirit. I held onto that thought so tightly it was the only thing on my mind during the Mass. When it was finally my turn to walk up to the bishop, my heart started to race, and so many thoughts rushed through my mind.

“Am I about to see a fiery dove? How am I supposed to use these gifts? No one gave me instructions on how to use them. What if I waste them?”

After pondering these thoughts, I looked up. The bishop gave me a smile while my sponsor nudged me forward, and then told me it’s done.

Aaron Lofy

Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org

It’s done? What’s done?

My sponsor laughed and said I was confirmed.

It felt like a Christmas disappointment. The seven gifts I supposedly received were just a pile of gifts I didn’t really desire or care about. I wanted to experience something like the Apostles had encountered - driving wind, tongues of fire, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Later that year, my grandpa continued his tradition of giving his grandchildren a hand carved word of encouragement for Christmas, such as "love," "family," or "joy." That particular year, the carefully carved word he presented to me was "faith."

It finally sunk in. Ultimately, I had forgotten what I was desiring during my whole confirmation process - to be confirmed in the Catholic faith.

What a beautiful gift our faith really is. It is a daily call to grow closer to the Lord, and to do His will wherever He calls us. I would have never imagined pursuing my faith would lead me to becoming a missionary, going to a Catholic college or finding myself working for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester!

At the time I received my gift of confirmation, I saw it as an expected rite of passage and just another day. I couldn’t have been more wrong. So, again, to all of you who are to be or already confirmed, congratulations. Your story, walk and journey of faith has just begun! Luke 11:9-10

Is It Worth Fighting Over? 13 Rev. Jason Kern Director of Vocations jkern@dowr.org

Sister Ramona Kruse, a member of the Sisters of Saint Francis, Rochester, celebrates her 75th Diamond Jubilee this month!

Sister Ramona, daughter of Raymond and Elsie Kruse (both deceased), was born Jeanette Ione Kruse in St. Clair, and entered the Rochester F r a n c i s c a n Congregation from Immaculate Conception Parish in St. Clair.

She professed vows in 1944. Sister Ramona received a bachelor’s degree in education, English and Latin from the College of Saint Teresa, Winona, in 1961, and a master’s degree in reading problems and diagnosis from Minnesota State University, Mankato, in 1971.

From 1972-1989, she taught in the English and education departments at the College of Saint Teresa (CST) in Winona. In 1974, she earned a specialist’s certificate in curriculum and instruction and library science from Minnesota State University, Mankato. Her career was primarily spent teaching in Minnesota, Nebraska and Maryland. In 1977, she was a presenter at the International Reading Convention at Dublin University in Dublin, Ireland. From 1983-1985, she was on leave from CST to teach English as a second language at the Immaculate Heart College in Kagoshima, Japan, during which time she also accompanied 26 senior students to study in Australia prior to their graduation. From 1990 until her retirement in 2015, Sister Ramona worked in the archives office for the College of Saint Teresa. In addition, Sister Ramona is a Philatelist for the Congregation and has written a multitude of poems, many of which have been published. Currently, she resides at Assisi Heights.

I were asked by our dad, “Is that really worth fighting over?” Inevitably, we would be fighting over something trivial, like whether or not one of us traveled while playing basketball in the driveway, or if our foot was on the line and the basket was not worth as many points as we claimed. It was hard for us to see how it could possibly be the case that the victory we had claimed over our brother could ever not be worth fighting over. Or sometimes we would just say that we weren’t fighting and keep arguing about it. As we enter the spring and summer months, that’s a question worth reflection: What is worth fighting over?

Oftentimes, we get caught up in many trivial frustrations and struggles in family life that don’t bear significance over long periods of time. We allow ourselves to get caught up in the moment and desire things to go well in the immediate so that frustration or even anger can bubble over when it doesn’t seem to be going our way. This is where keeping a long-term perspective is so important. We must learn to trust that, in all things, God’s grace is truly effective and at work. Not only can we ask whether something is worth fighting over (meaning that it likely is not), we can also ask this question in a positive sense.

What things truly are worth fighting over?

Am I willing to fight over my schedule so that I have time to spend with the people I love the most? Am I willing to fight with God over His plan and purpose for my life?

Am I willing to discipline my days so that I have time for prayer and the Mass?

If we don’t take the time to order our lives and fight for the relationships that matter the most, we can’t expect the positive outcome we hope for in life. God calls us to make sacrifices for us to follow His plan. Our Blessed Lady put aside anything in her life that did not allow her to live out the will of God. She set aside any false ideals or pursuits to find the path to fulfillment in God’s will for her life. In this month of May, a month of devotion dedicated to Our Lady, may we pray about the things we fight over. If we don’t fight for anything, maybe we need to become more assertive and fight for the true good for our family and friends. If we do fight over the trivial things in life, maybe we need to examine our heart about what is truly important. If we feel too busy or stressed to live out the faith life the way we desire, or to be present to our family in the way we should, maybe we need to learn to fight over what is truly essential.

Vocations are born in relationships. Fight to help people know they are loved by God and you, and you will help people see that God cares enough to have a plan and purpose for their life. By fighting for the will of God to be done in our own lives, we are fighting for the good which always leads us to a life of fulfillment in Christ. What is worth fighting over in your life?

Vocations

Diamond Jubilee

�nce in a while, growing up, my brother and

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14

'I'd Rather Die Dancing' �t was New Year’s Day, 1974. I was at

Catholic Charities

St. Rita’s Senior Center on South Broad Street in Philadelphia. Outside, the Mummer’s Parade was streaming past with bands playing various renditions of "Oh Them Golden Slippers."

One lady was in and out of the building. She would go out to dance enthusiastically and then return to warm up. I became a little concerned because I knew she had a heart condition and I encouraged her to sit for a while and take it easy. She responded by saying, “Honey, I am going to die soon enough, and I’d rather die dancing!”

I’ve thought of that lady many times throughout my career and have wondered if we place enough emphasis on the quality of life as we age. Today, medical professionals work diligently to prolong life, and financial advisors worry about the longevity of our retirement savings. Good health and financial security are important elements of our overall welfare, but we also need a zest for living and a purpose for being.

One issue that impacts our zest for living is loneliness. Loneliness is a major issue for many, particularly as we grow older. US Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska ranked loneliness as the nation’s “number one health crisis.” Former Surgeon General Vivik Murthy stated, “During my years caring for patients, the most common pathology I saw was not heart disease or diabetes; it was loneliness.”

In addition to feeling lonely, many people are embarrassed to admit that they are lonely.

This only adds to their isolation. In today’s

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social media, loneliness is often portrayed as if it were a personality defect. The reality, particularly for many of the elderly, is that loneliness just happens. Children grow up and leave or become increasingly busy with their own lives. Spouses and siblings and old friends die or become disabled.

One’s own social activities may become limited due to physical disabilities. Making new friends and increasing social interaction is needed, but this often does not happen without intentional effort.

Finding purpose or having a reason for being is another important aspect of life satisfaction.

A 94-year-old man living in a nursing home was referred to me because he repeatedly told staff that he wanted to die. When I talked with him, he stated simply that he had outlived his usefulness and saw no reason that he should go on living. Having a sense of purpose is vital, and what that purpose is changes throughout our lives. Many people find that retirement is an experience which causes them to rethink their purpose in life. And as people age beyond retirement there are further changes to our sense of purpose as we adapt to increased fraility.

Although aging can be a source of problems and frustrations, it is also a time of unique opportunity.

For many retirees, there is a freedom to creatively pursue their passions. In recent years, a positive aging movement has emerged, which focuses not on the problems but rather on the possibilities of aging. A good source of information about positive aging is the Human Values in Aging Newsletter which can be found at https://www.passiton.org.

As one navigates the challenges and opportunities of aging, it is reassuring to know that there are many resources available.

The National Counsel on Aging offers a program called Aging Mastery. This program offers lots of practical advice and suggests ways that people can be proactive in addressing problems related to aging. Many senior centers offer this program, and I would

Angie Loecke

Psychologist Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota

highly recommend it to anyone who is approaching retirement age.

Catholic Charities’ Active Aging Program has several different programs which can provide support and assistance. Their Common Good RSVP program is an excellent resource for anyone wanting to be involved with volunteering. Volunteering can be a big help not only to the community but also for the individual who volunteers. The volunteer gains an increased sense of purpose and also has opportunities to become more active socially. Other initiatives within the Active Aging Program promote physical health as well as providing opportunities to increase social interaction and create new friendships.

Catholic Charities’ Counseling Services offers therapy and counseling services for persons of all ages, including those who are over age 65 and receiving Medicare. When problems related to aging cause one to feel depressed, stressed, or anxious, it may be helpful to seek the assistance of professional mental health providers.

Information about the Aging Mastery Program, Catholic Charities’ Active Aging Program, and Catholic Charities’ Counseling Services can be found at the Catholic Charities website: www.ccsomn.org or by calling 507-454-2270.

When an Annulment Isn't Possible Jenna Cooper

�

s I’ve written here before, petitioning the Tribunal for a declaration of nullity is never a guarantee that an individual’s marriage will actually be declared null. This is because the nullity process is not simply a formality in order to obtain something like a “Catholic divorce,” but is instead meant to be an impartial investigation regarding the truth of a particular situation—namely, whether or not specific grave problems were present at the time of the wedding which made contracting a valid marriage impossible for the parties involved.

Often, the result of this impartial investigation is that it becomes clear that a certain marriage was invalid. But, at times, the truth that the Tribunal is honestly seeking to discern can turn out to be that a marriage, while perhaps troubled or imprudently entered into, was indeed a valid union that continues to be binding. When this happens, the Tribunal issues a negative decision.

A Negative Decision—Now What?

Understandably, a negative decision can be incredibly disappointing for a Petitioner, especially if he or she had hopes of remarrying. But an individual negative decision isn’t necessarily the final word for that Petitioner’s case.

First of all, if Petitioner (or Respondent) disagrees with the decision of the Judges in our Diocese of Winona-Rochester—what we call the Court of “First Instance”—it is possible to appeal to a higher Court of “Second Instance.” For us, this would be the Metropolitan Tribunal of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It’s also possible to appeal directly to Rome, to the Pope’s own Tribunal called the “Roman Rota.”

In order to appeal a case in this way, a Petitioner or Respondent would have to write a formal letter to the Second Instance Court explaining exactly why they want to appeal. For example, they could request an appeal because they didn’t think they were treated fairly in First Instance, or because they didn’t feel that the First Instance Judges considered the evidence carefully enough. We First Instance Judges are not personally offended if someone bases their appeal on reasons like this, even though, of course, we do try everything we can to treat people fairly and to weigh the merits of a case with sufficient care.

relationship or highest form of love in our lives. Our first and primary relationship is with the God who created us and redeemed us. In fact, the real purpose of marriage is to help us grow in holiness so that one day we may be united with God in heaven, where the Gospel tells us that human beings “neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels” (Matthew 22:30).

Pain and Disappointment Are Not the End

15 Ask a Canon Lawyer

Tribunal Coordinator & Judge jcooper@dowr.org

A Petitioner might also realize that they didn’t do enough to prove their argument in First Instance. E.g., perhaps they didn’t call as many witnesses as they could have, or they forgot to submit documents that would have been helpful to their case. In scenarios like this, it’s also possible to request an appeal in order to have what we call “additional instruction” (i.e., more evidence gathering) in Second Instance.

Finally, it could also be that a particular nullity case was tried on grounds which, in hindsight, weren’t actually the most appropriate. For instance, maybe a case was initially tried on the alleged untruthfulness of the Respondent and found negative—while maybe in reality the marriage was invalid, but for a different reason, like the psychological incapacity of the Petitioner. It situations like this, it is possible to start a totally new case in the same First Instance Tribunal, on a different and hopefully more suitable ground.

It’s completely natural for a person to need time to grieve any serious loss, and this includes the loss of one’s hope for a second marriage. But it’s also important to keep in mind that however terrible the pain of this disappointment might feel, it doesn’t mean that a person’s life is over.

Disappointment in a Christian Context All Christians will eventually have Still, logically, a declaration of nullity cannot be possible crosses to bear, and while some crosses may for a marriage that is not null. Even while there are be heavier than others, we believe that God options for appealing a negative decision, it can and does always grants us enough grace and strength happen that a failed marital relationship is determined to bear them. And as counterintuitive as it through the nullity process to be valid beyond might seem, it is possible that, by re-dedicating any shadow of a doubt. The most obvious themselves to Christ and a Christian way of Do practical effect of this is that a person life, divorced Catholics without annulyou que who receives a negative decision from h ments, but who are committed to the a ve cano s t i o n a a Tribunal is not free to remarry, virtue of chastity, can find themn abo you law since the Church regards him or u t selves at the start of a new and that to s w o u l d her as still being, in the eyes of deeper life with God. e God and the Church, married to h e r e answ l i k e Saints throughout history the original spouse. j c o o e ? E m ered have told us that God alone is p While a negative decision enough to satisfy all the longw i t h er@dow a i l and the subsequent inability to r ings of the human heart (and . remarry might feel very unfair q u e " C o u r i org many of them went so far as to stio er to the person experiencing such a n " totally renounce marriage altothe disappointment, it can be helpful subj i n gether to bear witness to this fact). e to keep in mind that, in reality, this l i n e ct Though it can be easy to lose sight . is not a matter of the Church being of in this fallen world, we know that arbitrarily tough. Rather, it’s the other God is the creator of all good things and side of the coin to our beautiful Catholic is the source of all true happiness. It’s hard teaching on the permanence of marriage. to imagine that God somehow wouldn’t give the Wedding vows of life-long love and fidelity “in gift of abiding joy to someone who was seeking Him with good times and in bad” would not have any an undivided heart, even in the midst of a great deal of meaning if ending a valid marriage was a personal pain. By choosing God above all else in difficult real possibility. and disappointing circumstances, a Christian might disAlso too, while marriage and the cover in God a greater and more perfect joy than they romantic companionship that comes had ever known before. with it is certainly a great gift, as Catholics we believe that marriage is ultimately not the most important

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Faith in the Public Arena

16

Love Your Political Enemies �ot every political issue is a battle

between good and evil. In fact, most are not. But more and more issues at the Capitol are being framed that way because we continue to lose a sense of the dignity of our political opponents.

When we do not get our way in politics, we think increasingly that it is because the other person is not only ignorant or mistaken, but that they are bad people and lack character. This is especially true as the legislative session draws to a close and people’s goals are thwarted.

The result of a failure to see our political opponents as Jesus sees them is what Catholic scholar Arthur Brooks calls “the culture of contempt.”

Overcoming the culture of contempt is one essential element to renewing political life and helping politics work for the common good, and responding to this challenge is a beautiful opportunity for evangelization that Christians should embrace with boldness.

Minnesota's students deserve to attend schools that meet their individual educational needs. Parents, as the primary educators of their children, need to be enabled to enroll their children in the school that they feel best meets those needs. The good news is there is now legislation, the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (SF 1872), that will provide families with access to the schools of their choice and ensure we have educational freedom in Minnesota.

Opportunity Scholarships are generated through donations to qualified scholarshipgranting organizations (SGO). Individuals and organizations that donate to a scholarship-granting organization of their choice receive a tax credit for their donation. The SGO, in turn, grants scholarships to low- and middle-income families to attend non-public schools.

Let your representative, senator, and governor know that you support Opportunity Scholarships for our kids! You can be connected with your legislators by calling 651296-2146 for the House of Representatives and 651-296-0504 for the Senate, and 651201-3400 for the Governor. Or, to send a message, visit www.MNCatholic.org/ ActionCenter.

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Propose, Don’t Impose Politics, as the Church sees it, is about answering the question of how we order our lives together.

The Church presumes that for this conversation to work appropriately, there must be a sense of solidarity among the people and a shared pursuit of the common good—what is also called “civic friendship.”

In public life, most questions are “bread and butter” issues: roads, schools, workforce, natural resources, energy, law enforcement. In those debates, we must have a sense of humility about our own perspective and see those with whom we disagree as friends, or at least potential friends, and not enemies. It cannot be a matter of simply imposing our will and being angry when it does not prevail, but instead must be one of constructive and rational engagement.

And even on the most difficult questions— questions that often involve who will receive the full protection of our laws—we must remember that most political conflict is rooted in a diverse population having different perspectives about how to achieve good things, or at least perceived goods.

Five Rules of Engagement

In his book, Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt, Brooks offers five practical (and countercultural) suggestions for productively engaging political life: 1. “Stand up to the Man. Refuse to be used by the powerful.” In other words, don’t be beholden to ideologies that make you conform to a party line, nor be a stooge of a manipulative leader or media figure who stirs up animosity against perceived enemies.

2. “Escape the bubble. Go where you’re not invited and say things people don’t expect.” Ask yourself if

Jason Adkins

Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference

you are truly hearing other perspectives and encountering others who may sharpen your thinking. Break down stereotypes people may have of those on your side of an issue. Most importantly, begin to see other people not as “other,” but as your friends and fellow citizens.

3. “Say no to contempt. Treat others with love and respect, even when it’s difficult.”

This applies especially when you see your opponents as immoral. It is easy to love our friends. But we are called to love our enemies.

4. “Disagree better. Be a part of a healthy competition of ideas.” We can disagree without being disagreeable. In fact, ideas are often refined in the crucible of debate. The checks and balances in our political system are meant to encourage a long deliberative process. We are supposed to engage that process and work for something better if we are dissatisfied, especially at local levels of government.

5. “Tune out: disconnect more from the unproductive debates.” Social media can be useful, but it is often destructive. Recognize that outside the context of a real relationship of trust, you are likely not going to change someone’s mind.

Brooks’ five rules will, if practiced, foster a healthier political culture. If we embrace and practice them, we will also evangelize other people because, unlike so many hyper-moralizing militants who poison the conversation, we will be offering a bold and fresh model and perspective rooted in respect for the dignity of each human person—someone with his or her own unique and valued perspective, and someone we wish to persuade, not someone who is an enemy to defeat.

Loving our enemies (that is, willing their authentic good) is the best Gospel witness. And Chesterton said our neighbor and our enemy is often the same person!

A National Honor for Delavan's Gene Paul

17

By KEVIN MERTENS

Credit: Kevin Mertens, Faribault County Register

senators George McGovern, Tom Daschle and Robert Dole; and Delavan farmer Gene Paul have in common?

The answer is all of them have been awarded the Meritorious Service Award to Humanity by the National Farmers Union (NFU). It is only the eighth time this award has been given since 1986.

The award is given to those who have made particularly noteworthy contributions to family agriculture, humanity and Farmers Union at the state and national levels.

In a statement released by the Minnesota Farmers Union, MFU President Gary Wertish said, "If the world had more Gene Pauls, the world would be a better place. Gene has always been unselfish in his commitment to family farmers and rural communities."

Paul is a second-generation farmer. He began operating his grain and livestock farm in 1959 which is the same year he got married. Paul, and his wife Jane, raised six children on their family farm.

The Pauls have been blessed with 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Paul began working with the National Farmers Organization (NFO) in 1962. He became the state president of the organization in the early 1980s and served as national president from 1995-99. The NFO is involved with the marketing of production whereas the NFU is more involved with legislation affecting agriculture.

It was during his tenure as NFO state president he also began working with the NFU.

He started going to Washington in the early 1980s.

The NFO had offices in the nation's capital until 1992.

Paul's association with the two groups led him to become involved with working on the farm bill legislation in Washington D.C. It is a challenge working with members of congress when very few of them have an ag constituency, Paul explained.

"Yet, agriculture affects our national security, rural infrastructure and trade," Paul says. "And everybody needs food."

Paul also points out the majority of the farm bill goes to non-farm interests.

Recent articles covering the farm bill state 80-82 percent of the cost of the farm bill goes towards food stamps.

"Once the farm bill is passed, you feel a sense of accomplishment, " Paul states. "You wish it was better, but that is part of our democracy and how it works."

His involvement in politics has given Paul the opportunity to meet three presidents.

He met President Jimmy Carter at the White House.

He got to meet President Ronald Reagan when then congressman Tom Hagedorn invited Paul to Mankato during a Reagan visit.

He was in a meeting in John Podesta's office when he met President Bill Clinton. Podesta was Clinton's Chief of Staff. The door opened and in came President Clinton with a Diet Pepsi.

Attendees of the Bishops and Rector Dinner were entertained by a band consisting of IHMS alumni David Kruse and Deacon Matthew Wagner, as well as current IHMS seminarians Riley Becher, Jack Kinunen, Ethan Lacey, Isaiah Lippert, and Tyler Pranger.

IHMS would like to invite everyone to next year’s 17th Annual Bishops and Rector Dinner which will be held April 17, 2020, at the Rochester International Event Center.

Archbishop Charles Chaput speaks at the 2019 Bishops and Rector Dinner.

Chaput, cont'd from pg. 5

Susan Fiser is the communications and development associate for the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota.

In the Diocese

This article on Deacon Gene Paul (who serves the TriParish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Easton; St. John the Baptist, Minnesota Lake; and St. Casimir, Wells) first appeared in the Faribault County Register on March 31, 2019. It is reprinted here with permission.

�kay,Whattriviado buffs, here is a new question for you. former president Jimmy Carter; former

"The president asked if he could join us," Paul explains. "Well, what are you going to say to that?"

So, the president joined in and took part in the meeting.

He also met a rather famous foreign dignitary, Mikhail Gorbachev, who was the last leader of the Soviet Union.

Another memorable moment occurred on Sept. 11, 2001. Paul was in the Senate Office Building next to the Capital when the Pentagon was hit by the hijacked airplane.

"They cleared out all of the buildings and there was a mass of people in the street," Paul notes.

The flights were all shut down so a bus drove straight through from South Dakota to come and get everyone in the South Dakota and Minnesota Farmers Union delegations and take them home.

Paul has rented his farm out for over 10 years but still finds time to have some sheep, chickens and a peacock on the farm.

He has also been an ordained deacon since 2005 and serves the Tri-Parish cluster of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Easton, St. John the Baptist Parish of Minnesota Lake and St. Casimir Parish of Wells.

Paul sees the future of agriculture tied to the need to address climate change, whether they agree with it or not.

"Companies and consumers are demanding food be produced in a certain way," Paul says. "I believe it is in the farmer's best interest to be proactive and do things they can reasonably do to alleviate some of the demands which others might place on them."

Even after all of his years of service, he still enjoys his involvement in politics and in helping to formulate policy.

"I have had the opportunity to work for family farms and on agricultural issues which affect rural infrastructure and national security," Paul explains. "I consider it a real privilege to work for those things and for the family farmer."

Kevin Mertens is a staff writer for the Faribault County Register.

Musically inclined IHM seminarians and recent alumni entertain guests at the 2019 Bishops and Rector Dinner.

IHM Seminary Rector Fr. Robert Horihan addresses guests at the 2019 Bishops and Rector Dinner.

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The Courier Crossword

In the Diocese

18

By W.R. CHESTER

˅ Last Month's Answers ˅

Across

1. Sunday after Pentecost 4. When Mary meets Elizabeth

6. For his descendants, the sky is the limit 8. Petition on behalf of others 10. The "50th" day

12. The created order

15. Tunnels of Callixtus

17. Bishop of St. Hyacinth 18. 'Tis the month of our ______

19. The Saturday evening Mass Down

2. Period between popes

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3. Juridical jurisdiction

5. Mary Help of _________ at Holy Hill 7. One of the Twelve 9. Regina ______

11. Cornerstone county

13. Christ is King of this 14. End times return

16. Island of the leper priest

Obituaries

Sister Helen Rohlik, OSF, (Sister Phylis), 88, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

Helen Corona R o h l i k was born January 12, 1931, in Seaforth to Anthony and Mary Frances (Donohue) Rohlik. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1950 from Saint Mary’s Parish in Seaforth. Sister Helen made first vows in 1953 and perpetual vows in 1956. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and Latin in 1960 from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, and a master’s degree in classical languages from the University of Notre Dame in 1969, and completed nursing assistant training at Rochester Technical School in 1984.

Sister Helen served as a primary teacher for 11 years at Catholic schools in Southern Minnesota: Owatonna, Austin, Wilmont and Winona, after which she taught seven years in secondary education at Sacred Heart School in Norfolk, NE, and Lourdes High School in Rochester. Sister Helen served as office staff at Saint Marys Hospital, Rochester, and at Saint Anne Hospice, Winona, before moving into parish ministry at St. Casimir and St. Mary’s parishes in St. Paul.

On completing nursing assistant training, she served her Sisters at Assisi Heights for five years before providing child care in homes for 11 years. Following retirement, Sister Helen remained active for several years in various volunteer activities at Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

Sister Helen is survived by her Franciscan Congregation, with whom she shared life for 69 years; a brother, Steven Rohlik

of Owatonna; a sister-in-law, Ida Mae Rohlik of Wabasso; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Roy, Gerald and David Rohlik; and three sisters: Rose Marie Wacklarowicz, Ida Mae Regnier and Ruth Ann Franta.

The Funeral Mass was Thursday, April 11, in Lourdes Chapel, followed by burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Seaforth.

Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Suite 100 Rochester, MN 55901.

Father Theodore J. Hottinger, SJ, died on April 22, 2019, at St. Camillus, in Wauwatosa, WI. He was 87 years old. May he rest in peace.

Born in Mankato on March 3, 1932, Ted attended Ss. Peter and Paul Grade School and Loyola High School in Mankato before entering the Society of Jesus at St. Stanislaus Seminary, Florissant, MO, on August 17, 1950.

He had the usual Jesuit course of studies at St. Stanislaus, Saint Louis University, and St. Mary's College. Ted was ordained on June 11, 1963, made Tertianship 19641965, and pronounced his final vows on August 15, 1966.

After teaching during regency at Marquette University High School in Milwaukee, WI, and Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, WI, Ted's subsequent years of active ministry were all pastoral in nature. From 1965 to 1981 he served as associate pastor and pastor at St. Benedict's Church in Omaha, NE. Between 1981 and 1987 he ministered to Native Americans at Our Lady of Sorrows in Kyle, SD, and at St. Isaac Jogues in Rapid City, SD. Finally, from 1988 to 2008, Ted was an associate pastor of Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in his

hometown of Mankato and continued until 2014 to do pastoral ministry in Mankato even after the Society no longer staffed Ss. Peter and Paul. Failing health led to his moving to St. Camillus, where he remained active in pastoral ministry almost to the day of his death.

Ted will be remembered by thousands of parishioners, many of them poor, for his kindness and pastoral zeal. He had a booming voice, and worked hard and enthusiastically, but was a gentle pastor and a faithful Jesuit priest and companion.

Sister Lorna Helter, OSF, 102, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Saturday, May 4, 2019.

Mary Elizabeth H e l t e r was born December 8, 1916, near Bergen to John and Mary (Devlin) Helter. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1935 from St. Francis Xavier Parish in Windom. Sister Lorna made first vows in 1938 and perpetual vows in 1941. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1944 from the University of Denver in Denver, CO, and, in 1963 a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN. Sister Lorna began her teaching career in 1938 with primary students at St. Mary School in Ellsworth, where she also was the organist for the high school choir. Upon completion of her bachelor’s degree, she returned to Rochester, where she taught second-grade students at St. John’s School (1944-45) and seventh-grade art at Lourdes High School (1945-50). She taught junior high students and high school art at St. Thomas High School in Winona (1950-52); and secondary education, art, shop, biology, mechanical drawing at Cotter High School in Winona (1952-65) and Wehrle High School in Columbus, OH (196575). Following retirement from teaching, Sister Lorna was sales advisor at Cathedral Book Shop in Columbus, OH, from 1975 until she returned to Assisi Heights in 2006.

Sister Lorna is survived by her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 83 years; three sisters: Margaret Anderson (of Pocahontas, AR), Joyce Jaquith (of Spirit Lake, IA), and Joan Frohnwitter (of Dittmer, MO); and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and three siblings.

The Funeral Mass was held Wednesday, May 8, in Lourdes Chapel at Assisi Heights, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery, Rochester.

Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.

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. 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!

St. Anthony Church, Lismore June 5, Wednesday Salad & Hot Dish Luncheon 11:3012:30, sponsored by Catholic Daughters of the Americas Ct. St. Bernard #886.

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.

St. Felix Church, Wabasha June 12, Wednesday Annual Salad Luncheon 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in St. Felix Auditorium, hosted by the St. Felix Church Ladies and St. Mary's Court #208 National Society of Foresters. This year's theme is Hats Off to Music. Tickets $8 in advance, $9 at the door.

Holy Trinity Church, Rollingstone June 15, Saturday 150th Anniversary Celebration.

4:30 Mass, followed by dinner and a program in the Holy Trinity Community Center.

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.

St. John Church, Johnsburg July 14, Sunday Johnsburg Jamboree. 11 a.m.

Polka Mass, followed by outdoor activities 12-6 p.m. Food, games for all ages, raffle, cake walk, bingo.

Church is air conditioned.

St. James Coffee Shop, Rochester June 6, Thursday Curatio Latte. Dianne Johnson, founder of Curatio Health Care Apostolate, will prestent on this apostolate following 6:30 p.m.

Mass. All are welcome, especially Catholic healthcare workers. More info: Marilyn Baker (507-206-7212).

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).

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. May, 2019 w The Courier w dowr.org

May 2019

• The Courier