The COURIER
Breathing new Life into a Legacy
By MICHELLE GERLACH
�hen I began serving as chancellor for the Diocese in the fall of 2023, I had never visited a diocesan archives. Learning that moving our archives safely from the Pastoral Center in Winona to the new Chancery in Rochester would be one of the primary responsibilities of my first year, I decided to visit some other diocesan archives and speak with a few archivists to learn what I could about the art of preserving diocesan heritage. I toured the archives of the Diocese of LaCrosse, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, and the Archdiocese of Boston. And I began to wonder: where was all our “stuff”? From what I had seen, our archives consisted of what appeared to me to be about 90% or more paper; the archives I had visited contained paintings and vestments and relics and many other items of historical and liturgical import.
And then I learned about Fr. Breza and visited the Polish Museum in Winona. And I found our “stuff.”
Paul Joseph Breza was born in Winona on June 23, 1937, the son of descendants of Kashubian immigrants from Bytów, Poland. He was educated at Saint Stanislaus Kostka School, Cotter High School, and Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota before completing his seminary training at Saint Paul Seminary. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese June 1, 1963. Father Paul’s love of his Polish heritage came to life
Beloved Conference
Spend a Day Resting in God's Love
THERESA MARTIN, coordinator of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's upcoming Beloved women's conference (November 1 at St. Ann's Church, Janesville), recently interviewed ELIZABETH LEON, the event's keynote speaker.
Share with us a little about who you are.
Anyone who has visited the Museum has seen firsthand its impressive quality and history. Those who have ventured upstairs know that the Museum housed much more than its name implies. What began, according to Father Breza, as dumpster rescues initially stored in barns and other storage spaces donated by people of the Diocese, evolved into an enormous collection of Catholic patrimony from Winona and the surrounding area, that occupied the entire second floor of the Polish Museum, including all of the available wall space and much of the floor and out-of-sight storage areas.
My name is Elizabeth Leon. I am in Northern Virginia. I live here with my husband and the last of our big, blended family of 10 children. I am a Catholic mom, grandma, speaker, writer, grief minister, music minister. I have a lot of different hats that I wear! My husband and I are in our second union; when we married in 2013, I brought along my five children and he his four. And then together we had a beautiful little boy, John Paul Raphael, who lived and died in 2018.
And, at the time that I got pregnant, I was in the middle of a pretty intense healing journey. I went through a terrible, horrific divorce in 2010 that just knocked me off my feet and really came out of nowhere and imploded our "perfect" Catholic family. And in the wake of that wreckage, the Lord really invited me on a very beautiful, but painful, healing journey with him. And so I was really in the midst of that still when I got pregnant with John Paul Raphael. And I was in my forties, so that makes it hard, too.
The early prenatal testing revealed that he had a
in the Polish Cultural Institute and Museum, now the Kashubian Cultural Institute and Polish Museum, he founded in Winona in 1979.
Diocese
Pope Leo's First 100 Days: Leaning into His New Role
By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY August 11, 2025 (CNS)
- Stories about "the first 100 days" are standard fare at the beginning of a U.S. president's four-year term; the articles usually focus on how much the new president was able to accomplish and how quickly.
But a pope is elected for life and without having promised voters anything or having presented a platform.
Pope Leo XIV was elected May 8, making Aug. 16 the 100th day since he stepped out onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica as the new pope. He will celebrate his 70th birthday Sept. 14.
While the first 100 days of a pontificate may hint at what is to come, the initial period of Pope Leo's ministry as the successor of Peter and bishop of Rome seemed mostly about him getting used to the role, the crowds and the protocol.
According to canon law, the pope "possesses supreme, full, immediate and universal ordinary power in the Church, which he is always able to exercise freely."
In other words, he could have issued a slew of the canonical equivalent of executive orders in his first days in office. Instead, he lived up to his reputation as a person who listens before deciding - holding a meeting with the College of Cardinals and individual meetings with the heads of Vatican offices.
Like his predecessors, Pope Leo confirmed the heads of Curia offices on a temporary basis a few days after his election. Some major nominations are expected in September or early October, starting with his own replacement as prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
His choices for members of his team, and whether he decides to have an international Council of Cardinals to advise him will send signals not only about what he wants to do but also how he wants to do it. (Pope Francis set up the Council of Cardinals early in his pontificate to help him with the reform of the Roman Curia and to advise him on other matters, but he did not make the council a formal body.)
September also should bring an announcement about where Pope Leo will live. Several cardinals have said that in the days before the conclave they encouraged the future pope - whoever he would be - to move back into the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace. The move would make security easier, saving the Vatican money and allowing the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where Pope Francis chose to live, to return to full operation as a guesthouse.
In his first public address, moments after his election, the new pope said: "We want to be a synodal church, a church that moves forward, a church that always seeks peace, that always seeks charity, that always seeks to be close above all to those who are suffering."
Pope Leo went deeper when he spoke about the key objectives of his ministryin a pontificate that easily could last 20 years - during a meeting with the College of Cardinals two days after his election.
Articles of Interest
He asked the cardinals to join him in renewing a "complete commitment to the path that the universal Church has now followed for decades in the wake of the Second Vatican Council."
That path had six fundamental points that, Pope Leo said, "Pope Francis masterfully and concretely set it forth" in his first exhortation, "The Joy of the Gospel."
The six points highlighted by Pope Leo were: "the return to the primacy of Christ in proclamation; the missionary conversion of the entire Christian community; growth in collegiality and synodality; attention to the 'sensus fidei' (the people of God's sense of the faith), especially in its most authentic and inclusive forms, such as popular piety; loving care for the least and the rejected; (and) courageous and trusting dialogue with the contemporary world in its various components and realities."
Those realities include the widespread media attention focused on the election of the first U.S.born pope as well as the fact that people of all stripes feel free to use social media to proclaim what Pope Leo "should" do, "must" or "must not" do.
According to a Gallup Poll conducted in the United States July 7-21 and published Aug. 5, Pope Leo was the most favorably viewed of 14 world leaders and major newsmakers; 57% of Americans said they had a "favorable opinion" of him and 11% said they had an "unfavorable" opinion.
"These figures closely match Pope Francis' ratings when he assumed the role in 2013, then viewed favorably by 58% and unfavorably by 10%, as well as Pope Benedict in 2005 - 55% favorable, 12% unfavorable," Gallup said.
Among those surveyed, self-identified Catholics gave all three popes even higher ratings at the beginning of their pontificates, the polling group said, "with Leo viewed favorably by 76%, Francis by 80% and Benedict by 67%."
As the weeks passed after his election, Pope Leo seemed to grow more comfortable with a crowd, spending more time blessing babies and enjoying his interactions with the thousands of people who came to St. Peter's Square for his weekly general audiences.
The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 2907 Jeremiah Lane NW, Rochester, MN, 55901 Vol 116 - 9
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)
• Hard copies are distributed at DOW-R parishes on the first or second weekend of each month.
• An online version may be viewed at www.dowr.org/offices/courier/index.html
• To be added to the home delivery list free of charge, readers should send their names and addresses to:
Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 2907 Jeremiah Lane NW Rochester, MN 55901 or nreller@dowr.org
At his general audience Aug. 6 - held outside on a very warm summer day - the pope finished his formal program in less than an hour, then spent another two and a half hours shaking hands, posing for photos with pilgrim groups and having unusually long conversations with dozens of newlywed couples before offering them his blessing.
As a Curia official, the future pope had a reputation of being somewhat reserved, but Pope Leo has shown he has a special tool for connecting with a crowd: speaking English and Spanish as well as Italian, the Vatican's official working language.
His ability to switch between the three languages effortlessly was on full display at the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers July 28-29 and the related Jubilee of Youth July 28-Aug. 3. The young people roared with approval as he spoke to them in languages that most could understand.
While his U.S. roots and Peruvian missionary experience undoubtedly will impact his papacy, he has been very respectful of the Italian tradition of not making major announcements or changes during the summer holidays.
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.
Where to Find The Courier
September Saint St. Joseph of Cupertino
Feast Day: September 18
From Catholic News Agency
�n September 18, the Church celebrates the life of St. Joseph of Cupertino, a mystic who was perhaps most famous for his ability to fly. His father, a poor carpenter, died before his birth and his mother, who was unable to pay the debts, lost her home and gave birth to Joseph in a stable at Cupertino, Italy on June 17, 1603.
The Holy Father's Intention for
September 2025
For Our Relationship with All of Creation
Let us pray that, inspired by Saint Francis, we might experience our interdependence with all creatures who are loved by God and worthy of love and respect.
Joseph began having mystical visions when he was seven, and was often so lost to the world around him that the other children made fun of him giving him the nickname, "open-mouthed" for his gaping manner.
He had an irascible temper and read very poorly, giving others the impression that he was dumb and good for nothing. Aside from that, he was so continually drawn into ecstasy that it was impossible for him to be attentive to the tasks at hand. Thus, when he secured a job, he lost it very quickly.
He finally managed to obtain a post taking care of a stable in a Franciscan convent near Cupertino. Upon realizing his holiness and aptitude for pen ance, humility, and obedience, it was decided that he could begin studying for the priesthood.
Joseph was a very poor student; however, during his final examination, the examiner happened to ask him a question on the one topic he knew well. He passed and was admitted into the priesthood
It was also soon recognized that though he knew little by way of worldly knowledge and had little capacity to learn, Joseph was infused with a divine knowledge that made him capable of solving some of the most intricate theo logical quandaries.
For the last 35 years of his life as a priest he was unable to celebrate Mass in public because he would often, without being able to help it, be lifted up into the air when he went into an ecstatic state, which happened at nearly every Mass. It took only the slightest ref erence of anything having to do with God in order for this state to be induced in him.
Despite being moved from one friary to another, because of the disruption he caused by his ecstasies and the persecutions he endured from some of his brothers who were envious of his gifts, he remained profoundly inundated by the joy of abandoning himself to Divine Providence.
3
He died on September 18, 1663 and was canonized in 1767 by Pope Clement XIII. He is the patron of air travelers and students preparing for exams.
This Month in The Courier Archives ---------------------------------25, 50 & 75 Years Ago----------------------------------
Bishop Harrington celebrates an outdoor Harvest Mass at the farm home of Joe and Carol Schneider near Caledonia on August 15, the Feast of the Assumption...
The bishop used the event, which is held each year on the Feast of the Assumption, to call attention to the grave economic situation of America's small farmers. But he also called the gathering "a sign of solidarity and hope," and spelled out what needs to be done to restore health to rural life.
Education must play a large role, Bishop Harrington suggested. "People take food and drink for granted. But I suspect the majority of American people do not even give thanks for that food... There is only concern about the price and the flavor. Nor, I fear, is there even an understanding of the common good."
Reprinted from August 2000.
New American - Father James Wineski, associate pastor of St. Theodore's parish, Albert Lea, [middle] thought it might be a good idea to acquaint pregnant Pham Thi Lan with an American hospital. The tour was for real in the maternity ward...
... Some three hours later, she gave birth to a healthy baby girl, whom Fr. Wineski has named Teresa.
Reprinted from September 5, 1975.
Jackson - Ann Halloran, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Halloran of St. Wenceslaus [now Good Shepherd] parish here is cast in the lead role of Mother Emily in the movie "Centennial Song." The Young Ladies Sodality of St. Wenceslaus is presenting the film on Sunday evening, September 3, at 8:00 p.m., in the High School Auditorium. A special invitation has been issued to the neighboring parishes, and tickets will sell at $0.25, $0.40 and $0.60.
The above scene from the movie shows Mother Emily (Ann Halloran) standing and giving instructions to her sisters. [...] The location is at the foot of Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto on the campus of St. Clara Academy, Sinsinawa, Wis.
Reprinted from September 3, 1950.
From the Bishop
� have just returned from a rather extraordinary European journey that involved three countries, six separate plane trips, and seven hotels. Now, it wasn’t exactly a vacation. Rather, it was a multi-faceted exercise in the evangelization of the culture. The first leg of my trip took me to France, a country where I lived for three years while pursuing doctoral studies. My purpose was to film a documentary on the Gothic Cathedrals, so as to answer a basic question: why did the Notre Dame fire from six years ago so grab the attention of the world and galvanize so many to restore the damaged building? My instinct was (and is) that many people, especially in the secularized West, realized, however inchoately, that, if Notre Dame were destroyed, something of incalculable spiritual value would be forever lost.
And so, our film crew visited Amiens (the most voluminous of the French Cathedrals), Reims (where the Kings and Queens were
A European Evangelical Adventure
crowned), St. Denis (the first truly Gothic church and the burial ground of the French monarchs), Notre Dame (the jewel of Paris), and, finally, Chartres (the greatest and most splendid of the Cathedrals). What struck me over and again as I toured these buildings was how different they are from the churches constructed when I was coming of age.
In the 1960s and 1970s the aesthetic governing ecclesiastical architecture was basically Bauhaus modernism: brick walls, no decoration, a paucity of visual symbols, a hyper-stress on the value of the congregation over the church building. In illustration of that last point, I might draw attention to a sentiment expressed in a very influential liturgical document from the seventies to the effect that the building itself is but “the skin of the worshipping assembly.” Well, I think it’s fair to say that the architects of the great Gothic Cathedrals would have had no truck with any of that. For them, the cathedral was meant to be a symbolic representation of heaven and of the transfigured earth envisioned by the author of the book of Revelation. That is why they are filled with angels, saints, and idealized elements of nature and why their stained glass is meant to resemble the jeweled walls of the heavenly
Jerusalem. How wonderful that church architects with a sensibility more medieval than modernist are on the rise today.
The next stop on my itinerary was Münster, Germany, where I was to be presented with the Josef Pieper Prize. Pieper, an intellectual hero of mine, was one of the most significant Thomist philosophers of the twentieth century. His books on the virtues, on Aquinas’s philosophy, and, perhaps most importantly, on the relationship between leisure and culture had a profound impact on many Catholic thinkers of my generation. So, I was deeply honored to receive this recognition, which acknowledged a link between my work and Pieper’s. The two days of the ceremony were rich indeed and included learned presentations on Pieper’s thought as well as an on-stage discussion between me and two German Catholic academics. After receiving the prize, I gave a paper on Pieper’s notion of the philosophical act and why that intellectual move is of supreme importance today. A lovely touch: at the conclusion of the ceremony, a classical pianist came forward and performed a medley of Bob Dylan songs for me! I am deeply grateful to the organizers of the event and to the leadership of the Pieper Foundation for two unforgettable days.
Now just before I arrived in Münster, I received word that I would be met by protestors unhappy with my receiving the Pieper Prize. Their principal complaint seemed to be my participation, at the invitation of President Trump, in a commission dedicated to formulating policy in regard to religious liberty in our country. Because I was representing a Catholic perspective at the table where a matter of great importance was being discussed, I was accused of fomenting American imperialism and of neglecting the human rights of immigrants! I mean, it was just so much nonsense. The intellectual level of the protestors was made
evident in the crude slogans they spray-painted on the walls of the hall where I was speaking and on the façade of the church. That they felt the best way to express their dissatisfaction was through an act of desecration shows how corrupt they are. But I must say, little better were the objections expressed by certain members of the theology faculty at the University of Münster. They too accused me of Trumpism and, of course, being insufficiently “inclusive,” though their letters betrayed absolutely no engagement with any of my work. And I’ve published thirty books, over a hundred articles, and thousands of videos. When I was a young man, American students of theology looked eagerly to German academics for inspiration. If these professors in Münster are any indication of the state of the German academy, I would tell American students today to look anywhere else.
From Münster, I made my way to Rome for the Jubilee of Young People. On my first day in Rome, I concelebrated a Mass for “Catholic Influencers,” at the conclusion of which Pope Leo made an appearance, which delighted everyone in attendance. Just after Mass, I had a chance to meet him and shake his hand. I will admit that it was surreal to realize that the successor of Peter is a Chicagoan who grew up about twenty minutes from where I did. That night, under a beautiful Roman sky, Archbishop Fisichella celebrated Mass for over a hundred thousand pilgrims, and I concelebrated that Mass as well. Afterwards, the Pope made a surprise appearance, motoring through the massive crowd in the Popemobile, accompanied by the screams of the throng of kids.
The next morning, it was my privilege to address about five hundred young people from my ancestral home of Ireland. Though their country is marked by a rather extreme secularism and anticlericalism, these youthful sons and daughters of Ireland exhibited no cowardice of
spirit. I encouraged them to return to Ireland under the inspiration of St. Patrick, who managed, many centuries ago, to convert an entirely pagan country to the faith. Finally, that evening, I spoke to around four thousand young Americans who had gathered in the massive Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls. Speaking only about twenty yards from the tomb of St. Paul himself, I led the crowd in a little imaginative exercise. I invited them to think of the glory and power of ancient Rome, the civilization that once dominated the world and whose rulers put to death both Peter and Paul. Then I asked them, “but where is Nero’s successor? Where is the mighty Roman empire?” The answers came readily enough: “nowhere and turned to dust.” “But where,” I continued, “is the successor of Peter?” The answer: “we all saw him last night in St. Peter’s Square!” I told that army of young Catholics that critics and enemies of Christianity have been predicting our demise for centuries. But we’re still standing - while they are gone with the wind.
Soaring Gothic cathedrals, scintillating intellectual dialogue about the faith, an army of young soldiers of Christ - all signs that the crucified and risen Jesus still marvelously haunts our culture.
Non Nisi Te Domine
Bishop Robert Barron
Una aventura evangelica por Europa
Por
el
OBISPO ROBERT BARRON
�cabo de regresar de un viaje bastante extraordinario por Europa que me llevó por tres países, seis vuelos distintos y siete hoteles. Ahora bien, no fue exactamente unas vacaciones. Más bien, fue un ejercicio multifacético de evangelización de la cultura. La primera etapa de mi viaje me llevó a Francia, país en el que viví durante tres años mientras cursaba mis estudios de doctorado. Mi objetivo era rodar un documental sobre las catedrales góticas, con el fin de responder a una pregunta básica: ¿por qué el incendio de Notre Dame de hace seis años atrajo tanto la atención del mundo y movilizó a tanta gente para restaurar el edificio dañado? Mi instinto era (y es) que muchas personas, especialmente en el Occidente secularizado, se dieron cuenta, aunque de forma incipiente, de que, si Notre Dame fuera destruida, se perdería para siempre algo de un valor espiritual incalculable. Así pues, nuestro equipo de filmación visitó Amiens (la más voluminosa de las catedrales francesas), Reims (donde se coronaba a los reyes y reinas), Saint-Denis (la primera iglesia verdaderamente gótica y lugar de entierro de los monarcas franceses), Notre Dame (la joya de París) y, por último, Chartres (la más grande y espléndida de las catedrales). Lo que me llamó la atención una y otra vez mientras recorría estos edificios fue lo diferentes que son de las iglesias construidas cuando yo era joven. En los años sesenta y setenta, la estética que regía la arquitectura eclesiástica era básicamente el
*indicates event is open to the public
September 2, Tuesday
12 p.m. - Presbyteral CouncilThe Chancery, Rochester
*5:30 p.m. - Mass for PeacePax Christi, Rochester
September 3, Wednesday
7 p.m. - Confirmation - Holy Trinity, Litomysl
September 4, Thursday
*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester
September 5, Friday
*7 p.m. - Vespers from the Office of the DeadCo-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester
modernismo Bauhaus: paredes de ladrillo, sin decoración, escasez de símbolos visuales, un énfasis excesivo en el valor de la congregación por encima del edificio de la iglesia. Para ilustrar este último punto, podría llamar la atención sobre un sentimiento expresado en un documento litúrgico muy influyente de los años setenta, en el sentido que el edificio en sí no es más que «la piel de la asamblea de fieles». Bueno, creo que es justo decir que los arquitectos de las grandes catedrales góticas no habrían tenido nada que ver con eso. Para ellos, la catedral debía ser una representación simbólica del cielo y de la tierra transfigurada imaginada por el autor del libro del Apocalipsis. Por eso están llenas de ángeles, santos y elementos idealizados de la naturaleza, y por eso sus vitrales pretenden asemejarse a las paredes enjoyadas de la Jerusalén celestial. Qué maravilloso es que hoy en día estén surgiendo arquitectos de iglesias con una sensibilidad más medieval que modernista. La siguiente parada de mi itinerario fue Münster, Alemania, donde me iban a entregar el Premio Josef Pieper. Pieper, uno de mis héroes intelectuales, fue uno de los filósofos tomistas más importantes del siglo XX. Sus libros sobre las virtudes, sobre la filosofía de Tomás de Aquino y, quizás lo más importante, sobre la relación entre el ocio y la cultura tuvieron un profundo impacto en muchos pensadores católicos de mi generación. Por lo tanto, me sentí profundamente honrado de recibir este reconocimiento, que destacaba el vínculo entre mi trabajo y el de Pieper. Los dos días de la ceremonia fueron realmente
September 6, Saturday
*10:30 a.m. - Mass of Christian Burial for Bishop Bernard J. Harrington - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester
*2 p.m. - Committal of Bishop Bernard J. Harrington - St. Mary's Cemetery, Winona
September 8, Monday
Presidential Religious Liberty Commission - Washington, D.C.
September 9-10, TuesdayWednesday
USCCB Administrative Committee MeetingWashington, D.C.
September 12, Friday
*7 p.m. - Permanent Diaconate
Candidacy Mass - St. John Vianney, Fairmont
enriquecedores e incluyeron presentaciones eruditas sobre el pensamiento de Pieper, así como un discusión en el escenario entre dos académicos católicos alemanes y yo. Después de recibir el premio, presenté una ponencia sobre la noción de Pieper del acto filosófico y por qué ese movimiento intelectual es de suma importancia hoy en día. Un detalle encantador: al final de la ceremonia, un pianista clásico se acercó y tocó un popurrí de canciones de Bob Dylan para mí. Estoy profundamente agradecido a los organizadores del evento y a los dirigentes de la Fundación Pieper por dos días inolvidables.
Justo antes de llegar a Münster, me informaron que me recibirían manifestantes descontentos con el hecho de que me concedieran el Premio Pieper. Su principal queja parecía ser mi participación, por invitación del presidente Trump, en una comisión dedicada a formular políticas relacionadas con la libertad religiosa en nuestro país. Por representar la perspectiva católica en una mesa en la que se debatía un asunto de gran importancia, ¡me acusaron de fomentar el imperialismo estadounidense y de descuidar los derechos humanos de los inmigrantes! Es decir, era una auténtica tontería. El nivel intelectual de los manifestantes quedó patente en las burdas consignas que pintaron con spray en las paredes del salón donde daba mi discurso y en la fachada de la iglesia. Que consideraran que la mejor manera de expresar su descontento era mediante un acto de profanación demuestra lo corruptos que son. Pero debo decir que las objeciones
September 13, Saturday
1 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Ann, Slayton
*5 p.m. - Pastor Installation Mass - St. Leo, Pipestone
September 14, Sunday
*9 a.m. - Pastor Installation Mass - St. Mary, Worthington
September 16, Tuesday
*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester
10:30 a.m. - College of Consultors - The Chancery, Rochester
September 18, Thursday
Minnesota Catholic Conference
Board Meeting - St. Paul
expresadas por ciertos miembros de la facultad de teología de la Universidad de Münster no fueron mucho mejores. Ellos también me acusaron de trumpismo y, por supuesto, de no ser lo suficientemente «inclusivo», aunque sus cartas no revelaban ningún conocimiento de mi trabajo. Y he publicado treinta libros, más de cien artículos y miles de videos. Cuando era joven, los estudiantes estadounidenses de teología buscaban con entusiasmo la inspiración en los académicos alemanes. Si estos profesores de Münster son un indicio del estado de la academia alemana, yo les diría a los estudiantes estadounidenses de hoy que busquen en cualquier otro lugar. Desde Münster, me dirigí a Roma para el Jubileo de los Jóvenes. En mi primer día en Roma, concelebré una misa para «influencers católicos», al término de la cual el papa León hizo una aparición sorpresa, lo que deleitó a todos los asistentes. Justo después de la misa, tuve la oportunidad de conocerlo y estrecharle la mano. Debo admitir que fue surrealista darme cuenta de que el sucesor de Pedro es un chicaguense que creció a unos veinte minutos de donde yo crecí. Esa noche, bajo el hermoso cielo romano, el arzobispo Fisichella celebró una misa para más de cien mil peregrinos, y yo también concelebré esa misa. Después, una vez más, el Papa hizo una aparición sorpresa, atravesando la multitud en el papamóvil, acompañado por los gritos de los niños.
A la mañana siguiente, tuve el privilegio de dirigirme a unos quinientos jóvenes de mi tierra ancestral, Irlanda. Aunque su
September 19, Friday
*12 p.m. - Minnesota Red Mass, Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul
September 20, Saturday
Seminary House Mass- St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul
2 p.m. - Speaker for Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem MeetingMinneapolis
September 23, Tuesday
12 p.m. - Deans Meeting - The Chancery, Rochester
2:30 p.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee - The Chancery, Rochester
país se caracteriza por un secularismo y un anticlericalismo bastante extremos, estos jóvenes hijos e hijas de Irlanda no mostraron ninguna cobardía de espíritu. Los animé a regresar a Irlanda inspirados en San Patricio, quien, hace muchos siglos, logró convertir a la fe a un país completamente pagano. Finalmente, esa noche, hablé a unos cuatro mil jóvenes estadounidenses que se habían reunido en la enorme basílica de San Pablo fuera de los Muros. Hablando a solo unos veinte metros de la tumba del propio San Pablo, guié a la multitud en un pequeño ejercicio imaginativo. Los invité a pensar en la gloria y el poder de la antigua Roma, la civilización que una vez dominó el mundo y cuyos gobernantes dieron muerte tanto a Pedro como a Pablo. Luego les pregunté: «Pero, ¿dónde está el sucesor de Nerón? ¿Dónde está el poderoso Imperio Romano?». Las respuestas no se hicieron esperar: «En ninguna parte, se ha convertido en polvo». «Pero ¿dónde está el sucesor de Pedro?», continué. La respuesta: «¡Todos lo vimos anoche en la plaza de San Pedro!». Les dije a ese ejército de jóvenes católicos que los críticos y enemigos del cristianismo llevan siglos prediciendo nuestra desaparición. Pero seguimos en pie, mientras que ellos se han esfumado.
Las altísimas catedrales góticas, el brillante diálogo intelectual sobre la fe, un ejército de jóvenes soldados de Cristo... Todas estas son señales de que Jesús crucificado y resucitado sigue presente de forma maravillosa en nuestra cultura.
September 24, Wednesday
9 a.m. - Real Presence Radio Interview - St. James Coffee, Rochester
7 p.m. - Confirmation - Holy Spirit, Rochester
September 26, Friday
2 p.m. - Bishop's Cabinet - The Chancery, Rochester
September 27, Saturday
*8:30 a.m. - Opening Prayer for St. Vincent de Paul Fundraising
Walk - Resurrection, Rochester
September 28, Sunday
7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Mary, Worthington
September 29 - October 2, Monday-Thursday
Presbyteral Days - Okoboji, IA
Bishop's Calendar
New Life, cont'd from pg. 1
Anyone who has visited the Museum also knows there is no climate control on the second floor - it can be a sweltering sauna in the summer and an ice-cold freezer in the winter, unpleasant to visit during those times, and almost the worst conditions imaginable for storing a priceless collection of historical items. It became evident that something had to be done to protect the collection. Father Breza had himself acknowledged in a letter addressed to “the Board and Staff of the Polish Cultural Institute and Museum and any interested parties, Clergy or Lay, of the Diocese of Winona/Rochester … [that] a more accessible space would be desirable.”
About the time I learned about our collection at the Polish Museum, I had also started attending building committee meetings for the then-underconstruction Chancery building in Rochester. As Fr. Breza had made clear in the letter mentioned above that “ideally, the collection should be in the hands of the Diocese and its people,” it became a priority to ensure the new diocesan archives would have both the space and the climate control necessary to house and protect both the items we were moving from the Winona Pastoral Center and those of greatest historical value from the Polish Museum.
With the approval of the director of the Polish Museum in consultation with its Board, under the leadership of Judy Herdina, a long-time diocesan employee (without whose direction this project would have been impossible), and with the help of a team of seminarian volunteers and interns, we began the overwhelming process of inventorying the items at the Museum and preparing them to be moved. We anticipated this project would take approximately five years.
During this inventorying phase of the project, the new Chancery building opened, the Polish Museum got a new director, Fr. Breza passed away, and St. Casimir parish on Winona’s west end closed its doors as a place of worship. With unmistakable historical links - St. Casimir Church was build by Kashubian immigrants - the decision was made to relocate the Polish Museum Catholic collection to St. Casimir as soon as possible for safekeeping and further processing. As of this writing, approximately 80 percent of the collection has been safely moved; of that, about 60 percent has been tagged and inventoried. And it has only been a year and a half since identifying the need.
Fr. Breza expressed his desire that “the dual purpose of historical exhibit and resource … continue.”
And I am happy to report his desire is being fulfilled. Items of the greatest historical significance are being moved to the archives in the Chancery building in Rochester. Many of these items will make an appearance at some point in one of the two display cases that flank the chapel entrance in the Chancery lobby. And, as parishes and clergy have become aware of the collection’s purpose, requests have been made for various articles to return to the parishes from whence they came, to be restored to their original use - these include older vestments and other liturgical items. Likewise, parishes that are renovating or adding on have requested items for repurposing, such as stained glass windows and statues, that were rescued from church buildings that have since closed.
Father Breza wrote, “I am living proof that the two collections [at the Polish Museum] are very related. The Catholic Religion is central to our Polish members and the Diocese is our home. These collections have lived together and mutually benefitted from each other these last 50 years. I hope their futures are defined by cooperation and respect among all involved parties.” He wanted to make sure if the Catholic collection were transferred to
The Story of a Steeple for Our Lady of Mount Carmel
By SUE CORY
�
n July 18, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Easton, celebrated a Steeple Re-Dedication Mass. The Very Reverend William Thompson was the celebrant. We invited past pastors to attend if they were able. Monsignor Thomas Cook was able to be with us for this important and memorable event in the life of our parish. The Knights of Columbus #550 Honor Guard and Hosting Assembly were also present to honor our steeple re-dedication. It was a most memorable Mass for our parish to conclude the reconstruction of the church steeple. Fellowship in Madonna Hall followed Mass, with a celebration dinner served.
A Bit of History
On September 20, 2018, our church steeple went down in a severe storm. We had just started work on a handicapped access addition to the church. There was major damage to the church, roof and the steeple. There were many challenges during this time of reconstruction: not having a priest, getting a priest, COVID, and then losing our beloved priest (Father Gregory Havel) to an illness in February of 2024. On December 24, 2023, our Christmas Eve Mass, the steeple was illuminated for the first time, restoring its presence as a local landmark.
As a point of interest, the church was built in 1915 and completed in 1916. The First Mass in the church was on February 22, 1916, on the Golden Jubilee Year of the parish. Timeframe was 10 months and 10 days! The steeple reconstruction took 5 years, concluding with the cross being placed on top of the steeple on June 21, 2023, by Inspired Heights of Rockford, IL.
Our current pastor, Father Pratap Reddy Salibindla, arrived in our triparish in April of 2024. With all the changes that took place, we were not able to have a steeple rededication until this year to conclude the reconstruction of the church steeple.
Our parish was blessed with many generous benefactors during this time and we thank you! We
the Diocese that we would “in some way credit [the Polish Museum] for its care through these 50 years.”
On behalf of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and its people, I would like to publicly express profound gratitude to the Polish Museum staff for keeping our “stuff” safe all these years and for accommodating the many visitors to the "Diocese of Winona Exhibit.”
The new Archives at the Chancery was designed to grow with us. To this end, the installation of a high density mobile shelving system has been planned that would maximize our space and enable us to grow and easily access our collection for the appreciation and enjoyment of generations to come. This need is all the more relevant as we add the items from the Polish Museum. If you or anyone you know might be interested in contributing to the preservation of our diocesan patrimony, please contact me at mgerlach@dowr.org for more information on how you can help with this project.
Michelle Gerlach is the chancellor of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Father Paul Breza, 1937-2025
sincerely thank everyone who helped and had a part in this reconstruction process.
Sue Cory is the office administrator for Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Easton.
Photos courtesy of Tara Rauenhorst.
Learn From Me A Retreat for High School Youth
By BILL MURRAY
�atthew 11:28-29 reads, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
This pairing of verses from scripture has power. Or, rather, it gives us power - power to be not of this earthly world, but of the heavenly one. The Holy Spirit invites all who encounter these words to a heavenly surrender that takes the shape of humbly, gently, and unreservedly entrusting ourselves into the hands of our loving Father. “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me.” What is this yoke that each of us is invited
into if not a sharing in Jesus’ filial relationship with the Father?
Building on this theme of taking on the yoke of Jesus and learning from him, a team of parish directors of youth ministry, including myself, felt compelled to offer a prayer retreat for high school students during this summer, calling it, Learn From Me
The weekend retreat took place at the Dunrovin Retreat Center near Stillwater, over August 15-17. Faith formation directors Patrick Derleth of St. Felix and St. Agnes, Wabasha/Kellogg; Jacinta Nyugen of St. Augustine and St. Edward, Austin; and I joined forces to provide this retreat. Our efforts were graciously supported by Matthew Edens, Alisa Becker-Dunn, seminarian David Bauer, and the recently ordained
Father Ben Peters.
In our collective and individual work as directors of faith formation and youth ministry we have noticed among high school youth a self-reliance of an insidious sort. Young people in high school are overly committed during the school year and summer, whether it be to academics, athletics, work, or other activities. And, as a result of this overscheduling, an interior burnout takes root. But, more than their overscheduled calendars alone, we have noticed that they are not addressing how they are actually doing interiorly. Instead of being taught how to acknowledge their emotions and desires and relating them to Jesus; they have been allowed to bottle themselves up, turning themselves inward. Instead of acknowledging and relating what is actually going in their heart to God, they have been neglecting it, running from what they may find, and opting to escape in their social media, sports, or work. Yet, the Lord loves us too much to have us remain stuck within the angst of our own self-reliance! He provides a way forward to find green pasture, a place of rest.
This is what this retreat is all about - abiding in the rest that can only be found in Christ Jesus! And this type of rest comes only when we acknowledge what is truly going on in our lives and in our hearts, and relate it to Jesus.
We had 14 high school students from different parishes in our diocese who came on this retreat; and they encountered the Lord in prayer and in the sacraments!
We will plan to do the retreat again next year in August. Keep an eye out for it if you have a high school youth who would like to attend!
Bill Murray is the director of Youth Ministry for the Redeemer Saints parish cluster of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Charles and Holy Redeemer in Eyota.
One Month with IHM Seminary's New Rector
By NICOLE WENINGER
�t has been a little over a month since Father Jason Kern became the new rector of Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona. Transitioning from diocesan vocations director to rector has brought many added responsibilities - both administrative and pastoral - but, in a short time, he has already made a significant impact. Since stepping into his role, Fr. Kern has welcomed the new class, taught formation classes, overseen updates to the seminary’s marketing and website, helped launch the annual Hearts on Fire fundraising campaign, and introduced the new seminarians to the beauty and community of Winona.
Reflecting on his early experiences, Fr. Kern shared:
I have been settling into and enjoying my first weeks as rector of IHM Seminary. This is such a great place, and to welcome the new seminarians has been a great joy. I have loved the opportunity to get to know the men, and to see Jesus drawing their hearts deeper into communion with himself is a privileged place.
We started the first days focusing on God's desire to draw us into life with himself, in a relationship of love with the Blessed Trinity. We have covered the basics of prayer, including meditation and contemplation and teachings on how to pray with the Scriptures using Lectio Divina and meditation on the scenes of Scripture. We have now
opened up what the Church desires for growth areas in the dimensions of priestly formation. We have also begun exploring sacred art from the Church's perspective.
In mid-July, we took a boat tour of the Mississippi River around Winona and attended a Beethoven Festival performance. At the end of July, we went to the Shakespeare Festival play Comedy of Errors. The first weekend in August was our great trip to the Boundary Waters, where we took time for friendship, adventure, and prayer in the beauty of the outdoors. The
seminarians engaged in a technology fast, which gave them time to process, pray, and enjoy the friendship of those in the community. We also went to a Twins game in late August!
May God bless and guide you as you shepherd the formation of each seminarian that enters our doors, Fr. Kern. Good luck with your new appointment!
Nicole Weninger is a marketing and communications associate for Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary and the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota.
Fr. Jason Kern, the new rector of IHM Seminary, lectures to a class of seminarians.
I Dream
By DEACON ROBERT YERHOT, MSW
�
od has given us physical eyes to see the beauty of his creation. It is truly a beautiful world in which we live, a world of color, depth, texture, warmth, height and depth, and so many other things. Our physical eyes, though, tire after a while, leaving us wanting more of what once we perceived.
He has also given us the eyes of faith, which enable us to see as God sees. The eyes of faith never tire, because God never tires. The eyes of faith are always sharp and focused and receptive. I often dream about what life would become if we were to see as God sees.
O, to see as God sees! To know as God knows! To remember as God remembers! What would life be like if we lived in this way? God extends the gifts of seeing, knowing, and remembering to us. It is possible.
I have said to my parishioners that there are saints in the parish. Men and women of faith so
profound that it gives rise to amazing hope and humble charity. Yes, saints they are. When I look at the Church, I see beyond the sins and the brokenness to the reality that we the Church have saints among us who sanctify us all. To me, it is a glimpse of what God sees in us, his Mystical Body.
I dream of a world in which all men and women begin to see with the eyes of faith, to see as God sees. I dream about the difference it would make; how we would treat each other and the world around us differently. I dream of a world in which the beauty of each man and each woman’s soul would be revealed, and respected. I dream of a world in which we all become contemplatives, seeing God in every moment and in every human person; seeing him in the unborn infant, in the most frail among us, in the street person, in our children and in our parents, in those condemned to die, in the entire human race, and in all of creation. I dream of a world of contemplatives. seeing as God sees, knowing as God knows, a world caught up in God, a world caught up in God’s self-revelation to humankind.
Friends, this not just fantasy. I truly believe it is reality, and when we begin to live out this reality, evangelists are born. When we begin to see, know,
Life's Missing Ingredient: Being Still
By BILL MURRAY
�t is to no one's surprise that we live in an age marked by a technological obsession. Children and adults spend so much of their time in front of a screen, whether it be for school or work, free time, or otherwise. In light of this obsession, I have found that all of us, and, in particular, youth, are starving for Jesus Christ.
“Abide in Hope” happened to be the theme of Camp Summit this year. And, since week two of Camp Summit, this theme is something I have found worth chewing on and returning back to. Truly our hope is found only in Jesus Christ. Our hearts are thirsting for the one who can truly quench them. Our hope found in Jesus is a hope that the world can never give and, thus, a hope the world can never take away. And this should give us comfort and joy!
Recently, I concluded my first year working as a parish director of youth ministry of St Charles Borromeo and Holy Redeemer parishes on the eastern
front of the diocese, and I must say this first year has truly been a blessed year. And, if there was a phrase to perfectly summarize all that happened during this past year of youth ministry, it is: “Sitting still with Jesus.”
Sitting still can be a difficult thing, whether a person is young or old. Yet, it is precisely when we sit still that we can recognize the Lord and then surrender all that we are and have to him.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Effectively, many of us live our lives as if we were each our own deity, thinking that we can just go and go. We have pushed God to the side and have decided on our own terms how our life should be. Being still makes us feel uneasy, and it makes us feel like we are not in control. At all costs, we would rather keep ourselves busy doing things than be still.
The famous quote of Blaise Pascal rings true in our souls: “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”
and remember as God does, then those leaving the Church will stay and those gone will return, for they will have been shown God.
May God bless you all!
Deacon Robert Yerhot, MSW, is the director of the diaconate for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
At younger and younger ages, I see people with social anxiety unable to converse with people without wearing earbuds while listening to music. I see young people whose free time is swallowed up by endless hours of video games, only to be followed by YouTube videos. Or, I see young people keeping their schedules endlessly busy, deceiving themselves into thinking they are doing worthwhile things, but, deep down, they are running away from being still.
As I continue my work as a director of youth ministry, the Holy Spirit continues to double down on this theme of wasting time with God, otherwise said, being still. In a previous article of mine, published in March, I wrote about the youth ministry’s tendency toward activism, and the need for this tendency to be uprooted. Ultimately, this activism stems from our inability or refusal to be still and our unwillingness to abide in Jesus, who is our hope.
There is much that is lacking in the world, especially considering the perversities of this technocratic age, but we can proceed with confidence knowing that the Lord desires our good more than we do. Considering the plagues of the youth, it can be easy to be discouraged and rush into doing more things, more exciting things, more busy things; but what we all need is to sit still with Jesus. Let’s not be afraid of introducing our youth to the freedom which is only brought in being still. We can have full confidence as Scripture reminds us in the book of Exodus, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still” (Ex 14:14).
Bill Murray is the director of Youth Ministry for the Redeemer Saints parish cluster of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Charles and Holy Redeemer in Eyota.
Do You Really Trust God?
By SHELLY HOLT
�his year, 2025 has been full of turbulence - so many ups and downs. I’ve been living out many sorrowful mysteries. I’m feeling battered and worn, and yet my body is healing and my spirit is being renewed. I’m realizing that the more God gives, the more evil can try to get in the way. Oftentimes, I am the one who gets in my own way with all the good I believe God is asking of me in my egoic state.
Last week, August 4-8, I attended the John Paul II Healing Center’s online retreat called Healing the Whole Person. Two of the many charisms God has gifted me with are deep listening and healing, thus my occupation of psychotherapist. I looked forward to five days of listening to eight in-depth teachings, as well as ample opportunity for journaling, private devotions, prayer, and receiving the sacraments, for I had taken the week off from seeing clients.
Instead of being fully immersed in the retreat, I ended up with a virus that had me sleeping through most of it. I envisioned I was in God’s lap lying next to Jesus with the Holy Spirit hovering and protecting. A 103-degree fever, chills, sore throat, cough, laryngitis, body aches. God had me right where he wanted me, and he slowed me down to a near complete stop.
One of the components which I was able to participate in was deliverance prayer with two trained women who walked me through some of my deepseated core beliefs which were not of God, to cut my ties and release them. So powerful!
I’m trusting that, as my priorities come more fully in line with God’s will for me, the storms will become less and the calm will become more. I will become less and God will become more. I will not pack my days so full or take on other people’s duties to avoid looking at myself. I at myself and see the beauty of God’s cre ation, fearfully and wonderfully made in God’s image. So can you.
God created me and you for a specific purpose. God has given me and you spe cific gifts or charisms to use in this time and in this place to bring glory to him. God speaks to me and you through his scriptures, in the sacraments, and through his people. We can trust him. We are so privileged to live in such a time as this!
Thankfully, due to the online nature of this retreat, I have access to all the materials until September 1.
Right before our fam ily vacation and the retreat, I received a call from NCCW President Beth Mahoney. She informed me that the nominating committee chair had passed
9
away the day prior. This is a committee to which I had been elected in May. As the second highest vote getter in the country, I was invited to step into the chair role. I humbly accepted.
, you will hear about the initiatives on the National level which came out of the convention in August. Our own Dianne Vangness, from Dodge Center, was installed as the St. Paul and Minneapolis Province Director. You will be hearing more from her in the next
Our annual diocesan convention is on Saturday, October 11, at St. Adrian Church in Adrian. The next day, Sunday, October 12, leadership training is at St. Teresa in Mapleton from 1-4 p.m. for anyone curious or in a position on your local, area or diocesan council. See the flyers for both
Be sure to contact me with any questions or concerns. I’m listening. 507-381-2842. shellyholttotalwellness@gmail.com Jesus, I trust in you!
Shelly Holt is the president of the WinonaRochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
In Pictures
Obituaries
Sister Mary Kay Flanigan, OSF, 93, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Mary Catherine Flanigan was born on May 7, 1932, in Marquette, MI, to Foard and Constance Flanigan.
She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1976, and made perpetual vows in 1985.
Sister Mary Kay devoted
her life to serving others with compassion and justice. From 1979-91, she worked as a staff worker and coordinator at the Chicago Uptown Ministry, uplifting marginalized communities and offering hope in times of hardship. She then transitioned to the Daily Pay ministry from 1992-93, advocating for factory workers' rights and dignity. In 1993,
Sister Mary Kay joined the 8th Day Center for Justice, where she spent years advancing social justice causes with unwavering dedication. In 2020, she retired to Assisi Heights, continuing her ministry in prayer and reflection. After years of service, she retired in 2022, leaving behind a lasting legacy of love, advocacy, and social change. Her work and spirit will be remembered by all whose lives she touched.
Survivors of Sister Mary
Kay include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 49 years; and a niece and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Patrick Flanigan; and sister, Constance Dahlke.
A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.
Online condolences are welcome at www. mackenfuneralhome.com.
Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
Sister Anne Becker, SSND, 92, died August 14, 2025, at Benedictine Living Community - Windermere, Shakopee. Her funeral Mass was celebrated August 19 at the Windermere Chapel, with Fr. John Kunz as presider. Burial followed in the Good Counsel Cemetery, Mankato.
Sister Anne was born in 1933 on the family farm near
Beloved, cont'd from pg. 1
condition known as trisomy 18, which meant that our little boy was not going to survive. So the journey through my pregnancy was one of great surrender and fear and really reckoning with, "Who is God? Who does God say I am? How can you still be good when all of these bad things are happening?" - all of those questions that we wrestle with when the story of our life doesn't go the way that we wanted it to.
But, in the wake of John Paul Raphael's death, the Lord invited me to a new mission that was surprising, and one that I deeply believed was for other people. You know, I really thought that this mission that he brought me - and I'll say more about this during the conference - but it is to let yourself be loved.
Yes, don't give away your whole talk!
But, I would say that my story and my mission and my ministry now all centers around this invitation to allow our suffering to be a place of intimacy and vulnerability, where great joy and freedom are found with God.
That's beautiful. In a quote from Salvifici Doloris, St. John Paul II speaks about suffering being an unleashing of love. In a deep mystical way, suffering unleashes love.
What a great phrase!
Our second speaker is Lisa Gray, sister to Servant of God Michelle Duppong. Tell me about your connection with Michelle.
I was so excited to hear that she was also going to be at the conference. I had an opportunity to hear Michelle's parents speak at the Eucharistic Congress a year and a half ago, and my oldest daughter, Maggie, was a FOCUS missionary for 4 years. And, although she did not know Michelle personally, all of her mentors and leaders in FOCUS did know Michelle personally. So, Maggie felt a very close and personal connection as the cause for her canonization was opened. She was a FOCUS missionary at the time and encouraged us to pray and to see the movie [Radiating Joy: the Michelle Duppong Story] and all of those things.
And my newest granddaughter was just born six days ago, and her middle name is Michelle! Talia Michelle, named for Michelle Duppong.
Ladies, you don’t want to miss this year’s Beloved conference! Come meet Elizabeth Leon in person and hear Lisa Gray share about her sister’s holy, ordinary and extraordinary life. Beloved is more of a retreat than a conference; allow yourself to spend a day receiving and soaking in God’s great love for you! You are beloved! Let yourself be loved! Register today!
St. Michael. She attended St. Michael Elementary School and then enrolled as a boarder at Good Counsel Academy. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1951 following her academy graduation.
After profession of First Vows in 1954, she began a Catholic school ministry that included teaching middle or junior high students in the diocesan school of St. Casimir, Winona (196467). In 1981 she moved into parish ministry and served at several Minneapolis and St. Paul parishes, first as a member of parish teams, and then as a volunteer. She retired to Good Counsel in 2020, and moved
to Shakopee in 2022. Music was a common element in all of her ministries as she taught classroom music; produced operettas, musicals and seasonal programs; and gave piano, organ and guitar lessons. She was a liturgist and musician at several of the parishes where she ministered.
Sister Anne is survived by her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates; her sisters Helen Mae (Dan) Wambeke and Dorothy Daleiden; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Anna (Mayerhofer) Becker; and her brothers, Victor, Wilfred, Leander, Roman, Clemens and Harold.
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.
Parish Events
September 21, Sunday
St. John Baptist de la Salle Parish, Dodge Center, will serve its 32nd annual turkey dinner with all the fixings from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church. 20 2nd St. NE in Dodge Center. $15 adults. $6 kids 6-12. Free 5 & younger. $5 raffle tickets, Bingo, baked goods, produce, bucket drawings, quilts for sale. All tickets and take-out tickets sold at the door. Handicap accessible. Ss. Peter & Paul, Mazeppa, will host their fall bazaar at the church. Ham & turkey dinner served 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. $15 per person. Raffle and Country Store also!
September 27, Saturday
Resurrection Parish, Rochester, will host the 12th Annual St. Vincent de Paul Friends of the Poor Walk/Run and Pancake Breakfast. Free will donations benefit the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Run/Walk begins at 9 a.m. at Church of the Resurrection, 1600 11th Ave SE in Rochester. Registration begins at 8:15. Pancake Breakfast during and after the Walk/Run, 9-11 a.m., in Fr. Zenk Hall at the church. 100% of donations serve our friends in need. Contact: Rick Fishbune (rfishbune@charter.net).
October 11, Saturday
St. Peter Parish, Hokah, will serve its annual roast beef dinner from 3:307:30 p.m. Buffet style or carry out, with famous homemade dressing and all the trimmings! $17 adult (dining room or carry out), $10 kids 6-12, free 5 & younger (kid prices for dining room only). Tickets sold at the door only.
October 12, Sunday
St. Columban Parish, Preston, will serve its annual pork dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. or until gone. Natural pork loin, real mashed potatoes, gravy, dressing, corn, coleslaw, applesauce, buns and pie. $15 per dinner. Carry-outs only. 408 Preston St. NW in Preston.
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.
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")
