The COURIER
Ministry of Hope
By LAURA ARCHBOLD
The following article was submitted to The Courier nearly two weeks prior to, and without anticipation of, Fr. Joseph Hennen's death on July 17, 2026. Fr. Hennen's obituary is on page 17.
�nside Benedictine Living Community Madonna Towers in Rochester, residents gather for Mass, prayer, conversation and companionship. Some arrive in wheelchairs. Others quietly watch from their rooms on closed-circuit television, too weak to attend in person.
At the center of it all is Christ, and, for the past ten years, Fr. Joe Hennen, whose ministry of compassionate presence has become a steady source of comfort, encouragement and hope for many navigating illnesses, loneliness, grief and the challenges of aging.
Now 85 years old and nearly 60 years ordained, Fr. Joe still carries the words that appeared on his ordination card in 1967. “I will speak to them of hope, freedom, and the power of God,” he reflected. “Really, that has been my motto through life. No matter where I’m at.”
Today, those words continue to shape his ministry at Madonna Towers-Benedictine Health System in Rochester, where he has served for the past decade. Fr. Joe does not see his ministry there as retirement or institutional work. He sees it as another place the Lord has called him to serve and accompany people.
Those who serve alongside him see that call lived
out in quiet, faithful ways. Sr. JoAnn Chevalier, OSF, BCC, Spiritual Care Chaplain at Madonna Towers, said Fr. Joe’s priesthood has deeply blessed both residents and staff. “We love Fr. Joe and are grateful for his ‘Yes’ to God,” Sr. JoAnn said. “He has walked
Notes from a Day Evangelizing with St. Paul Street Evangelization
By DEB MCMANIMON
�ur team has been blessed to have Bishop Barron join us on the street each year. As the day approached for our scheduled outing this June, I was keeping an eye on the weather, and it looked pretty bleak. Most forecasts were calling for anywhere from a 60-95% chance of rain during our planned time out. We were asked if we planned to cancel, but knowing how hard it is to reschedule, we decided to go ahead and pick some alternate spots to go to, if the predicted rain happened. The rain held off until midday and then began. As we made the 40-minute drive to Rochester, it kept coming down harder.
Our team met at our usual meetup spot, prayed, and headed over through the subway and skyway system. Just as we got outdoors, the rain slowed to a sprinkle, then stopped, and the sun even came out for a bit, just as Bishop Barron was to arrive. Thank you, Lord, for answered prayers. A surprisingly large group of people were out and about that afternoon.
Fr. Joe Hennen Walked WitH PeoPle tHrougH liFe's Hardest MoMents
Hennen, cont'd on page 16
Pope Calls for Evangelical Approach Without Force or 'Arrogant Judgments'
By VICTORIA CARDIEL, EWTN News
VATICAN CITY, July 19, 2026 - Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday against imagining God as “a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly” and urged Christians to embrace a Gospel-centered approach marked by humility and trust.
Speaking before the Angelus prayer in Liberty Square at Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending several weeks of rest through Monday, July 27, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading.
Following the parable of the sower, Jesus addresses the crowds through the images of the good wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed, and the yeast in the dough, the pope noted.
“These three short parables recall the coming of the kingdom of God in history, its action in human lives, and the way it grows, expands, and transforms the world from within,” Pope Leo said.
Through these images, he continued, Jesus warns against thinking of God principally in terms of power, domination, and triumph.
“Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him,” the pope said. “His love makes its presence felt even among the weeds, acts in a hidden and invisible way like the smallest of all seeds, and leavens the dough without making a sound.”
God favors smallness
Pope Leo said believers sometimes expect God to act in dramatic and immediately visible ways.
“We sometimes expect God to do something spectacular; we want him to intervene from on high, immediately uprooting the weeds of evil,” he said.
“We imagine a strong and powerful God, and, unfortunately, we also model our way of being Christians and way of being the Church on this image.”
The kingdom of God, however, continues to grow quietly even amid evil, the pope said.
“However, the kingdom of God spreads even amidst the weeds, requiring us to train our vision so we can discern the good that sprouts despite the darkness of evil, and avoiding rash judgments,” he said.
The image of the smallest seed, Pope Leo explained, teaches Christians to be patient as God works through ordinary events and gradual processes.
“It comes like the smallest of seeds and thus calls for patience in accompanying these processes, so that we can recognize it in the little things of daily life and in the simplicity of ordinary existence,” he said.
The kingdom also “grows invisibly like yeast in flour,” the pope continued, freeing believers from discouragement and inviting them to maintain faith even when God appears absent.
“In fact, he is always with us, and his love is always ready to help us,” he said.
Pope Leo then urged Catholics to apply this divine way of acting to both their personal lives and the life of the Church.
“God’s way of acting must also become the way in which we live, both as individuals and as the Church, amidst the reality that surrounds us,” he said.
“We are called to adopt a Gospel-centered approach, without hastily opposing others through arrogant judgments, without imposing ourselves through power and force, and without losing trust in God’s work.”
The pope cited a reflection given by thenCardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, during the Jubilee of Catechists and Religion Teachers in the Holy Year 2000.
“As the then-Cardinal Ratzinger said, it is a matter of submitting ourselves to the logic of the seed - which is not that of success and greatness but that of making ourselves small
Most Reverend Robert E. Barron, Publisher
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and serving others,” Pope Leo said.
By embracing this approach, he concluded, Christians can become instruments through which the Gospel quietly transforms the world.
“In this way, we will become like small seeds of the Gospel that sprout and leavens of love that transform the dough of the world.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
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 507-454-2270, 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 Michael Gerard at 507-361-3377, or mgerard@dowr.org.
August Saint St. Rose of Lima
Feast Day: August 23
from EWTN
�t. Rose of Lima was the first canonized saint of the New World and a prominent figure in the history of the Church in the Americas. Her life was marked by deep prayer, heroic sacrifice, and unwavering love for Christ.
She was born Isabel Flores de Oliva in Lima, Peru, in 1586. According to tradition, a servant remarked that the infant’s face resembled a beautiful rose, and the nickname remained with her throughout her life. Raised in a devout Catholic family, she developed a strong spiritual life from an early age and desired to dedicate herself completely to God.
Rose became a lay Dominican through the influence of St. Catherine of Siena, remaining in the world while embracing a life of prayer and penance. She rejected marriage offers, choosing instead to focus on growing in holiness. She produced fine embroidery and cultivated flowers, which she sold to help the family.
The Holy Father's Intention for August 2026
For Evangelization in the City
Let us pray that in large cities often marked by anonymity and loneliness we find new ways to proclaim the Gospel, discovering creative paths to build community.
Marie Depuydt displays part of the vast library of pro-life resources she makes available to groups and organizations who ask for information. The Mankato woman has devoted her time and personal resources to spreading the pro-life message for more than a decade.
Reprinted from August 2001.
She was especially devoted to prayer before the Blessed Sacrament and sought union with Christ through sacrifice and self-denial. She transformed a room on her family’s property into a place where the poor, the abandoned, and the sick could receive care and assistance.
Rose experienced profound mystical visions and ecstasies. She also suffered physical and spiritual trials and misunderstandings from family members and others. Eventually, her holiness became widely known, and a Dominican Superior confirmed the supernatural source of her mystical experiences.
She died on August 24, 1617, at the age of 31. She was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671. More than one hundred parishes and shrines in various countries around the world have been dedicated to St. Rose of Lima [including the parish in Lewiston, MN].
Child Jesus, whom she called “The Little Doctor.” During her funeral, which lasted for three days due to unending lines of people, many of the sick and infirm reported miraculous healings when brought near her physical remains.
How Did St. Rose of Lima Work for Justice for the Indigenous People of Peru?
Rose of Lima pursued justice for Indigenous people through direct action and radical charity. She was aware of the harsh treatment of Indigenous workers at the Andean mining projects and the impoverished existence of the people. This fueled her commitment to the marginalized. She opened a makeshift shelter in her family’s home to nurse, feed, and assist abandoned children and elderly people, particularly those of Indigenous and African descent. She sold her fine lace, embroidery, and flowers in the market to help fund services for the impoverished. Deeply aware of the systemic injustices under Spanish rule, she continually prayed, fasted, and offered her severe personal penances for the conversion and relief of the Indigenous ported her friend, St. Martin de Porres, in ral works of mercy for the Indigenous people of Peru, work for modern social work in Peru. Both saints dedicated their lives
care, daily alms, and spiritual counsel to the poor, enslaved, and
These youngsters strained their still growing muscles during a tug-of-war match with their dads at the Catholic Charities' Foster Parents picnic at Camp Koehler in Rochester July 18. The boys beat the dads, but in a later challenge match, the girls upset the boys. Nonetheless, everyone had their share of fun at the picnic. Some 30 families and about 150 people participated.
Reprinted from August 6, 1976.
Windom - Four Sisters of the missionary community of the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart have arrived in Windom and taken up residence in the new convent provided for them. From this center they will conduct catechetical schools in Cottonwood, Jackson and Murray counties.
Reprinted from August 19, 1951.
What Miracles Have Been Attributed
From the Bishop
What I've Learned from Reading Letters of the Confirmandi
�s part of their preparation for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation, the young confirmandi of our diocese are obliged to write a letter to me, requesting the sacrament and detailing why they think they are ready to receive it. These missives - some typed out, others hand-written - I try my very best to read, and I typically find them very moving. Often, the young people tell me of their families, including their dogs, cats, and in some cases goats! They speak of their schools and the courses they particularly savor. They rejoice in telling me about the sports they play and the hobbies they practice. Sometimes, I hear of their struggles with loneliness or bullying or the high expectations placed upon them by their peers and teachers. Many speak of something that has been well-documented, namely, the danger of the internet space so often characterized by antagonism and verbal violence. In a word, these Confirmation letters provide an intriguing window into the lives of the teenagers of our diocese.
They also speak to me, of course, of their faith. Many of the confirmandi gladly relate to me stories of family
members who have modeled Catholicism for them. I hear a great deal about parents, cousins, aunts and uncles - and especially grandparents - who have inspired them to walk the path of Christ. This reminds me of what Pope Francis often said about the crucial importance of grandparents in the passing on of the faith. Believe me that this is borne out in the lives of our young people. A favorite theme of the letters is the confirmand’s choice of sponsor. I especially revel in these accounts of why a particular friend or relative is chosen literally to stand behind the young person at the moment of his or her Confirmation.
Almost all the confirmandi speak to me of prayer. They might tell me about prayers that their parents taught them when they were tiny kids and which they offer to this day. Or they might inform me of prayers they gratefully learned during their formation for the sacrament. But most often, they speak of experiences of connection to God at preConfirmation retreats and days of reflection. Please never underestimate the power of these experiences for our young people. They are deeply affected by the opportunity to meditate upon the divine mysteries, to pray for the living and the dead, and, above all, to adore the Blessed Sacrament. This last interest doesn’t really surprise me, given the dominance of social media and constant connectivity in our culture; young people are starving for silence, privacy, and lack of distraction.
Another very common
motif in these letters is the significance of outreach to the poor, hungry, and underprivileged. As part of their preparation for the sacrament, the confirmandi are often brought to soup kitchens, clinics, homeless shelters, nursing homes, etc. - all places where they encounter brothers and sisters in need. Again and again, they tell me how impactful these visits are and how much joy they found in serving others. What a beautiful testament to the power of service to others - especially when our culture is constantly summoning us to self-regard and self-creation. Nothing draws a person out of herself more than the beckoning face of someone who needs her care.
Pope Benedict XVI famously said that the Church essentially does three things: it worships God, it serves the poor, and it evangelizes. It is wonderful to read in these letters how thoroughly our young people have embraced the first two of these imperatives. They do indeed learn a lot about praising God
through prayer and about ministering to the poor in concrete ways. But if I might close with a bit of a challenge, I hardly ever read about evangelization in their letters. They hardly ever speak of deepening their understanding of Catholicism or of actively propagating their religion. And this is a problem, for in the description of Confirmation in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, we read that confirmed persons are to be strengthened precisely so that they might “defend and spread the faith.”
I'm delighted that the confirmandi grow in their capacity for prayer and service, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit that they receive at Confirmation are ordered, above all, to grasping and sharing the faith with others. See photos from some of this year's Confirmations on pgs. 10-11.
Bishop's Calendar
*indicates event open to public
August 2, Sunday
*9:00 a.m. - Mass - Cathedral of St. Matthew, Washington, D.C.
August 6, Thursday
Camp Summit Mass - Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center, Lanesboro
August 13, Thursday
Diocesan Teacher Assembly
- Lourdes High School, Rochester
August 14, Friday
*7:00 p.m. - Lector Installation Mass - St. Teresa, Mapleton
August 15, Saturday
*10:00 a.m. - Marriage
Anniversary Mass - Holy Family, Lake Crystal
*5:00 p.m. - Mass - St. Anthony, Lismore
August 16, Sunday
*8:00 a.m. - Mass - St. Gabriel, Fulda
August 22, Saturday
9:30 a.m. - Diocesan Pastoral Council - The Chancery, Rochester
August 23, Sunday
*10:00 a.m. - Mass - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona
August 25, Tuesday
3:30 p.m. - Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota Board Meeting - The Chancery, Rochester
I’m delighted that the confirmandi grow in their capacity for prayer and service, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit that they receive at Confirmation are ordered, above all, to grasping and sharing the faith with others. Anyone online knows that there are many people in our culture who are antagonistic toward religion, who dismiss it as primitive superstition, who question the very sanity of believers. I would expect confirmed Catholics to be able to answer skeptical questions and to
engage in charity and truth with those who have disdain for our beliefs. So, may I offer this challenge to the newly confirmed themselves, but also to their parents, sponsors, and teachers: don’t be afraid to witness to Christ; don’t be afraid to share with the world the joy that you have found in Him. Pray, serve the poor, and evangelize!
Officials
The Most Rev. Robert Barron, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following: Faculties
Rev. Blake Britton: a priest of the Diocese of Orlando; granted faculties in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, effective June 23, 2026.
Parish Administrator
Deacon Randy Horlocker: appointed Parochial Administrator of Holy Spirit Parish in Rochester, effective July 15, 2026.
Civil Corporation
August 30, Sunday
*10:00 a.m. - Mass and Installation of Fr. Mariano Ruiz, IVE as Pastor - St. James, St. James
Mr. Brad Freking: Appointed to a two-year term on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Civil Corporation Board of Directors, effective July 15, 2026.
Finance Council
Mrs. Jessica Scully: reappointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of WinonaRochester Finance Council, effective September 17, 2026.
Non Nisi Te Domine
Bishop Robert Barron
Lo que he aprendido al leer las cartas de los confirmandos 5
por EL OBISPO ROBERT BARRON
�omo parte de su preparación para recibir el sacramento de la Confirmación, los jóvenes confirmandos de nuestra diócesis tienen la obligación de escribirme una carta en la que soliciten el sacramento y expliquen por qué creen que están preparados para recibirlo. Hago todo lo posible por leer estas cartas - algunas escritas a máquina, otras a mano - y, por lo general, me parecen muy conmovedoras. A menudo, los jóvenes me hablan de sus familias, incluyendo a sus perros, gatos y, en algunos casos, ¡cabras! Me hablan de sus escuelas y de las asignaturas que más les gustan. Se alegran al contarme los deportes que practican y las aficiones que tienen. A veces, me cuentan sus dificultades con la soledad o el bullying, o las altas expectativas que les imponen sus compañeros y profesores. Muchos hablan de algo que está bien documentado, nombrado: el peligro del espacio de Internet, tan a menudo caracterizado por el antagonismo y la violencia verbal. En definitiva, estas cartas de Confirmación nos ofrecen una ventana fascinante a las vidas de los adolescentes de nuestra diócesis. Por supuesto, también me hablan de su fe. Muchos de los confirmandos me cuentan con alegría historias de familiares que les han servido de ejemplo en el catolicismo. Oigo hablar mucho de padres, primos, tías y tíos - y sobre todo de abuelos - que les han inspirado a seguir el camino de Cristo. Esto me recuerda lo que el papa Francisco solía decir sobre la importancia crucial de los abuelos en la transmisión de la fe. Créanme que esto se refleja en las vidas de nuestros jóvenes. Un tema recurrente en las cartas es la elección del padrino o madrina por parte del confirmando. Disfruto especialmente con estos relatos sobre por qué se elige a un amigo
o familiar concreto para que, literalmente, esté al lado del joven en el momento de su Confirmación. Casi todos los confirmandos me hablan de la oración. A veces me cuentan las oraciones que sus padres les enseñaron cuando eran muy pequeños y que siguen rezando hasta hoy. Otras veces me hablan de las oraciones que han aprendido con gratitud durante su formación para el sacramento. Pero, sobre todo, me hablan de sus experiencias de conexión con Dios vividas en los retiros previos a la Confirmación y en las jornadas de reflexión. Por favor, nunca subestimen el poder que tienen estas experiencias para nuestros jóvenes. Les impacta profundamente la oportunidad de meditar sobre los misterios divinos, de rezar por los vivos y los difuntos y, sobre todo, de adorar el Santísimo Sacramento. Esto último no me sorprende en absoluto, dado el predominio de las redes sociales y la conectividad constante en nuestra cultura; los jóvenes están ávidos de silencio, intimidad y ausencia de distracciones.
Otro tema muy habitual en estas cartas es la importancia de tender la mano a los pobres, los hambrientos y los desfavorecidos. Como parte de su preparación para el sacramento, a los confirmandos se les suele llevar a comedores sociales, clínicas, refugios para personas sin hogar, residencias de ancianos, etc., todos ellos lugares donde se encuentran con hermanos y hermanas necesitados. Una y otra vez me cuentan lo impactantes que son estas visitas y cuánta alegría han encontrado al servir a los demás. Qué hermoso testimonio del poder del servicio a los demás, especialmente cuando nuestra cultura nos insta constantemente al egocentrismo y a la búsqueda de la propia imagen. Nada saca más a una persona de sí misma que el rostro suplicante de alguien que necesita su cuidado.
El papa Benedicto XVI dijo en una famosa frase que la Iglesia, en esencia, hace tres cosas: adora a Dios, sirve a los pobres y evangeliza. Es maravilloso leer en estas cartas hasta qué punto nuestros jóvenes han hecho suyos los dos primeros de estos imperativos. De hecho, aprenden mucho sobre cómo alabar a Dios a través de la oración y sobre cómo atender a los pobres de manera concreta. Pero, si se me permite concluir con un pequeño desafío, casi nunca leo nada sobre la evangelización en sus cartas. Casi nunca hablan de profundizar en su comprensión del catolicismo ni de difundir activamente su religión. Y esto es un problema, pues en la descripción de la Confirmación en el Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica leemos que los confirmandos deben ser fortalecidos precisamente para que puedan «defender y difundir la fe». Me alegra mucho que los confirmandos crezcan en su capacidad de oración y servicio, pero los dones del Espíritu Santo que reciben en la Confirmación están orientados, ante todo, a comprender y compartir la fe con los demás. Cualquiera que navegue por Internet sabe que hay muchas personas en nuestra cultura que se muestran hostiles hacia la religión, que la tachan de superstición primitiva y que cuestionan la propia cordura de los creyentes. Espero que los católicos confirmados sean capaces de responder a las preguntas escépticas y de actuar con caridad y verdad ante quienes desprecian nuestras creencias.
Por eso, me permito lanzar este desafío a los propios recién confirmados, pero también a sus padres, padrinos y profesores: no tengan miedo de dar testimonio de Cristo; no tengan miedo de compartir con el mundo la alegría que han encontrado en Él. ¡Recen, sirvan a los pobres y evangelicen!
On July 12, B��h�p B�rr�n celebrated the Closing Mass of the Steubenville Youth Conference in the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester (pictured left).
On July 18, he traveled to St. Luke Church in Sherburn to celebrate the Candidacy Mass, where DOW-R seminarians publicly declared their intention to receive Holy Orders, thereby progressing from the Discipleship Stage to the Configuration Stage of their formation (pictured center).
On July 19, he celebrated Mass at St. Ann Church in Janesville, in honor of the 150th anniversary of the parish (pictured right)
We talked to Jenna who was in town for a follow-up visit for medical issues she was having and hoped for good results. We prayed for her healing and for good results and asked if she’d like a blessed medal. She picked out St. Teresa of Calcutta. We told her that Bishop Barron had joined us that day and asked if she’d like to receive a blessing from him, and she was very happy to. We brought her to him and she received her blessing.
Katherine, a nurse, also stopped for a blessing and for a medal. She also picked out a St. Teresa of Calcutta medal. It was interesting that two total strangers picked out the same medal one after the other. Katherine was also able to receive a blessing from the Bishop.
Tom ran into a woman inside the Mayo building, when he went back to grab his phone, and walked with her towards the Peace Plaza. He mentioned to her that the Bishop was there and invited her to come for a blessing. Her name was Linda and she was from Chicago. She was in town for treatment for Fibromyalgia, skin cancer, and Crohn’s disease. We prayed for her healing, and she got a change to talk to the Bishop. She told us that she had directed traffic in Chicago for many years. She and the Bishop shared experiences of favorite places in Chicago. When she asked for a blessing, she said to him “Just smack me upside the head.”
Jeff was at a table a little way away from where we were set up, and Deacon Jack and Susan went to check on him. He didn’t want to talk or receive prayer. After they listened for a while, he shared that he was experiencing homelessness and had lost his wife a few years back. He asked for prayer for health and safety, recovery, and freedom from addiction. He also hoped that his music might bring hope and happiness to others who have suffered.
Cecilia and her friend Tayleace stopped to talk to our evangelists. Cecilia asked for prayers for her friend Vincent, that he might truly know God, for Giovanni and Hilda, her two young children, and for Cecila’s heart condition. We prayed for her needs, and they came over to the wagon to pick out a
blessed medal, and we talked to them about our love for the Lord. Cecilia picked out a blessed medal, and we were able to give her a copy of the Gospels from the Word on Fire Works of Mercy fund.
Tayleace was fascinated by the medals and asked if she could have more than one. She took a blessed Miraculous, Guardian Angel, and Holy Family medal. She also took a Word on Fire Gospel. She was crying as we prayed for Cecilia’s intentions. We talked to them about God’s great love and his plan for each of us.
They asked questions about the Gospel book and Bishop Barron came over to explain to them what makes the Word on Fire Bibles different from others. Cecilia has a love of art and music -Bishop Barron said “Of course you do, with the name of Cecilia." She had been to Europe and was amazed by the beautiful art and architecture. Bishop Barron gave them each a blessing. As they were getting ready to leave, they asked if it was all right to give our team members hugs, and we said, “Of course!” We all got a hug, and Tayleace looked at Bishop Barron and asked if it was allowed to give him a hug. He gave her one, and she
had a big smile. Before they left, they also asked for a rosary and a pamphlet on how to pray it.
Mary Jane (MJ) and her husband, from Wabasha, were at Mayo for follow-up care for MJ’s lung cancer and asked for prayers for no recurrence of her lung cancer. She had part of her lung removed and was currently cancer-free. When they went up to the Bishop for a blessing, they shared that their daughter had been best friends with his secretary growing up. After prayers and a blessing, her husband asked what they could pray for the Bishop for. He asked for prayer for continued good health.
Shawn and Annette were in town for Annette’s injuries from an accident two weeks ago. She asked for healing prayer for her knees and elbow, which happened in the golf cart accident. She also had ligament tears. She was originally from California, but they now live in Minneapolis.
Lou Moa was here from Thailand and asked for prayers for world peace. She has been here for three years now. She gave Deacon Jack and Susan two plants that she was giving away for free.
Bruce and Michelle stopped by. Bruce was having testing at the clinic and would be finishing up the following day. He asked for prayers for the treatments that will begin in July. He was grateful for the prayers we offered and those at home who are praying for him. He was also grateful for the pause in the rain so he could listen to the musician who was outside playing.
Other prayer requests that day:
Anna asked for prayers for her family, both those who live close and her extended family. Andrew asked for prayers for health and for finding work. Sarah from Mankato, who is recovering from a fall, and for her father, Joel, who asked for prayers for healing from his cancer. Tim asked for prayers for his cancer diagnosis and for peace. Brian asked for prayers for peacefulness. Paige asked for prayers for her mother’s brain cancer treatment. Joe asked for prayers for his health and his family. We also prayed for Larry and Lynn from Reno. Lynn was having a procedure and was back in the room napping.
Thank you, Lord, for a day filled with you!
Deb McManimon is the midwest regional director of St. Paul Street Evangelization.
Buying a Billboard
How Teenage Friends Raised a Pro-Life Message 40 Feet Off the Ground
By NICK RELLER
�
hen Lydia Penza, a 15-year-old parishioner of St. Pius X in Rochester, attended a Confirmation class pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, WI, she heard a story that stuck with her.
"Our tour guide told us a story about a worker's experience at the Tomb of the Unborn Child," she said. "He saw a little dump truck toy sitting before a tomb, and there was a note inside. It said, 'Baby, Mommy didn't know what she was doing. She made a big mistake and was not thinking of you. I'm so sorry that I took your life from you before you were born. I love and miss you so much.'
"I thought, 'What if there was a way I can tell pregnant mothers there is someone supporting them and there is help for them, and warn them that abortion will affect them forever?'"
The best way to deliver her message to expecting mothers, Lydia decided, was with a billboard across the street from Planned Parenthood.
"I was hoping to put up my own billboard, but that is very hard and expensive," she said.
But, as God's plan would have it, Lydia's mother, Kristi Penza, came across a donation envelope at church, for a group with no shortage of experience putting up billboards: Pro-Life Action Ministries, a St. Paul-based nonprofit interdenominational Christian organization with a stated dedication "to publicly defending the sanctity of human life."
Pro-Life Action Ministries would design the vinyl graphic, help Lydia select a billboard on which to display it, and work with the billboard company on her behalf.
It costs $800 to rent a billboard for one month,
plus $200 to create the vinyl. As Lydia wanted her billboard to stay up for longer than a month, she was going to need some help from friends.
She enlisted the help of two friends, Cami and Riley, who she first met in fourth grade when she began attending Holy Spirit School in Rochester.
"We've remained close friends through things like teen karaoke night at St. James Coffee and Camp Summit, and Riley and I attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C., with the Diocese of Winona-
Rochester group," Lydia said.
The friends reached out to the Knights of Columbus, who supported their cause. Pro-Life Action Ministries also raised funds on their behalf, publishing their story in their newsletter, Pro-Life Action News, to draw reader support. St. James Coffee offered their space for a bake sale where the girls raised $800, and St. James Coffee also donated the contents of their tip jar to the cause. St. Pius X parishioners donated as well.
As the funds were raised, Lydia began to feel the weight of seeing the project through to completion.
"The biggest challenge for me was the fear that the project would never happen - that people would donate money and the billboard would never be displayed. That is why I found it so important for Cami and Riley to be there with me, and all of us doing it together."
In the end, enough funds were raised not only to keep Lydia's billboard up for two months - February and March of 2026 - but to place a second Pro-Life Action Ministries vinyl on the back side of the same billboard, which went up in June and is scheduled to remain there until May of 2027 - 11 months - unless more time is purchased.
The first billboard featured an image of an unborn baby with a quote, both chosen by Lydia. "No matter how small, a person is a person," it read.
The billboard currently on display features the same image as the first, with a new message: "Women need love, not abortion."
Lydia says she hopes the new billboard will stay up for a long time, and that overwhelmed expecting mothers will find hope in its message of support. For herself, the experience of putting up a billboard was, itself, a lesson in support.
"The most important thing that I have learned is, do what you believe in and know is right. You don't know how many people will be there to help and support you."
Reller is the associate editor of The Courier.
From left to right: Lydia, Riley and Cami stand near the first billboard they helped place near Planned Parenhood in Rochester.
St. Mary, Chatfield
St. Theodore, Albert Lea
Sacred Heart, Heron Lake
St. Peter, Hokah
St. Mary of the Lake, Lake City
St. John Vianney, Fairmont; with Ss. Peter & Paul, Blue Earth
Good Shepherd, Jackson; with St. Joseph, Lakefield
Good Shepherd, Jackson
St. Pius X, Rochester
Pax Christi, Rochester
St. Mary, Winona
St. Francis Xavier, Windom
St. Patrick, Brownsville
St. Ann, Slayton
St. Bernard, Stewartville; with St. Bridget, Simpson
Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato
Ss. Peter & Paul, Mazeppa
Love Until It Hurts
An IHM Seminarian's Summer Mission Experience
By PHILIP HODAPP, Diocese of Crookston
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t the start of our group's summer assignments, we headed to Gary, IN, to serve for three weeks with the missionary group Christ in the City. Over the course of the three weeks, James, Avery, David, and I spent time walking on the street and visiting a few shelters, meeting the less fortunate people in the area, as well as spending time in community with the other missionaries, both learning and growing in our faith.
One of the quotes that was shared with us while we were in Gary was, "Love until it hurts," attributed to St. Mother Theresa. I think that was a huge takeaway for everyone because during our time together, we witnessed a lot of pain and suffering among the people we met and spoke with, yet also a lot of hope. Everyone we came across was more than happy to share their faith life and tell us stories of how God has worked in their lives. This was powerful in two ways.
The first way is the joy that each person had. They could be having their worst day and still be smiling, because they knew that God has a plan for every one of them, and they trusted in him.
The second way is the love that the friends we met on the street had - the love they have for others. Some of the people we talked to had not talked to anyone for days on end, because nobody had stopped to say hello.
After the three weeks were over, we all headed back to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary for a few days at the end of the year. Our group made a pitstop in Peoria, IL, to visit some of the seminarians from Peoria who were part of the Totus Tuus program.
For the rest of the summer, James Nuartz will be helping out in the Diocese of Superior with Extreme Faith Camp; Avery Fetrow took a trip to Rome and will be back in the Diocese of Sioux City this summer with his family. David Oolman is spending his summer in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester with his family, as well as helping out with Camp Summit. I am spending my summer helping out at St. Philip's Catholic Church in Bemidji, as well as assisting at the Diocese of Crookston youth camps throughout the summer.
Deus te benedicat et custodiat, et lux eius te luceat.
"May God bless you and keep you, and may his light shine upon you" (Num 6:24-25).
Philip Hodapp is a seminarian in formation for the Diocese of Crookston, studying at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona.
By SHELLY HOLT
Recent Highlights from CCW Events
Province of St. Paul and Minneapolis Council of Catholic Women Conference June 26, Victoria
• We gathered at the Sovereign Estates Winery to pray the rosary in their beautiful Marian Garden.
• More than $6,000 was raised to buy a Wheels of Hope bicycle ambulance, a project of Catholic Relief Services.
• All in attendance prayed the Patriotic Rosary.
• Melanie Frei, speaker and Catholic apologist, who had been a Protestant missionary in Hong Kong for over 20 years when she and her husband began the journey to Catholicism.
• Michelle Duppong's parents spoke about their daughter's upbringing, deep faith, and redemptive suffering during her one-year cancer journey. On November 1, 2022, the feast of All Saints, Bishop Kagan of the Diocese of Bismarck, ND, announced the opening of the investigation into Michelle's life and her cause for sainthood in the Catholic Church, just six and a half years after her death at age 31. You can learn about her at michelleduppongcause.org.
• Bishop Daniel Felton from the Diocese of Duluth talked about our purpose as Council of Catholic Women to bring Jesus's hope and healing to our family, parish, and world.
Diocesan CCW July Board Meeting
Hosted by Southwest Area at Sherburn
• $15,000 was donated to Catholic Charities Children & Families Programming through the Endowment Fund interest on investments.
• Bylaws were reviewed and will be voted on at convention on October 10 in Albert Lea.
• A Women's Lenten Retreat is being planned for February 20, 2027, at St. John Vianney in Fairmont.
• $399 was collected for Catholic Relief Services - they've been in partnership with the National Council of Catholic Women for 80 years!
• A diaper drive was held for Catholic Charities with an outpouring from churches across the area.
• In-depth speaker Maria Stumpf-Ahmed from Catholic Charities gave a presentation on Catholic Social Teaching and how Catholic Charities responds through their many programs.
• In-depth speaker Shelly Holt, diocesan president, spoke on Holistic Wellness including physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social wellness.
• Planning is well underway for our Fall Convention, Walk Together in Hope, on Saturday, October 10 at St. Theodore in Albert Lea. See registration form below.
We continue to pray for the Holy Spirit's intercession in calling forth candidates for diocesan treasurer and vice president. Is it you?
Shelly Holt is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
Build Long-Term Stability Part 2: Know Your Donors and Think Long Term
By ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
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arlier this year, I kicked off a series on how we can build long term financial stability in our Catholic institutions. We began by exploring grants as a revenue stream for Catholic organizations. If you missed that piece, you can find it online at CatholicFSMN.org/grant/list or on our blog.
Today, I’d like to take a look at what parishes and Catholic organizations can learn from the latest charitable giving data. Giving USA’s 2026 annual report shows that charitable giving has increased year over year, but people are giving differently and often with less consistency than in the past.
Diving Into Charitable Giving Studies
After adjusting for inflation, 2025 saw a 1.4% increase in charitable giving from individuals compared to a 16.6% increase in charitable giving from bequests (an individual’s estate).
To make sense of these trends, I like to pair high level giving data with what we know about generational differences in charitable behavior. Of course all of these things are generalizations so don’t be offended if you don’t fit the mold.
• Boomers and the Silent Generation remain the financial backbone of most parishes, giving out of trust, identity, and long-standing commitment
• The Silent Generation gives because they know they should; The Boomers give to organizations they trust and want to leave a legacy
• Millennials and Gen Z are not less generous. In fact, recent studies show annual giving for Gen Z has increased 16% year over year, compared with Gen X increasing by 12%. However, younger generations give differently. They give with less consistency, and they need real engagement, connection, and transparency.
• In the middle we have Gen X - the quiet and often overlooked generation. They give more annually than Millennials & Gen Z combined but they want to know their gift is being used wisely. They want to see your plan and the positive impact it will have.
• Finally, a surprise in the data tells us that all of these generations give online. Boomers, giv ing online most often, average 8 times per year of online giving to charity. So, make sure your entire parish is aware of your online giving options.
What Does This Tell Us?
All of this helps us understand annual giving todaybut it also points to what may change in the future. Annual giving is critical to your parish or minis try’s success, and there are ways to improve how, when, and where you ask to strengthen results. For ideas, please contact us or find the full article on generational giving differences here: CatholicFSMN.org/Generations. However, annual giving will change as the older generations pass, and younger generations
take their place. In 10 or 20 years, we may not be able to maintain the same level of annual giving as we do today.
The good news? An enormous wealth transfer is underway from our Silent Generation and Boomers, with some studies suggesting as much as $124 trillion will be transferred in the next 25 years. Consider this: The average individual leaves 14% of their estate to charity.
This shift doesn’t have to be discouraging. In fact, it opens a tremendous opportunity. What if every Catholic in Southern Minnesota left just 5% or 10% of their estate to their parish in an endowment?
A Challenge & Hand Up
We talked about some of the basics of endowments in the June Courier issue. Endowments create sus
have to be large, but it does need to exist, be promoted and be a place that members can trust will help preserve your organization for years to come.
If we want members to consider us in their wills, we need to show them we have a long-term plan for our Catholic parishes and organizations to thrive! An endowment does just that.
Not sure where to start? Or just have too many other things on your plate to add this? We understand. To do our part in advancing this challenge, we’ll be mailing out a 30+ page endowment toolkit to each parish cluster this fall. The toolkit includes everything from what an endowment is to the technical bookkeeping information you need to know. It includes promotional templates, spending policies, worksheets and more.
Get the endowment toolkit online now: CatholicFSMN.org/EndowToolkit
utive director of the Catholic Foundation of Southern
MN Marian Shrine to Celebrate Jubilee
Submitted by MARK ROCKERS
SLEEPY EYE, July 2026 - The Schoenstatt Family of Minnesota will celebrate its 50th Anniversary (1976-2026) of the Jubilee Family Shrine at Schoenstatt on the Lake in Sleepy Eye, on September 18-20, 2026. The public is welcome to this historic celebration. For a schedule of events and to RSVP, visit schoenstattmn.com.
As places of grace, Schoenstatt shrines around the world draw millions of pilgrims. The Jubilee Family Shrine in Sleepy Eye - amid its small-town setting, nestled between the corn fields of southern Minnesota along the shores of Lake Sleepy Eye - is Schoenstatt on the Lake, a Marian shrine and retreat center that has served Minnesota and the Midwest for the past 50 years through various retreats and days of reflection for both youth and adults, and is an active part of the Schoenstatt Movement in the USA.
In the name of Minnesota’s “Jubilee Family Shrine,” “Jubilee” represents the three jubilees that took place in 1976 when the shrine was built: that of the nation, the parish, and the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary community. Jubilees celebrated this year along with the 50th Anniversary of the Jubilee Family Shrine are: 250 years of the USA, 150 years of St. Mary Help of Christian Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye, and 100 years of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. The “Family” aspect of the name of the shrine shows the mission of support and formation of holy families after the example of the Holy Family.
Pope Leo XIV has granted the gift of a plenary indulgence for all who visit one of the Schoenstatt Shrines, churches, and chapels under the care of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary in their centennial year. This includes the Jubilee Family Shrine in its Golden Jubilee Year.
“The Schoenstatt Shrine is home for our family.
We moved to Minnesota from Chile in South America ten years ago. And the first thing we did was visit the Blessed Mother at the Sleepy Eye Shrine. And she made sure we felt at home,” shared Carlos and Claudia Pedevila, Jubilee Committee Team Leaders.
An important part of local history is how the shrine came to be through prayer and the intercession of the Blessed Mother. The Jubilee Family Shrine has been a pilgrimage destination and place of renewal to many throughout the past 50 years.
“I am excited about the upcoming Jubilee Family Shrine’s 50th anniversary celebration on the weekend of September 18-20,” said Ron Miller, Schoenstatt on the Lake Retreat Center Director. “The public is invited to join in the family-friendly events including a Friday night bonfire and evening prayer, Saturday family retreat concluding with a Marian Serenade, and Sunday, September 20, the main jubilee day, will include a time of witness to God's blessing through the Jubilee Family Shrine. A Solemn Jubilee Holy Mass will take place at 2 p.m., officiated by Bishop Chad Zielinski, Diocese of New Ulm,” said Miller.
Schoenstatt is a Catholic lay movement that strives to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the example and guidance of Mary. Schoenstatt was founded on October 18, 1914, by Servant of God Father Joseph Kentenich in Germany and has since grown to over 200 shrines in 35 countries all over the world.
Brief History of Schoenstatt on the Lake in Minnesota
The first seeds of Schoenstatt in Minnesota were planted in 1921, by Father Lambert Hoffmann, a diocesan priest who brought devotion to the Mother Thrice Admirable from Germany. Although his early efforts were not immediately successful, they bore fruit in
later years. In the 1960s, Schoenstatt began to take root more visibly in Minnesota when the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary came to Ivanhoe to administer a small rural hospital and nursing home. There, the first couples’ and youth groups were formed, and a flourishing apostolate for the sick developed. At the same time, Schoenstatt also began to grow in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area through the formation of a professional women’s group. The Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary encouraged members to search for a site for a Minnesota Schoenstatt Shrine on one of the state’s 10,000 lakes.
On December 7, 1974, the Schoenstatt family experienced what they saw as a crowning “miracle.” The image of the Mother Thrice Admirable, purchased by the first Schoenstatt Girls Group, was crowned with the prayerful intention: “Show us where we should build your shrine NOW.” Within hours, land near a small lake in Sleepy Eye was suggested as a possible site. Two years later, after extensive cleanup, fundraising, and volunteer labor, the Jubilee Family Shrine was dedicated there on October 3, 1976.
The small farmhouse near the shrine first served as a hospitality center, but it soon became too limited for the growing needs of the Schoenstatt Family. In response, the original retreat center was built in 1981, and later expanded in 2004. Through retreats for women and families and summer camps for youth, Schoenstatt on the Lake Retreat Center has become a spiritual home for the Schoenstatt Movement in Minnesota. The Jubilee Family Shrine continues to be a lasting center of renewal, service, and spiritual life for the surrounding communities, and especially for the Schoenstatt Family.
Mark Rockers is a regional leader in the Schoenstatt Movement.
Fr. Hennen, cont'd from pg. 1
with us through our deepest sorrows and celebrated our greatest joys.”
Born and raised near Ghent, Minnesota, Fr. Joe grew up in a large Catholic farm family with five brothers and one sister. Life revolved around faith, family and hard work. After attending Central Catholic High School in Marshall, Minnesota, he entered the Crosiers, the Order of the Holy Cross Seminary, and St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He was ordained a Crosier priest in 1967.
Over the years, the Lord led Fr. Joe through many forms of ministry as a seminary leader, pastor, counselor, mentor and spiritual guide. His work was also strengthened by four master’s degrees in divinity, psychology, marriage and family, and addiction services, along with receiving a licensure as a professional counselor.
At one point in his vocation, he entered what he describes as a difficult season of discouragement and spiritual exhaustion. Eventually, Fr. Joe moved to New York, where he began working with young people struggling with hopelessness, trauma, addiction and mental illness. That work became one of the most transformative periods of his priesthood. “I saw myself in them,” he said. “They were asking the same question I was asking: ‘What’s life all about?’ Only they were answering it differently.”
For decades, Fr. Joe helped build and lead addiction recovery programs in New York, New Jersey and California, serving young people and families experiencing deep suffering. The work changed him
The Televised Mass Is Offered Every Sunday
Sioux Falls - ODLT Channel 7 at 7 a.m.
Mankato - KEYC Channel 12 at 7:30 a.m.
Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 NEYC at 9:30 a.m.
Digital Channel 7 (DirecTV) or Channel 11 (DISH) KMNF at 9 a.m.
Rochester/Austin/Mason City
KIMT Channel 3 at 7:30 a.m.
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Twin Cities - WFTC Digital Channel 29 or Channel 9.2 at 11:30 a.m.
Southeastern MN - HBC Channel 20 at 3 p.m. (repeated Wed. at 3:30 p.m.)
Winona/La Crosse/Eau Claire - WLAX/WEUX Channel 25/48 at 7:30 a.m. and on our website, dowr.org
profoundly. “You take away the drugs and alcohol,” he said, “and you discover this beautiful creation of God.” What surprised him most was not simply the suffering he encountered, but the hope that was buried underneath it.
In many ways, Fr. Joe believes those he served became part of his own spiritual journey.
“The people that society seemed to cast off and throw away,” he said emotionally, “they’re the ones who shined the brightest hope and brought me back to the meaning of my vocation as a priest.”
Years later, Fr. Joe faced his own suffering when he was diagnosed with leukemia, followed by multiple health complications. Wondering where the Lord was calling him next, he contacted a friend in Hawaii, Bishop Larry Silva, and asked him a simple question: “Do you want an old, sick priest?”
The bishop welcomed him, and Fr. Joe became a priest of the Diocese of Honolulu. While serving in Hawaii, his cancer went into remission, and he served parishes across the islands, including Malia Puka O Kalani Parish in Keaukaha on the Big Island.
After retiring from ministry in Hawaii, Fr. Joe returned to Minnesota to be closer to home and to treatment at Mayo Clinic when his leukemia returned. Not long after, Bishop John Quinn asked if he would be interested in temporarily serving in a few parishes. Fr. Joe welcomed the opportunity, seeing it as another place the Lord was calling him to serve.
During that time, he contracted West Nile virus after being bitten by a mosquito. With an already weakened immune system from cancer treatments, the illness became devastating.
“I couldn’t walk, and I couldn’t talk,” he recalled. Fr. Joe spent three weeks at Saint Marys Hospital followed by ten weeks of residential rehabilitation in Mankato and eventually a move to Madonna Towers.
The experience left him physically fragile and dependent on others for care. Yet through that season of suffering, he says he came to understand human weakness, fear and vulnerability in a more personal way than ever before. “I know what it feels like to lose hope,” he said quietly. “And yet by the grace of God, I don’t think I ever fully lost it.”
Now, in retrospect, Fr. Joe sees his experience inside Madonna Towers as a gift. His life’s journey has allowed him to see more clearly how Christ has carried him through joy, discouragement, illness, renewal and deep encounters with human suffering. Through it all, he says the heart of his priesthood is found in accompanying others through suffering with compassion, presence and love.
“In society, we try to avoid the pain,” he reflected. “And by avoiding the pain, we miss the opportunity for love, compassion, and the care.” Much of his ministry now is quiet, prayerful and deeply personal: a conversation in the hallway, a prayer beside a bed, celebrating Mass while feeling physically weak himself, or simply sitting with someone who feels lonely or afraid.
Rev. Beth McLain, Director of Spiritual Care at Benedictine Madonna Towers, has worked alongside Fr. Joe for the past five years. She has seen not only his dedication, but also the humility, perseverance and humor that make him beloved by residents, staff and families.
“Father Joe is steadfast, showing up week after week to celebrate Mass, no matter how he is feeling,” Beth said.
Sr. JoAnn sees the same spirit in the way Fr. Joe brings the sacraments and the presence of Christ to those who are sick, suffering, grieving or nearing the end of life. “Fr. Joe is tireless in his devotion
to administering the sacraments, inspirational in his homilies that breathe life into the Gospel, and compassionate in the way he brings Christ and healing to the sick and suffering,” Sr. JoAnn said.
That witness has also been meaningful to families who have entrusted loved ones to Madonna Towers. Theresa McGuire, a spiritual care volunteer and daughter of former Benedictine Madonna Towers residents Bill O’Rourke, who died in 2015, and Mary Ann O’Rourke, who died in 2025, said the Catholic identity of the community became especially important as her parents aged.
“I know my parents’ Catholic faith was always important to them and, as many elderly experience, it came front and center in their final years,” Theresa said. For Theresa and her family, Fr. Joe’s daily presence has embodied the spiritual blessing of Catholic senior living. “His sacrificial presence brings comfort and peace to those who witness him pick up his cross every day, and he encourages us to do the same,” she said. “He leads us all closer to Jesus Christ.”
Fr. Joe sees how his vocation has deepened through the spirituality of the Crosiers, rooted in the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ. “I am a Crosier,” he said. “And God continues His work in me by shaping the cross, the resurrection, and suffering in my life.”
For Fr. Joe, accompaniment has never been onesided. In walking with others through grief, illness, addiction, uncertainty and aging, he believes he has encountered Christ through the very people he was sent to serve. “There are some mornings,” he admits, “when I sit here and say, ‘What do I have to say to people? What hope do I have when sometimes I too find it difficult?’”
He is reminded of the purpose when he celebrates Mass, and knows everyone around him is carrying a cross of some kind, and that strength can be found through Christ in community with others. “Every Mass for me is the first,” he said. “Changing the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is a miracle of grace and is never routine.”
At Madonna Towers, Fr. Joe walks the same path as the people he serves, facing illness, grief, loneliness, uncertainty and fear. His own suffering has not distanced him from ministry; it has deepened it. His weakness has not ended his priesthood; it has made his presence even more tender, honest and real.
After a lifetime of ministry marked by both suffering and grace, Fr. Joe’s message has not changed. “Do not give up hope,” he encourages. “Never doubt how the power of God is at work.”
Laura Archbold is a spiritual care volunteer at Benedictine Living Community Madonna Towers in Rochester.
Obituaries
Father James Hennessy, 91, a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester for 65 years, passed away on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at St. Elizabeth’s Care Center in Wabasha.
He was born on March 2, 1935, in Winona, to William and Anna (O’Dea) Hennessy, and was a graduate of Cotter High School. He studied philosophy at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona and then completed his theology degree at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. On May 27, 1961, Father Jim was ordained to the priesthood at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona by the Most Rev. Edward A. Fitzgerald. Father Jim later studied education at St. Mary’s College in Winona.
During his ministry, Fr. Jim’s assignments in the diocese included being parochial vicar at St. Theodore in Albert Lea, St. Joseph in Owatonna, Queen of Angels in Austin, and St. Francis of Assisi in Rochester. As pastor, he served at St. Martin in Woodstock, St. Mary in Lake Wilson, Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Easton, Mater Dolorosa in Delavan, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Canton, St. Olaf in Mabel, St. Rose of Lima in Lewiston, St. Anthony of Padua in Altura, and St. Casimir in Winona. Additional assignments included instructor at Marian High School in Owatonna, Pacelli High School in Austin, and Lourdes High School in Rochester. Fr. Jim was also a member of the Presbyteral Council, chaplain for St. Mary’s College in Winona, canon penitentiary for the Diocese of Winona, and a member of the Knights of Columbus. On July 1, 2003, Father Jim joined the ranks of senior priests of the diocese.
Fr. Jim enjoyed every minute of his time with family. He was proud of his Irish heritage and included Ireland in his travels. He was mischievous by nature, and being with one of his nephews or nieces was an adventure. Jim loved to be outside and took full advantage of his opportunities to be on the Mississippi River or putzing around on his little farm in Cream, WI.
Fr. Jim is survived by his brother, Stanley Hennessy; as well as his loving nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother and sisterin-law, Richard and Barbara Hennessy; and sister-inlaw, Ellen Hennessy.
Mass of Christian Burial was at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The Most Reverend Robert Barron, Bishop of WinonaRochester, was the principal celebrant, with the priests of the Diocese concelebrating. Fr. Jim was laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Winona.
Fr. Jim’s family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to the staff at St. Elizabeth’s Care Center in Wabasha, for the compassionate care that he received.
Online condolences or memories may be left for Fr. Jim’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.
Sister Colleen Waterman, OSF, 92, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Monday, July 13, 2026.
Colleen Carole (Moore) Waterman was born on May 31, 1934, in Rockwell City, IA, to Richard Moore and Evelyn (Gidel) Moore Waterman. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1956, and made perpetual vows in 1961.
Sister Colleen Waterman devoted her life to compassionate service through healthcare and community ministry. Following her profession as a Franciscan Sister, she began her nursing ministry at
St. Marys Hospital in Rochester. From 1958-59, she served as a staff nurse, followed by service as head nurse in general surgery (1959-60), day supervisor in general surgery (1960-61), relief supervisor (196162), and supervisor of post-operative cardiac care, intensive care, and intermediate and convalescent care (1962-64). After continuing her nursing vocation as night supervisor from 1966-68, Sister Colleen brought her gifts of leadership, compassion, and attentive care to countless patients and healthcare colleagues.
In 1968, Sister Colleen answered a new call to ministry in Charleston, SC, where she served through Catholic Charities for more than four decades. There she was co-coordinator and then coordinator of Echo House and Neighborhood House from 1992 to until her retirement in 2009. Throughout her years, Sister Colleen faithfully served the Charleston community with compassion, hope, and Franciscan hospitality. After retiring, Sister Colleen returned to Assisi Heights, where she continued to serve through prayer ministry.
Survivors of Sister Colleen Waterman include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 70 years; cousins; and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, James Moore and Craig Waterman; and sister, Michelle Waterman.
A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.
Online condolences are welcome at mackenfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Donor Relations, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
Father Joseph Hennen, 85, died on July 17, 2026, at Madonna Towers in Rochester. He was born on September 18, 1940, to Arnold and Emma Hennen of rural Ghent, and was one of six children.
Father Joe attended St. Eloi Grade School in Ghent and Central Catholic High School in Marshall. His postsecondary education included Crosier Seminary in Onamia; St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, IN; Crosier House of Studies in Fort Wayne, IN; Catholic University in Washington, D.C.; and New Rochelle College in New Rochelle, NY. He achieved master’s degrees in theology, psychology, substance abuse counseling and family & marriage counseling. After ordination to the priesthood on June 3, 1967, he was formation director and later prior-rector of the theology school, Crosier House of Studies, Ft. Wayne, IN. He served as chaplain at Lincoln Hall, Sommers, NY; family therapist at LaSalle School for Court-Referred Boys, Albany, NY; psychologist at Daytop Village, Millbrook, NY (a center for adolescent substance abuse); founder of Daytop New Jersey in the state of NJ; as well as vice president of Our Common Ground, Redwood City, CA.
He was pastor of St. Stephen Parish in Anoka and Milia Puka O Kalani Parish in Hilo, HI. In 2006 he became a priest of the Diocese of Honolulu. After retirement in 2014, he became administrator of the parishes of Harmony, Canton, and Mabel, within the Diocese of Winona. In 2017, after a serious illness, he moved to Madonna Towers, Rochester, where he enjoyed celebrating Mass for the residents. Over the
years, he assisted in many parishes in the Fort Wayne Diocese, the New York Archdiocese, the Honolulu Diocese, the St. Paul & Minneapolis Archdiocese, and the Winona-Rochester Diocese.
Father Joe was an influential priest who positively affected many lives. He was known for his inspiring homilies, sharp wit, and genuine care.
Father Joe is survived by his brothers, Ernest and Daniel (Judy) of Marshall, and Robert (Cara) of Orlando, FL; sister, Jeannie (Ken) Saffert of Mankato; sister-in-law, Mary Joan Hennen of Marshall; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother John, and his sister-in-law Jane Hennen.
The Funeral Mass was on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Madonna Towers Chapel, with Fr. Thomas Gross and Fr. James Hentges officiating. Burial will be at a later date in St. Eloi Cemetery, Ghent, alongside his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Madonna Towers of Rochester. Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com
Sister Gladys Meindl, OSF, 96, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Sunday, July 19, 2026.
Mary Gertrude Meindl was born on December 9, 1929, in Springfield, to John Meindl and Margaret (Roiger) Meindl. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1947, received the name of Sister Gladys, and made perpetual vows in 1953.
Sister Gladys Meindl dedicated her life to serving God and others through the ministry of education. For more than five decades, she shared her love of learning, her patience, and her caring spirit with generations of children and families.
Her ministry as an elementary teacher began in 1950 at Ss. Peter & Paul School in Glencoe. She continued teaching at St. Kilian School in St. Kilian; St. John School and St. Pius X School in Rochester; Cathedral School in Winona; St. Mary School in Tracy; St. Mary School in Portsmouth, OH; St. Juliana School in Chicago, IL; and St. Mary School in Winona.
In 1970, Sister Gladys began a long and meaningful ministry at St. Raphael School in Springfield, where she served as both principal and elementary teacher until 1986. Her dedication to the school community and the children entrusted to her care continued to touch many lives. She then ministered at St. Michael School in Morgan, first as an elementary teacher and later as principal and teacher. Even after retiring from her formal teaching ministry in 2002, Sister Gladys continued serving as a volunteer in Morgan until 2009.
In retirement, Sister Gladys returned to Assisi Heights, where she continued to live out her Franciscan vocation through the ministry of prayer. Throughout her many years of ministry, she offered her gifts generously and faithfully, leaving a lasting imprint on the lives of the children, families, colleagues, and communities she served.
Survivors of Sister Gladys include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 79 years; her sister Margaret Ramirez; nieces; nephews; and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Robert and Vincent Meindl; and her sister Dorothy Fidler.
A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.
Online condolences are welcome at mackenfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Donor Relations, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901
August 2026 w The Courier w dowr.org
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Confessions of a Bookkeeper
Apparently We're Also Investment Brokers Now?
By BREANNE SCHEID
t Veritas Financial Solutions, we have a confession to make.
We can reconcile your bank account down to the penny. We can explain why the checking account is off by $17.43. We can untangle three years of payroll corrections, fix your ParishSOFT chart of accounts, and somehow decipher handwritten notes left in a receipt envelope from 2019.
But there is one magical power we do not possess...
We are not investment brokers.
Yet every so often, an investment statement lands in our inbox with no explanation, twentyseven pages of market activity, reinvested dividends, realized gains, unrealized losses, mysterious fund transfers, and enough abbreviations to make alphabet soup jealous.
The expectation?
"Oh, just book it."
Sure.
That should only take about five minutes... right after we finish solving world peace and teaching the office copier to stop jamming.
Here's the thing: bookkeepers record financial activity. We don't decide whether a bond fund should have been sold. We don't know why the investment advisor moved money from Fund A to Fund
B because "market conditions suggested a strategic reallocation." We don't know if that withdrawal was principal, earnings, a capital gain distribution, or the investment company simply having a good day.
Without documentation or guidance, we'd simply be guessing.
And if there's one thing accountants dislike more than an unreconciled bank account...
...it's guessing.
Imagine asking your investment advisor to process payroll.
"Can you calculate Father John's housing allowance, clergy taxes, cafeteria deductions, retirement contributions, and Minnesota paid leave while making sure everyone's W-2 is correct?"
They'd probably smile politely before slowly backing out of the room.
The same principle applies here.
Investment advisors manage investments. Brokers execute trades. Financial planners provide investment strategy.
Bookkeepers... book what actually happened.
We're happy to record investment activity once we know what happened and how it should be classified. Statements, transaction reports, advisor summaries, or year-end realized gain reports are wonderful things. Crystal balls are not.
So the next time someone says, "Can't the bookkeeper just figure it out?" remember:
The Soil of Our Souls
By DEACON ROBERT T. YERHOT, MSW
� will soon begin my seventy-second year of life, so I tend to pay attention to things differently. I make many trips to Waseca from New Richland in ministry to the people in both communities and parishes. Over the last ten months I have seen the fields turn from brown to green, from a kind of
alone dollars! So much care is given to those fields!”
In town, I see many people mowing their yards and planting flowers. Some even manicure their lawns. I have again thought, “So many hours are invested, and dollars! So much care given to those yards!”
As a boy, I would spend many hours every spring “picking rock” before tilling and planting. Then, more hours spent “walking the beans” pulling and hoeing thistles and cockleburs. Of course, compacted ground had to be loosened if I expected the seed to have
I know one of the things farmers used to do is take a drive after the crops sprouted to see how straight and neatly planted the fields looked. How well have you planted the seeds in your spiritual field? Have you taken the time to observe it? Whether we admit it or not, our souls are fields that need our tending. Hours of tending over the course of a year.
A big job, and an important one, from which we must not exempt ourselves
The care we give to our real estate holdings and to our finances is to be expected and applauded. The hours we give them are to be understood and supported. There is a certain beauty in it all, and beauty gives God praise.
My n�m� �� Br� S�h��d, and I live on a farm outside of Easton with my husband Nate and our four children. I’m the owner of Veritas Financial Solutions , a business dedicated to helping Catholic parishes, schools, and cemeteries strengthen their financial management and stewardship.
In addition to my work with Veritas, I also write articles on my LinkedIn page that highlight the bookkeeping and accounting topics I most often see within our parishes. My goal is to make these articles both educational and relatablesometimes even adding a little humor to the dayto-day realities of parish financial life.
We can explain a variance from six months ago. We can find the missing deposit everyone forgot about.
We can reconcile an account that's been out of balance since before the last pastor arrived.
But unless our accounting degree secretly came with a Series 7 license (we checked—it didn't), we're going to need a little help from the professionals managing the investments.
After all, good internal controls mean everyone stays in their own lane.
And that's a pretty good investment.
What are the investments we make in keeping up our spiritual lives? How much time, energy, and resources do we give to prayer and to works of charity? Do we adequately appreciate our responsibility to keep the spiritual fields of our souls well-watered, tilled, fertilized, and free from noxious weeds? Are our souls kept beautiful and green, alive with new life, to give God praise?
The Gospel challenges us to take a look at our inner fields, which is to say, our minds and hearts. How is your field doing?
How well have you planted the seeds in your spiritual field? Have you taken the time to observe it? Whether we admit it or not, our souls are fields that need our tending. Hours of tending over the course of a year. A big job, and an important one, from which we must not exempt ourselves.
The Gospel (Matthew 12-13) reminds that whoever cares for their souls and the souls of others, will receive their reward. Jesus says we all must till the soil of our souls by spending the time and resources needed to grow in holiness through prayer and through caring for others. Should we not spend at least as much spiritual capital on our souls and the souls of others as we do financial and material capital on our farms, yards, and home? Can we not give God at least an hour a week at Sunday Mass, and at least a half-hour each day tending the soil of our souls by praying? The answer, my friends, must be “Yes!”
The Gospel points out that inevitably, each of us must pick up the Cross and carry it. Our crosses include those noxious weeds of the soul that must be uprooted and burned. The hard work of time and energy put into beautifying our souls will be costly. Are we willing to pay the cost? My friends, I truly hope we are. God bless you all.
Deacon Robert Yerhot is the director of the diaconate for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Parish Events
September 12, Saturday
St. Theodore Parish, Albert Lea, will host Seven Sisters Apostolate for The Father's Blessing, a gathering and time of reflection at the church (315 E Clark St. in Albert Lea) from 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Mass, light breakfast, program, Q+A, lunch, and various speakers including Seven Sisters Foundress Janette Howe. RSVP and register by August 30 to Seven Sisters Diocesan Coordinator Lola Baxter at 507-525-4053 or rcmauris@ bevcomm.net. Free-will offerings are welcome on the day of the event.
September 13, Sunday
St. Anthony Parish, Lismore, will hold its Bazaar and Live Auction. Dinner served 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, tea rolls, cranberries, desserts and a beverage. Live auction starts at 1:30 p.m. with Big Ticket drawing throughout the auction. Live auction features homemade crafts, home decor, pork and beef bundles, and themed baskets. Baked goods available at the Country Store. Adults' and kids' games 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Nachos and beverages sold during auction.
St. John the Baptist Parish, Johnsburg, will serve its fall dinner from 3:30-6:30 p.m. Join us for turkey, ham, dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans and bars. Free-will offering. Drive thru only. We welcome you to eat your take-out dinner in the hall.
September 20, Sunday
St. John Baptist de la Salle Parish, Dodge Center will serve its annual turkey dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the church (20 2nd St NE in Dodge Center). $15 adults. $6 kids 6-12. Free 5 & younger. Raffle tickets $5 each. All dine-in and take-out meal tickets sold at the door. Handicap accessible.
September 26, Saturday
Church of the Resurrection, Rochester, will host the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's 13th annual 5k Friends of the Poor Walk/Run & Pancake Breakfast (free-will donation). 100% of donations serve our friends in need. Registration 8:15 a.m. Walk/Run starts at 9 a.m. at the church (1600 11th Ave SE in Rochester). Register online at svdp-rochmn.org/fop-walk-2026. Contact: Rick Fishbune, rfishbune@charter.net.
Two more ways to support SVDP: TerraLoco $5 5K on August 31, begins at 1190 16th St SW, Ste 150, Rochester. Start early enough to finish by 6:45 p.m. for prizes and a SVDP presentation. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Poor Walk. OR Sorellina's SVDP Day, also on August 31. Dine in or take out at Sorellina's (1155 16th St SW in Rochester), mention SVDP, and 25% of proceeds go to the Society.
October 4, Sunday
St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Rochester will host its fall festival. Save the date!
