The COURIER
More Are CAlled
�
n Friday, May 30, at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Winona, Bishop Barron ordained three new priests for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Father Jordan Danielson is a Dover native who entered seminary formation from his home parish of Holy Redeemer in Eyota. Father Danielson spent
the past year serving as a transitional deacon in the parishes of Holy Spirit in Rochester, St. Felix in Wabasha and St. Agnes in Kellogg. His first priestly appointment is as Parochial Vicar of St. Mary Parish in Worthington, effective June 15, 2025.
'Your Home as Long as You Want'
Bravo Zulu House Opens in Winnebago
By NICK RELLER
�he Diocese of Winona-Rochester is one of roughly 100 “Patriot Partners” supporting Bravo Zulu House, a sober living facility for military veterans battling both chemical addiction and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which celebrated its grand opening in rural Winnebago on May 28.
The project has been organized by Servant Leader Tim Murray, CEO of Trinity Sober Homes,
Bravo Zulu House, cont'd on pg. 7
(L to R) Vocations Director Fr. Jason Kern, Fr. Benjamin Peters, Fr. Jordan Danielson, Fr. Timothy Welch, Bishop Robert Barron, Deacon Adam Worm, Deacon Cullen Gallagher and Deacon Riley Becher stand in the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka in Winona after the May 30 ordination of our three newest priests. The three new deacons were ordained May 24 at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona.
Pope: Our Cities Must Not Be Freed of the Marginalized, but of Marginalization
By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Too often, in the name of security, war is waged against the poor, Pope Leo XIV said.
The Holy Year instead indicates that safety is found in the culture of encounter, he said. The Jubilee "asks of us the restitution and redistribution of unjustly accumulated wealth, as the way to personal and civil reconciliation."
The pope made his comments during a meeting marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking June 26. Dozens of guests attended the gathering in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican, including Italian government officials, individuals in recovery for substance abuse and those who assist them.
"Today, brothers and sisters, we are engaged in a battle that cannot be abandoned as long as, around us, anyone is still imprisoned in the various forms of addiction," Pope Leo said.
"Our fight is against those who make their immense business out of drugs and every other addiction - think of alcohol or gambling," he said. "There are huge concentrations of interest and extensive criminal organizations that states have a duty to dismantle."
However, he said, "it is easier to fight against their victims."
"Too often, in the name of security, war is waged against the poor, filling prisons with those who are merely the final link in a chain of death. Those who hold the chain in their hands instead manage to gain influence and impunity," he said.
"Our cities must not be freed of the marginalized, but of marginalization; they must be cleared not of the desperate, but of desperation," he said.
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"The fight against drug trafficking, educational commitment among the poor, the defense of Indigenous communities and migrants, and fidelity to the social doctrine of the church are in many places considered subversive," he said.
"The Jubilee indicates the culture of encounter as the way to safety," he said, and challenges must be tackled together.
"We conquer evil together. Joy is found together. Injustice is fought together. The God who created and knows each one of us - and is more intimate to me than I am to myself - made us to be together," he said.
"Of course, there are also bonds that hurt and human groups where freedom is lacking. But these, too, can only be overcome together, trusting those who do not profit from our suffering, those whom we can meet and who meet us with selfless attention," the pope said.
"Drugs and addiction are an invisible prison that you, in different ways, have known and fought, but we are all called to freedom," Pope Leo told his audience.
"St. Augustine confessed that only in Christ did the restlessness of his heart find peace. We seek peace and joy, we thirst for them. And many deceptions can delude and even imprison us in this quest," he said.
"The church needs you. Humanity needs you. Education and politics need you. Together, we will make the infinite dignity imprinted on each person prevail over every degrading addiction," the pope said.
"Let us go forward together, then, multiplying the places of healing, encounter and education: pastoral paths and social policies that start from the street and never give anyone up for lost," he said.
Child Abuse Policy Information
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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.
Where
Pope Leo XIV greets people as he marks the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with a meeting in the San Damaso Courtyard at the Vatican June 26, 2025. (CNS photo / Lola Gomez)
July Saint St. Kateri Tekakwitha
Kateri was born in Auriesville, New York, in 1656 to a Christian Algonquin woman and a pagan Mohawk chief. When she was a child, a smallpox epidemic attacked her tribe and both her parents died. She was left with permanent scars on her face and impaired eyesight. Her uncle, who had now become chief of the tribe, adopted her and her aunts began planning her marriage while she was still very young.
the highest levels of mystical union with God, and many miracles were attributed to her while she was still alive.
She died on April 17, 1680 at the age of 24. Witnesses reported that
Feast Day: July 14 3
From Catholic News Agency
�n July 14, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first Native American to be canonized. Known as the "Lily of the Mohawks," Kateri lived a life of holiness and virtue, despite obstacles and opposition within her tribe.
The
Holy
Father's Intention for July 2025
For Formation in Discernment
Let us pray that we might again learn how to discern, to know how to choose paths of life, and reject everything that leads us away from Christ and the Gospel.
When three Jesuit fathers were visiting the tribe in 1667 and staying in the tent of her uncle, they spoke to her of Christ, and though she did not ask to be baptized, she believed in Jesus with an incredible intensity. She also real ized that she was called into an intimate union with God as a consecrated virgin.
Kateri had to struggle to maintain her faith amidst the opposition of her tribe who ridiculed her for it and ostracized her for refusing the marriage that had been planned for her. When she was 18, Fr. Jacques de Lamberville returned to the Mohawk village, and she asked to be baptized.
The life of the Mohawk village had become violent and debauchery was com monplace. Realizing that this was proving too dangerous to her life and her call to per petual virginity, Kateri escaped to the town of Caughnawaga in Quebec, near Montreal, where she grew in holiness and devo tion to the Blessed Sacrament.
Kateri lived out the last years of her short life here, practicing austere penance and constant prayer. She was said to have reached
This Month in The Courier Archives
St. Mary's School in Madelia celebrated Pope John Paul II's 80th birthday on May 18 with a special Mass and a huge birthday cake for lunch. Father Jim Berning, pastor, and Janel Sasser, principal of St. Mary's School, posed here with students who also had birthdays in May, as they show off the cake with the Pope's picture on it. The celebration not only honored the Pope, but helped students make the connection with the wider Church of Rome.
Reprinted from July 2000.
Devotion to Kateri ly after her death and her body, enshrined in
by Pope Benedict XVI on October 21,
50 & 75 Years
at last [Left to right] Sister Paul Therese Saiko, Bishop Loras J. Watters, Sister Denay Ulrich greet the Nguyen Huu Thao family. At the right is Mr. James Bedtke, Catholic Charities director of the program for the Vietnamese refugees.
[...]
The first two Vietnamese families sponsored by the people of the Winona Diocese came to Mankato in late June and early July, the Catholic Charities office announced.
Catholic Charities is working with the United States Catholic Conference (USCC) to find sponsors for the many who are still awaiting relocation...
Reprinted from July 11, 1975.
Winona - Pictured above is a scene from St. Mary's Cemetery, here, as His Excellency, the Most Rev. Edward A. Fitzgerald, D. D., LL. D., committed the mortal remains of Bishop Kelly to final resting...
Eight and one-half years of patient, intense suffering climaxed a life of distinguished service to God and Church as death came to His Excellency, the Most Rev. Francis M. Kelly, at 9:35 a.m. Saturday, June 24, in St. Mary's hospital, Rochester. Bishop Kelly ... became the third bishop of Winona on February 10, 1928...
While it was quite generally known that His Excellency could not recover from his illness that resulted from a stroke suffered in November, 1941, his death came as a shock to the clergy and faithful of the Diocese and to his many friends. He has been a patient in St. Mary's hospital since his illness.
Reprinted from July 2, 1950.
Caughnawaga, is visited by many pilgrims each year. She fied by Pope John Paul II in 1980, and canonized
Mankato
From the Bishop
�ne thing I have always savored about the late spring and early summer is that it is ordination season, that time when young men enter into the diaconate and priesthood. It was a particular joy for our entire diocese that, just a few weeks ago, we welcomed three new deacons and three new priests. May they minister among us for many years to come.
I would like to share with you some of what I said to the deacons just before I ordained them. I spoke of the three great promises that they were about to make: to obey, to pray, and to be celibate for the sake of the Kingdom. I told them that these are not promises imposed upon them by the Church; rather, they are selfdefining moves that they make from the depth of their own freedom.
Let’s consider each of these, taking obedience first. As part of the ritual of ordination, each deacon candidate places his hands in mine and I say, “Do you promise respect and
Bishop's Calendar
*indicates event is open to the public
July 13, Sunday 10:30 am - Steubenville Conference Closing MassMayo Civic Center, Rochester
July 14-27, Monday- Sunday Word on Fire EngagementsEurope
The Three Great Promises
obedience to me and my successors?” In answering “I do,” each man is giving up his career, which is to say plans that he has for his own life. He is placing his own freedom within the greater freedom of God so that he might be available for the Lord’s purposes. This is an extraordinary thing to do in the midst of a culture that puts such a premium on autonomy. It is an embrace, not of autonomy, but of theonomy, God becoming the norm of one’s life. For the faith of the Church is that somehow the will of the Holy Spirit is expressed through the decisions of the bishop, flawed as he might be. When I made this promise a long time ago, placing my hands between the hands of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin of Chicago, I had no idea where it would take me. I also had no idea who his successor would be. But obedience has been the source of deepest freedom and adventure in my life.
The second great promise they make is to pray, more precisely to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. I cannot possibly overstate the importance of this promise. Prayer, the raising of the mind and the heart to God, places one consistently, day in and day out, in the presence of God and puts the whole of one’s life under the aegis of God. Msgr. Steven
Rosetti was, for many years, the director of the St. Luke Institute where priests who are experiencing troubles are treated. He commented once that, though every struggle is unique, there is something that every priest he dealt with had in common: at some point in their lives, they stopped praying. So, prayer is crucial in the life of a deacon or priest. And the particular prayer that each newly ordained is promising to pray is crucially important. I told each man that if he didn’t have a nice, sturdy copy of the Liturgy of the Hours, I would personally purchase one for him! In the course of my nearly forty years in the priesthood, I’ve worn out four sets. I told them to savor these books, to carry them with them when they travel, to keep them in a sacred place when they are home. I insisted that they must pray the Liturgy of the Hours, all of it, every day, without exception. I told them to pray it when they feel like it and when they don’t, when they’re in the mood and when they’re not, precisely because they are not praying it for themselves but for the Church. Psalm 88, which is included in the Night Prayer for Friday every week, is the cry of a desperate man, someone who has lost everything. I told our newly
July 28-31, MondayThursday Jubilee of Youth - Rome Bish�p
ordained that, though they might not feel this way when they pray Psalm 88, someone in their parish does - and they are praying for him or her.
The third great promise is to live a life of celibacy. Why this commitment? There is a very bad argument for celibacy that would go something like this: sex, the body, pleasure are all rather tainted and if you desire to be a true spiritual athlete you have to leave all of that behind. Well, that’s just stupid and it’s completely repugnant to the Bible and to Catholic spirituality. Hillaire Belloc beautifully summed up the Catholic perspective when he said, “wherever the Catholic sun doth shine, there is music and laughter and good red wine.” The Church loves marriage, pleasure, sex, children. But there is a balancing principle. Though everything in the world reflects God, nothing in the world is God. Therefore, if we want truly to love the Lord, we have to cultivate a spirituality of detachment. We don’t cling to worldly goods as though they are our ultimate good. Rather, we let go of them for the sake of God. This is why St. Francis embraced poverty, and why Mother Teresa lived a life of radical simplicity, and it is also why deacons and priests
adopt a celibate life. They choose to live even now the way we will all live in heaven. Celibacy does indeed have a practical value, for it frees men for greater ministry, - and this is why the ritual of ordination specifies that the celibate lives in “lifelong service to God and mankind.” But its deeper significance is sacramental: it speaks in the most vivid way possible of the supernatural world that transcends the ordinary one. As six young men from our diocese made these great promises last month, all of us rejoice with them. Please don’t forget to pray for them as well.
On June 19, Bish�p Barr�n blessed the statues of Saints Mary and Joseph in Mary Mother of the Eucharist
Barr�n was in Win�na on June 11 for Ministry Days. He is seen above greeting a Ministry Days participant after celebrating the event's closing Mass in the St. Thomas More Chapel on the campus of St. Mary's University.
Chapel at the Chancery in Rochester during morning Mass with chancery staff and guests.
Non Nisi Te Domine
Bishop Robert Barron
Las Tres Grandes Promesas 5
Por el OBISPO ROBERT BARRON
una cosa que siempre he disfrutado de finales de primavera y principios de verano es que es la temporada de ordenaciones, ese momento en el que los jóvenes ingresan al diaconado y al sacerdocio. Fue una alegría especial para toda nuestra diócesis que, hace solo unas semanas, diéramos la bienvenida a tres nuevos diáconos y tres nuevos sacerdotes. Que puedan ejercer su ministerio entre nosotros durante muchos años.
Me gustaría compartir con ustedes algo de lo que les dije a los diáconos justo antes de ordenarlos. Les hablé de las tres grandes promesas que estaban a punto de hacer: obedecer, rezar y ser célibes por el bien del Reino. Les dije que estas no son promesas que les impone la Iglesia, sino que son decisiones que ellos mismos toman desde lo más profundo de su libertad. Consideremos cada una de ellas, empezando por la obediencia. Como parte del ritual de la ordenación, cada candidato a diácono pone sus manos en las mías y yo le digo: «¿Prometes respeto y obediencia a mí y a mis sucesores?». Al responder «Sí, lo prometo», cada uno de ellos renuncia a su carrera, es decir, a los planes que tiene para su propia vida. Está poniendo su propia libertad en manos de la libertad superior de Dios para
Officials
The Most Rev. Robert Barron, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following: Dean
Very Rev. Robert Horihan: appointed to a five-year term as Dean of the Rochester Deanery, effective July 1, 2025.
Very Rev. Thomas Loomis: appointed to a five-year term as Dean of the Winona Deanery, effective July 1, 2025. Parochial Vicar
Rev. Jordan Danielson: ordained a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester on May 30, 2025; appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Mary Parish in Worthington, effective June 15, 2025.
Rev. Benjamin Peters: ordained a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester on May 30, 2025; appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish in Mankato, effective June 15, 2025.
estar disponible para los propósitos del Señor. Esto es algo extraordinario en una cultura que valora tanto la autonomía. No se trata de abrazar la autonomía, sino la teonomía, es decir, que Dios se convierta en la norma de la vida de uno. Porque la fe de la Iglesia es que, de alguna manera, la voluntad del Espíritu Santo se expresa a través de las decisiones del obispo, por muy imperfecto que sea. Cuando hice esta promesa hace mucho tiempo, colocando mis manos entre las del cardenal Joseph Bernardin de Chicago, no tenía ni idea de adónde me llevaría. Tampoco tenía ni idea de quién sería su sucesor. Pero la obediencia ha sido la fuente de la libertad y la aventura más profundas de mi vida.
La segunda gran promesa que hacen es rezar, más precisamente rezar la Liturgia de las Horas. No puedo exagerar la importancia de esta promesa. La oración, el elevar la mente y el corazón a Dios, nos coloca constantemente, día tras día, en la presencia de Dios y pone toda nuestra vida bajo la égida de Dios. Monseñor Steven Rosetti fue durante muchos años director del Instituto San Lucas, donde se trata a los sacerdotes que atraviesan dificultades. En una ocasión comentó que, aunque cada lucha es única, hay algo que todos los sacerdotes con los que trató tenían en común: en algún momento de sus vidas, dejaron de rezar. Por lo tanto, la oración es crucial en la vida de un diácono o un sacerdote. Y la oración
Rev. Timothy Welch: ordained a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester on May 30, 2025; appointed Parochial Vicar of St. John Vianney Parish in Fairmont and Sts. Peter and Paul Parish in Blue Earth, effective June 15, 2025.
Chaplain
Rev. Benjamin Peters: ordained a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester on May 30, 2025; appointed Chaplain and Instructor of Loyola Catholic School in Mankato, effective June 15, 2025.
Finance Council
Deacon Frank Cesario: appointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of WinonaRochester Finance Council, effective July 1, 2025.
Clergy Personnel Committee
Very Rev. Robert Horihan: appointed to the Clergy Personnel Committee, effective July 1, 2025, through the duration of time he serves as Dean.
concreta que cada nuevo ordenado promete rezar es de vital importancia. Les dije a todos que si no tenían un ejemplar bonito y resistente de la Liturgia de las Horas, ¡yo mismo se lo compraría! En mis casi cuarenta años de sacerdocio, he gastado cuatro ejemplares. Les dije que disfrutaran de estos libros, que los llevaran consigo cuando viajaran, que los guardaran en un lugar sagrado cuando estuvieran en casa. Insistí en que debían rezar la Liturgia de las Horas, toda ella, todos los días, sin excepción. Les dije que la rezaran cuando les apeteciera y cuando no, cuando estuvieran de humor y cuando no, precisamente porque no la rezan por ellos mismos, sino por la Iglesia. El salmo 88, que se incluye en la oración nocturna del viernes de cada semana, es el grito de un hombre desesperado, alguien que lo ha perdido todo. Les dije a nuestros recién ordenados que, aunque ellos no se sintieran así cuando rezaran el salmo 88, alguien de su parroquia sí lo sentía, y que ellos estaban rezando por él o ella.
La tercera gran promesa es vivir una vida de celibato. ¿Por qué este compromiso? Hay un argumento muy malo a favor del celibato que diría algo así: el sexo, el cuerpo, el placer están bastante contaminados y, si deseas ser un verdadero atleta espiritual, tienes que dejar todo eso atrás. Bueno, eso es una estupidez y es completamente
Rev. Brian Mulligan: appointed to the Clergy Personnel Committee, effective July 1, 2025, through the duration of time he serves as Director of Vocations.
Diaconal Ministry
Rev. Mr. Riley Becher: ordained a transitional deacon for the Diocese of WinonaRochester on May 24, 2025; appointed to diaconal ministry at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in St. Charles and Holy Redeemer Parish in Eyota, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Deacon David Dose: reappointed to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish in Lake City and St. Patrick Parish in West Albany, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Rev. Mr. Cullen Gallagher: ordained a transitional deacon for the Diocese of WinonaRochester on May 24, 2025; appointed to diaconal ministry
repugnante para la Biblia y la espiritualidad católica. Hillaire Belloc resumió maravillosamente la perspectiva católica cuando dijo: «Dondequiera que brille el sol católico, hay música, risas y buen vino tinto». La Iglesia ama el matrimonio, el placer, el sexo, los niños. Pero hay un principio de equilibrio. Aunque todo en el mundo refleja a Dios, nada en el mundo es Dios. Por lo tanto, si queremos amar verdaderamente al Señor, tenemos que cultivar una espiritualidad de desapego. No nos aferramos a los bienes mundanos como si fueran nuestro bien supremo. Más bien, los dejamos ir por amor a Dios. Por eso San Francisco abrazó la pobreza, y por eso la Madre Teresa vivió una vida de simplicidad radical, y también por eso los diáconos y los sacerdotes adoptan una vida célibe. Ellos eligen vivir ahora mismo como todos viviremos en el cielo. El celibato tiene, sin duda, un valor práctico, ya que libera a los hombres para un mayor ministerio, y es por eso que el ritual de la ordenación especifica que el célibe vive en «servicio perpetuo a Dios y a la humanidad». Pero su significado más profundo es sacramental: habla de la manera más vívida posible del mundo sobrenatural que trasciende al mundo ordinario.
Cuando seis jóvenes de nuestra diócesis hicieron estas grandes promesas el mes pasado, todos nos alegramos con ellos. Por favor, no se olviden de rezar también por ellos.
at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Mankato and Holy Family Parish in Lake Crystal, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Deacon Justin Green: reappointed to diaconal ministry at the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka and St. John Nepomucene Parish, both in Winona, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Deacon John Hust: reappointed to diaconal ministry at St. Felix Parish in Wabasha and St. Agnes Parish in Kellogg, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Deacon Christopher Orlowski: appointed to diaconal ministry at Pax Christi Parish in Rochester, for a sixyear term, effective September 8, 2025.
Deacon Joseph Weigel: reappointed to diaconal ministry at Holy Spirit Parish in Rochester, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Deacon James Welch: reappointed to diaconal ministry at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and St. Casimir Parish, both in Winona, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Rev. Mr. Adam Worm: ordained a transitional deacon for the Diocese of WinonaRochester on May 24, 2025; appointed to diaconal ministry at Pax Christi Parish in Rochester, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Deacon Robert Yerhot: reappointed to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish in Caledonia and St. Patrick Parish in Brownsville, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2025.
Senior Status
Deacon Eugene Paul: granted Senior Deacon status, effective July 1, 2025.
More Are Called, cont'd from pg. 1
Father Benjamin Peters was raised in his home parish of Holy Family in Kasson. He recently completed a year of diaconal ministry in the parishes of Pax Christi in Rochester and Ss. Peter & Paul in Mazeppa. His first appointment as a priest takes him to Mankato, where he will serve as Parochial Vicar of St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish, and as a chaplain and instructor at Loyola Catholic School, effective June 15, 2025.
Father Timothy Welch is a Stockton native who grew up attending Catholic Schools in Winona. He is the oldest of seven children in a family belonging to the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart parish. Father Welch served his year of diaconal ministry in the parishes of St. Mary, Chatfield; Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Canton; and St. Columban,
Preston. His first priestly appointment is as Parochial Vicar of the parishes of St. John Vianney in Fairmont and Ss. Peter & Paul in Blue Earth, effective June 15, 2025.
The presbyteral ordinations came a week after three ordinations to the transitional diaconate, which occurred on Saturday, May 24, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona.
Deacon Riley Becher was born in Wausau, WI, and moved to Rochester at the age of five. There, he attended Lourdes High School, where the football program had a particular impact on his faith formation. Pax Christi was his home parish in Rochester.
Deacon Becher has been appointed to diaconal ministry at the parishes of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Charles and Holy Redeemer in Eyota, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Deacon Cullen Gallagher was raised in his home parish of St. Timothy in Maple Lake, in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He has been appointed to diaconal ministry at St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Mankato and Holy Family Parish in Lake Crystal, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Deacon Adam Worm was raised in Cologne, in the Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis. He came to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester as a student at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and entered seminary formation after attending the St. Thomas More Newman Center there. He has been appointed to diaconal ministry at Pax Christi Parish in Rochester, effective May 25, 2025, through the coming school year.
Keep our new priests and deacons in your prayers as they become acquainted with their new ministry!
Bravo Zulu House,
a Catholic faith-based nonprofit providing housing for men over 40 who are coming out of initial treatment programs for addiction. Murray co-founded Trinity Sober Homes with the late Rev. Martin Fleming, a US Army colonel and Catholic priest for the Archdiocese, in St. Paul in 2011.
But his calling to advocacy for those battling addiction began on the receiving end of the dynamic.
"This man saved my life," he announced to the hundreds in attendance at the grand opening, while holding up a framed portrait of Fr. Fleming (pictured right).
"I was a drunk living in my car. Really had no prospects. It's tough to be a CEO when you show up drunk every day," he quipped. "They expect you to be sober every day, and in the morning! So Father took me in, and he saved my life."
The organization they founded 14 years ago now boasts a post-treatment recovery rate of 71% (71% of residents remain sober after one year), which Murray says is the highest in the nation.
"We know that the reason we have a 71% success rate is because of spiritual coaching," said Murray. "That's it. Take that away and we're no different than any other facility."
While not all residents are necessarily Catholic, spiritual coaching is a key component, or "secret sauce," of the program. "The reality is that, without God, you can't stay sober," said Murray "...and [sobriety] starts with understanding that there is a God, and it's not me."
One of the spiritual coaches who will be serving Bravo Zulu House is Fr. Joshua Miller, who this past year was the parochial vicar for Sacred Heart Parish in Owatonna, and is now the pastor at St. Catherine in Luverne and St. Leo in Pipestone. Fr. Miller is currently an Army Reserve chaplain. He was a field artillery officer for the US Army before entering seminary formation, and he will return to active duty as a chaplain in a few years.
Fr. Miller said he sees his role as a spiritual coach as similar to that of a chaplain, in that, though not everyone in the house will be Catholic, he will still have a role to play in helping residents recognize and embrace their relationship with God.
"It's an opportunity for evangelization," he said. "Speaking from a military context, being present as a Catholic priest to people who are not Catholic is often their first experience with the Catholic Church. The physical presence of a priest is a witness to God the Father. Just that people see me and know that I have given my life to God, is a witness."
Fr. Miller's involvement with Bravo Zulu House is personal, him having seen the effects of PTSD in family and friends.
"People I know and love have suffered the consequences of war. ... I have been able to help and experience healing and know it's possible. That was
the start of my vocation - meeting with soldiers [as a field artillery officer] and hearing their struggles and feeling a desire to be a spiritual father to them, rather than just their boss."
The effects of PTSD on veterans caught the attention of leadership at Trinity Sober Homes, who saw an opportunity to fill a treatment gap with Bravo Zulu House. The statistics are laid out in a program distributed on the morning of the grand opening: Of the 120,000 US veterans who have committed suicide since Sept. 11, 2001 (compared to 7,500 combat deaths), 90% suffered from both PTSD and addiction. "Despite the existence of 20,000+ sober homes in the USA, there are exactly zero all-military sober homes addressing both PTSD and addiction."
According to Murray, "Lack of sobriety is the number one barrier to effectively treating PTSD." With Trinity Sober Homes' 71% success rate, Murray believes his organization is uniquely equipped to help.
Residents coming from treatment centers to Bravo Zulu House will experience a quiet rural setting featuring a hydroponic lettuce farm, a kennel of rescue dogs (one to be paired to each resident for canine therapy), spiritual coaching, mental health counseling and therapy from Mayo doctors, and on-site 24/7 transportation. On their end of the bargain, residents must undergo a psych assessment before acceptance, work or volunteer 30+ hours a week, attend three or more 12-Step meetings a week and submit to regular random drug testing.
Deacon Michael Zaccariello, who serves the parishes of Christ the King in Byron, Holy Family in Kasson, and St. John Baptist de la Salle in Dodge Center, also has a role on Bravo Zulu House's advisory board. With 30 years of experience in the mental health field, and a recent 25-year military career, over half of which was spent as a military psychologist, he recognizes that Bravo Zulu House's "intersection of
mental health, chemical addictions, spirituality, and military service very much aligns with my professional, military and diaconal roles. Bravo Zulu is an amazing example of the healing that can occur when the human person is looked at holistically."
Like Fr. Miller, Deacon Zaccariello also sees an opportunity to spread the Gospel:
"Pope Francis often talked and wrote about being on the margins, with our brothers and sisters, and smelling like sheep. Those with mental health issues and/or addictions are oftentimes looked down upon and on the outskirts of society. They are 'on the margins.' Such individuals are ripe to hear and experience the Good News of the Gospel. In other words, service to and the healing of these veterans is a form of evangelization, which is one of the priorities of Bishop Barron in the diocese."
After some delays with flooring installation, Murray expects that Bravo Zulu House will be ready for residents to move in by July 7. Dog kennel construction is expected to be completed by August 1, and funds for the hydroponic farming operation will hopefully be secured by August 1 as well. Bravo Zulu House will accomodate 12 residents, a full-time house manager and a full-time case manager. Murray estimates the average length of stay will be about 18 months.
"Basically what we say is, 'Welcome home,'" he said. "And this is your home as long as you want. If you look at the last 14 years with Trinity, our average length of stay is about 18 months. So it just takes that long. I used to think that if you cook brownies, and the directions say 350 degrees for 20 minutes, doesn't it just make sense that it's 700 degrees for ten minutes? And what I learned from Fr. Fleming is some things just take 20 minutes."
Nick Reller is the associate editor of The Courier.
The Diocesan Synod Is Coming August 21-22, 2025
By BRIAN KUSEK
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ishop Fitzgerald’s tenure as the fourth bishop of the diocese was marked by a significant post-war boom. The 1950s were a time of economic and social change in southern Minnesota, with Winona’s historical significance as a hub due to railroads and the Mississippi giving way to Rochester’s growth. Shifting demographics, support for Catholic education, and cultural challenges were surely pastoral priorities. Likely for this reason, he called the first and only completed synod in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in 1950 to strengthen the spiritual and administrative framework of the local church.
Not a lot is known about this exercise of the bishop’s authority. The text it produced is itself pretty anodyne, outlining legalistic norms, like making sure a priest always has a barrier between himself and a female penitent, and taking care to require visiting priests to take the Oath Against Modernism before faculties are granted. Still, his zeal for evangelization and vocations is palpable, judging by the fruits of his episcopate; fruits that undoubtedly earned him the name of “the building bishop.” The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was completed in 1953, just two years after the first seminarian residence hall was completed. Many schools and parishes were
established in the remaining 18 years of his office, while the total number of Catholics increased 55%.
Today’s realities are strikingly different, for reasons you have undoubtedly heard enough already. In short, the faith is not spreading as it should. Consequently, young men are not hearing the call to lay down their lives in service to the Church. The rise of secularism and a culture that prioritizes sports and politics over faith has further diluted the centrality of Christ in our communities.
Yet, there is reason for hope. In Bishop Robert Barron, we have been blessed with another leader who shares the vision and energy of Bishop Fitzgerald. From the moment of his arrival, Bishop Barron has made it clear: he is not interested in managing decline. He has articulated two ambitious goals for our diocese:
1. To double the number of priestly vocations; and
2. To double the number of people in the pews.
To that end, we have - since Ash Wednesdaybeen preparing for a diocesan synod to discuss these foundational challenges head-on. Through parishwide surveys and regional listening sessions, the faithful have been actively consulted in order to generate concrete proposals.
Some of these proposals are beyond the scope of the synod’s purpose and authority. For instance, we cannot change the Church’s teaching on women being admitted to holy orders, nor can we alter her position on moral issues. Other suggestions, specifically those related to catechesis, Catholic education, and adult formation, are already being addressed by various members of the Curia and chancery staff.
Still, plenty of other proposals were brought forth concerning how we evangelize and promote vocations at home, in our parishes, and in our diocese. These concrete suggestions concerning hospitality, engaging the culture through the arts and digital media and political engagement, fostering the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, bolstering and enhancing our existing ministries and apostolates - and many more - will be reviewed and formatted by the preparatory commission and presented to the Synod Assembly in August. There, members representing every parish will deliberate, pray, and vote. The bishop - free to accept, reject, or refine proposals - will then issue a decree, setting forth concrete steps to address our pastoral challenges, adjust existing policies, and promote growth in evangelization and vocations.
Prayer for the Diocesan Synod
Most High and Gracious God,
We implore you for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester as we embark on the Diocesan Synod for Evangelization and Vocations.
We ask You to send us graces for wisdom and insight into how we can proclaim the Gospel and invite your sons and daughters into a right relationship of worship and friendship through Your Son Jesus Christ.
As we seek your grace to make you known and loved,
we also beg you for the grace to invite each member of our Diocese to serve you with the gift of their lives in service to the Church especially in more vocations to the Priesthood and Consecrated Life.
Give us the gift of your Spirit for right discernment and clarity of approach so that we might faithfully carry out Your will in this Diocese and in each of our parishes.
We pray in gratitude for every gift and blessing You bestow and put our full confidence in Your holy will.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, in union with the Father and the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever.
The 1997 Instruction on Diocesan Synods makes plain the ultimate purpose for the upcoming deliberative assembly: “to promote acceptance of the Church’s salvific doctrine and to encourage the faithful in their following of Christ” (Instruction, #3). And for those who have a common concern, their prayer should also be common (quibus communis est cura, communis etiam debet esse oratio).
Our diocesan synod will be celebrated this August on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary. Bishop Barron, alongside our vicars, priests, deacons, theologians, and elected parish representatives, will gather for this pivotal moment in our diocesan life. While participation in the synod sessions is limited to select delegates, all are warmly invited to join the public liturgies that will open and close the Synod on August 21 and 22.
Most importantly, all are invited to pray for this synod throughout the summer. Through the intercession of Mary, Queen of the New Evangelization and Mother of Priests, may our efforts yield abundant fruit and usher in a new era of growth, vitality, and fidelity in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
For more information regarding our diocesan synod, visit our synod website, linked on our homepage: dowr.org
Questions can be directed to Brian Kusek: bkusek@dowr.org or 507-361-3374.
Brian Kusek is the director of evangelization for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
The Institute of Lay Formation New Lay Cohort to Begin in September
By BRIAN HANSEN
To create a culture of encounter and witness, we must live explicit lives of discipleship. We are called not only to believe in the Gospel but to allow it to take deep root in us in a way that leaves us incapable of silence: we cannot help but to announce the Gospel in word and in deed. This missionary outreach is at the heart of discipleship.
-USCCB, Living as Missionary Disciples, pg. 14
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o you want a personal relationship with Jesus, but you’re unsure of how to begin? Do you want to become Jesus’ disciple, but you’re uncertain of what it takes to do so? Do you want to introduce someone to Jesus, but you’re afraid that you’re incapable? If you relate to any of these questions, then I invite you to consider applying to the Institute of Lay Formation (ILF)! The Diocese of Winona-Rochester (DOW-R) is now recruiting lay people to be a part of the eighth ILF cohort. Since its founding in 1998, the ILF has positively impacted our diocese’s lay people by providing them intensive formation in prayer, study, and reflection in matters on the Catholic faith, Christian discipleship, and service on behalf of the Church. As the new director of ILF, I am excited and eager to perpetuate this positive impact that the institute makes on our diocese’s laity. This eighth ILF cohort will receive a formation experience that is developed and oriented towards Bishop Barron’s two-fold focus for our diocese: (1) Evangelization and (2) Vocations. To put it simply, Bishop Barron desires DOW-R Catholics to become intentional evangelizers and active cultivators of future priestly, diaconal, and religious vocations. It is my hope that the ILF will become a formation resource that fulfills this desire and makes it a reality in our diocese in the years to come.
The New ILF Purpose, Mission, & Vision
With this development and orientation comes a new Purpose, Mission, and Vision for the ILF. Thus, in terms of Purpose, the ILF exists now to bring lay peo ple into personal relationship with Jesus Christ so they can become His missionary disciples, who go forth proclaiming the Gospel and form ing new disciples for the Church. Therefore, the new Mission of ILF is to “Form Disciples.” To elaborate, the institute in tends to form a lay person into a missionary disciple who is capable of confidently preaching the Gospel, drawing others into relationship with Jesus, and discipling them in the Christian life. The ILF accomplishes its Mission by:
1. Fostering Prayer - To enable laity to communicate and commune with God.
2. Utilizing Spiritual Direction
- To assist laity in discerning and realizing God’s presence in life.
3. Developing Authentic Friendship - To show laity that relationship is key to forming disciples.
4. Providing Retreats - To remind laity of the need for prayerful silence and theological reflection.
5. Modeling Discipleship - To cultivate in laity the character, disciplines, and virtues of a disciple.
6. Teaching the Kerygma - To train laity on how to proclaim the Gospel.
7. Practicing Evangelization - To send laity out to fulfill their call to make disciples of all nations.
• Year 3 - Witness & Remain in the Lord
o A formation on witnessing the Gospel, intentionally discipling another, long-term accompaniment, and knowing Jesus' Christ's identity and way in the face of secular and religious distortions.
During formation year three - Witness & Remain in the Lord - all ILF participants are required to complete the institute's practicum project. The project includes the following components:
Contact Brian Hansen with any questions about the Institute of Lay Formation! bhansen@dowr.org 507-361-1939
By fulfilling its mission, the new Vision of ILF is realized: To cultivate new generations of lay missionary disciples for the DOW-R and to establish the diocese as an exemplar of intentionally forming and preparing lay people for lifelong missionary discipleship. The ILF envisions its lay disciples immersing themselves in their local world and embracing their preeminent responsibility as Christians to, “make the divine message of salvation known and accepted by all men throughout the world,” and to, “penetrate and perfect the temporal order with the spirit of the Gospel” (Apostolicam Actuositatem, para. 3 and 5).
ILF Formation Years, Practicum Project, & Commissioning
The ILF consists of 3 major formation years. Each formation year begins in September and concludes in May. During a formation year, ILF participants will gather on a monthly basis (i.e. a total of 9 sessions per formation year). Six of these ILF sessions will be day-long gatherings that occur on Saturdays. The other three ILF sessions will be weekend-long retreats, and these occur in specific months of the formation year (September, January, and May).
Below are the names and descriptions of the ILF formation years:
• Year 1 - Encounter & Trust in the Lord
o A formation on prayer and communing with the Lord.
• Year 2 - Follow & Listen to the Lord
A formation on discipleship, the Lord's teachings, and the ability to know, understand, and articulate the Kerygma.
• Through prayerful discernment, each ILF participant will identify one person in their personal life/sphere of influence to whom the Lord is calling them to proclaim the Gospel.
• ILF participants are then tasked with inviting and forming that one person to become a lifelong follower of Jesus Christ and His Church.
Participants who successfully complete all three formation years and the requirements of the institute are commissioned by the bishop for "lay missionary discipleship in the DOW-R.” This commissioning is a recognition of the lay person's formation in the ILF and an affirmation of the knowledge and skills for evangelizing and discipling that they have received through their participation in the institute. It expresses the diocese's expectation that they will use the fruits of their formation experience for active evangelization as lay missionary disciples, who bring, "...the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new" (Evangelii Nuntiandi, para. 18).
Apply Now!
The first ILF formation year (2025-2026) officially begins on Friday, September 19, 2025. The application deadline will be Friday, August 15, 2025; to apply, prospective ILF participants will need to complete an online application form. Application information and materials are available on our diocesan website (dowr.org); go to Offices > Lay Formation > ILF. The application process also requires applicants to receive their pastor’s signature on their application form (to indicate your parish’s support of your formation). Please see the ILF webpage for more details about the following:
• ILF Tuition and Expenses
• Parish/Institution Sponsorship
• Entrance Guidelines for Applicants
• Diaconate Formation Prerequisite
• Participation and Commitment to ILF
If you have any further questions about ILF, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Above all, prayerfully discern whether God is calling you to be a part of the new ILF cohort this September. Trust that God will answer you with His immense grace, consolation, and guidance. May God abundantly bless you in your discernment process!
Brian Hansen is the coordinator of adult and lay formation for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. July 2025 w The Courier w dowr.org
Mama's Heart
Stewartville Parishioner Writes Book on Parenting a Child with a Rare Disability
By CINDY MEYERHOFER
i
n her new book, A Mama’s Heart: Understanding Love in an Unknown Special Needs World, Allyssa Meyerhofer, a parishioner of St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Stewartville, offers a deeply personal and powerful look at parenting a child with a rare genetic condition and the faith, resilience, and community it takes to endure and grow through the journey.
Inspired by her daughter Gabby, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 9p, a rare chromosomal disorder affecting only around 340 people worldwide, Allyssa felt compelled to write a book that would serve as both a comfort and a guide for other parents navigating similar diagnoses.
"I didn’t do genetic testing during my pregnancy. Looking back, I know that if I had known what was coming, I would have struggled even more," she reflects. "At the time of diagnosis, the grief and fear of the unknown was overwhelming. I could not have imagined dealing with that when I was pregnant. For others, there are ethical complexities to these decisions that most people never think about especially when termination is suggested or when medical eligibility is impacted by genetic testing."
Her book was born not out of a desire to tell a perfect story, but out of a need to offer something practical and heartfelt for families who, like hers, are thrown into the unknown. “When you first get a diagnosis, you don’t have time to read a 200-page book,” she explains. “But I started jotting things down - moments, thoughts, encouragement. I wanted to create something for those early, raw days.”
Trisomy 9p is a rare condition with very little data and few resources available - one of the few references being a study from Europe on rarechromo. org. Gabby, the youngest of her and her husband’s three children, presented with several medical anomalies early on, including hydronephrosis, lowset cupped ears, clinodactyly, torticollis, plagiocephaly, and tightness in the neck that revealed a benign tumor. At just six weeks, frequent ear infections led to testing that showed abnormally narrow ear canals and minimal hearing. Through their journey Gabby has also been diagnosed with ventriculomegaly, hip dysplasia, and developmental delays. Gabby averages 110+ appointments a year.
Despite these challenges, Allyssa found herself inspired to write after reading the book Forever Boy by Kate Swenson, a fellow parent of a disabled child. “I would read and cry, but I also felt validated. That was the moment I knew I wanted to create something similar - to make other parents feel seen and supported.”
Her Catholic faith plays a significant role in her approach to parenting and writing. Through devotionals, gratitude journaling, and moments of prayer, she’s found strength and clarity in her most difficult moments. One quote that stayed with her: “God chose you to live now, in this time and season, and he has many great purposes for you.”
“It’s not that everything feels okay all the time,” she adds. “But I do believe every child has purpose. Gabby’s life, even though nonverbal, is deeply impactful. Others can see that.”
The book doesn’t shy away from the hard realities of special needs parents. For Allyssa’s family and other families that includes endless appointments, the grief over lost “normal” experiences, the strain on marriages (with a divorce rate as high as 87% in special need families), medical/county/state paperwork, individualized education plans, and the daunting preparations for the child’s future both financial, legal and housing. “Typical parents don’t usually have to think about setting up a supplemental needs trust or who would make medical decisions if something happened to them,” Allyssa explains. “We do.”
Yet the book is also filled with moments of hope, connection, and encouragement. From scheduling respite time to chance encounters with other caregivers at the local coffee shop, she’s constantly reminded that she’s not alone - and she wants other parents to know that too.
“There’s never enough support for special needs families,” Allyssa shares. “But sometimes, just being seen, just someone saying hello to your child, makes all the difference.”
The book also explores the impact of disability on siblings. “Everything pivots around the child with more needs,” she shares. “But I’m proud of how empathetic my other kids have become. My daughter isn’t afraid to approach classmates with unique needs. She’s growing into a compassionate young person.”
Looking ahead, Allyssa is considering a followup book focused on siblings of children with disabilities - validating their unique grief, pride, and experiences. “I want to give them an outlet. They matter too.”
The response so far has been positive. The book was released in March and early copies distributed at the TendHer Heart Caregivers luncheon through the Chad Greenway Foundation. It's currently available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Blue Balloon Books, public libraries and independent bookstores. A donation feature on her website allows people to sponsor books for families in need.
Still, she’s cautious about future writing. “Publishing is expensive. If it’s successful and I don’t take a loss, I would definitely consider doing more. But I also need to be mindful of balance - for myself and my family.”
At its heart, the book is a message of solidarity and love. “Every journey is different. But I want parents to know they are not alone. There’s comfort in knowing others understand. There’s hope, even in the hardest places.”
And for her, faith remains the foundation. “Every child is a child of God, made in His perfect plan - even if we don’t always understand it.”
If you have a disabled child (of any age, including adult), consider registering for the St. Joseph’s Family Camp for Catholics Living with Disabilities to be held at Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch in Stewartville on August 24. It is an opportunity for the whole family with Mass, faith formation, and activities tailored to people living with a wide variety of abilities.
You can follow Allyssa’s journey on Facebook at Unknown Strength on a Road Less Traveled. Her website is www.allyssam.com. Her goal is to get the book into all healthcare child life departments within the country, in early education centers, and disability nonprofits.
Cindy Meyerhofer is the director of human resources for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. Allyssa is her niece.
St. Casimir School, Wells, Celebrates Final Graduation
Submitted by TERESA CHIRPICH
w
ith the decision to close St. Casimir’s School during the spring of 2025, St. Casimir Church celebrated the graduation of the final sixth grade class at the Sunday Mass on June 3. In recognizing the contribution that the school has made to the parish and community, School Administrator Jinger Woodring shared the following:
Our parish and community have been greatly blessed to have had the honor of graduating almost 1700 students over the past 110 years. At times when other public or parochial schools have had to either close their doors or consolidate with other schools to remain viable, the leadership and members of St. Casimir Church have remained
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stalwart in their belief that a Catholic education for all is not only a gift but a necessity. This in itself is amazing. To have continued this effort for 110 years is almost miraculous, and for this we are truly grateful.
Ms. Woodring continued, "At this time, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding support from several families within our school community who have not only been members of St. Casimir's School themselves, but whose successive generations have also studied within the walls of our beautiful school." Calling forward representatives of the Jerome Dulas family (three SCS generations), Leon Chirpich family (four generations), Lorna Stevermer Feist family (four generations) and Ira Bushlack family (five generations), certificates of honor were presented to all four families who had at least one child attending the school this year. “Our appreciation and congratulations go to these four families for their continuous, unbroken support of St. Casimir's School, its philosophy and blessings,” stated Ms. Woodring.
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During this same celebration Mass, several of the SCS graduating class members received special awards. Receiving the President's Award for Educational Achievement for showing tremendous growth, improvement, commitment and intellectual development for learning in academics was Zoey Elg. Earning the President's Award for Educational Excellence by earning a grade point average of 90% or higher were four of the students: Clara Bushlack, Abigail Chirpich, Calvin Jewison and Gemma Woodring. The final student award was the announcement of the recipient of the American Citizenship Award. Ms. Woodring shared, "This award recognizes America's youth for making positive contributions to the school or community by consistently possessing the strength of character to do what is right and exhibiting the behaviors of respect and positive attitude while displaying leadership qualities amongst their peers. I am pleased to announce that this year's recipient of the American Citizenship award is Abigail Chirpich." Congratulations to these wonderful, young leaders!
In speaking directly to the graduates, Ms. Woodring shared: Today, we celebrate not just the end of a school year, but the closing of a chapter in our school's history. You are the final class to graduate from St. Casimir's School, and your place in its history is important. You've spent this year learning what it means to become a saint - to be living examples of Christ's light in the world, to see the beauty and divine image of God in one another, and to walk humbly with him.
Though our building may now be permanently quiet and void of your exuberant energy, the spirit of this school will live on in you - in the choices you make, the love you share and in the light you carry into the world. Congratulations, St. Casimir's Class of 2025. You were - and always will be - something truly special and very good. May God bless you now and always.
While reflecting on the closing of the school, Ms. Woodring shared, “It’s an ending, but we know that we’ve prepared these kids to go out as best we can, and that’s a good feeling. We’ve had the last four months to say, ‘All right, what are the most important things we want to leave with these kids and what do we want them to know about their faith,’ and we could focus on that.” While math and reading have been important, she wanted to make sure that the students remembered their Catholic faith. In filling the dual roles of administrator and daily religion teacher, she emphasized a teaching from St. John Paul II that everyone is made in the likeness and image of God and encouraged the children to always see that in themselves and other people. The students also attended Mass twice a week and enjoyed daily morning prayer together. While the Catholic faith was at the forefront of all that the school did, the core subjects were not neglected. In fact, in the nationally standardized testing program from NorthWest Evaluation Association (NWEA), the kindergarten through sixth grade SCS students were the frontrunners in the subjects of math and reading, having achieved the highest average test scores within the entire Diocese of Winona-Rochester. What an amazing accomplishment by these students!
Upon the school’s closure, the SCS students will be attending several local facilities including United South Central School in Wells, Alden-Conger School in Alden, and St. Theodore Catholic School in Albert Lea. A few students will be homeschooled.
Teresa Chirpich is the Office Manager for St. Casimir's School in Wells.
The last graduating class of St. Casimir School in Wells, with Fr. Pratap Salibindla (far left) and School Administrator Jinger Woodring (far right): (front row L to R) Juliana Dulas, Clara Bushlack, Abigail Chirpich, (back row L to R) Gemma Woodring, Lennox Feist, Zoey Elg and Calvin Jewison.
Summer of Service
IHM Seminarians Engage in Poverty Immersion
By NICOLE WENINGER
�hroughout the month of May, the Immaculate Heart of Mary propaedeutic seminarians dispersed in six groups of two, to cities across the United States to participate in a poverty immersion. For three weeks, these men worked with the missionary group Christ in the City to serve and pray for the homeless of their assigned city.
Two seminarians, Roy Graf and Joseph Bartosh, share their experience in Tampa, FL:
On May 18, we arrived in Tampa, Florida, for the Summer of Service program with the Christ in the City missionaries. This is a three-week mission
focused on building relationships with the poor in the city of Tampa. Our team broke into three smaller ‘street teams’ that go to different parts of the city to interact with the poor each day. Our mission is to befriend these people as they go through troubling times and try to bring a little joy to their lives. On Wednesday evenings, we got to visit the poor at the parish hall and serve them dinner. We also made ‘blessing bags’ which contained simple snacks and water, so we may hand them out to the poverty-stricken individuals we came across.
In just a few short weeks, we have been blessed to experience and serve God through the poor and are beyond grateful for this opportunity.
Fueling Their Fire
Did you know the journey to priesthood is about eight years long, taking about $427,000 in total investment?
Thanks to generous donations to the Seminarian Education Fund, dedicated men from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester can continue to serve and pursue their higher education towards priesthood. You can support this important cause by giving during your upcoming parish collection or online through the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota at bit.ly/ SemEd.
Nicole Weninger is the marketing & communications associate for the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary.
Joseph Bartosh prepares a "blessing bag" for the poor in Tampa. Roy Graf fills boxes with "blessing bags."
Restoring Beauty with CMA Donations
By NICOLE WENINGER
�here are many churches throughout the WinonaRochester Diocese with rich historical backgrounds that date back as far as the mid-1800s. While many of these churches retain most of their original art, architecture, and charm, we have a responsibility to perform regular maintenance on these buildings to continue to have these beautiful spaces in which we can worship our Lord.
By giving above and beyond goal in the Catholic Ministries Appeal, many churches are able to finance additional projects locally.
Fr. Jim Berning shared the impact the Catholic Ministries Appeal has had on his parish cluster this year:
• Founded in 1859, St. John the Baptist Church in Johnsburg presently provides an opportunity to rent out its hall for events.
Thanks to parishioners exceeding the 2025 CMA goal, St. John’s was able to install new countertops and sinks.
• St. Peter’s Church in Rose Creek has welcomed parishioners under its roof to worship Christ for over 140 years. This year, the current church was able to purchase a new roof, and the parish is now replenishing their building funds because they have surpassed their CMA goal.
• Sacred Heart Church in Adams, a 139-yearold church, will receive a fresh coat of paint to its interior in the near future, with CMA funds.
• Built in 1965, Queen of Peace Church in Lyle has benefited from the installation of new windows in the hall and kitchen, made possible with CMA funds.
“The parishioners in all of these parishes... love their parishes and school and are supportive of the Catholic Ministries Appeal,” said Fr. Berning.
The Catholic Ministries Appeal is the annual campaign to support the operations of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester which fuels everything from
Congratulations to the following parishes, which have met their goals for the 2025 CMA since our last printing! Every dollar given beyond the parish’s goal is returned to the parish to address local needs!
If you haven’t yet donated, we ask that you prayerfully consider God’s call and give your gift of time, talent, and treasure to support the Catholic Ministries Appeal.
diocesan-led faith formation, such as youth camps, Newman Centers on college campuses, adult and lay formation and evangelization.
Nicole Weninger is the marketing & communications associate for the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota and Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary.
Fr. Jim Berning and parishioners gather in the newly renovated kitchen of St. John the Baptist Church in Johnsburg.
Fr. Jim Berning and parishioners gather on the front steps of Sacred Heart Church in Adams.
Retired Portland Archbishop John G. Vlazny, Defender of Immigrants, Dies at 88
The following is excerpted from an article published by OSV News after the May 23 death of Portland Archbishop Emeritus John G. Vlazny, who served as the sixth Bishop of Winona, from 1987 to 1997.
By ROCÍO RÍOS
PORTLAND, OR (OSV News) - Archbishop John George Vlazny, the retired archbishop of Portland, who was known for his pastoral care for immigrants and the Hispanic community, died at his Beaverton, Oregon, residence May 23. He was 88 years old.
“This great spiritual father led this local Church in the Archdiocese of Portland through some of its most challenging days,” Portland Archbishop Alexander K. Sample said in a statement May 25, expressing “the greatest sorrow” at the loss of his predecessor.
Obituary
Sister Marjorie Rosenau, SSND, 94, died June 21, 2025, at Benedictine Living Community – St. Gertrude’s, Shakopee. Her funeral Mass was celebrated June 27 at Windermere Chapel, Shakopee, with Fr. John Kunz as presider. Burial followed in the Good Counsel Cemetery, Mankato.
Sister Marjorie was born in 1930 on the family farm near Meriden in Steele County. The family later moved to Littlefork in northern Minnesota and then to rural Loretto in Hennepin County. Though not yet a Catholic, she attended SS. Peter & Paul School in Loretto for eighth grade, and came to know the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was baptized Catholic in December 1945. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Mankato following her high school graduation in 1948. After profession of First Vows in 1951, she began a Catholic School ministry that included teaching middle or junior high students in the diocesan schools of Crucifixion School, La Crescent (1959-63); St. Felix, Wabasha (1966-72 and 198384); and St. Mary, Worthington (1972-73). Following 14 years of service at St. Michael School, St. Michael, in 2000, she transitioned to home health care and became of certified nursing assistant, working from St. Francis de Sales Convent in St. Paul. She retired to Good Counsel, Mankato, in 2019 and moved to Shakopee in 2022 with other School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Sister Marjorie is survived by her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates; her brother, Paul (Sharon); and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Sylvia (Anderson) Rosenau; and her sisters: Martha Rogers, Donna Carlson and Frances Walker. A longer obituary and a recording of her funeral is available at ssndcp.org/obituaries. Memorials may be directed to the School Sisters of Notre Dame; 11 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 310; Mankato, MN 56001.
“He was a man who always fully exhibited the joy of the Gospel. He was truly one of the kindest and most thoughtful men that I have ever known. His love for the priesthood and his own episcopal ministry was evident at all times,” Archbishop Sample said.
‘A
Lasting and Remarkable Legacy’
The archbishop said Archbishop Vlazny left “a lasting and remarkable legacy” in western Oregon, and he would personally be “forever grateful for his kindness to me.”
“He will be missed very deeply by all of us,” he said. “We now commend him to the mercy of the Lord, whom he served so well. We ask the Lord to grant him now the blessed reward of a good and faithful servant. Rest in peace, my dear brother.”
Parishes around the state of Oregon shared the sad news with the community of Catholics that Archbishop Vlazny guided with love, compassion and spiritual wisdom during his 16 years as the Portland Archdiocese’s shepherd — a time when he was the pillar of faith for many Catholics, including Hispanic Catholics.
Hispanic Community
Many in the Hispanic community regarded his presence as a symbol of compassion, love and understanding. He was remembered as always ready to reach out to the poor, the immigrant families and people who came to the United States desperately seeking a future.
St. Matthew Church, one of the parishes where Portland’s Hispanic Catholics gather, was among the first to share the sad news through Facebook.
“To say that he will be missed is a great understatement. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord,” the parish said in a post.
John Limb, former publisher of Oregon Catholic Press and a close friend of Archbishop Vlazny, had the chance to celebrate the late archbishop’s 88th birthday.
“So thankful for the gift that he was to all of us! He will be missed,” he said.
Portland’s Shepherd 1997 to 2013
Archbishop Vlazny headed the Portland Archdiocese from 1997 to 2013, when he retired and was succeeded by Archbishop Sample. He had been a bishop since 1983, when he was named a Chicago auxiliary.
John George Vlazny was born in Chicago Feb. 22, 1937. Called to the priesthood as a young boy, he graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary in the city and then St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Illinois, before going on to the North American College. He was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1961 at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Four years after serving as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago, he was made bishop of the Diocese of Winona, Minnesota, in 1987. Ten years later, he was appointed to the Portland Archdiocese.
He had served as chair of a number of U.S. bishops’ committees, including the vocations, evangelization and the national collections. He had been a member of many others, including those engaged with administration of the bishops’ conference and Migration and Refugee Services.
Pontifical Gregorian University
He obtained a licentiate in sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, a master of arts in the classics from the University of Michigan and a master of education in educational administration from Loyola University Chicago.
Archbishop Vlazny is remembered among Oregonians of all faiths for his ecumenical and interfaith efforts to promote peace and understanding. He traveled during his time as archbishop to each parish in the state of Oregon, where Hispanics were a growing population. They arrived to see him and listen to his message of love and faith in Spanish. Under his leadership, the parishes opened Hispanic ministries to serve the community.
Encuentro 2000 in Oregon
He presided over the Encuentro 2000 at the Portland Coliseum, which gathered Catholics from around the state of Oregon, as a multicultural celebration of faith. Archbishop Vlazny will be remembered for having steered the community through tumultuous times as the Portland Archdiocese became the first diocese in the U.S. to declare bankruptcy over sex abuse claims in 2004.
Archbishop Vlazny was a writer and speaker, publishing regular, award-winning columns in The Catholic Sentinel and El Centinela, where he frequently raised the plight of immigrants, refugees and the need to open the church’s doors with compassion. Both news outlets, which served the Portland Archdiocese, closed in 2022.
“The Easter candle is the light of Christ, bringing new life, new hope, new joy,” he once wrote. “We were children of darkness but we became children of the light. As that light of Christ grows brighter in each and every one of us, we will become much more effective witnesses to a world that desperately needs to be reminded once again that He is alive!”
Christus Magister Medal
In 2009, the University of Portland presented its Christus Magister Medal, the school’s highest honor, to Archbishop Vlazny. He was the 15th recipient of the medal, awarded annually to men and women of international distinction in the fields of art, science and government.
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Rocío Ríos was the editor-in-chief of El Centinela, the Spanish-language newspaper of the Archdiocese of Portland, for almost 20 years. She writes for OSV News from Oregon. OSV News staff contributed to this story.
This portrait of Archbishop Vlazny hangs in the main conference room of the diocesan chancery in Rochester, alongside portraits of all former and current bishops of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The artist, Louis F. Martin, was profiled in The Courier's May issue.
Statement from MCC Executive Director on Horrific Attack of MN Legislators
By MINNESOTA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
SAINT PAUL, June 14, 2025 – Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, released the following statement:
I am deeply saddened and angered by the coldblooded assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the attempted murder of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Serving in a position of leadership requires making difficult choices and sticking to one’s word, while not abandoning one’s principles. I can personally attest from working with Representative Hortman that she was such a leader. We disagreed on key issues but still found opportunities to collaborate and solve difficult problems that mattered to Minnesotans generally and Catholics, specifically. We will be praying for the repose of her soul.
Senator Hoffman is a champion of vulnerable people in our communities and is a person of deep conviction. He is also a friend. Minnesota cannot afford to lose his presence in state government and our staff is praying fervently for him and for his family.
Resorting to violence in public life is never acceptable and begets more violence. Unfortunately, we, as a society, have increasingly embraced violence as a means of solving problems because we have lost a sense of the dignity of every human person created in the image and likeness of God. Until we recover a deeper sense of our common humanity and fraternity, we will continue
Division or Unity?
By DEACON ROBERT YERHOT, MSW
at a recent meeting with men and women of faith, we were asked to share some of our deeper concerns. This was met with a quiet anxious pause. I spoke up and said that one thing greatly concerning to me is the divisions so prevalent in our families, our Church, and our world today.
A rather sagacious individual, in plain simple language, responded saying that once we have accepted division, it is really difficult to rectify. It tends to stick. He said we need to forgive and forget. Indeed, there is truth in that. Divisions are like - as a farmer once said - cow manure. Once touched by human hands, it is hard to get rid of the smell or the residue under our finger nails even with a hard scrubbing with good soap
Yes, I think we are faced with a stark question that demands an answer from each of us. Shall we have division or unity? Which will we choose, first for our families, then for the Church, and finally for the world? It is a choice that can and must be made by each of us.
The unity we so urgently need will be found only in the embrace of Jesus within the Body of Christ. Where do we find this unifying embrace? Where do we find the Body of Christ? We are the Body of Christ. We are the Church, the People of God, meandering as we are through the arid world of temptations, allurements, and distractions. The Eucharist is the Body of Christ, the real presence of the Word made flesh, humble divinity in the smallest host and in the smallest drop of his blood poured from the chalice. The Body of Christ is within us, we who are
filled with the Holy Spirit. So, will we embrace, and be embraced by, the Body of Christ in which we have the hope of unity, or will we embrace the division of Satan?
Nearly five hundred years ago, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, in his Spiritual Exercises, challenged the people of his time to choose between Satan or Christ. He saw this choice as one that had to be made at the beginning of the spiritual life. I think it is a choice that has to be made in the 21st century.
We don’t like to think about Satan. We pretend he doesn’t exist; we deny he is real and we avoid the choice that must be made. If we put off making the choice, we do so at our peril. Divisions are from Satan; they are his constant ploy. Divisions are sinful. Yes, at times God does allow divisions to develop and permits what seem to be Satan’s victories, but he does so only to bring about a greater aware ness of our depen dency on his grace, to teach us needed les sons, to wake us up from our slumbering faith, and to redeem the division of sin by mysteriously using it to advance his plan of salvation.
to see the collapse of both civic discourse and the ability of our political process to mediate conflict and achieve the common good.
The Minnesota Catholic Conference has been the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota since 1967. The voting members of the MCC's board of directors are Minnesota's Catholic bishops.
I dream of a world in which divisions are things of the past. I dream of a world where families are united in Christ. I dream of a Church raised above the sins of camps and divisions, divisions which wound the Body of Christ, who was once wounded at Calvary. I dream of a world which chooses unity over division.
Jesus himself said unity is possible with him, but without him we cannot attain it. The world says it is impossible and the words of Jesus are not credible. Which will you believe? What do you say? What do you believe? The choice is yours.
Deacon Robert Yerhot is the director of the permanent diaconate for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
The Catholic bishops of Minnesota stand with Representative Melissa Hortman in this undated photo.
Recent Statements by the USCCB
U.S. Bishops Urge Senate to Act with Courage and Creativity to Protect the Poor and Vulnerable
WASHINGTON (June 26, 2025) - While commending the provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that promote the dignity of human life and support parental choice in education, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), implored Congress to be consistent in protecting human life and dignity and make changes to the bill to protect those most in need.
Archbishop Broglio’s intervention comes as the U.S. Senate considers the budget reconciliation bill:
The bishops are grateful that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes provisions that promote the dignity of human life and support parental choice in education. These are commendable provisions that are important priorities for the bishops. Still, Congress must be consistent in protecting human life and dignity and make drastic changes to the bill to protect those most in need. As Pope Leo XIV recently stated, it is the responsibility of politicians to promote and protect the common good, including by working to overcome great wealth inequality. This bill does not answer this call. It takes from the poor to give to the wealthy. It provides tax breaks for some while undermining the social safety net for others through major cuts to nutrition assistance and Medicaid. It fails to protect families and children by promoting an enforcement-only approach to immigration and eroding access to legal protections. It harms God’s creation and future generations through cuts to clean energy incentives and environmental programs.
I underscore what my brother bishops said in their recent letter to find a better way forward and urge Senators to think and act with courage and creativity to protect human dignity for all, to uphold the common good, and to change provisions that undermine these fundamental values.
The USCCB’s letter on the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” proposed by the Senate may be found at usccb.org/ resources/Budget%20Reconciliation%Letter%20 to%20Senate.pdf
Bishop Thomas Responds to Supreme Court's Planned Parenthood and Medicaid Decision
WASHINGTON (June 26, 2025) - “South Carolina was right to deny Planned Parenthood taxpayer dollars. A group dedicated to ending children’s lives deserves no public support,” said Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, in response to the ruling by the Supreme Court of the United States in Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic. The case, a challenge to the state’s decision to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid, turned on a specific question about the legal basis for Planned Parenthood’s claim. “Abortion is not health care,” Bishop Thomas continued, “and lives will be saved because South Carolina has chosen to not fund clinics that pretend it is. Publicly funded programs like Medicaid should only support authentic, lifeaffirming options for mothers and children in need.”
Violence
WASHINGTON (June 23, 2025) - “Sectarian violence, of whatever religious or ideological type, if not stopped, will derail Syria’s full integration into the community of nations,” said Bishop A. Elias Zaidan, in response to the suicide bombing on the Antiochian Church of St. Elias in Damascus on Sunday that killed at least 22 and injured dozens more. As chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on International Justice and Peace, he called for prayers and urged peace, security and national reconciliation in Syria:
“As we learn more about the deadly suicide bombing attack in Damascus over the weekend, we are reminded of a sobering fact: international vigilance for the safeguarding of Christians, Alawites, and other religious minorities must remain strong, working with all men and women of good will in Syria for the consolidation of a political transition that promotes the common good of all Syrians. We stand in solidarity with the Antiochian Church in Syria during this difficult time.
“We urge the United States - who lifted Syria’s sanctions to allow for the country’s economic development—to continue working with Syria’s authorities in support of religious liberty, peace, security, and national reconciliation in the country. Sectarian violence, of whatever religious or ideological type, if not stopped, will derail Syria’s full integration into the community of nations.
“I call for ardent prayers for the safety of our Christian brothers and sisters in Syria, as well as for the country’s development into a society that fosters security, development, and prosperity for all its citizens.”
Archbishop Broglio Urges U.S. Bishops to Preach the Gospel 'Ever New and Ever Provocative'
WASHINGTON (June 23, 2025) - The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathered last week for a Special Assembly, June 16-20, in San Diego, Calif. Unlike the typical spring plenary that convenes with public sessions and a formal business agenda, the special assembly was a retreat for the bishops to pray, dialogue, and strengthen one another in their ministry.
Recalling how a small act of generosity nourished his faith as a young seminarian, Archbishop Broglio celebrated the opening Mass and invited his brothers to remember how the Gospel was “held over our heads in episcopal ordination” so that we might be “ever more effective in preaching that living Word ever new and ever provocative.” He acknowledged preaching the Gospel is not easy, but he encouraged America’s bishops to see generosity as indispensable in keeping the love of God alive in our hearts and reminded everyone that “missionary disciple sees no one as an enemy.”
For Archbishop Broglio, this is especially true in the context of immigration. “Our history of welcome is a bit checkered, because each group of immigrants tended to look down on the next.” He recalled how Irish, German, and Italian immigrants all faced
discrimination. “Now,” Archbishop Broglio said, “as shepherds we earnestly try to urge our people to welcome those from Latin America, Haiti, and other troubled zones.”
Archbishop Broglio’s homily referenced the various conflicts of the contemporary world, citing Christians in Gaza; the poor in Syria afflicted by sanctions impacting access to fuel, food, and other necessities; Lebanon bearing the weight of more than 2 million refugees; the conflict between Israel and Iran; the ongoing war in Ukraine; and Haiti. “We must stretch our Catholic Relief Services dollars even farther as the U.S. international aid is shut off,” he said, and continued, “…we cannot turn our back on those crying out for our help.”
Read the text of Archbishop Broglio’s full homily at usccb.org/resources/25Broglio-Homily%20 Special%20Assembly%2006.17.25.pdf
World Refugee Day 2025: A Call to Compassion, Welcome, and Witness
WASHINGTON (June 20, 2025) - “Solidarity with refugees and migrants is not optional; it’s a living testimony of the Gospel,” said Bishop Mark J. Seitz. On World Refugee Day (June 20), the Catholic Church stands in prayerful solidarity with refugees around the globe to recognize and honor the courage, resilience, and dignity of those forced to flee their homes.
As chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Migration, Bishop Seitz reaffirmed the commitment of the Catholic faithful to walk with refugees in compassion and hope: In their journey, refugees embody the hope we are called to share as Christians. As we welcome them, we reflect on our own pilgrimage toward the eternal home promised to us. Their resilience and faith challenge us to serve others more deeply and to build a world where every person is treated with dignity and can live in peace and freedom. Together with people of faith and goodwill, we recognize the profound witness of individuals and communities who open their hearts and homes to those seeking safety—welcoming the stranger, healing wounds, and restoring hope.
We bishops of the United States remain resolute in our call for the consistent protection of refugees amid their disparate treatment by our government.
The Church recognizes the right of each country to control its borders, while also affirming the right to seek refuge when life-threatening circumstances deny people the foremost right to remain in their homeland. As our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has affirmed, the temptation to turn inward, to isolate ourselves from the needs of our brothers and sisters around the world, is incompatible with a Christian vision for the common good. We must remember Christ’s exhortation in Luke’s Gospel: to whom much is given, much is required.
In his Pentecost homily, Pope Leo XIV reiterated that Christian love transcends borders, as he declared, “Where there is love, there is no room for prejudice, for ‘security’ zones separating us from our neighbors, for the exclusionary mindset that, tragically, we now see emerging also in political nationalisms.”
Bishop Zaidan Urges Prayers for Syria Amid Sectarian
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A Sign of Life
By LINDA MCGUIRE
he Winona-Rochester Diocese Council of Catholic Women invites everyone to join an effort to change the conversation on abortion. Unlike our neighboring states, Minnesota does not offer any protections to the unborn, continuing to allow abortions for any reason up to birth. In fact, Minnesota is sadly advertised as an abortion destination. The 2023 numbers confirm this, with 14,124 abortions in Minnesota, representing a 16% increase from 2022. 2,980 of
The W-RDCCW hosted the St. Paul & Minneapolis CCW Province Board meeting at the Diocesan Chancery in Rochester on June 12. Attendees are seen here with Bishop Barron after morning Mass with chancery staff.
the abortions were committed on non-Minnesota residents, an increase of 48% from 2022.
We at CCW wish to make an impact, causing people to truly consider what is at stake. For this reason, we are partnering with the Nebraska-based, not-for-profit educational marketing company WeTeachThink, on their “Human from Day One” campaign, which relies on billboards and digital media. We are pooling resources to fund a digital billboard ad campaign, focusing on the Mankato crossroads area. This campaign’s approach is thought-provoking and can truly make an impact.
Individuals and Church groups: Please consider donating to this cause. Donations can be processed online through the donate button at humanfromdayone.com (specify the Mankato, MN campaign) or can be sent care of and payable to: WRDCCW
attn: Dianne Vangness 706 Bullis St. Kenyon, MN 55946
Landowners: WeTeachThink would love to partner with you for additional, and more costeffective, billboard exposure. Please reach out for more information on this life-affirming opportunity. The abortion industry has disguised abortion with phrases such as freedom of choice and women’s bodily autonomy. But the truth is that abortion is the intentional taking of an innocent human life, made in the image of God and wholly valued by God. We are called to be light to any woman struggling with an unplanned pregnancy. This starts with helping her to recognize the dignity of her unborn child. From there, we can direct her to resources that will truly empower her and not force the false choice of the abortion “solution”.
Women are hurting and need help. Some believe abortion is their only choice. Please review the unique HumanFromDayOne ads created by WeTeachThink. Prayerfully consider a contribution to this campaign. Help us to serve as the literal sign that there is another choice; life is good, even when “unplanned.” As Jesus said in John 10:10: "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Linda McGuire is chair of the Respect Life Commission for the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
Parish Events
July 13, Sunday
St. John the Baptist Parish, Johnsburg, will host its Jamboree 12-6 p.m. at the church, following 11 a.m. Polka Mass.
July 27, Sunday
Holy Trinity Parish, Litomysl, will hold its 53rd annual Summer Festival, beginning with a Polka Mass at 10:15 a.m. Festivities from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Food. Games for kids and adults, with thousands of prizes to win. Used-a-bit items for sale. Silent auction. Garden produce and baked goods (prune, poppyseed & apricot buchty). Live music. Something for everyone, and all are welcome! Church is handicapped accessible. Litomysl is 8 miles south of Owatonna on Co. Rd. 45, then 2 miles east on Co. Rd. 4 (SE 98th St) to 9946 24th Ave SE, Owatonna. Call 507-456-7671 for more information. Website: www.litomyslchurch.org
Two Ways to Support the Society of St. Vincent de Paul on July 21:
Sorellina's Italian Restaurant (1155 16th St. SW in Rochester) has agreed to offer a special deal for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - District Council of Rochester:
1. Come eat at or take out from Sorellina's between 11 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday, July 21, 2025.
2. Mention that you want to support St. Vincent de Paul, and...
3. 25% of your purchase amount will be donated to St. Vincent de Paul - Rochester District Council!
Spread the word to family and friends!
The TerraLoco $5, 5k Walk/Run on July 21 will benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul - District Council of Rochester.
New this year: TerraLoco (a Rochester-based shoe store that hosts a 5k to benefit a different local charity every week) is requesting walkers or runners to finish the 5k at 6:45 p.m. Then the charity will speak about its mission and the prize drawing will be held. This means that if it takes you an hour to walk 3.1 miles (5k), you should start at 5:45 p.m. If you plan to run the 5k and it takes you 30 minutes to run 3.1 miles, then start at 6:15 p.m.
Remember to check in at TerraLoco (1190 16th St. SW in Rochester) prior to beginning your 5k to sign the waiver, pay $5 to SVdP (cash only), and pick up your snap band. The 5k includes a marked course, post-run/walk snacks, and a prize drawing. You must be present to win!
