The COURIER
Welcoming Young Adults into the Faith
By ERIN FLATTERY and ELSA SCHREINER
�
he St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Winona is more than a chapel or club - it’s a vibrant Catholic community rooted in the heart of Winona State University’s campus. Led by their chaplain, Fr. Michael Churchill; the director of campus ministry, Rachel Murray; the coordinator of campus ministry, Erin Flattery; and a dedicated team of FOCUS missionaries, the Newman Center is a community that strives to go
outside of itself to bring souls home to the Church and ultimately, to the Heart of Jesus.
Our Mission
“Heart speaks to Heart.” Written on a giant sign that drapes across the front of our building, these words from St. John Henry Newman get to the “heart” of our mission here at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman
Adults, cont'd on pg. 14
Triumph of the Heart
New Film Has DOW-R Connection
A new film about St. Maximilian Kolbe is now available for community screenings. In the following article, Minnesota native KATERINA GERLACH shares her experience working as an assistant director and script supervisor on the film. She is the daughter of Michelle Gerlach, chancellor of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
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riumph of the Heart tells the powerful story of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest who, while imprisoned in Auschwitz during WWII, volunteered to die in a starvation cell so that the life of another prisoner might be spared.
While most biographical films begin with the individual’s childhood and walk us through their entire life, this account starts where most stories of St. Kolbe end - at the moment he volunteers. Triumph of the Heart follows Kolbe and nine other men, chosen at random, through the final days of their lives. The men in this cell could not be more different from one another, and tension is high, but, despite their disparities, the men begin to grow closer, bonded by their common powerlessness and faced with their imminent deaths. They share their stories and their regrets, their favorite memories and their trauma. They pray together, cry together, and laugh together. Slowly, their
, cont'd on pg. 15
Church Must Support Concrete Pro-Family Policies, Pope Says 2
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY, Oct. 24, 2025 (CNS) - A society cannot pretend to be pro-family if it does not adopt policies that allow parents and children to spend time together rather than always being worried about work, Pope Leo XIV said.
"In a society that often exalts productivity and speed at the expense of relationships, it becomes urgent to restore time and space to the love that is learned within the family, where the first experiences of trust, gift and forgiveness are woven - forming the very fabric of social life," he said Oct. 24.
Pope Leo made the comments during a meeting with faculty, staff, students and alumni of the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences.
Praising the intuition of St. John Paul II for launching the graduate school and Pope Francis for insisting its curriculum be multidisciplinary, Pope Leo asked for particular attention to drawing from and strengthening reflections on the role of the family in Catholic social teaching.
The institute, he said, is called to contribute to "the ongoing renewal of dialogue between family life, the world of work and social justice - addressing issues of pressing relevance such as peace, the care of life and health, integral human development, youth employment, economic sustainability and equal opportunities between men and women, all of which influence the decision to marry and to bring children into the world."
The church and its ministers cannot be "content merely to speak about the truth" concerning marriage and family life, Pope Leo said, but it must "promote concrete and coordinated actions in support of the family," including through government policies.
"In fact, the quality of a country's social and political life is measured above all by how it enables families to live well - to have time for themselves and to cultivate the bonds that unite them," the pope said.
In Amoris Laetitia ("The Joy of Love"), Pope Francis' 2016 post-synodal exhortation on marriage, love and family life, Pope Leo said, the late pope wrote with tenderness to pregnant women, "urging them to cherish the joy of bringing a new life into the world."
"His words express a simple yet profound truth: human life is a gift and must always be welcomed with respect, care and gratitude," Pope Leo said. "Therefore, in the face of so many mothers who experience pregnancy in conditions of loneliness or marginalization, I feel the duty to remind everyone that both the civil and ecclesial communities must remain constantly committed to restoring full dignity to motherhood."
The pope also spoke about what he called "the growing tendency in many parts of the world to undervalue or even reject marriage."
The church's first response, he said, must be "to be attentive to the action of God's grace in the heart of every man and woman. Even when young people
The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 2907 Jeremiah Lane NW, Rochester, MN, 55901 Vol 116 - 11
Most Reverend Robert E. Barron, Publisher Nick Reller, Associate Editor
Telephone: 507-361-3068 E-mail: nreller@dowr.org
Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the 10th of the month prior. (ISSN 0744-5490)
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make choices that do not correspond to the ways proposed by the church according to the teaching of Jesus, the Lord continues to knock at the door of their hearts, preparing them to receive a new inner call."
The church's pastoral workers must recognize that "our time is marked not only by tensions and ideologies that confuse hearts, but also by a growing quest for spirituality, truth and justice - especially among the young," he said. "To welcome and care for this longing is one of the most beautiful and urgent tasks before us all."
Child Abuse Policy Information
The Diocese of Winona-Rochester will provide a prompt, appropriate and compassionate response to reporters of sexual abuse of a child by any diocesan agent (employees, volunteers, vendors, religious or clergy). Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should call the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 507-454-2270, Extension 255. A caller will be asked to provide his or her name and telephone number. Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is committed to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries. The diocesan policy is available on the diocesan web site at www.dow.org under the Safe Environment Program. If you have any questions about the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Michael Gerard at 507-361-3377, or mgerard@dowr.org.
The Courier Insider
Pope Leo XIV greets a baby at the end of an audience with faculty, staff, students and alumni of the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences at the Vatican Oct. 24, 2025. (CNS photo / Vatican Media)
November Saint St. Frances Cabrini Feast
Day:
From Catholic News Agency
1917 and was canonized in 1946, just before a new wave of immigrants began to arrive in the U.S.
St. Frances Cabrini is the patron of immigrants.
November 13 3
�n November 13, the universal Church honors St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian missionary who spent much of her life working with Italian immigrants in the United States. Mother Cabrini, who had a deathly fear of water and drowning, crossed the Atlantic Ocean more than 30 times in service of the
The Holy Father's Intention for
November 2025
For the Prevention of Suicide
Let us pray that those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts might find the support, care, and love they need in their community, and be open to the beauty of life.
Church and the people she was serving.
St. Frances Cabrini, from a young age, longed to be a missionary in China, but God had other plans for her. Orphaned in Italy before she was 18, she joined the Sisters of the Sacred Heart and took on the name “Xavier” in honor of St. Francis Xavier, the great missionary to the Orient.
At the advice of Pope Leo XIII, who told her “Not to the East, but to the West,” she focused her mis sionary efforts on the United States. Accepting Archbishop Corrigan of New York's invitation, she came to America and spent nearly 30 years traveling back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean as well as around the United States setting up orphanages, hospitals, convents, and schools for the often marginalized Italian immigrants.
Eventually, St. Frances became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She died in
[The diocesan chancery in Rochester has a conference room named after St. Frances Cabrini, and her relic lies in the altar of the chancery's Mary Mother of the Eucharist Chapel!]
This Month in The Courier Archives
Holy Spirit parishioners present a "Radio 1944" segment from Our Miss Brooks [in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the establishment of Holy Spirit Parish in Rochester].From left to right are Christopher Riederer as Walter Denton, Kevin Lenz as Mr. Boynton, Ruth Ann Kurtin as Miss Brooks, Ann Anderson as Mrs. Conklin, Cari White as Harriet Conklin, and Patrick Gannon as Mr. Conklin.
[Holy Spirit] is the youngest parish in the Diocese of Winona.
During the first four years, parishioners worshipped in a makeshift "church" which was set up and taken down each Sunday in the Circus World Bingo Hall. But in the short six years since, the parish has enjoyed a large, new church, built a school and grown to 730 families with many more expected as the area's population develops.
[...]
Our Miss Brooks, The Strange Dr. Weird, Bob and Ray, and the Fred Allen Show were presented with segments from the 1944 war era, including appropriate sound effects. The performances concluded with musical selections from the Stage Door Canteen 1944, followed by refreshments for the audience in the gym.
Reprinted from November 2000.
50 & 75 Years
Wan'na Play a Game? Everyone at the Christian Education Center is excited about a new game - and for two reasons: It's an excellent thought-provoking exercise and it was developed by an Austin man, Rev. James Buryska.
Entitled "Persecution," the game is described as a simulation game about Christian commitment. Fr. Buryska refers to it as a "free hand play, where the characters and historical setting are given and the action is improvised, depending on the players and their decisions."
[...]
Contemporary Drama Services, Downers Grove, Ill., accepted "Persecution," prepared it for marketing and the game is now available at the Christian Education Center here. [First published in the Austin Daily Herald, by Pat Sargent.]
Reprinted from November 14, 1975.
United Nations Day was observed at the College of St. Teresa [October 24] when the Angelus bell was rung by Ismini Theologhidou, senior from Athens, Greece, president of the campus International Relations club. She is shown in center with Marguerite Ronan, Lewiston senior, and Dr. Hans W. Freudenthal, club adviser. Students paused at 11:03 - when the world freedom bell was being dedicated in Berlinfor a moment of prayer for the success of the United Nations.
Reprinted from November 12, 1950.
The following is adapted from a homily for the annual White Mass for those in the medical profession.
From the Bishop
� ne of the earliest descriptors of Jesus is as “healer.” When the Greek word for Savior, Soter, was rendered into Latin, it became Salvator, the bearer of the Salus or health. Interestingly, when someone greeted another during the Roman period, he would have said Salve, which has the sense of “good health to you.” Our word “salve” is derived from it.
Jesus was a healer of minds and souls to be sure, but he was also very much a healer of bodies. If he were simply demonstrating his divinity, he could have engaged in wonderworking, but instead he typically healed suffering bodies - giving sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, mobility to the lame and paralyzed, even
*indicates event is open to the public
November 1, Saturday
10 a.m. - Visit with Catholic Residents - Whispering Creek Nursing Home, Janesville
11:15 a.m. - Diocesan Women's Conference Mass - St. Ann, Janesville
Officials
The Most Rev. Robert Barron, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following:
Catholic Cemeteries
Very Rev. Robert Horihan: appointed Canonical Administrator of Calvary Cemetery of Rochester, effective August 20, 2025. Finance Council
Mr. James Rasmussen: appointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of WinonaRochester Finance Council, effective August 19, 2025.
Continuing the Work of the Savior
life to those who had died.
We notice, too, that Jesus typically does not heal from a distance, but rather gets close to those who are suffering: laying his hands upon them, touching them, rubbing mud in the eyes of the man born blind, putting fingers in the ears and spittle in the mouth of the man who was deaf and dumb.
St. Augustine magnificently commented that Christ himself, a coming together of divinity and humanity, is like the salve formed when spittle and earth came together to make mud.
Jesus, for us, is not a remote historical figure, vaguely remembered. Rather, the risen Lord is a living presence who now works through his mystical body the Church. Through that vehicle - which is to say, through us - he continues the work that he commenced two thousand years ago.
Two of the principal works of the Lord were teaching and healing. And this is precisely why the Church has carried on those works massively in its institutional life. We sponsor schools, colleges, universities, catechetical and evangelical programs - all because Jesus was a teacher. And we sponsor hospitals, clinics, and first-aid centers - all because Jesus was a healer.
November 2, Sunday
*8:30 a.m. - All Souls Day Mass - St. Columbanus, Blooming Prairie
November 4, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Priest Retreat MassAlverna Center, Winona
November 6, Thursday
*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester
Judicial Vicar
Rev. Matthew Wagner: appointed to a five-year term as Judicial Vicar for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, effective January 1, 2026.
Vice Chancellor
Rev. Matthew Wagner: appointed Vice Chancellor for the Diocese of WinonaRochester, effective September 23, 2025.
Judge
Very Rev. William Thompson: appointed to a five-year term as First Instance Judge for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Tribunal, effective January 1, 2026.
All of which brings me to those who work in the medical profession. The men and women involved in the ministry of healing are a prolongation of the Incarnation in this time and place. They are continuing the work of the Lord Jesus.
Mother Alfred Moes is a hero of mine. She came on my radar only after I became the bishop of the Winona-Rochester diocese, where Mother Alfred did most of her work and where she lies buried. Hers is a story of remarkable courage, faith, perseverance and sheer moxie.
Mother Alfred was born in Luxembourg in 1828. As a young girl, she became fascinated by the possibility of doing missionary work among the native peoples of North America. Accordingly, she journeyed with her sister to the New World in 1851. First, she joined the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Milwaukee but then transferred to the Holy Cross Sisters in La Porte, Indiana. She eventually made her way to Joliet, Illinois, where she became superior of a new congregation of Franciscan sisters, taking the name “Mother Alfred.” When Bishop Foley of Chicago tried to interfere with the finances and building projects of her community, she set out for greener pastures in Minnesota, where the great
November 7, Friday
St. Paul Center Gala - Nashville, TN
November 9, Sunday
*10:30 a.m. - Mass - Basilica of the Assumption, Baltimore, MD
November 10-13, MondayThursday USCCB Assembly - Baltimore, MD
Priest Delegate
Rev. Msgr. Thomas Cook: appointed Priest Delegate of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Owatonna, effective September 23, 2025.
Canonical Administrator
Rev. Marreddy Pothireddy: appointed Canonical Administrator of Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery in Owatonna, effective September 23, 2025.
Diaconal Ministry
Deacon Robert Yerhot: transferred to diaconal ministry at Sacred Heart Parish in Waseca and All Saints Parish in New Richland, for a six-year term, effective November 1, 2025.
Archbishop Ireland took her in and allowed her to establish a school in Rochester. It was in that tiny town in southern Minnesota that God commenced to work powerfully through her. In 1883, a terrible tornado tore through Rochester, killing many and leaving others homeless and destitute. A local doctor, William Worrall Mayo, undertook the task of caring for the victims of the disaster. Overwhelmed by the number of injured, he called upon Mother Alfred’s sisters to help him.
Though they were teachers rather than nurses and had no formal training in medicine, they accepted the mission. In the wake of the debacle, Mother calmly informed Dr. Mayo that she had a vision that a hospital should be built in Rochester, not simply to serve that local community but rather the whole world. Astonished by this utterly unrealistic proposal, Dr. Mayo told Mother that she would need to raise $40,000 (an astronomical figure for that time and place) in order to build such a facility. She in turn told the doctor that if she managed to raise the funds and build the hospital, she expected him and his two physician sons to staff the place.
November 20, Thursday
*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester 10:30 a.m. - College of Consultors - The Chancery, Rochester
November 21, Friday *12:10 p.m. - Mass for Deceased Clergy - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester
Review Board
Mr. John Anderson: reappointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Review Board, effective September 23, 2025.
Mr. Mitchell Moore: reappointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of WinonaRochester Review Board, effective September 23, 2025.
Ms. Nelle Moriarty: reappointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Review Board, effective September 23, 2025.
Catholic Charities
Deacon
Robert Miller: appointed to a three-year term
Within a short span of time, she procured the money, and St. Marys Hospital was established. This, of course, was the seed from which the mighty Mayo Clinic would grow, a hospital system that indeed, as Mother Alfred envisioned long ago, serves the entire world.
All those who continue in the healing profession share her vision. And in the name of the Church, I am proud and happy to thank you and to give praise to the Christ who inspires and empowers you.
November 23, Sunday 10 a.m. - Rector Installation Mass - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona
November 25, Tuesday
*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester 2 p.m. - Finance Council - The Chancery, Rochester
on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, effective October 15, 2025.
Ms. Sara Auringer: appointed to a three-year term on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, effective October 15, 2025.
Mrs. Allison Hesse: appointed to a three-year term on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, effective October 15, 2025.
Mr. Theodore Leon: appointed to a three-year term on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, effective October 15, 2025.
Bishop's Calendar
Non Nisi Te Domine
Bishop Robert Barron
Continuando la obra del Salvador 5
Por el OBISPO ROBERT BARRON
Lo siguiente es una adaptación de una homilía para la Misa Blanca anual para los profesionales de la medicina:
�na de las primeras descripciones de Jesús es la de «sanador». Cuando la palabra griega para Salvador, Soter, se tradujo al latín, se convirtió en Salvator, el portador de la Salus o salud. Curiosamente, cuando alguien saludaba a otra persona durante la época romana, decía Salve, que tiene el significado de «buena salud para ti». Nuestra palabra «salve» deriva de ahí. Jesús era sin duda un sanador de mentes y almas, pero también era en gran medida un sanador de cuerpos. Si simplemente hubiera querido demostrar su divinidad, podría haber realizado milagros, pero en cambio solía sanar cuerpos que sufrían: devolviendo la vista a los ciegos, el oído a los sordos, la movilidad a los cojos y paralíticos, e incluso la vida a los que habían muerto.
También observamos que Jesús no solía sanar a distancia, sino que se acercaba a los que sufrían: les imponía las manos, los tocaba, untaba barro en los ojos del ciego de nacimiento, metía los dedos en los oídos y saliva en la boca del sordomudo. San Agustín comentó magníficamente que Cristo mismo, unión de divinidad y humanidad, es como el ungüento que se forma cuando la saliva y la tierra se unen para crear barro. Para nosotros, Jesús no es una figura histórica lejana, vagamente recordada. Más bien, el Señor resucitado es una presencia viva que ahora obra a través de su cuerpo místico, la Iglesia. A través de ese vehículo —es decir, a través de nosotros— continúa la obra que comenzó hace dos mil años. Dos de las principales obras del Señor fueron la enseñanza y la curación. Y es precisamente por eso que la Iglesia ha continuado esas obras de manera masiva en su vida institucional. Patrocinamos escuelas, colegios, universidades, programas catequéticos y evangélicos, todo porque Jesús fue un maestro. Y patrocinamos
On Oc��ber 18, the Feast of St. Luke the Apostle, Bishop Barron celebrated the annual diocesan White Mass for health care professionals at St. Marys Hospital Chapel in Rochester. He later shared on social media:
This was [...] the first time, since I was thirteen years old, that I haven't worn glasses in public. Earlier in the week, I had cataract surgery. I'm deeply grateful to my doctors for their care and attention, and I'm especially mindful of the important work being done by all those in medicine and healthcare. These men and women, in a very real sense, carry on the healing power of Christ to others.
Photos courtesy of Word on Fire.
hospitales, clínicas y centros de primeros auxilios, todo porque Jesús era un sanador.
Todo esto me lleva a quienes trabajan en la profesión médica. Los hombres y mujeres que participan en el ministerio de la sanación son una prolongación de la Encarnación en este tiempo y lugar. Están continuando la obra del Señor Jesús.
La madre Alfred Moes es una de mis heroínas. La descubrí después de convertirme en obispo de la diócesis de Winona-Rochester, donde la madre Alfred realizó la mayor parte de su trabajo y donde está enterrada. La suya es una historia de notable valentía, fe, perseverancia y puro coraje.
La madre Alfred nació en Luxemburgo en 1828. De joven, le fascinaba la posibilidad de realizar trabajo misionero entre los pueblos nativos de América del Norte. Por ello, en 1851 viajó con su hermana al Nuevo Mundo. Primero se unió a las Hermanas Escolares de Notre Dame en Milwaukee, pero luego se trasladó a las Hermanas de la Santa Cruz en La Porte, Indiana. Finalmente llegó a Joliet,
Illinois, donde se convirtió en superiora de una nueva congregación de hermanas franciscanas, tomando el nombre de «Madre Alfred». Cuando el obispo Foley de Chicago intentó interferir en las finanzas y los proyectos de construcción de su comunidad, se marchó en busca de pastos más verdes a Minnesota, donde el gran arzobispo Ireland la acogió y le permitió establecer una escuela en Rochester. Fue en esa pequeña ciudad del sur de Minnesota donde Dios comenzó a obrar poderosamente a través de ella. En 1883, un terrible tornado arrasó Rochester, causando la muerte de muchas personas y dejando a otras sin hogar y en la indigencia. Un médico local, William Worrall Mayo, se encargó de atender a las víctimas del desastre. Abrumado por el número de heridos, pidió ayuda a las hermanas de la Madre Alfred.
Aunque eran maestras y no enfermeras, y no tenían formación médica oficial, aceptaron la misión. A raíz de la catástrofe, la Madre informó con calma al Dr. Mayo de que
había tenido una visión en la que se debía construir un hospital en Rochester, no solo para servir a la comunidad local, sino a todo el mundo. Sorprendido por esta propuesta totalmente irrealista, el Dr. Mayo le dijo a la Madre que necesitaría recaudar 40.000 dólares (una cifra astronómica para aquella época y lugar) para construir una instalación de ese tipo. Ella, a su vez, le dijo al doctor que, si conseguía recaudar los fondos y construir el hospital, esperaba que él y sus dos hijos médicos formaran parte del personal.
En poco tiempo, consiguió el dinero y se fundó el St. Mary’s Hospital. Ésta fue, por supuesto, la semilla de la que crecería la poderosa Clínica Mayo, un sistema hospitalario que, tal y como la Madre Alfred había previsto hace mucho tiempo, presta servicio a todo el mundo.
Todos los que continúan en la profesión médica comparten su visión. Y en nombre de la Iglesia, me siento orgulloso y feliz de darles las gracias y alabar a Cristo, que los inspira y les da fuerzas.
When We Share the Warmth No One Faces the Cold Alone
By KRISTINA HAMMELL
�
hen Mary was evicted from her apartment earlier this year, she wasn’t the one who reached out for help - she couldn’t. Struggling with her mental health and overcome by fear and confusion, Mary was in crisis. That is when Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota became a presence in her life.
Mary’s mental health made trusting others very difficult, and she was wary of people, even those acting in her best interest. But our staff met her exactly where she was. They took time to listen, reassure, and build trust.
Together, staff across several of our programsincluding Adult Advocacy, Emergency Shelters, and Supportive Housing - worked to coordinate care and develop a plan to help Mary move toward stability. They first addressed her immediate need for shelter, welcoming her at the Overnight Shelter. From there, they collaborated with community mental health providers and shelter staff to support her mental health, build trust, and gradually lay the foundation for the next steps, with the shelter serving as her primary access point to other services.
It took months of patient, dedicated effort. But eventually, Mary transitioned from the Overnight Shelter to The 105 - Catholic Charities’ long-term supportive housing program for individuals working toward independence. Today, she has an apartment of her own and the continued support she needs to stay housed and well.
Mary’s story is a testament to what can happen when people come together with compassion and
persistence. It’s a reminder that meaningful change rarely happens overnight - though it can start at an overnight shelter; it happens when we meet people where they are and walk with them toward what’s possible.
We ask you to help those who live in our periphery, on the margins - the people you see but might not know how to help. That’s who we at Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota are called to serve. We’re here to help - but in order to continue doing this work, we need dedicated staff and fully funded shelters that can meet people in moments of crisis.
One of our biggest challenges is telling the story of our shelters - what we do and how we work each day toward positive solutions to homelessness. As we've built awareness and support in Rochester, Winona, and across Southern Minnesota, we've found that our shelter names have often caused confusion. Knowing there’s no “perfect” name for real-time, evolving services, we’ve recently renamed our shelters to clearly reflect WHO, WHAT, and WHERE. What once were our Warming Centers are now:
• Catholic Charities (Who) Overnight Shelter (What)Rochester (Where)
• Catholic Charities Overnight and Day Shelter - Winona
These names also help us convey that many of our shelters are not just seasonal “warming centers,” but operate yearround - 365 days a year - offering safety and shelter from Minnesota’s extreme weather throughout every season.
Since homelessness is a reality in many of the places served by Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota, we often work with communities to explore how we can be a supportive partner in addressing it. One example is our recent work in Austin, where we are collaborating with dedicated community members to tackle homelessness locally. Together,
we hope to respond to the community’s expressed need for emergency shelter through a possible Overnight Shelter in Austin in the future.
As rental costs rise and more individuals find themselves in unstable situations, the demand for shelter is greater than ever. That’s why we are launching our annual Share the Warmth campaign - to raise awareness and support for shelters in our communities across Southern Minnesota.
When you give to Share the Warmth, you help make sure there’s a place for people like Mary - and so many others. By sponsoring a bed at the shelter, you help us provide the necessary staff, food, and warm bed - a place for people to turn when they need it most.
Sharing warmth is more than providing a blanket or a bed for the night. It’s about compassion for those who simply struggle to stay warm, dry, and safe when winter comes to Minnesota. It’s about remembering that while many of us can step out of the cold and into comfort, others face long nights in cars, in doorways, or without shelter at all. Sharing warmth means recognizing their struggle and choosing to act - to be the hands and feet of Christ to our neighbors.
At Catholic Charities, our work is guided by Jesus’ call - to love our neighbors and uphold the dignity of every person. We believe the warmth we share with others carries the light of hope, the promise of stability, and the reassurance that someone cares.
As the cold months draw near, we invite you to Share the Warmth in whatever way you can - through your prayers, your volunteer time, or your financial gifts. Your support keeps our shelters open, our staff in place, and our communities stronger.
When we share the warmth - both in body and in spirit - no one faces the cold alone.
You can learn more about our work in Southern Minnesota by visiting us at www.ccsomn.org, donating online, or using the QR code in the graphic on the left side of the page.
Kristina Hammell is the director of development and outreach for Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota.
The Overnight Shelter is located at 200 4th St. SE in Rochester.
Minnesota Catholic Conference Inside the Capitol A Catholic Case for the MN Starter Homes Act 7
By MINNESOTA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
�
ousing is more than bricks and mortar. It is where families are formed and safeguarded, ensuring they have a place to grow. However, today’s soaring housing prices are discouraging young adults from getting married, starting families or having more children.
The Minnesota Starter Homes Act (S.F. 2229/H.F. 1987) is a timely response to this challenge.
While there are several reasons why homes are expensive in Minnesota, including construction code mandates, the Minnesota Starter Homes Act is a place to begin the conversation. Introduced in spring 2025, this bipartisan legislation helps to make homeownership more feasible for Minnesota families, especially first-time buyers.
The Current Reality: Families Priced Out of Homes
According to the National Association of Realtors, the average age of first-time homebuyers has risen from 28 in 1991 to 38 today. This increase over the past three decades is largely due to the rising cost of housing, which leaves less room in a family’s budget for groceries, healthcare, childcare, and other daily expenses. If you can’t afford a home, it’s harder to build wealth, and provide children with a stable life.
The Catholic Church recognizes the family as the “domestic church.” A society, in essence, is a family of families. Through various ministries, such as Catholic Charities and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Church has long provided housing services to the poor and vulnerable. However, today’s housing affordability crisis in Minnesota and throughout the United States now reaches into the middle class, and families are being priced out of homeownership. As a result, new public policy initiatives, such as the Minnesota Starter Homes Act, can be part of the solution.
T�e Manka�� Pilgrimage �f ��pe f�r crea�i�n was walked on October 5 at Sibley Park, where participants pledged to repair their relationship with God's gift of water at the confluence of the Blue Earth River and the Minnesota River.
Pictured here are pilgrims gathered for an opening prayer by Rev. Msgr. Thomas Melvin, pastor of St. Joseph the Worker Parish in Mankato and Holy Family Parish in Lake Crystal. More coverage of the Pilgrimages of Hope for Creation in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester appeared in last month's issue of The Courier.
Why the Minnesota Starter Homes Act Matters
The Minnesota Starter Homes Act aims to address the state’s housing crisis by increasing the supply of affordable homes for families, including smaller single-family houses, duplexes, accessory dwelling units and townhouses. At the same time, it proposes loosening restrictive zoning laws, reducing lot size requirements, streamlining the approval process and reconsidering other mandates, such as HOA fees. In addition, the act has the potential to create more opportunities for multigenerational living by caring for loved ones in accessory dwelling units.
Hopefully, by relaxing zoning restrictions in residential areas, the supply of homes will increase, while prices decrease.
Although the Minnesota Starter Homes Act gained traction in the House, it did not pass the Senate State and Local Government Committee. While its future is uncertain, negotiations among the House, Senate and interested stakeholders are ongo ing. Meanwhile, Catholics can advocate for changes needed to improve the housing affordability crisis.
Rebuilding the Domestic Church
Subsidiarity, a core Catholic principle, insists that decisions should usually be made at the most local level, when possible, because those people are typically best situated to address the problem. Unfortunately, too many cities want to restrict the types of housing that can be built in their residential communities, and so it is sometimes necessary for legislation such as the Starter Homes Act to “pre empt” these local zoning prohibitions.
As faithful citizens, Catholics are called to engage in politics with a spirit of cooperation and dialogue - helping to build common ground
Photo submitted by SR. MARY KAY ASH, SSND, archives contact and database coordinator for the School Sisters of Notre Dame, Central Pacific Province.
while advocating for policies that uphold dignity and promote the common good, including those that strengthen family life.
For more information and to take action:
• Read the Minnesota Catholic Conference’s letter of support for the Minnesota Starter Homes Act: mncatholic.org/letter_of_support_for_minnesota_starter_home_act
• Reach out to your lawmakers and encourage them to support this legislation
• Share this information with your pastor and fellow parishioners, inviting them into the conversation
If we want to renew family life in Minnesota,
Here at the Table of Plenty A Reflection and Action on Food Insecurity
By ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
�
id you see the recent headlines about Hamburger Helper? I hadn’t, until my husband mentioned it, and that small nudge sent me down a rabbit hole. The brand, born in 1971 as a way to stretch a pound of meat into a family meal, has seen a meaningful surge in sales this year - 14.5% increase January through August compared to the same period last year. A sign, perhaps, of households trading down to lowercost staples as grocery budgets tighten?
The USDA’s Economic Research Service’s September 2025 Forecast indicated that “In 2025, overall food prices are anticipated to rise faster than the historical average rate of growth,” which has made grocery shopping feel heavier in our carts and on our hearts. While I do think it’s a good sign that the ERS predicts a slowdown in 2026: “…overall food prices are expected to increase more slowly than the historical average rate of growth,” I am still worried about now.
“Jobless claims spiked to their highest level since 2021 in early September. And, revised BLS data also showed 13,000 positions lost in June, marking the country's first month of negative job growth since December 2020,” explained a September AOL article. So, what? I can tell you locally, the impact is very real and very immediate. My mother, who volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul in Owatonna, told me last week that their Tuesday meal service on September 30 served 210 meals - a new record for the community of 26,000, where four different churches coordinate weekly evening meals for neighbors in need. For context, they served an average of 168 meals a week in non-holiday weeks last December and 184 average per week in June. This kind of turnout tells me a few things. First - Praise the Lord! Four churches and an enormous number of volunteers are fulfilling a need in Owatonna four times per week! Now that is faith in action, plain and simple.
Second, it means, locally, the need is real and growing.
I bet most of us have at least one thing we can do about it. If you’ve met me, you’ve probably figured out I’m a pretty action-oriented person. So, here goes - first, a short list of ways you might be able to help. And, second, a list of resources and food shelves around our diocese.
How You Can Help - Practical Steps
• Bring nonperishables to your parish food drive or drop them at a local food shelf.
• Volunteer an hour or two at a meal site or food shelf; many can use help with distribution and packing.
• Give a financial gift to your parish’s outreach ministry or to Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota.
• Sponsor a meal at a local soup kitchen or parish pantry.
• Talk with your parish social ministry about starting or expanding a diaper, baby formula, or senior-friendly items drive.
• Pray for those who are hungry and for those who serve them
• Invite a friend to take action with you.
How You Can Get Help – Local Food Resources
If you or someone you know needs food today, please see the resource list below for local options. We suggest you call before going to confirm hours.
FreeFood.org - Find your nearest food shelf quickly
Albert Lea - Salvation Army Food Pantry 302 Court Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007 (507) 373-8776
Austin - Salvation Army / Austin Area Food Shelf (Salvation Army Austin Corps) 409 1st Ave NE, Austin, MN 55912. (507) 437-4566
Fairmont - Hope Shop at St. John Vianney Parish 901 S Prairie Avenue, Fairmont, MN 56031 507-235-5535
Mankato - ECHO Food Shelf S. Front St., Mankato, MN 56001 (507) 345-7477
Owatonna - Owatonna Community Pathways 155 Oakdale St., Owatonna, MN 55060
Rochester - Rochester Area Foundation / Channel One Food Shelf partner listings (multiple locations) 131 35th Street SE, Rochester, MN 55904. (507) 287-2010
Winona - Winona Volunteer Services Food Shelf 402 E. 2nd St., Winona, MN 55987. (507) 452-5591; email: info@winonavs.org.
Worthington - Manna Food Pantry 230 Clary Street, Worthington, MN 56187 (507) 329-1951.
A Reflection
Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 remind us that feeding the hungry is feeding Christ himself: “'For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Matthew 25:35-40
These local stories - the full meal lines, the volunteer hands, the parish kitchen opening its doors - are not statistics to me; they are gospel lived. If this nudges your heart to donate a jar of peanut butter, offer an hour of time, or speak to your parish leaders about long-term support for neighbors in need, then we have done something holy together.
Take the Next Step
If you find this useful, please share it: leave the list of food resources flipped open at the library or on a park bench, forward it to a friend, or post part of it in your parish bulletin. If you have a story to share about what your parish is doing to help locally, please let us know! We’d love to hear and share it with others! info@catholicfsmn.org.
Elizabeth Williams is the executive director of the
Cash, Assets, and Discernment
A Stewardship Reflection for Uncertain Times
By ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
i’ve been thinking a lot lately about risk. Not the kind that makes headlines, but the quiet kind - the kind that sits in our parish finance meetings, in our donor conversations, in the hearts of those entrusted with stewarding the Church’s resources.
When markets feel volatile, when inflation creeps in, when interest rates shift and headlines swirl, it’s tempting to retreat to what feels safe: cash. Cash is tangible. It’s accessible. It doesn’t fluctuate on a ticker. But is it always the wisest choice?
What Does It Mean to “Hold Cash”?
Holding cash - whether in a checking account, savings account, or a CD - is often seen as a way to protect against risk. And in some cases, it’s absolutely prudent. Parishes need liquidity for payroll, maintenance, and ministry. Schools need reserves for tuition gaps and emergencies. Cemeteries need lawn care and snow removal.
But cash also has a hidden cost: inflation. When prices rise and interest rates fall, the purchasing power of cash erodes. What bought 100 loaves of bread last year might only buy 90 this year. Over time, that erosion can quietly undermine our mission.
What About Assets?
Assets - like equities, bonds, or real estate - carry risk, yes. But they also carry potential. Historically, diversified investments have outpaced inflation and
grown in value. For Catholic organizations with longterm missions, investing can be a way to multiply resources for future ministry.
It’s not about chasing returns. It’s about aligning our financial strategy with our spiritual mission. As Jesus taught in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14–30), stewardship involves discernment, courage, and trust. The servant who buried his talent out of fear was not praised. The ones who invested and multiplied were.
Discernment in Practice
So how do we decide? Here are a few questions I invite Catholic leaders to consider:
• What portion of our funds must remain liquid for short-term needs?
• What portion could be invested to grow our mission over time?
• Are we holding cash out of prudence—or out of fear?
• Have we sought counsel from trusted financial advisors who understand Catholic values?
• Are we praying through these decisions, inviting the Holy Spirit into our financial stewardship?
A Local Option for Faithful Investment
At the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota, we offer a way to invest that aligns with Catholic social teaching and supports our local Church.
Whether you’re a parish finance council, a school board, or a donor discerning your legacy, we’re here to walk with you.
A Final Word from Scripture
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
-Matthew 6:21
In times of uncertainty, may we be guided not by fear, but by faith. Not by headlines, but by hope. And not by short-term comfort, but by long-term mission. If you’d like help discerning your organization’s financial strategy, I’d be honored to connect. Let’s steward wisely - together.
Elizabeth Williams is the executive director of the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota.
Congratulations to the following parishes, which have met their goals for the 2025 CMA! 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.
Adams
Sacred Heart
Blooming Prairie
St. Columbanus
Byron
Christ the King
Chatfield
St. Mary
Currie
Immaculate Heart of Mary
Dodge Center
St. John the Baptist de la Salle
Easton
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Fulda
St. Gabriel
Good Thunder
St. Joseph
Grand Meadow
St. Finbarr
Hayfield
Sacred Heart
Heron Lake
Sacred Heart
Hokah
St. Peter
Jackson
Good Shepherd
Janesville
St. Ann
Johnsburg
St. John
Kasson
Holy Family
La Crescent
Crucifixion
Lakefield
St. Joseph
LeRoy
St. Patrick
Litomysl
Holy Trinity
Lyle
Queen of Peace
Mabel
St. Olaf
Mankato
St. Joseph the Worker
St. Thomas More Newman Center
Mazeppa
Ss. Peter & Paul
Medford
Christ the King
New Richland
All Saints
Owatonna
Sacred Heart
St. Joseph
Preston
St. Columban
Rochester
Pax Christi
St. Francis of Assisi
Rose Creek
St. Peter
Sherburn
St. Luke
Simpson
St. Bridget Slayton
St.
St. Ann
DOW-R Partners with #iGiveCatholic
By MARK DOCKERY
�he Diocese of Winona-Rochester is excited to announce a new partnership with #iGiveCatholic, a nationwide crowdfunding initiative that empowers parishes, Catholic schools, and ministries to raise vital funds - and inspire generosity - across our local Church.
Be Part of Something Bigger
This Giving Tuesday (December 2), don’t scroll past. Don’t wait for someone else to give. Join the movement. Support your parish, your school, your favorite ministry.
Together, let’s make the inaugural #iGiveCatholic for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester successful. Because when we give generously, we don’t just support the Church - we become the Church.
This year, every parish, school, and ministry in the Diocese has the opportunity to create its own online campaign through the #iGiveCatholic platform under the diocesan umbrella. Even better - the Diocese has covered all registration costs, so participating organizations can join at no cost.
Visit:
igivecatholic.org/community/winona-rochester on December 2nd to learn more and make your gift!
What Is #iGiveCatholic?
Celebrated annually since 2015 on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving - this year, December 2 - #iGiveCatholic on Giving Tuesday marks the start of the charitable season and unites Catholics across the country in a simple, powerful mission: to “Give Back and Give
Catholic.”
As the first-ever Catholic Giving Day, this campaign calls the faithful to express gratitude for God’s blessings through concrete acts of generosity. Each donation supports ministries that educate, evangelize, serve, and strengthen our communities - right here in southern Minnesota.
Why It Matters
In a world filled with noise and consumerism, #iGiveCatholic stands as a bold reminder that faithfilled giving changes lives. It’s not just about meeting financial needs; it’s about renewing our commitment to the mission of the Church.
Every contribution, no matter the size, fuels Catholic education, supports seminarians, repairs parish buildings, funds outreach to those in need, and sustains ministries that share Christ’s love. This is stewardship in action - an invitation for every Catholic to live their faith through generosity. Since 2015, #iGiveCatholic has raised over $91 million across over 50 dioceses in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Local Impact, Global Mission
#iGiveCatholic allows donors to choose exactly where their gifts go, from helping a small rural parish replace its roof to funding tuition assistance for Catholic school families or supporting religious sisters teaching in our schools.
While the impact begins locally, it also connects us to something greater. On this one day, Catholics across the nation and the world unite in a collective act of faith and generosity - a visible witness that the Church is alive and thriving.
Thank You
for Your Seminarian Education Fund Gifts!
We a� ��e Ca���lic F��n�a�i�n send a heartfelt thank you to each of you who donated to the Seminarian Education Fund this summer and into fall. The Seminarian Education Fund is the primary campaign that funds education for seminarians from our diocese through all stages - and all eight years! - of their formation. With your help, we were able to build up an additional $167,000 in the storehouse for the coming school year’s expenses.
Going forward, you can look for communications about the Seminarian Education Fund to come from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, including the annual mailer sent out in the fall. For questions, please contact Mark Dockery at mdockery@dowr.org.
-Elizabeth Williams Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota
A Light to the World
When society focuses on buying more during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Catholics can shine a different light. #iGiveCatholic celebrates charity over consumption, discipleship over distraction. Every gift is an act of evangelization, proclaiming that our faith community is active, engaged, and joyfully giving back.
Each donation is a seed planted in hope - a tangible expression of trust in God’s providence and participation in his mission. Be generous. Be bold. Be Catholic. To learn more, I’d be happy to talk with you! Please reach out to me.
Mark Dockery is the director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. He can be reached at 507-361-3364 or mdockery@ dowr.org.
After All Souls Day
Carrying Forward a Legacy of Faith
By NICOLE WENINGER
a
s we remember the souls of our faithfully departed and the final prayers of All Souls’ Day are said, we are left with a quiet invitation: to carry forward the love, faith, and legacy of those who have gone before us.
Observed each year on November 2, All Souls’ Day is a solemn and sacred moment to pray for the souls of those who have passed. Across the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and beyond, churches hold special Masses and families gather in cemeteries to visit loved ones. In honoring the dead, we reaffirm our belief in eternal life.
During this season of remembrance, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary (IHMS) encourages the faithful to reflect not only on the lives we’ve lost but also on the legacy we hope to leave.
We invite you to be a part of IHMS’s lasting memory. For over half a century we have assisted our young men in their journey of faith in responding to the call of priesthood. Their vocations were made possible by the prayers and generosity of people like you. By including IHMS in your estate planning, you ensure continued support for our lasting mission. Whether through a bequest, a percentage of your estate, or another planned gift, you can help ensure that future generations have access to holy and well-formed priests.
To ask questions about making a legacy gift to IHMS, please contact the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota at 507858-1275 or email us at info@catholicfsmn. org. To learn more, visit catholicfsmn.org/ estate-planning.
Nicole Weninger is a marketing and communications associate for Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota.
Obituaries
Sister LaDonna Maier, OSF, 97, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Sunday, October 12, 2025.
Hildine Alma Virginia Maier (Sister LaDonna) was born on July 1, 1928, in Pierz Township, Morrison County, to Joseph and Ida (Mischke) Maier. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1950, received the name Sister LaDonna, and made perpetual vows in 1956.
Sister LaDonna’s nearly six decades of ministry, grounded in compassion and a deep commitment to service, took her across the country in roles spanning education, healthcare, and spiritual care. She began her ministry as an elementary school teacher, serving in Catholic schools in Watertown, SD (1953–56); Rochester (1956–59); Portsmouth, OH (1959–61); Delano (1961–63); and Winona (1963–65). After completing her degree at the College of St. Catherine, she transitioned into healthcare, working as an occupational therapist in Austin and Winona, and later directing the occupational therapy program at St. Joseph Hospital in Brainerd (1972–79). Her ministry later extended to Texas, Colorado, Arizona, and Washington, where she served those
experiencing homelessness, provided respite care, and participated in spiritual renewal through sabbatical and prayer ministry. She continued to offer supportive services in Minneapolis and St. Paul, including her work with Sisters Care, Inc. (2001–07). In 2011, Sister LaDonna retired to Assisi Heights.
Survivors of Sister LaDonna Maier include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 75 years; two sisters, Ethel Ginkel and Gloria Flint; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother Hilary Maier; and two sisters, Adelia Britz and Irma Lobello.
Sister LaDonna made the gift of an anatomical bequest to Mayo Clinic. A private Memorial Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on October 29, 2025, with burial to follow on a later date.
Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com.
Sister Mary Louise McKenna, SSND, 94, died October 14, 2025, at Benedictine Living Community - St. Gertrude’s, Shakopee. Her Funeral Mass was celebrated October 20 at Windermere Chapel, with Fr. Joe Fogal as presider.
Burial followed in the Good Counsel Cemetery, Mankato.
Sister Mary Louise was born in 1931 in Shakopee. She attended country school for her first four years and completed her elementary education at St. Mary School, Shakopee. She then enrolled as an aspirant at Good Counsel Academy. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1948 following her academy graduation that same year. After profession of First Vows in 1951, she began a Catholic school ministry that involved teaching primary, middle and junior high students in Minnesota Catholic schools, including Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato (195153 and 1960-66) and St. Casimir, Wells (196669). At St. Casimir, she was a “teaching principal,” responsible for upper grade students in addition to her administrative responsibilities. As a novice she had received the name Sister Mary Carola, by which she was known when she taught in diocesan schools. She returned to her baptismal name in 1969, and in 1972 returned to the Mankato area as principal and CCD director at Holy Rosary in North Mankato. In 1981 she moved into religious education ministry and served at parishes in Willmar and Rosemount. She retired to Good Counsel in 2019 and moved to Shakopee in 2022 with other School Sisters of Notre Dame.
Sister Mary Louise is survived by her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates; and her brother David (Sandy). She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Loretta (Weber) McKenna; her sister, Carol McDonald; and her brothers Harold and Richard. A longer obituary and a recording of her funeral are available at www.ssndcp.org/obituaries. Memorials may be directed to the School Sisters of Notre Dame; 11 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 310; Mankato, MN 56001.
Diocesan CCW Convention Was a Blessing
By SHELLY HOLT
� he Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women held their convention This Is My Body: Believe in the Eucharist at St. Adrian Church in Adrian on Saturday, October 12.
The day included mission collections for Rochester Medical Missions and Cross Catholic Box of Joy,
Keynote speakers Melissa Neumann and Dawn Ritter, FNP spoke on "Healing Hidden Wounds" and
"Hold Your Feminine Genius," respectively.
A $2,000 scholarship was presented to thirdyear seminarian Stephen Ferrazzano, a convert to Catholicism.
We planted a "Mary Garden," shopped with Catholic vendors, had purse and cupcake drawings, enriched our spirituality with the Rosary in three languages, and celebrated Mass with our diocesan spiritual advisor Fr. Kurt Farrell, who concelebrated with Fr. Rick Colletti, pastor of St. Adrian.
After the Mass, Joanie Betsinger was installed as the vice president.
Many friendships were renewed. We were blessed!
Our diocesan council will have a leadership changeover meeting on November 10 with newly current officers and chairs along with the appointed treasurer, commission chairs and committee chairs.
Mary Is the First Tabernacle
By JOANIE BETSINGER
blessings, my sisters in Christ. I was honored to attend the NCCW Convention in
eight-hour drive. (We could even caravan!)
There were so many things that truly moved me at the national convention. (I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me on several occasions!) The welcome homily from Father Tom, our national spiritual advisor, was one such moment. I share a small portion of that with you, with his permission.
Mary Is the First Tabernacle
Long before a golden vessel was fashioned to house the consecrated host, the living God chose to dwell in her womb. She bore within herself the same Jesus whom we adore in the Eucharist. Mary hurries to Elizabeth, and just her arrival - just the presence of Christ within her - causes John the Baptist to leap for joy. The Eucharist is meant to be shared. Jesus blessed and broke the bread not to keep it for himself, but to give it away. And Mary, after receiving Christ, doesn’t keep him for herself; she goes “in haste” to Elizabeth, bringing joy that makes even an unborn child leap.
The Eucharist is not meant to stay behind in the sanctuary; it is meant to spill over into the streets! The world is hungry for that presence - hungry for
We will evaluate our past year, determine the programming, and budget for 2026. We continue to grow membership through individuals and church and organization affiliations!
If you are not an individual member of the Council of Catholic Women or your church is not affiliated, I invite you to take a look at how your gifts and talents fit and how Council can enrich your life.
I recently spoke about Council of Catholic Women on Real Presence Live from St. James Coffee in Rochester. You can listen to a recording on Apple Podcasts by searching "Shelly Holt - RPL 10.9.25 1/1 - Real Presence Live."
May God bless you abundantly at the beginning of the Liturgical Year, with Advent starting November 30!
Shelly Holt is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She can be reached at 507-381-2842 or shellyholttotalwellness@gmail.com.
Our New Vice President Joanie Betsinger
I am J�anie Be�singer from St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Spring Valley. I have been an active, working RN for 53 years. I presently teach CNAs. I have five granddaughters and one grandson. I also have two daugh ters, a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law.
I am the CCW vice president, president for the Austin area, and love working with the CCW. I am the outreach Eucharist server for my parish. I was widowed last November and am still getting used to this new role.
love that is real, for compassion that is genuine, for faith that is lived out loud. And who better than you, women of faith, to carry that presence into the world? So, offer your struggles, your wounds, and even your limits, knowing God can transform them. Give yourself away so others may encounter Christ through you.”
Joanie Betsinger is the new vice president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
Joanie Betsinger is installed as W-RDCCW vice president.
The written reflections of CCW members were attached to paper flowers in a "Mary's Garden."
Stephen Ferrazzano, winner of the seminarian scholarship.
Young Adults, cont'd from pg. 1
Center: to be a community that intimately knows who love is and learns from love himself how to be love to the world. Aided by the intercession of St. Thomas Aquinas and the Blessed Virgin Mary, we aim to grow in Christ’s likeness and to be Christ to others by focusing on the following four pillars:
1. Encounter with Christ - The Newman Center provides many opportunities for students to encounter Jesus through the Mass, adoration, Scripture, personal prayer and fellowship.
2. Community & belonging - College can be a time of big transitions. The Newman Center strives to be a stable, welcoming space where students feel truly at home.
3. Discipleship & formation - Beyond attending liturgies, students are invited to grow through Bible studies, small groups, retreats, and discussions that help them live with their faith at the center of their academics, friendships, and future.
4. Mission & service - We challenge students to grow in Christian maturity by giving them opportunities to practice being a self-gift to those around them. Throughout the year, students are invited to look beyond themselves by serving on campus, in their community, and on mission trips. At the Newman Center students also have the space to discern whether God might be inviting them to give a greater “yes” in the form of the priesthood or religious life or even long-term missionary work.
Elsa Schreiner, one of our students writes:
It’s Thursday night and the chapel is packed. Chairs crammed into every corner hold college students sitting elbow-to-elbow, and every stomach gurgle or slight shift in sitting position reverberates throughout the entire room for everyone to hear. It’s a little too warm, but the fans whir in the corners and blow people’s hair into the faces of the person next to them. We trip over each other’s feet when it’s time to go up
for communion. Some of us sit on couches outside the chapel, and Father tries his best to stand in their view when it’s time for the homily.
This scene may sound uncomfortable to some, but, to students at the Winona State Newman Center, this is an average Thursday night - a packed chapel filled with friends that feel more like family. While our building may be small, it is a home, providing a deep sense of belonging and security. We are one big family who have seen each other at our best and at our worst and still show up. We don’t resent our chapel for being small but rather thank God that it is so full.
Maddy Jongquist is a first-year psychology major at Winona State. Right from the beginning of the year, she got involved with the Newman Center because she knew she could find community here.
“Everyone's very inviting and open to anyone who comes through the doors. They just genuinely want people to live with Christ. And it doesn't matter who you are - they are genuinely interested in you and not anything else,” Maddy says.
The student president of the Newman Center, Ella Zimny, is a second-year elementary education major. Her first year at the Newman Center was so influential that she decided this year to take the step into this leadership role.
“I just love the Newman Center, and I love being able to lead things. There's just no better place to lead than when I can lead in faith,” Ella says. She believes that while the Newman Center is physically small, that adds to the sense of community. “Our Newman Center is special because of its charm. You walk in, and you can see every square inch…. Walking in and just being able to see all the conversations happening and the tightness of our community is such an amazing blessing we've been given here.”
College can be so isolating. Students can flounder about from group to group, seeking for fulfillment and desiring with their whole hearts just to be seen, known, and loved. So often, they seek community in the wrong places. Instead of finding belonging, they find emptiness and brokenness. But each and every person who walks through the doors of the Newman Center can sense that this is a place of true community.
Ella says, “The Newman Center has given me and so many others a place to call home. It’s a really great place to come hang out with and meet new friends. And there’s always an invitation, the doors are always open, so it's really such a blessing to have a place to go when I need a feeling of home.”
Finding community right away as a freshman is vital to getting on the right path in college.
“I think when you have connections with people who have God at the center of their life, they can really influence you, especially as a freshman,” Maddy says. “Coming into a new space and you have all these connections through Christ, it really helps you set the tone for the next four years…and it keeps you accountable, too, to keep your eyes set on Christ.
Third-year mathematics major Williams Castro has also found community at the Newman Center. He became involved in 2024 after making a connection with a missionary and eventually went through the OCIA process and was confirmed this past spring. He now leads Bible studies and provides students who are in the same position he once was with understanding and patience.
"The Newman Center is special because of how
close we are. A lot of other Newman Centers allow you to go and meet friends and find a great community for yourself, but there are not many where you can say, I know 90% of the people here and have a genuine friendship with them,’” Williams says. “It doesn't matter how long you're at the Newman Center; you're going to see spiritual growth; you're going to see your faith grow just by being here.”
For me personally, the most influential aspect of the Newman Center is how deeply invested everyone is in one another. I have an entire community of people who genuinely care about my soul and want me to get to heaven. Being rooted in a deep sense of community is what allows me and so many others to feel supported, seen, known, and loved, all things that are crucial to being disciples of Jesus. We aren’t meant to walk alone on this journey of life. We are designed by God to live and worship in communion with one another; and this knowledge guides everything we do at the Newman Center. Every outreach event, Bible study invitation, Newman night, and short conversation about Jesus with a random student on campus is all aimed toward bringing as many people as possible into a community that will help them get to heaven. We care about souls and recognize that college campuses are oftentimes where the most souls are crying out for true friendships.
We hope that our Newman Center continues to feel smaller and smaller. Packed churches mean that something in a community is going right.
Join Our Mission
Find out how you can be a part of the mission here at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center by visiting us on social media (Instagram: @wsu.warrior.catholic), going on our website (warriorcatholic.org), or by paying us a visit at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center here in Winona (475 Huff St. Winona, MN 55987). The Newman Center’s contact information is also available on the DOW-R website (dowr.org) as is the contact information for the St. Thomas More Newman Center at Minnesota State University in Mankato.
Erin Flattery is the coordinator of campus ministry at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center in Winona. Elsa Schreiner is a Winona State University student who is active in the Newman Center.
Triumph
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attitudes change. With Kolbe’s help and leadership, despair transforms into hope. The men begin to dedicate their time in the cell to spreading that hope, singing patriotic songs and Polish Marian hymns for all to hear, despite the guards’ best efforts to silence them. In those two weeks, they become a family, and, when the last of the men passes away, every semblance of despair has been demolished.
I first heard about the making of Triumph of the Heart in the summer of 2023 when I was hiking the Camino, a 500-mile pilgrimage in Spain. When I learned the film was about St. Maximilian Kolbe, I was beyond excited. I’ve had a devotion to St. Kolbe since I first heard his story in middle school, and have had a fascination with WWII stories and films for as long as I can remember.
Having graduated from film school a year before and worked on a variety of films in the interim, I reached out to Director Anthony D’Ambrosia and Producer Cecilia Stevenson and expressed my enthusiasm, volunteering to help with the film in whatever capacity they needed. I ended up connecting with Cecilia over the phone, and, a couple of weeks later, I was on my way to Poland.
Due to the size of the production and budget constraints, many crew members wore multiple hats. I began working as the script supervisor, keeping track of continuity from scene to scene and making sure we had all the pieces we needed to cut together a cohesive film. Shortly after arriving on set, however, I was asked to help in a much larger capacity, first as the second assistant director (AD)
and later as the first AD. This role was much more involved and included creating our daily shooting schedules, working with each department to make sure everything was ready when we needed it, and keeping things moving efficiently to meet our ambitious shooting schedule while obtaining all of the footage that we needed.
We worked long days in an unheated 19th century prison cell. There was no electricity, so the few lights we did have were powered by an extension cord that ran to a nearby building. Because power was limited, the heaters could only be turned on in between our scenes, when the lights could be unplugged. Most days we arrived in the dark and left in the dark. But despite the hardships, we, just like the men whose stories we were trying to tell, were able to take the less-than-ideal conditions and make the most of it, bonding over our shared dedication to tell this story as authentically as we could. Anthony became a Kolbe figure to all of us in that cell, leading us in daily prayer and meditation before set every morning and helping us to remember that this story was bigger than us.
It’s been almost two years since we shot this film, and I still look back on the time fondly. Having attended the US premiere last month in Dallas, I was able to see the completed film on the big screen for the first time. Seeing everyone’s hard work come together into this masterpiece, I couldn’t be more grateful to have been a part of it. Not only is the film visually beautiful, but the acting is phenomenal, the music is captivating, and the message is one that everyone needs to hear. In a world that leans so easily into pessimism and negativity, we need a little glimpse of hope and light, and this movie, despite its dark content, is just that.
If you’d like to see Triumph of the Heart on the big screen and bring this movie to your community, claim an exclusive screening at:
www.triumphoftheheart.com/communityscreening
Katerina Gerlach (L) with Marcin Kwasny, the Polish actor who plays Maximilian Kolbe in Triumph of the Heart
Members of the cast and crew of Triumph of the Heart in Poland
Katerina Gerlach (L) with director Anthony D'Ambrosio
Ss. Pe�er & Pa�l Paris� in Manka�� is home to a Catholic gift store. Started in 2008 as a Catholic book store at the suggestion of our then-pastor, Fr. Mariano Varela, IVE, it was to offer Catholic reading material to our parishioners.
It slowly evolved into more than that, as parishioners requested other Catholic items be made available for sale.
The store has been a blessing for our parish and the Mankato area, as there are no other Catholic gift stores in the area. We have visitors from many other states as well as from all over Minnesota.
We offer a wonderful selection of bibles, missals, assorted prayer books and other Catholic reading material, as well as rosaries, crucifixes, religious pictures and statues. We
have gift items for all occasions - baptism, first communion, confirmation, weddings - as well as religious jewelry, holy cards and Christian greeting cards.
Our store is staffed by friendly volunteers to help you with your selections. We are open before and after the weekend Masses, as well as weekdays during church office hours, which are Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Friday 8 a.m. - noon. We accept cash, check or credit card. We also have gift cards available starting at $25.
We are located at 105 N 5th Street in Mankato. Stop by when you are in the area, and bring Christ into your home.
Events
November 2, Sunday
St. Agnes Parish, Kellogg, will host its Drive Thru Fall Turkey Dinner & Raffles 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. or until gone. Yum! Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Served in the Parish Hall, 128 E Belvidere Ave in Kellogg. Event includes a country store and bake sale. Parking lot behind the church.
November 3, Monday
Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, will host a presentation in its Trinity Chapel from 7-9 p.m., by Rev. Dr. John Bombaro, senior pastor of St. James Lutheran Church, Lafayette, IN. The Shroud of Jesus? Its Archeological and Apologetic Value will focus on the Shroud of Turin and the many studies that have sought to test the claim that it is the burial cloth of Christ. Sponsored by the Center for Apologetics and Worldviews. A link to a livestream of the presentation can be found on the Events page of apologeticscenter.org.
November 8, Saturday
St. Mary Parish, Chatfield, in partnership with the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota (CFSM), will host the first in a two-part series of seminars on end-of-life planning, at 10 a.m. in the church (323 Twiford St. SW in Chatfield). The first seminar of the day will be led by Father Nicholas Gawarecki discussing Living in Faith in Retirement and the Final Chapter. Then Elizabeth Williams, executive director of CFSM, will discuss getting started with estate planning and record keeping. Part 2 of this series will happen in January (date TBD). Contact Elizabeth for more information: 507-218-4098 or ewilliams@ catholicfsmn.org.
December 6, Saturday
St. Mary of the Lake Parish, Lake City, will hold its annual Christmas Market from 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the church (419 W Lyon Ave in Lake City). Enjoy the popular cookie walk, vendors, silent auction, bucket raffle, sweet shoppe, used-a-bit Christmas booth, mission sewing quilting, and fresh caramel rolls with hot chocolate & coffee. Bring your camera for a picture with St. Nicholas!
Remember the Advent Novena! S�ar�ing �n ��e Feas� �f S�. An�re�, November 30 (this year also the first day of Advent), the following prayer is traditionally recited 15 times a day until Christmas. This meditative prayer helps us increase our awareness of the real meaning of Christmas and prepare ourselves spiritually for the coming of Jesus.
Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in the piercing cold.
In that hour vouchsafe, O my God, to hear my prayer and grant my desires, [mention your request here] through the merits of our savior Jesus Christ, and of his blessed mother. Amen.
The Televised Mass Is Offered Every Sunday
Sioux Falls - ODLT Channel 7 at 7 a.m.
Mankato - KEYC Channel 12 at 7:30 a.m.
Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 NEYC at 9:30 a.m.
Digital Channel 7 (DirecTV) or Channel 11 (DISH) KMNF at 9 a.m.
Rochester/Austin/Mason City
KIMT Channel 3 at 7:30 a.m.
MyTV 3.2 at 9 a.m.
Twin Cities - WFTC Digital Channel 29 or Channel 9.2 at 11:30 a.m.
Southeastern MN - HBC Channel 20 at 3 p.m. (repeated Wed. at 3:30 p.m.)
Winona/La Crosse/Eau Claire - WLAX/WEUX Channel 25/48 at 7:30 a.m.
and on our website, dowr.org (click "Weekly Mass")
Photos and caption submitted by MARY HUETTL, a parishioner of Ss. Peter & Paul Parish in Mankato.
