Monster cookie ministry

By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

Father Mark Wehmann knew he had found a new friend at The St. Paul Seminary when Michael Izen (now bishop) arrived.

At the time, Father Wehmann was a year ahead of Bishop Izen in his studies. Father Wehmann’s 1994 light blue Honda Accord was admired by the new seminarian, who liked it so much he bought one for himself — same year and model, different color (black).

A bond was formed right away, and the friendship continued to grow.

“I would describe it as one of joy and laughter and depth,” said Father Wehmann, 54, who was ordained in 2003 and currently serves as parochial vicar of St. Olaf in downtown Minneapolis. “It’s very often several times a week that we’ll be talking.”

The two recently drove together two hours north of the Twin Cities to a funeral. Father Wehmann talked with Bishop Izen about his upcoming ordination and ministry as an auxiliary bishop in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. And, as always, the two exchanged mutual support for their priestly ministry. Offering a listening ear — and a good dose of humor when needed — is a trademark of the bishop, who has helped priests, friends and family with their personal struggles.

Like the time Bishop Izen walked into a very tense situation involving a friend who was facing a serious problem. Father Wehmann, a mutual friend, had gone to a restaurant with the man and was struggling with how to offer encouragement. The friend had just received some very tough news.

“We went to lunch,” Father Wehmann recalled. “I picked him up and drove him there, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to say. How do you cheer a guy up? What do you do?’”

Turns out, Bishop Izen knew exactly what to do — and he did it with ease.

“We got to the restaurant, and Izen came in, and it was like nothing (bad had) happened,” Father Wehmann recalled. “He was just joking (around). And then he pulled out a monster cookie that he got from a parishioner and slid it across the table to (the friend in trouble) and said, ‘You know what? There’s nothing a monster cookie can’t solve.’”

Just like that, he lightened the mood and calmed both the man and Father Wehmann, who admitted he was “all nervous (about) what to say.” Looking back, Father Wehmann calls that experience “a powerful moment in our friendship.”

Other priests have had such moments, too. Father Ralph Talbot, pastor of St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake, met Bishop Izen in 1998 when both were taking pre-theology classes at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. The two continued as classmates at The St. Paul Seminary and were set for ordination in 2004. But Bishop Izen took a school year off for further discernment while Father Talbot went straight through to ordination in 2004.

Despite having different ordination years, Bishop Izen keeps in close contact with Father Talbot and the five other priests of the 2004 ordination class — Fathers James Adams, David Blume, Paul Jarvis, Peter Williams and Dennis Zehren.

“Our class is somewhat unusual, I think,” Father Talbot said. “We’ve tried to get together for dinner on the first Sunday of every month, and we’ve been doing that now for 18 years. We don’t do it every month, but pretty close. That’s been a good piece of fraternity.”

Not only does Bishop Izen attend those dinners faithfully, but he also helps with the planning, Father Talbot said. That is in addition to regular get-togethers with his actual ordination class of 2005.

On top of those gatherings are vacations that Bishop Izen goes on with his close priest friends. A group recently went to Florida to spend time hanging out on the beach, which is an annual event. Father Williams went on that trip and enjoys opportunities to be with Bishop Izen and the small group of priests who soak up the sun together. He also has fond memories of his days at the seminary, when he and the bishop played football and basketball together. Every year, men from The St. Paul Seminary would play a football game against men from St. John Vianney College Seminary in what was called the Rector’s Bowl.

“We had a blast,” said Father Williams, pastor of St. Ambrose in Woodbury. “I was blessed to be the quarterback during that time. He was just a speed receiver, so it made my job easy. I’d just throw it up, and Michael would run under it.”

That combination led to four straight victories for the SPS men, and the athletic prowess continued on the basketball court, where Father Williams and Bishop Izen again teamed up to generate success. Two years, they drove to Mundelein Seminary near Chicago for the annual Mundelein basketball tournament in January. Bishop Izen, a shooting guard, helped his seminary team place third both times.

“One time, we were so inspired on the drive home that our little minibus stopped at Archbishop (Harry) Flynn’s, where he used to live” in a residence across the street from the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Father Williams said. “It was a cold night. We just wanted to share the joy that we had just experienced. And, we had a huge trophy.”

To their delight, Archbishop Flynn came to the door when they rang the bell. “He opened the door and we sang the ‘Salve Regina,’” Father Williams said. “And we said, ‘Archbishop, we just wanted to share the joy. We’re just getting home from Mundelein. We got third place.’”

True to his classic Irish wit, Archbishop Flynn offered a deadpan reply: “Only third place?” Father Williams took the gentle ribbing in stride. “It was just a joy to share that with him,” he said.

It also has been a joy for Father Williams’ parents, Dr. Gary and Mary Williams, and several siblings and their families to have Bishop Izen as their pastor at St. Michael and St. Mary in Stillwater.

“For eight years, they’ve been hearing Christ’s voice through his,” Father Williams said. “I don’t know if it gets any better than that. I think there’s a lot