The U.S. Army Third Infantry Division Aug. 1 placed the late Msgr. Patrick Ryan, World War II chaplain, into its Marne Hall of Fame in Fort Stewart, Georgia. A priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Msgr. Ryan’s 30-year military career included President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointing him as U.S. Army chief of chaplains. He also was the only person to twice hold the position of deputy chief of Army chaplains. Honors for his service included the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star and Distinguished Service medal. “Chaplain Ryan’s service and dedication as a ‘Dogface Soldier’ are etched into the very fabric of our division’s history,” said Chaplain (Lt. Col.) John Scott, current division chaplain, according to an article released by the Defense Department’s Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Father Michael Creagan, pastor of St. Michael and St. Mary in Stillwater and a chaplain major in the Minnesota Army National Guard, said the honor calls to mind other archdiocesan priests who served as chaplains during the war, including the late Father John Buchanan, who founded Holy Childhood parish in St. Paul, was in the Battle of the Bulge and was decorated with a Silver Star for gallantry in action.
JESUIT VOWS Leonardo Assé Jr. makes his profession of first vows to the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) during a Mass Aug. 12 at St. Thomas More in St. Paul, with Father Karl Kiser, the principal celebrant and provincial of the USA Midwest Province, holding the Eucharist. Assé was one of nine men who professed first vows at the Mass and is a native of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
An Aug. 20 Mass intention was offered at St. Odilia in Shoreview for Brian Eldridge, who died last month. His name was also included in the prayers of the faithful at Masses that same weekend. The Pioneer Press published an obituary for Eldridge, and later reported it was penned by Eldridge’s brother, Steve. In the obituary, Steve illustrated Brian’s life of struggle and loneliness. The obituary received an outpouring of responses, including dozens of messages on the obituary’s webpage. “It has been very thought-provoking to keep going back to the online obituary and read all the comments from everyone,” Mary Ruhland, St. Odilia worship assistant, said in an email. “Hopefully we will all be a little kinder when we meet someone who doesn’t quite fit in.” Ruhland shared the obituary with Kim Albrecht, director of worship at St. Odilia, who in turn shared it with other staff. Kevin Scroggins, second grade teacher with St. Odilia School who suggested the original idea of holding a funeral Mass for Brian, said in an email that after he read the obituary, “Immediately, I thought that we have to honor him as a beloved child of God in death, to try in some measure to make up for the hurt he endured in life.” Though the family declined an offer by St. Odilia to hold a funeral service for Brian, Albrecht said, “We can always lift someone up with our prayers, even after death — especially after death! Having a Mass intention on the 20th for Brian is one small way our community can show our support.”
Dale Hennen, senior consultant with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Parish and Clergy Services, was surprised Aug. 10 with the gift of an icon of St. Francis of Assisi, which was blessed by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Hennen retired Aug.18 after serving the archdiocese for more than 35 years, including as coordinator of the annual Rural Life Sunday event. A number of colleagues treated Hennen to lunch in West St. Paul, where they shared stories and presented the icon. Hennen said he “has always loved St. Francis,” whose life has “inspired and challenged” him. “My life has been heavily influenced by Franciscan spirituality and my long association with the Franciscan friars, many of whom are friends, for which I am grateful,” he said.
A back-to-school ice cream social was held Aug. 20 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. Hosted by Aim Higher Foundation — a St. Paul-based nonprofit that provides tuition assistance scholarships for Catholic education — the annual event is an opportunity for foundation scholarship recipients and their families to meet with foundation staff, board members and donors. A special component this year was giving nearly 100 backpacks filled with school supplies to incoming Aim Higher Foundation kindergarten scholars. The high school-age children of four of the foundation’s board members organized the supply drive. Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota has created a new fund in keeping with Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’” and its environmental principles. The St. Paulbased nonprofit has created the Laudato Si’ Fund to help “support Catholic parishes and schools who strive to achieve net zero carbon emissions,” the organization said in a news release. The first grants from this fund will allow four parishes within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to participate in the Parish Net Zero Covenant Program, a program championed by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Each parish will receive $6,500 for the program’s Net Zero Pathway service. Parish applications for the grants can be submitted Sept. 1 to Oct. 15, according to CCF. Those interested in this effort can contribute to the Laudato Si’ Fund online at ccf-mn org/laudatoSi. Founded in 1992, CCF stewards charitable funds that help support parishes, Catholic schools and other charities. The Catholic Spirit is taking a three-week break. Watch for the next edition Sept. 14.
On the Aug. 18 “Practicing Catholic” radio show, host Patrick Conley interviewed Nicole Bettini, delegate for consecrated life for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who described the life of a consecrated virgin living in the world. Also featured were Simon Pick, director of music and liturgy at Assumption in St. Paul, who discussed the role of music in liturgies and faith; and Deacon Nick Vance, who described a summer camp at the Dunrovin Christian Brothers Retreat Center near Stillwater, for groups of middle schoolers from Chicago. Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingcatholicShow com or anchor fm/Practicing-catholic-Show with links to streaming platforms.
ON THE COVER: Sable Schneider of St. Joseph in Rosemount helps her daughter, Scarlett, try on a school uniform during a sale at St. Joseph School Aug. 7. This sale — for families new to the school — is part of an annual overall uniform sale that happens over two days. Scarlett is entering kindergarten.
Iwanted to write a letter to all the TV stations, all four of them. I was 10 and I wanted to complain that they were ruining my summer.
All those advertisements about “back to school specials” because “school is just around the corner!” were intruding on my carefree vacation. In my mind, the start of school was far enough away that I did not have to think about it, not until those commercials came on the TV. My mother, God rest her soul, told me that you can’t always wait until the last second to get ready for important things.
Today as a pastor, my 10-year-old-self is still annoyed with calendar meetings for next winter when it is still summer. Recently I was reminded that the parish was late in getting all the scheduling done since this year the Fourth Sunday of Advent is Christmas Eve. I am also reminded that many parishes completed the entire year’s liturgical calendar last May.
Nonetheless, the liturgical seasons of the Church have their time to prepare for future promises fulfilled in Jesus Christ (Advent). Jesus wisely instructed his followers to “not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself” (Mt 6:34). So, too, there is a time to prepare for atonements for the past, in order to know the power of the cross over sin (Lent). The sacred Scriptures, from the Book of Genesis to the Book of Isaiah, from the teachings of the Apostle Paul to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, remind and warn us that being stuck in the past is the future’s greatest saboteur.
The present is Ordinary Time. We know how excessive attention to the future, or the past, can take away from the joy of the present. While at times necessary, all the details of preparing for what might happen distract us from an immediate appreciation for what is happening. So, too, all our time given to dreamy nostalgic thoughts or ruminating with remorse about the past can blind us to the grace given today.
A long time ago I was with a group of young priests at a dinner with a long-serving pastor. He had the parish phone right on the dining room table. We were quietly scandalized when the phone rang and
Quería escribir una carta a todas las estaciones de televisión, a las cuatro. Yo tenia 10 años y queria se quejan de que estaban arruinando mi verano.
Todos esos anuncios sobre “especiales de regreso a la escuela” porque “la escuela está a la vuelta de la esquina!” se entrometían en mis vacaciones sin preocupaciones. En mi mente, el comienzo de la escuela estaba lejos lo suficientemente lejos como para no tener que pensar en ello, no hasta que esos comerciales aparecieron en la televisión. Mi madre, Dios la tenga en su gloria, me dijo que no siempre se puede esperar hasta el último segundo para obtener listo para cosas importantes.
Hoy, como pastor, mi yo de 10 años todavía está molesto con las reuniones del calendario para el próximo invierno. cuando todavía es verano. Recientemente me recordaron que la parroquia tardó en obtener todos los programación realizada ya que este año el Cuarto Domingo de Adviento es
Ordinary Time is a season of the present. The beauty of nature, the fertility of the fields and the serenity of summer nights. It may only be for a short time, but there is great value in an unencumbered experience of the very presence of God wherever we are able to take that time.
he interrupted our conversation to answer the phone — twice. Today, most every diner at most every dinner table has their phone handy and ready to interrupt the moment.
When the “to do” list has more things to do than there is time to do them, it can be a source of great stress. The demands on our attentiveness for tomorrow can also include the weight of worry about the challenges of life in the relatively distant future.
The spiritual path is not so much about reducing the list of things to do or having no regrets as it is taking some time to set aside all thoughts about the future and the past. Particularly during times of prayer, adoration and worship, turning off the intrusion of the future can bring calmness and an inner peace. It is a moment in time when we do
Nochebuena. Yo soy también recordó que muchas parroquias completaron todo el calendario litúrgico del año pasado en mayo.
Sin embargo, los tiempos litúrgicos de la Iglesia tienen su tiempo para preparar futuras promesas cumplida en Jesucristo (Adviento). Jesús instruyó sabiamente a sus seguidores a “no preocuparse por mañana; mañana se hará cargo de sí mismo” (Mt 6,34). Así también, hay un tiempo para prepararse para expiación por el pasado, para conocer el poder de la cruz sobre el pecado (Cuaresma). Lo sagrado Escrituras, desde el Libro de Génesis hasta Isaías, desde el Apóstol Pablo hasta el Evangelio de Jesucristo, recuérdanos y adviértenos que estar atrapado en el pasado es el mayor saboteador del futuro.
El presente es el Tiempo Ordinario. Sabemos cómo la atención excesiva al futuro, o al pasado, puede quita la alegría del presente. Si bien a veces es necesario, todos los detalles de preparación para lo que podría suceder nos distrae de una apreciación inmediata de lo que está sucediendo. Así también, todo nuestro
not need anything and have no worries. In times of prayer, adoration and worship, reflections on the past should only serve to strengthen the virtue of hope.
Ordinary Time is a season of the present. The beauty of nature, the fertility of the fields and the serenity of summer nights. It may only be for a short time, but there is great value in an unencumbered experience of the very presence of God wherever we are able to take that time.
The start of school and Labor Day are just around the corner. With the drumbeats of fall already echoing in our ears, it is good to take as many ordinary moments as possible in an unbridled, single-minded obedience to God’s command in Psalm 46:
“Be still and know that I am God.”
tiempo dedicado a pensamientos nostálgicos soñadores o rumiando con remordimiento sobre el pasado puede cegarnos a la gracia dada hoy.
Hace mucho tiempo estaba con un grupo de jóvenes sacerdotes en una cena con un pastor de mucho tiempo. Él Tenía el teléfono de la parroquia justo en la mesa del comedor. Nos escandalizamos silenciosamente cuando sonó el teléfono y él interrumpió nuestra conversación para contestar el teléfono, dos veces. Hoy, la mayoría todos los comensales a lo sumo cada mesa tiene su teléfono a mano y listo para interrumpir el momento.
Cuando la lista de “cosas por hacer” tiene más cosas que hacer que tiempo para hacerlas, puede ser una fuente de gran estrés las demandas de nuestra atención para el mañana también pueden incluir el peso de preocuparse por los desafíos de la vida en un futuro relativamente distante.
El camino espiritual no se trata tanto de reducir la lista de cosas por hacer o de no arrepentirse como de está tomando algún tiempo dejar de lado todos los pensamientos sobre el futuro
y el pasado. Particularmente durante tiempos de oración, adoración, apagar la intrusión del futuro puede traer una tranquilidad y una paz interior. Es un momento en el tiempo en el que no necesitamos nada y tenemos no hay problema. En tiempos de oración, adoración y las reflexiones sobre el pasado sólo deben servir fortalecer la virtud de la esperanza.
El Tiempo Ordinario es un tiempo del presente. La belleza de la naturaleza, la fertilidad de los campos y la serenidad de las noches de verano. Puede que solo sea por un corto tiempo, pero hay un gran valor en un experiencia libre de trabas de la presencia misma de Dios dondequiera que podamos tomar ese tiempo.
El inicio de clases y el Día del Trabajo están a la vuelta de la esquina. Con los tambores de otoño ya resonando en nuestros oídos, es bueno tomar tantos momentos ordinarios como sea posible en un desenfrenado, obediencia resuelta al mandato de Dios en el Salmo 46:
“Estén quietos, y sepan que yo soy Dios.”
From left, Bishop Elias Zaidan of Los Angeles and Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, pastor of St. Maron in Minneapolis, face the congregation after divine liturgy Aug. 20 at the Maronite Catholic church. Moments earlier, they unveiled and dedicated a new mosaic completed just days before, which depicts Pentecost. The 23-foot-wide by 14-foot-tall mosaic features 181 panels containing stones created in Venice, Italy, and put in place behind the altar at St. Maron by Rugo Stone company in Lorton, Virginia. The $185,000 project was made possible by a donation from longtime parishioners Ray and Sally Haik, who both died in 2019. “I think this is going to be an attraction in the Twin Cities and for my parishioners,” said Chorbishop Maroun, who noted it might be the largest mosaic in any local church, and in any Maronite church in the country. “For us, windows and mosaics and icons are windows into heaven, and I think this (mosaic) is a perfect window into heaven. … Every week, we’re going to feel that.” The project met Chorbishop Maroun’s hope to have the mosaic installed before the parish’s annual festival Sept. 16-17.
When John Sondag says World Youth Day is a valuable experience, he would know. He recently returned from his 11th, this time held Aug. 1-6 in Lisbon, Portugal, an event that drew an estimated 1.5 million people from around the world.
“It’s a pilgrimage, and every time something is a little different, and you have to roll with the punches,” said Sondag, director of religious education at St. Helena in Minneapolis for 41 years. But it’s a very positive experience for young people, he said.
“They get a sense of the universal Church that I don’t think you can get any other way,” Sondag said. Even traveling to Rome doesn’t give young people the chance to interact with others their age every day, and with “the colors, the flags and the sounds” of World Youth Day, he said.
Participants are also “united with our Holy Father,” Pope Francis, Sondag said, something they will remember “for the rest of their lives.” And “a lot of catechesis” takes place, both formal and informal, “with the adults that are with them,” Sondag said.
The next World Youth Day takes place in Seoul, South Korea, in 2027, the first one held in mainland Asia. Pope Francis also invited young people to visit Rome during the Holy Year 2025 for a youth celebration.
The WYD trip includes sacrifice in “enduring some things for the faith,” Sondag said. Different from giving up candy for Lent, World Youth Day participants sometimes “sleep on the ground, on rocky ground all night, and you’re waiting (often in long lines to venues), and that’s a different kind of a sacrifice for the faith,” he said.
Sondag traveled to World Youth Day with a group of 42 including his pastor, Father Marcus Milless, five young people from their parish and other young people from All Saints in Lakeville, St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake, St. Henry in Monticello, Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul, St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, St. Pius V in Cannon Falls and Holy Trinity in South St. Paul.
Three other groups from the archdiocese participated: a group of 16 co-led by Michelle Boris, coordinator of young adult ministries at St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake, and Nick Brady, director of Next Steps at St. Paul in Ham Lake; a group from St. Michael in St. Michael; and a group of Latino pilgrims representing several parishes, Boris said: St. Stephen in Minneapolis,
St. Francis de Sales in St. Paul, St. Odilia in Shoreview, Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Minneapolis, Incarnation in Minneapolis and Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Paul.
Jacob Mischke, 27, said this year’s World Youth Day was his first. He said the trip was a good experience but more challenging than a typical vacation. His roommate tracked their pilgrimage on Saturday and they walked 11 miles in crowds for seven hours and 17 minutes.
“And we were carrying between 35 and 65 pounds on us,” he said. “I think doing it together spurred us on,” Mischke said. “And I think a lot of it was just grace.” Difficulties arise when accommodating 1.5 million people, Mischke said, but Lisbon “did a phenomenal job hosting the event.”
Mischke said he appreciated experiencing the universality of the Church, “and a Church ... forever young.”
A typical vacation is more enjoyed in the moment, Mischke said, and “you may think about it for a week or two afterward,” before it “dissipates from memory.” “This is one of those trips where maybe it wasn’t as enjoyable in the moment all the time, but it will stick with you for the rest of your life.”
Among the 1.5 million attendees, Mischke ran into a friend he hadn’t seen in some time, and who has since been ordained a priest.
Boris can identify with running into people she knew in such a large crowd. For one, during a catechesis session, she saw her parish priest from when she lived in Glasgow, Scotland. At a crowded train station, she ran into a student going to college in Texas whom she knew as a teen at her previous parish job. “God was working his graces to give us these,” she said. “It’s kind of a giant Catholic reunion of people from all over the world.”
One lasting memory for Boris happened as her group left Mass on the last day. They departed after Communion to allow time to get back to their hotel, pack and get to the airport in time to make their flight. They heard the pope’s final blessing as they left.
“We hadn’t seen the pope up close all week,” she said, but as they walked out of the park, they heard the crowd cheering after Mass ended. “And the papal envoy just drove right by us on the street,” Boris said, “and we saw Pope Francis waving to us.”
Her entire group got to see him, Boris said. “And that was … our final moment of World Youth Day, the official event,” she said. “It was just the cherry on top.”
Brady, 30, said his group members were “very well formed, so that was a joy.” Not his first World Youth Day rodeo, he had experienced it in Poland in 2016.
“I really appreciated the evening time
… and small group discussion, and just to hear about how God was working in their lives through this experience,” he said. “To help facilitate that was pretty cool.”
Brady said one of the “keystone events” was the vigil where pilgrims sleep outside the night before Sunday Mass with the pope, which the pope also visited, he said. The walk to the vigil site was about 13 miles, he said, and took six to seven hours in near 100-degree heat, which he said was “kind of a spiritual purification.”
Being in the gathering area that evening, with “powerful music” is “an energy and a moment that you really can’t translate without being there,” Brady said. “To see the young Church … gathered all together in support of their faith, hoping to see the pope and to be with him during this time. It’s special.”
One speaker’s message that resonated with Mischke was from Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of WinonaRochester, who addressed how today’s culture promotes a message of “being safe, safety first,” Mischke recalled.
“Imagine telling David before he went out … to defeat Goliath to … don’t be reckless,” he said. “We’re not called as Christians to operate from this realm of safety, that we only want to be safe and secure. We need to be bold, we need to challenge ourselves, and that sometimes means venturing out into the danger for the sake of the Gospel, which I thought was a pretty strong message.”
Asked how being among hundreds of thousands of young Catholics impacts his faith, Brady said “it gives me hope for the Church.”
“It gives me hope that the Church is listening. It gives me hope that the Church understands young people and that they’re really trying to make an effort to help young people experience God in a way that makes sense to them,” Brady said.
Knowing how difficult it can be to live in this culture as a young person, with “all the different things coming at us,” Brady said, he found it “really powerful to feel heard and encouraged by the presence of so many people who are on fire for the faith and wanted to be, and have this experience.”
John Boyle, 27, youth minister and religion teacher at St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park, experienced his first World Youth Day, traveling with 33 others in his group. Boyle recalled remarks given by Catholic speaker Chris Stefanick, including, “First and foremost, we have to desire to be saints, and saints must rise up in our times now to preach the Gospel, to live the Gospel.”
“There are so many great things happening in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and I want to talk about them with you.”
So explained Archbishop Bernard Hebda in a video introducing “Together on the Journey,” which includes a monthly video message and a newsletter, set to launch in September.
Taking its title from the translation of the Greek “synodos,” and its
inspiration from the archbishop’s pastoral letter “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent from the Upper Room” released last year, “Together on the Journey” is designed to encourage Catholics on their walk of faith.
“This will allow me the opportunity to connect with you in a new way, to encourage and strengthen your relationship to this local Church and to your parish,” the archbishop said in the video.
Archbishop Hebda’s video messages
will be sent on the first Monday of each month; the first video message will be sent Sept. 4. Then, the “Together on the Journey: A Weekly Word” newsletter will be released on the following Mondays of each month, starting Sept. 11. The newsletter will feature the archbishop’s reflections on happenings in the local Church and his insights into the Catholic faith. It will also include information on local Catholic events, recent “Practicing Catholic” radio show interviews and news from The Catholic
Spirit newspaper.
According to the archdiocesan Office of Communications, parishioners at nearly 70 local parishes will automatically receive Archbishop Hebda’s monthly videos and newsletter directly via email, through a partnership with Flocknote.
If their parishes do not use Flocknote, Catholics can sign up to receive the videos and the newsletter by visiting archspm org/togetheronthejourney
The videos will also be posted to that webpage.
Recognizing opportunities to reduce costs and strongly align vision and mission, members of the ministry-supporting Catholic Services Appeal Foundation said Aug. 9 the annual appeal will return to the auspices of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis starting Jan. 1, 2024.
With the support of the interim CSAF president, Yen Fasano, the six-member board voted to dissolve the independent foundation, created in 2013 to give donors confidence amid thoughts of how a potential archdiocesan bankruptcy could negatively impact financial support raised annually for essential ministries. Prior to 2013, the appeal was run by the archdiocese.
“I am excited to see the annual appeal move back to its original location at the archdiocese,” said Karen Rauenhorst, board chair and a longtime supporter of the appeal. “I am confident, not only as a board chair, but as a donor, that we will be able to assist the ministries that we support in a more effective manner.”
The appeal supports 19 key ministries in the archdiocese, ranging from hospital ministry to campus ministry to prison ministry. The appeal has enabled the archdiocese to educate its seminarians, to engage in programming in support of marriage and families, and to serve Latino and Native American Catholics. It has also made Catholic education more affordable for needy families, and supported care for the poor and marginalized as well as for those facing unexpected pregnancies. This year, the foundation promised to support the priorities that emerged from the Archdiocesan Synod.
The appeal will conclude its 2023 campaign as part of the CSAF organization. Starting Jan. 1, the appeal will be returned to the archdiocese, and it will be led by Jean Houghton, director of the archdiocese’s Office of Mission Advancement.
The board and Archbishop Bernard Hebda informed stakeholders in separate letters Aug. 9.
“The archdiocese will always be indebted to the CSAF directors and staff who for the past 10 years have independently enabled the Church’s work to continue in spite of the uncertainties that accompanied bankruptcy and a transition in leadership,” the archbishop wrote.
“I encourage you to read the CSAF’s announcement about their belief that this is the right decision at the right time to allow ‘for greater alignment with the larger mission and vision of the local Church,’ and for the consolidation of ‘resources, talents, and efforts to serve more efficiently and effectively the spiritual and material needs’ of the people of the archdiocese,” the archbishop said.
The timing of the move was precipitated by the
We firmly believe that with reintegrating the annual campaign into the archdiocese, there will be greater alignment with the larger mission and vision of the Church. This will allow us to consolidate our resources, talents, and efforts to serve more efficiently and effectively the spiritual and material needs of our Church, under the guidance and leadership of our shepherd, Archbishop Bernard Hebda.
The CSAF board
unanticipated departure in May of the former CSAF president, Tizoc Rosales, who left to take the position of director of institutional advancement at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul. In announcing Rosales’ departure, board members said they would prayerfully discern the next steps for the foundation.
In their letter to CSAF supporters, Rauenhorst and other board members said discernment led to the decision to have the appeal rejoin the archdiocese.
“We firmly believe that with reintegrating the annual campaign into the archdiocese, there will be greater alignment with the larger mission and vision of the Church,” the board said, in part. “This will allow us to consolidate our resources, talents, and efforts to serve more efficiently and effectively the spiritual and material needs of our Church, under the guidance and leadership of our shepherd, Archbishop Bernard Hebda.”
“Lastly, we would like to express our profound gratitude for your unwavering support and trust throughout this 10-year journey of our Foundation,” the board wrote. “We hope you will continue to support the Catholic Services Appeal and may the center of our Love, our Lord Jesus, bless you immensely for your generosity and faithfulness!”
The president of St. Catherine University in St. Paul plans to retire next summer, and a search for her replacement has begun.
ReBecca Koenig Roloff, 69, has led the university since 2016. She will retire Aug. 15, 2024, at the end of her eighth year as president. A search committee convened by the chair of the university’s board of trustees, Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet Jean Wincek, has begun a national search for a new president and will guide the transition.
“Becky has led St. Kate’s through tumultuous times locally with the murder of George Floyd, nationally with dramatic changes in higher education, and internationally with the first pandemic in 100 years,” Sister Jean said in a statement released by the university. “With insight, courage and commitment to the mission of educating women to lead and influence, Becky will leave our beloved university in a strong position
as a vibrant Catholic institution with the liberal arts woven through every fiber of its academic programming.”
Roloff said her professional life was launched at St. Kate’s when she walked onto campus. Roloff graduated from the university in 1976.
“The circle will close 52 years later in a role that is the privilege of my career,” she said in the statement. “The life afforded to me because of my education at St. Kate’s drives all decisions and choices I make as president so that others have the same chance I did.”
During her term as president, the university consolidated two campuses into one in St. Paul, created and implemented a 10-year strategic academic plan called Setting our Sails 2028, and a $130 million capital campaign expected to conclude in November.
Plans for retirement include enjoying more time with her four grandchildren and resuming hobbies and passions put on hold while president, Roloff said.
Effective Sept. 1, Our Lady of Victory in north Minneapolis will suspend operations as it faces financial challenges, the pastor and parochial administrator said in an Aug. 1 letter to parishioners that followed a June 22 all-parish meeting, when the announcement was first made.
A final Mass before the suspension will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Aug. 27, and will include an opportunity to thank and congratulate the pastor, Father Terrence Hayes, 81, as he retires after 51 years of active ministry, including 30 years at OLV, the letter to parishioners said. A note in the parish bulletin urged people to invite former OLV parishioners and others to bring memorabilia, reminisce and commemorate the parish’s history.
The suspension could lead to a parish merger, said the letter, signed by Father Hayes and Father Michael Tix, parochial administrator and a vicar general of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “Father Hayes and Father Tix, along with your Parish Trustees, will be making a recommendation to Archbishop (Bernard) Hebda about a local parish being named partner with OLV in the short-term, which may lead to a canonical merger in the future,” the
letter said.
Some OLV parishioners have suggested several possible partners, including Holy Cross in Minneapolis, Sacred Heart in Robbinsdale and St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center, the letter said. “The hope is that a merger will help stabilize the financial situation so that OLV church will be able to reopen for regular Masses in the future and remain an active witness to the good news of Jesus Christ in north Minneapolis,” the letter said.
Meanwhile, the church will be available for baptisms, weddings, funerals and other special celebrations, but there will not be daily or weekend Masses at OLV, the letter said. The parish office will have limited hours to help meet parishioner and administrative needs and care for the building site.
In an interview with The Catholic Spirit, Father Tix said he was appointed parochial administrator of the parish in January, as Father Hayes faced knee replacement surgery and financial challenges at OLV. Father Hayes, however, remains pastor and is involved in all decisions about the parish, Father Tix said.
OLV was founded in 1945. The parish’s 78 years have included a commitment to education, Father Tix said, with a now-closed parish school that opened in 1948 and at
one point had about 1,000 students. Most recently, the school building was leased to Legacy of Dr. Josie R. Johnson Montessori School, and the parish depended on the rental income to operate. But JJ Legacy School fell behind on rent, contributing to cash flow and debt challenges at the parish, Father Tix said. The school continues to owe rent, and no agreement has been reached to renew the lease. No tenant has been found for the 2023-2024 school year, Father Tix said.
Father Tix said it is a difficult time
for many in the parish, with a feeling of “sadness that could be likened to a death in the family. Those are the words I hear, over and over.”
The Aug. 1 letter noted the sadness. It concluded: “However, as people of faith we look to the cross and remember that death is not the end. Jesus’ resurrection conquers death and promises new life. … In this time for OLV we look to Mary’s example of faith and trust as we stand at this cross-like moment with our hope in Jesus’ promise of resurrection and new life.”
2023
• WI Shrines (Fr. Grundman/Fr.Mischke) Sept 18 20
• Midwest Shrines (Fr. Todd) Sept 25 Oct 2
• WI Shrines Solemnity Day (Deacon Dan) Oct 8 11
• Branson Miracle of Christmas Nov 30 Dec 3 2024
• Guadalupe MEX/El Salvador (Fr. Omar) February
• Ireland Pub/Pew (Fr. Peter/Fr. Popp) April 2 12
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“For us, it’s like a miracle,” Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, the Honolulu Diocese’s vicar of Maui and Lanai, said about Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in the town of Lahaina being seemingly untouched by the fierce Maui wildfires Aug. 8-9.
The blaze burned Lahaina to the ground in the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history and the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
“When we saw the news and saw the church steeple rise above the town, it was a great sight to see,” the priest said in an interview with the Honolulu StarAdvertiser daily newspaper Aug. 10.
There were conflicting news reports on the fate of the church — whose name translates as “Our Lady of Victory” — and its parish school, Sacred Hearts School, which had lost half its roof to heavy winds Aug. 7. The parish’s priests, women religious and staff were safe and accounted for.
The church is a block or two from Front Street, the famous waterfront stretch of visitors’ shops and restaurants which the Lahaina fire reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. Pictures showed charred trees across the street from the church.
Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva echoed the vicar in saying Maria Lanakila church “was miraculously spared, as was the rectory.” He said the adjacent convent, school and hall were “burned, along with neighboring homes.”
In comments Aug. 14 to the Hawaii Catholic Herald, the diocesan newspaper, the bishop also reported that the pastor, Father Kuriakose Nadooparambil, a priest of the Missionaries of Faith congregation, “was allowed to go in (to the church) with a police escort, and he reported that not even the flowers in the church were wilted or singed. There was only a covering of ash on the pews.”
“We thank God for this blessing! Of course, the church cannot be used until the area around it is cleared and deemed suitable for passage,” Bishop Silva added.
The Maui blaze began the night of Aug. 8. The National Weather Service said strong winds from Hurricane Dora, passing hundreds of miles to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands, were partly to blame for fueling the fires.
As of late Aug. 21, the death toll in Lahaina was at least 115, and the families of 13 victims had been notified. All single-story structures had been searched and officials were turning their attention to multi-story buildings. For several days there were estimates that between 1,000 and 1,300 remained unaccounted for, but ABC News reported Aug. 18 the number could be closer to 950. About 11,000 people evacuated.
uPope tells lawyers he’s writing a new document on the environment. Thanking a group of European lawyers for their attention to environmental protection laws, Pope Francis said he was preparing another document on the subject. “I am writing a second part to “Laudato Si’” to update it on current problems,” the pope told the lawyers Aug. 21 during a meeting in the library of the Apostolic Palace. He provided no further information. “Laudato Si’, On Care for Our Common Home” was the title of Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical letter on the need for an “integral ecology” that respects the dignity and value of the human person, helps the poor and safeguards the planet. The pope made his remark in the context of thanking the lawyers for their “willingness to work for the development of a normative framework aimed at protecting the environment.” He told them, “It must never be forgotten that future generations are entitled to receive from our hands a beautiful and habitable world, and that this
U.S. census data from 2020 shows that Lahaina had a population of about 12,700 out of an overall population on Maui of about 165,000.
As many as 3,000 homes may have been destroyed. Other Maui communities affected by fires include Kihei and Kula, with more than 500 acres burned. According to research done by Moody’s Analytics, the economic cost to Maui from the wildfires could reach $7 billion.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden toured the area by helicopter and visited with survivors Aug. 21. Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for Maui and the Big Island (Hawaii island) Aug. 10; he told residents that the rebuilding would follow the wishes of the people of Lahaina.
In the days since the fires, Msgr. Watanabe has been fielding hundreds of calls and emails “from all over the world.” The outpouring of concern is “overwhelming,” he told the Hawaii Catholic Herald. “It’s unbelievable.”
The church where Msgr. Watanabe is pastor, St. Anthony in Wailuku, held an ecumenical prayer service for victims the evening of Aug. 15, hosted by Bishop Silva. “We should do what we do best — pray,” the monsignor said.
Prayer has been a watchword for Bishop Silva, too, as well as calling for the faithful to give “unwavering support” to the fire victims.
entails grave responsibilities toward the natural world that we have received from the benevolent hands of God.”
uThe Jesuit-run Central American University in Managua suspended operations Aug. 16 after Nicaraguan authorities branded the school a “center of terrorism” the previous day and froze its assets for confiscation
The actions marked an escalation in the regime’s repression of the Catholic Church and its charitable and educational projects. The Jesuit province in Central America immediately rebuked the terrorism accusations as “false and unfounded,” saying in an Aug. 16 statement, “The de facto confiscation of the (university) is the price to pay for seeking a more just society, protecting life, truth and freedom for the Nicaraguan people in accordance with the (school) slogan, ‘The truth will set you free.’”
Those interested in assisting Maui aid efforts can consider contributing to the following, including suggestions made by St. Paul-based Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota: The diocese’s Hawai’i Catholic Community Foundation at tinyurl com/mauicatholic
The Catholic Charities Hawai’i site at catholiccharitieshawaii org/maui-relief
The American Red Cross at tinyurl com/2cy5js3r
World Central Kitchen at tinyurl com/27u8582y
The bishop flew to Maui late Aug. 12, toured the Lahaina area Aug. 13 and celebrated Mass that Sunday for 200 people about nine miles away in Kapalua at Sacred Heart, the other church that belongs to Maria Lanakila Parish.
“As a community of faith, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are suffering,” the bishop said in an Aug. 11 message to Hawaii Catholics. “It is in times like these that our collective love, faith and compassion can make a tremendous difference.”
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We teach them the tools to stress less.OSV NEWS | COURTESY MARIA LANAKILA PARISH Missionaries of Faith Father Kuriakose Nadooparambil, pastor of Maria Lanakila Church in Lahaina, Maui, Aug. 16 touches a statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary which still stands amid foliage untouched by the wildfire that scorched trees across the street and destroyed the town of Lahaina.
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The accusations against the school, known locally as UCA, “form part of a series of unjustified attacks against the Nicaraguan population and other educational and social institutions of civil society — and are generating a climate of violence and insecurity and worsening the country’s social-political crisis.” UCA confirmed in a statement to the university community that the country’s 10th district court — which accused the school of “organizing criminal groups” — had ordered its assets seized and handed over to “the State of Nicaragua, which will guarantee the continuity of all educational programs.” Auxiliary Bishop Silvio José Baez of Managua, currently exiled in Miami, called the “confiscation” of the UCA by the Sandinista dictatorship “unjust,” “illegal” and “outrageous.” “They demonstrate their contempt for intellectual freedom, quality education and critical thinking. Every day they sink deeper into their irrationality, their wickedness and their fear,” he wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
uA new report on Russian atrocities in Ukraine is both “the worst possible news” and “welcome,” a Ukrainian Catholic archbishop recently told OSV News. “The Russian Federation’s Escalating Commission of Genocide in Ukraine: A Legal Analysis” was released July 26 by the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, and the Raoul Wallenberg Center for Human Rights, a Montreal-based nonpartisan global coalition for human rights advocacy and justice. The 57-page report, which follows a similar report jointly issued by the two organizations in May 2022, concludes that “the Russian Federation has not only
committed but escalated its efforts to commit genocide” in Ukraine, wrote Azeem Ibrahim, senior director of the mass atrocities and law portfolio at New Lines, in the foreword to the document. “It is ironic to welcome a report on genocide,” Metropolitan Archbishop Borys Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in the U.S. said in an emailed statement to OSV News. “But it is good that the report is being made and it should be brought to the widest possible audiences.” The report cites as evidence mass killings, summary executions, widespread rape and sexual violence, and relentless attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, with Russian state media directly calling for the extermination of the Ukrainian nation. Regarding Russia’s breaches of the Genocide Convention, “the signs are clear,” said Archbishop Gudziak. “It is genocide, and it must be stopped. For the love of God, for the love of his children, please pray, advocate, stay informed, and help as much as you can. Please bring to the attention of your representatives your awareness of these genocidal crimes and your insistence that everything be done to stop them.”
uBaltimore Archdiocese’s gun buyback effort takes 362 firearms off streets and promotes peace and hope. Father Michael Murphy, pastor of St. Joseph’s Monastery in Baltimore’s Irvington neighborhood, is not sure how much of a dent an Aug. 5 gun buyback effort will make in the deadly violence that plagues cities such as Baltimore. But he applauded the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Baltimore City Police Department for coordinating the mission to give residents of West Baltimore hope. The archdiocese raised more than $50,000 to finance the buyback event. Police officers exchanged cash and gift cards for weapons retrieved from the
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trunks of vehicles that formed a continuous, long line for several hours, wrapped around a local shopping center. According to an archdiocesan spokesperson, the buyback secured 362 firearms, including 158 handguns and 17 semiautomatic weapons and other types. Police paid $200 for handguns, rifles and shotguns, $300 for assault weapons. Each of the weapons will be destroyed. Before the buyback event, the Baltimore Police Department had reported recovering more than 1,400 illegal firearms from the streets of Baltimore. “We are trying to work for peace and give people some hope that somebody is trying to do something for them,” said Father Murphy, who organized the event. “Our gun violence problem can be depressing, because so much of it is outside of our control. This was a very positive day.” The buyback effort was joined by a resource fair that attracted more than a dozen participants and included a prayer booth with interfaith leaders offering spiritual guidance.
uExperts say mental health ministry is a dire need across the U.S. Church. During the six months following the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline launch in July 2022, more than 2 million calls, texts and chat messages have streamed into its 200 call centers coast-tocoast, The Associated Press recently reported. As suicide continues to be a leading cause of American deaths, Catholics may also turn to their Church for spiritual support in the midst of a mental health episode — but dioceses are discovering they need to sprint to catch up and keep pace with the dramatic rise in the number of those taking their own life. According to The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, mental health ministry is a needed complement to the work of mental health professionals. Already 40 out of 196
U.S. dioceses have a mental health ministry.
“This is a brand new ministry in the Church,” Deacon Ed Shoener, president and founding member of The Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministers, told OSV News. “And I think it’s growing fairly rapidly for a new ministry like this, in a very ancient institution.”
uIsraeli president visits a monastery, calls attacks on Christians “extreme and unacceptable.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog denounced the increasing violence against Christians in Israel during a visit on Aug. 9 to the Stella Maris Carmelite Monastery in Haifa. Herzog was accompanied by Israel Police Inspector General Yaakov Shabtai and emphasized Israel’s commitment to the full protection of freedom of religion and worship. He met with patriarchs and church leaders including Cardinal-designate Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, and Father Jean Joseph Bergara, the monastery superior of Stella Maris. The visit comes against the background of recent attacks against the monastery in particular by a few fringe members of the Breslov ultra-orthodox sect who began arriving at the monastery in May, claiming it was a Jewish holy site, and increasing attacks against churches and Christian clergy in general. “In recent months we have seen very serious phenomena towards the Christian denominations in the Holy Land,” said Herzog. “Our brothers and sisters, Christian citizens, who feel attacked in their places of prayer, in their cemeteries, on the streets.” The president urged greater understanding of the histories of the religious communities in the Holy Land, noting that it was the birthplace of the three monotheistic religions.
— CNS, OSV News
Accreditation is “a major way” Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis show their commitment to providing an excellent education, said Emily Dahdah, director of educational quality and excellence in the archdiocese’s Office for the Mission of Catholic Education. But the only accreditors available to Catholic schools have been agencies focused on nonpublic or private education, and not specifically Catholic, she said. That’s about to change.
Last school year, the archdiocese piloted a renewed version of its accreditation process called the Catholic School Study in eight schools, while in conversation with Lumen Accreditation about a potential partnership. Lumen is offered through The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. This year, the archdiocese has a formal agreement and partnership with Lumen, which has recognized the archdiocese’s Catholic School Study process as a valid quality assurance process. The Catholic School Study will be the core component in the archdiocese of the Lumen Accreditation process.
The Catholic School Study includes a “self-study” used by school leaders and teams to answer questions and show evidence describing how they provide high quality Catholic education through a school’s entire educational program, Dahdah said. A team of six to 10 school leaders in the archdiocese review each school’s submission and make on-site visits, including to classrooms, talking with teachers and parents “to see where and how the Church’s vision for excellence comes to life and where there are opportunities to grow,” she said.
Then, visiting team members collaborate with school leadership to identify areas of recommendation and commendation, followed by development of a plan for excellence with strategic goals and initiatives, which Dahdah said is meant to be “a living document.”
Every Catholic school in the archdiocese will complete the Catholic School Study, but with 91 schools, will do so on a rotating basis.
Now Catholic schools will have “the best of the Church’s transformative vision for education as a light
and guide in their pursuit of excellence,” Dahdah said.
The archdiocese and two Catholic high schools, one in Indiana and one in Colorado, are the first in the nation to seek national accreditation from Lumen.
When the Institute for the Transformation of Catholic Education at the Catholic University of America announced the Lumen accreditation program in February 2023, it described it as one of its four strategic priorities to address “the most critical components of Catholic school renewal.” The other three are teacher formation, leader formation and research on Catholic education.
Catholic schools have a distinctive and essential mission so “it’s important that we have an accreditation process that’s aligned with our mission and what’s unique and great about Catholic education,” Dahdah said. “We want to be excellent Catholic schools in every sense of the word, not just excellent private schools.”
The archdiocese seeks “total integration of the spirit of Catholic education” in everything, from the way it hires teachers to how it teaches math, to how “they work with students in their growth of virtue or student discipline,” she said. And “we want all of that illuminated by the light of the Gospel.”
“The changing landscape of educational policy and school accreditation limits the freedom of Catholic schools and dioceses to educate students according to our religious mission and tradition,” said Jason Slattery, director of Catholic education for the archdiocese. “By partnering with Lumen Accreditation, we’re confident we’ll be able to advance the vision of educational quality and excellence across our 91 archdiocesan schools in a way that is consistent with our mission and tradition.”
Lumen accreditation is also consistent with, and complementary to, the archdiocese’s 2019 Roadmap for Excellence in Catholic Education, Dahdah said.
“The goal of the Roadmap is to advance excellence, and this is one of those key ways we could do that.” In fact, this accreditation emerged as a priority out of the Roadmap, she said. The Roadmap focuses on five areas: governance of Catholic schools, talent management, curriculum and metrics, access and sustainability, and mission schools.
“For the first time, we have a holistic process, a quality assurance process that helps strengthen educational quality from the vision of excellence in
Catholic schools,” Dahdah said.
One of the things Lumen accreditation will offer is “a holy, Catholic, integrated analysis and understanding of the mission of Catholic education and how it’s realized at the school level,” said David Sorkin, head of school at St. Hubert Catholic School in Chanhassen. Fundamentally, all schools are responsible for academic excellence, governance, leadership and sustainability, but Catholic schools “uniquely have a mission that says we do all that through the lens of our faith, with the eye of forming students as an integrated person who understands the spiritual side as well as the human side, and how those two interact to lead toward a life of service,” he said.
That’s about best faith.” A group across the St. Hubert teachers, conducted look at facilities. says “we Hubert The archdiocese accredited,
Kyle Rickbeil says he is setting off on another adventure as he takes the helm this school year as principal of St. Joseph Catholic School in West St. Paul.
“When I was teaching, I really loved the classroom. I loved teaching about the faith,” said Rickbeil, 42, one of nine new heads of Catholic elementary and high schools who are participating this year in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ onboarding process.
As his 18-year career in Catholic schools continued, Rickbeil’s interest grew to include all aspects of education, from scheduling staff to disciplining students to helping train others on new technology. “Anything related to other parts of the building was really interesting,” he said. “It’s an adventure.”
At St. Joseph, Rickbeil will lead more than 400 prekindergarten to eighth grade students, faculty and staff. He won’t be alone in his adventure.
Following the Roadmap for Excellence in Catholic Education implemented in 2019 and fleshed out over the last four years, Rickbeil and the other nine new heads of school will meet once a month for the Archdiocesan New Leaders
Academy. They will exchange ideas and challenges and dive into topics led by experts that apply to their jobs, such as working effectively with their pastors, business administrators, school advisory councils and others, said Gayle Stoffel, associate director of Catholic school leadership in the archdiocese’s Office for the Mission of Catholic Education.
The new leaders also have peer mentors they meet with monthly and can call upon as needed, Stoffel said.
“We know that oftentimes leadership can feel isolating,” Stoffel said. “To know that there’s someone on the other end of the phone who understands what they are going through and can provide support and ideas about best practices helps to not only retain leaders, but it also helps to build unity within the system and mission alignment across the system of schools.”
Providing training and continued support was a key strategy for the Roadmap.
“We knew that leadership had to be a priority, because the rest of the Roadmap couldn’t come to fruition without great leaders who stayed in their positions to continue to contribute to the mission of Catholic education,” Stoffel said.
The same issue — talent management — is important in all sectors of employment, Stoffel said.
“When there have been strategic efforts, when there have been intentional efforts for onboarding and support in the early days of someone going into a position, the retention is higher, the engagement is higher,” she said. “They are able to leverage their gifts and talents, and the hope of them staying long-term increases.”
Those efforts and more already are bearing fruit, Stoffel said. For example, school leadership turnover has been cut in half since 2017, from almost 22% annually to less than 12% for the 2023-2024 academic year, Stoffel said. The average national school leadership turnover is about 20% annually, she said.
Additional strategic efforts, including working with pastors and principals, honing the hiring process for new leaders, building a pipeline of leaders through the Institute for Catholic School Leadership — a joint venture of the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education and The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul — and working on the culture of each school is helping all involved “to reflect the mission of Catholic education and be a bright light in the culture today,” Stoffel said.
In early August, the new leaders took part in two days of workshops outlining the archdiocese’s mission and vision for Catholic education and best practices for
those ends. It was an opportunity for them to “understand the system at large, the resources that are available to them and connect with other new leaders in the field,” Stoffel said.
For a second straight year, Catholic elementary and high school leaders will be honored at a Catholic school leadership banquet in October. At the secular level, the gathering falls during National School Leadership Month, but it also is the month of the Most Holy Rosary, which connects with Our Lady, the patroness of the archdiocese’s Catholic school system.
“We come together for a Mass, for a banquet, and then the second part of the evening is leadership recognition” by honoring those who retired the year before, and years of service in increments of five, including five, 10, 15, 20, 25 and higher, Stoffel said.
Rickbeil, who the last six years has been middle school director at Providence Academy in Plymouth and before that taught religion and was in administration at a Catholic elementary school in Ellicott City, Maryland, said he likes what he has seen so far onboarding as a principal.
“A lot of it is knowing what’s to come in the year ahead,” he said. “And the support that is available in the archdiocese. It’s helpful to be with others.”
That’s where Lumen is different, Sorkin said. “It’s best practices, but it’s also about the Catholic group of archdiocesan teachers and principals from the archdiocese will conduct a site visit at Hubert in March 2024 to interview administrators, teachers, parents and students; review survey analysis conducted by the school and how it is trending; and “the work product,” visit classrooms and look at facilities. The school provides a self-study report that “we are a Catholic school and this is how St. … operates,” Sorkin said.
archdiocese had required that its schools be accredited, but did not mandate a specific accreditor,
Sorkin said. They can continue maintaining accreditations from other organizations, if desired, Sorkin said, but Lumen is required by the archdiocese.
Parents are the primary educators, “and they’re entrusting to us their most precious gifts,” Sorkin said.
“So, they need authenticity and verification that we are honestly acting in the best interest of their child, wholly from a Catholic lens, but also focused on excellence of the institution,” he said.
“I think this (Lumen accreditation) is a great way for the archdiocese to be a leader and participate in a process that … honors and values and sets the expectations for what it means to be an authentically Catholic school,” Sorkin said. “I think it’s a wonderful achievement to have an accreditation process that is first and foremost honestly and authentically a Catholic, integrated analysis of the school.”
The main purpose of Catholic schools is evangelization, “to help children know and love the Lord, to … enter into relationship with Jesus Christ, and that’s the relationship that gives life to all of their work in the world,” Dahdah said. Everything Catholic schools do is rooted in “that larger effort of helping children come to know the Lord, to find meaning in their life and be happy.”
For example, this evangelizing mission means that Catholic schools do not look at classroom discipline only to manage or control a child’s behavior, Dahdah said. Rather, Catholic schools are at their best when they draw from the uniqueness of “a virtue curriculum” which is a part of the Church’s “core tradition on how we help raise young men and women in freedom to become the person God has created them to be.”
“This is just one example from Catholic school life that points to the value of Catholic school accreditation,” Dahdah said. “Catholic school accreditation looks at every aspect of the school from this vantage point of preparing our students for the important work that God has given each of them to do in the world.”
With so much renewal happening in Catholic education today, Dahdah said, it is “a great gift for the archdiocese to have a national accreditation partner that is looking at the whole of the school from our tradition of excellence in Catholic education.”
The Catholic Spirit
A new website for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Catholic school system — spmcatholicschools org — aims to be a one-stop resource for everyone who supports and is interested in learning about the archdiocese’s 91 preschool to 12th grade schools, ministering to more than 31,000 students and their families.
“Our Catholic schools are thriving,” said Jason Slattery, director of Catholic education for the archdiocese. “The strategic work and partnerships for Catholic education are strengthening individual schools and our entire system. What better way to build on the great momentum of unifying our system than with a centralized, comprehensive website as part of the new archdiocesan Catholic schools brand.”
During Catholic Schools Week last January, the Office for the Mission of Catholic Education launched a new brand and visual identity to represent Catholic schools of the archdiocese and continues to build upon it to elevate the archdiocesan school system.
“We’re excited to use the new website to promote the vision for Catholic education in our archdiocese, share engaging information with prospective families and employees, and highlight individual schools,” Slattery said. He noted that the website will allow OMCE to share news and successes from Catholic schools across the archdiocese. For instance, starting this school year, the bishops will resume visiting Catholic schools on a regular, rotating basis.
“We’re grateful to Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Bishop Joseph Williams and Bishop Michael Izen for the care they take in prioritizing visits to our schools to celebrate Mass and connect with students, families, faculty and staff. We look forward to highlighting these visits and other activities on our website and social media channels,” Slattery said.
Other website features include a school map with links to every Catholic school website, job postings, profiles of leaders and teachers, family resources and a Spanish language version.
Through the branding effort, Slattery said OMCE has found new ways to connect with all schools and visibly unify the system. “We are grateful to our Catholic schools for adding a branded badge to their websites, which links to the new Catholic schools website. It’s an inspiring display of solidarity,” he said.
What’s more, Slattery said, the new website will help advance the mission of Catholic education locally — partnering with families to help form students in mind, heart and soul.
Ann Coone devoted more than 30 years of her professional life to teaching and leading in Catholic schools and parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Although she officially retired this month, she isn’t done yet.
Coone, 65, is one of three mentors for new principals this year in Catholic elementary schools, part of the onboarding process developed by the archdiocese’s Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, through its Roadmap for Excellence in Catholic Education. The other mentors are Maggie Dawson, principal of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School in Brooklyn Park, and Mike McGinty, head of school at Our Lady of Grace in Edina.
Coone was principal at Holy Family Academy in St. Louis Park and the principal at St. Raphael Catholic School in Crystal before retiring as principal of Epiphany Catholic School in Coon Rapids. She felt called early in life to bring Christ to children, Coone said.
“It was a real awakening and a call for the protection and education of our children’s souls,” she said. “And the reality that we need to work together to get them to heaven.”
An Epiphany parishioner, Coone said she had her own “reversion” to the Catholic faith as a young woman. The more her heart opened to Christ, the more she found herself asking, “Is anybody teaching the children? Is anybody telling the children?”
Coone said she spent her first 10 years as a principal focused on the activities at her school, “like a mother with her children.” As she gained experience, she found opportunities to share ideas or suggestions at archdiocesan meetings and other venues. But she never considered herself “a mover and a shaker,” Coone said. “It’s more when I hear the Lord call me to step up for the children.”
Mentoring fits well with her style, Coone said, adding “I’m so excited to do it. The stronger the principal is in the faith, the more in love with the Church, the greater their sense of responsibility, of leading children to heaven, and the job becomes so much simpler.”
Strong academics and solid test scores are important, Coone said, “but it only happens if Christ comes first.”
— Joe RuffWith a mission “to steep our children in what is true, and good and beautiful” — as Sister Maria Ivana Begovic, principal of St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater, said — Catholic educators in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis are aware of the need to help students and families form healthy relationships with technology.
“You have to have a balanced relationship,” said Melissa Dan, who will be entering her third year as president of Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, a sixth through 12th grade Catholic school. “We want to encourage our students to use technology as much as it enriches their lives and learning experiences.”
“Technology is a gift, and it is a good thing to be used. And it’s something that we have to be really wise about,” said Karla Gergen, principal for the past year of St. Helena Catholic School in Minneapolis, a preschool through eighth grade school.
“Ultimately, as with all things, we want our children to become saints,” Sister Maria Ivana — a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia who is in her fifth year as principal of St. Croix Catholic, a preschool through eighth grade school — said in an email. “We believe that our role is to guide our children in navigating what might be deemed by the world as ‘the latest and greatest device or social media platform or app’ by seriously discerning how such-and-such technology might be a hindrance or a help to one’s personal call to holiness.”
Beyond time spent on screens in classroom settings, young people are spending more time on screens recreationally. In 2021, research from Common Sense Media cited by the American Academy of Pediatrics indicated those ages 8 to 12 in the United States spent, on average, 5 1/2 hours per day and those ages 13 to 18 spent, on average, 8 1/2 hours per day looking at screens for entertainment.
This time was spent watching TV or videos; gaming; browsing the internet or using social media; creating content; video chatting; e-reading of news, articles and books; and uncategorized use. The research also found entertainment screen use for those ages 8 to 18 increased 17% from 2019 to 2021, compared with a 3% increase for those ages 8 to 12 and an 11% increase for those ages 13 to 18 from 2015 to 2019.
To foster skills needed for responsible device use, the archdiocese’s Office
for the Mission of Catholic Education developed a series of aspirational goals to help Catholic school students strive for digital well-being and personal holiness as part of a multi-year action plan, with a special focus on preschool to eighth grade schools.
According to Emily Dahdah, OMCE’s director of educational quality and excellence, the goals are: If a school permits use of internet-enabled devices, teachers are intentional about using them during instruction time and can monitor
students’ use of them in the classroom; instructors increasingly refrain from assigning internet-enabled devices for student use outside of the school day and from assigning homework that might encourage independent, unsupervised use of those devices; to consider whether student-owned internet-enabled devices are allowed on school property; and to make resources available for parents who want to learn about the risks of internet-enabled devices and implement best practices at
home, to build family connections.
Principals, administrators and teachers at schools in the archdiocese are asked to consider specific strategies to implement the goals, including policies to help limit students’ use of internet-enabled devices and to create a “smart device covenant” encouraging parents to continue their own education on internet-enabled devices and effects on children.
In May, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a report highlighting the universality of youth social media use and the harm to mental health such platforms can foster.
The report indicated up to 95% of those ages 13 to 17 report using a social media platform. And although 13 is the age commonly required by social media companies to access their platforms in the U.S., social media use is increasing among those even younger — nearly 40% of children ages 8 to 12 use social media, the report states.
The report found that as of 2021, eighth and 10th graders (typically ages 13 to 16) now spend an average of 3 1/2 hours on social media per day — one in four spend more than five hours and one in seven spend more than seven hours.
The surgeon general’s report referenced a longitudinal cohort study, adjusted for baseline mental health status, of those ages 12 to 15 in the U.S. that found youth who spent more than three hours per day on social media faced double the risk of poor mental health outcomes, including depression and anxiety.
“For too many children, social media use is compromising their sleep and valuable in-person time with family and friends,” Murthy said in a statement, in part, following the report’s release. “We are in the middle of a national youth mental health crisis, and I am concerned that social media is an important driver of that crisis — one that we must urgently address.”
The surgeon general’s report contended significant brain development is taking place from ages 10 to 19. It’s a time when well-being can fluctuate and when identities and views of self-worth are primarily forming.
“You learn your social skills and all of those executive functioning skills during your middle school and high school years,” said Melissa Dan, president of Hill-Murray School in Maplewood, a sixth through 12th grade Catholic school. “And if you don’t learn them in a certain window, you don’t just suddenly pick them up in college. There are windows for particular skills.”
The surgeon general’s report highlighted some positives of social media use, including that it can foster self-expression and provide positive opportunities for youth to build community and connection with peers “who share identities, abilities and interests.” But because vulnerable formation takes place during that 10 to 19 age range, the surgeon general’s report suggests “social media exposure during this period warrants additional scrutiny.”
“I think we’re realizing now ... that social media can have some serious implications if it’s given too early to children; they just don’t have the maturity level to deal with it,” Dan said. This is why Dan, a member of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul, said it is important for young people to learn the values of “kindness, patience, humility, temperance” at an early age “so they can navigate the digital world in a more Christcentered manner. And that has to be explicitly taught.”
—Rebecca OmastiakCONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
The aspirational goals “are all about formation — forming ourselves as teachers and staff as we form our parents and, with them, form our children,” Sister Maria Ivana said.
The ultimate goal, Dahdah said, is helping students “come to know the Lord by way of real human relationships” and for Catholic schools to “be places to create an intentional environment that protects children from those well-documented risks that we know exist and also then positively promotes student and family wellbeing.”
Gergen said the aspirational goals inspired St. Helena Catholic School to implement a no-cellphone policy on campus this past fall. Previously, the policy was cellphones could be on campus, but they had to be turned off and kept in lockers.
“But what we saw was, students couldn’t do that; they couldn’t keep them off, they couldn’t keep them in their lockers, it was just too tempting,” Gergen said.
Though Gergen admitted the new policy implementation hasn’t been perfect — “I’m not going to say there’s never a cellphone on our campus,” she said — noticeable was “an immediate difference in students and the distraction that (cellphones) provided.”
This school year, Gergen said, digital devices used in the classroom won’t be sent home with students and teachers will assign homework that won’t require internet use.
“It’s going to be a change in teaching,” Gergen said, but added that when she brought this concept to St. Helena Catholic School teachers, “they were on board because they saw … that the benefits are going to far outweigh the challenges.” Gergen said the policy also helps support parents. “We’re going to work with you on setting limits at home and we don’t ever want school to be a reason why your kid needs to be on the internet or create that challenge for you at home.”
Gregen said there will also be an opportunity for the broader community to learn about teaching responsible
A challenge educators in all settings face is the prevalence of internet-enabled devices that students bring with them to school, said Emily Dahdah, director of educational quality and excellence for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office for the Mission of Catholic Education.
“It’s not just in Catholic schools; this is (a challenge) everywhere,” Dahdah said. As an example, the Minneapolis Public Schools Board of Education was set to vote in early August on a revised policy, which would allow educators in the Minneapolis Public Schools system to establish their own classroom rules and norms for student personal electronic device use with input from their students. The vote on the revised policy was delayed as the item was referred back to the board’s policy committee.
Recognizing that student personal electronic device use extends beyond the classroom, Catholic schools in the archdiocese have begun partnering with the North Carolina-based organization ScreenStrong. ScreenStrong provides “primarily parent education, parent skills on how you as a mother or father (or) family member can help your child use digital tools well,” Dahdah said.
ScreenStrong’s core values include education to help decrease screen dependency and to prioritize authentic relationships.
“We know that real, human, person-to-person encounter is so pivotal,” Dahdah said. The partnership with Catholic schools in the archdiocese comes from “being very much awake to the reality that these digital tools are constantly trying to pull that away from our children, pull that away from us,” she said.
Sister Maria Ivana Begovic — principal of St. Croix Catholic School in Stillwater, a preschool through eighth grade school — said in an email that a ScreenStrong presentation this past spring about technology’s impact on children “was well received” by parents, and an abridged version will be presented at the school’s Back to School night for parents in September. Sister Maria Ivana said the school will also offer a ScreenStrong resource that helps guide families “in making decisions regarding technology in their own homes.”
ScreenStrong will also give a presentation at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year to St. Croix Catholic School faculty and staff. “We want to ensure that at school we are using technology wisely and as a tool, as we teach our children to do the same,” Sister Maria Ivana said.
Learn more about ScreenStrong online: screenstrong org
technology use to young people. On Sept. 23, St. Helena Catholic School will host Jim Schroeder, a pediatric psychologist who will talk about the effects of technology on children and recommendations for families. The event will be open to the public and held at St. Helena church. Registration information for those interested is forthcoming, Gergen said.
Having student digital wellbeing goals and guidance from the archdiocese and having a smaller student body helped in the swift implementation of these practices at St. Helena Catholic School, Gergen said. “We are able to immediately respond to the needs of our school and community and shift quickly.”
eology Day is a chance for people in our communities who are seeking a deeper spiritual life or understanding of their faith and its place in their everyday lives to learn from and interact with the theologians of Saint John’s School of eology and Seminary. All presentations are in-person. *Synchronous events are also live via webinar. Participation is FREE, but Registration is required. Go online to CollegevilleMN.com/ eologyday or call 320-363-3560
e Resurrection of the Dead, and the Life of the World to Come by Fr. Michael Patella, OSB
Join Fr. Michael as he draws from Scripture and Tradition to discuss the Christian doctrine of the resurrection of the dead along with its implications for us now and in the hereafter on:
Friday, September 1 - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Emmaus Hall, Saint John’s University*
e Time to Act Has Long Passed, So What Now?: eology, the Climate Crisis, and a Call for Action by Kari-Shane Davis-Zimmerman, Ph.D.
Re-examine the urgent call placed by Pope Francis with Kari-Shane and be introduced to realistic examples of inspiring persons and groups taking up this call both close to home and around the world. Learn to make your own achievable action plan on: Friday, September 15 - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Emmaus Hall, Saint John’s University*
Partner or Servant? What Are We Looking for When We Look for AI? by Noreen Herzfeld, Ph.D.
Computers are great tools, but programs like Chat GPT and advances in AI promise more. Discuss with Noreen and examine what it takes for relationship to be fully authentic with each other, with God, and with AI on:
Thursday, September 21 - 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis
From Lord’s Supper to Adoration: e History of the Earliest Christian Eucharist by Deacon Charles Bobertz, Ph.D. How did the earleist Christians understand this “real presence” of Jesus Christ 1300 years before the doctrine of transubstantiation? Journey with Charles from the Lord’s Supper to present day Eucharistic Adoration on:
Thursday, September 28 - 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Pax Christi Church, Eden Prairie
September 2023
— Rebecca OmastiakGergen, who is a member of St. Pius V in Cannon Falls, said these practices are meant to support student flourishing at a Catholic school: “We want them to have (a) whole and holy life. … If we care about our kids’ souls and who they are, who they’re growing up to be, in an integral way, then really wise use of technology in our schools and families is really important to that mission.”
Dan said this often starts with modeling good use of technology. “We can’t ask our kids to do something we can’t do,” she said.
Hill-Murray is working to implement the goals through a digital citizenship curriculum, which Dan said teaches “the importance of the digital
footprint” as well as “soft skills” like good interpersonal communication, problem solving and ethics when it comes to using digital platforms. Dan said there are also plans “to do more parent dialogue and even training this year” to assist families with building solid parameters around technology use.
As technology advances, artificial intelligence and its increasing availability in everyday life has become a hot topic.
“Really what we saw with ChatGPT was such an exponential leap,” Dahdah said.
Generative AI — like ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI, a San Franciscobased AI research and deployment company — is AI that responds to a person’s typed prompts or questions by generating text, code, images and other media. Although an individual must be 18 to use ChatGPT, Dahdah recognized that “those safeguards, we know, don’t always work.”
ChatGPT can present “great possibilities” for learning assistance, Dahdah said, “but also great concern if students aren’t going to use this well.”
Dahdah said it’s important Catholic educators craft strategies that encourage development — “skills to be able to look at texts critically, to analyze arguments ... to make sure that we’re doing the best that we can to help children develop in their human formation — the intellect, academic achievement, that they have those skills, but most importantly, that they’re developing those habits of mind, those intellectual virtues.”
Dan agreed: “You can teach students to harness some of the AI to enhance their learning, but they still have to be critical thinkers, they have to be problem solvers.”
Those skills don’t come from technology use exclusively, Dan said. “There are so many more tools that are at our students’ fingertips — whether that’s discussion with classmates, whether that’s being outdoors, whether that’s connecting with their faith by serving others; technology is just one tool.”
By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit
A new girls swimming and diving season is underway at Visitation School in Mendota Heights, marking the 30th year of coaching there for Nate Linscheid. He was recently named the National Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. The award recognizes the powerhouse team he has built at all-girls Vis, where the swimming and diving team has won 13 state Class A championships, including the last nine. Linscheid also teaches physics at Jefferson High School in Bloomington.
“I’m super thankful,” said Linscheid, 51, an Apple Valley father of two whose wife, Julie, coaches diving and is a counselor at Vis.
Q Your firstborn just started college. Are you asking yourself if you did everything you could to prepare him for the real world?
A You always second-guess decisions you made, but I try to think of it as: I did the best I could. You have to trust they will make mistakes, but they’ll be fine.
Q What did you get right?
A We put him in swimming when he was young — like 7 years old — and within a few years, he was just not having it, so we decided to completely back off. We’re not going to force it. And then, right before junior year in high school, he decided to join the swim team. (The decision) was owned by him — we never pushed. Now he’s going to (University of Minnesota) Morris, where they’re starting a men’s team, and he’s going to be on that.
I’ve coached a number of kids over the past 30 years who you can tell that their parents are making them be there. Some are talented, some are less so — but it doesn’t matter. It was a miserable experience for everybody involved.
Q You don’t have to start a sport at age 3 and play year-round to excel at it later.
A Oh, I know. When people say, “It’s too late to start a sport if you didn’t begin at a very young age,” I ask, “It’s too late for what?” They can play the
sport. But are you talking about: Is it too late for them to be a D-1 athlete? They either were going to be or weren’t going to be. You can’t force that. People get so wrapped up with status.
It’s good to leave room for creativity. If kids are constantly in a structured program, being told, “Do it this way,” they don’t get to try stuff out, do new things and fail without consequence.
Q What’s the secret to your swim team’s success?
A We have really good swimmers who want to swim on our team. They are such a cohesive family unit that it’s a place where they want to be the best that they can be. Everybody encourages each other — whether they’re the best swimmer on the team or someone who is just starting out. There’s a spot for everyone there. It’s a place where they feel loved and supported by each other.
Q Are girls coming to Vis because they want to swim?
A I’ve heard girls say, “Well, I want to swim, so Vis is where I want to go.” Our Catholic Athletic Association program, which is a feeder, has blown up. There are girls in younger grades who say their goal is to be on the Vis high school swim team.
Q Were all your state championships big wins?
A No, there were a couple close years against Hutchinson. We had one year where we won by around 10 points. Had anybody false started or anything bad happened at the meet, we would’ve lost points.
The last few years, we’ve won by more points. Last year we almost doubled up: We had 399, and the next score was around 200.
Q Are you a strong contender to win your 10th consecutive championship this school year?
A We have a lot of really fast girls who are coming back. I have every reason to believe that, as long as we can stay healthy and continue to work hard and have fun and compete hard, we should be in a good position again.
Q What have you learned about leadership?
A One is serving the people that you lead, and the other one is setting a good example. You’re not there just to yell at people and be the boss. They’ll follow you if you serve and lead.
A Definitely! I’ll talk about the forces involved as you’re moving your hand through the water. I’ll bring up something about Newton’s Laws, which usually gets a few chuckles.
But for me, that’s a way I consume the knowledge, and as far as how to do things, then I have to translate that.
Q What do you love about swimming?
A I swam in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, and we didn’t have the internet and we didn’t have phones. If you wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and find an encyclopedia. Everything took more time, and now you can get everything you want whenever you want it. Swimming is a throwback because it won’t work that way. You have to put in the time and effort over a long period of time. You have to slow down and take a longer view. That may be the only two hours of a day where someone gets that now.
Q Do you try to incorporate Salesian Spirituality, the virtues of the Visitation order?
A Not outright, but last year’s theme was gratitude, and this year is humility, and we talk about those things regularly.
Q I bet you witness joyful optimism, too.
A We’re doing hard workouts, and in between, the girls are laughing. Some of them are just super positive human beings, and that spreads.
Q What does swimming teach about life?
A If you work hard, you’ll get better. And you can extrapolate that to other areas of life. I learned to play guitar 13 years ago — pretty much self-taught. It had been in my head for 30 years, and I decided, “I’m just going to do it.” So, I bought a guitar and watched lessons on Apple’s GarageBand. There were times when I could not do a C chord, but I practiced a little every day, and suddenly, within three weeks, it was totally natural. When my sons were really young, I played a lot of Johnny Cash.
The process of learning is the thing that I like to do.
Sacred Heart Church Fall Festival
840 6th Street E, St. Paul, MN 55106
Sacred Heart Church Fall Festival/ Kermesse del Sagrado Corazon
My experience at Vis has been unique in a sense where the leadership has been so good that there’s almost a snowball effect — from girls who are officially the captains and from those who are not. We have captains who are juniors and seniors. The juniors learn what to do their junior year and then they’re the senior captains the next year and there’s this continuity. They saw great examples and they want to continue that.
Q What do you know for sure?
Sunday, September 10, 2023
Sunday, September 10, 2017
10 de Septiembre, 2017
10:00am-3:30pm
Kids and Adult Games • Raffles
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Mexican and American Food
Live Entertainment • Garage Sale
I’ve seen it from other teams, where athletes want to obtain that rank of captain to put on the resume because it’s the top of the achievement hill. It’s like, “Well, no, that is your license now to turn it back to everybody that you’re the captain of, serving those people and showing the way. It’s a job.”
Q You’re a physics teacher. Do you apply that knowledge to swimming?
A I know for sure that I have a great family and I’m supported, and I’ve had that my entire life, which makes me very fortunate. There are a lot of people who don’t get that same support. My hope, for my athletes, is that they know for sure that somebody cares about them and that they’re important. That’s what everybody wants: to feel like they’re important.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
When I was grocery shopping recently, I saw a remarkable T-shirt worn by a fellow shopper. On the back was a message “to the person behind me.” I wish I could remember the exact words that followed but they were encouraging, related to the goodness of whomever was behind, reading the shirt. When I faced her to say thanks, I noticed the T-shirt front read “you’re worth it.” This was a refreshing, beautiful message affirming the dignified identity of other human beings, an identity message far different than is often sent through contemporary clothing.
A frequently discussed topic in our culture today is
identity. Many people, including and especially the young, face identity confusion. In this Sunday’s Gospel passage Jesus asks his disciples a question about his identity. Jesus does so to bring clarity to them (not to himself) about who he is. Simon Peter answers the question correctly, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16). Then what does Jesus do? Jesus immediately conveys a new and deeper identity upon him — giving him the name Peter as well as the mission to lead the Church and to be an instrument of forgiveness. On my annual priest retreat, speaker Jake Khym of the John Paul II Healing Center commented on this passage: “Once we get Jesus’ identity right then we can get our identity right.”
It is worth noting that Peter’s declaration was not the first time Jesus’ identity was revealed. When Jesus was baptized, our heavenly Father announced, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). As Catholics, we believe that when we are baptized in Christ, we take on the identity of being an adopted son or daughter of God, as well as what was said by our heavenly Father of Jesus is said of us, personally: “You are my beloved son or daughter in whom I am well pleased.”
Think for a moment. What would our world be like if every Christian understood deeply in our hearts the truth: I am a beloved son or daughter of God in whom our heavenly Father is well-pleased? If we realized that
originally able (before sin) to grasp. We all inherit this fallenness. So, in a real way, sin has taken its toll on all of us; sin is why we sometimes don’t see God very clearly.
Faith is a gift. No one earns it. No one gives it to himself. God gives a person faith.
is our foundational identity? What would the world be like if we realized that our being a child of God is not conditional upon our behavior — that God loves us no matter what we do? If we realize that he loves us so much that he came down from the glory of heaven, to suffer all that we suffer for 33 years before being brutally and unjustly killed, to pay the price for our sins. And that while he did that for all who would believe in and follow him, Jesus would have done it for us, personally, if we would have been the only person he would have saved by doing so. What would the world be like if each of us, in turn, understood that every person we encounter has that same dignity? It would be safe to say that the world would be a radically different place, and the identity confusion of our times would be reduced greatly.
In these coming days let us resolve to pray with Sunday’s Gospel passage, asking God how we can better share, through our words and how we treat those we encounter — in our families, workplaces, schools and even fellow shoppers — the great identity-clarifying news that we are a beloved son or daughter of God, in whom our heavenly Father is well pleased.
Editor’s note: Father Schmitz is off this month. This column was first published in the August 2009 issue of The Northern Cross, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Duluth.
Q Why do some people have faith and others don’t? What if I personally don’t feel like I have faith?
A Sin is the reason why some people don’t have faith. “But wait!” you cry. “I know a lot of really good people without faith and a lot of really mean people who have faith! How is sin related to all of this?”
Here’s how. We were originally created in union with God. Once sin entered the world, that union was ruptured. Among other things, our intellects were darkened and we could not understand what we were
The second super important point is this: God gives this gift to everyone. This is the point that Jesus made in the parable of the sower (Mt 13). In the parable, God is giving the gift of faith (the seed) everywhere. But it was the recipient’s response that was crucial in bearing fruit or losing the gift. God’s giving the gift is absolutely necessary, and he has made all the arrangements; if a person is open to faith, it is theirs. But that is the crux: We must receive it and live it out.
If a person sincerely does not believe in God, it is most likely because they don’t see the proof of God. That’s legitimate. I mean, you would think that if God wanted us to believe in him, he would have made it a lot easier. On the other hand, I personally think that there is plenty of evidence for God’s existence (another column perhaps).
But maybe God doesn’t just want people to believe in him. I think we sometimes act as if God has nothing better to do than get a bunch of people to believe in his existence. What if God wants something more than our belief?
If you are struggling to believe in God, I have this advice: Pray. Start living as if God were real. Ask God
Thursday, Sept. 7
Friday, Sept. 8 Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mi 5:1-4a or Rom 8:28-30 Mt 1:1-16, 18-23
Saturday, Sept. 9 St. Peter Claver, priest Col 1:21-23
(in prayer) to draw you closer to him. Ask God to reveal himself (on his terms) to you. If you want the gift of faith, all you have to do is sincerely ask for it. Again, this means you have to begin by actually praying.
Now, this is the moment (the moment of choosing, the moment of taking the risk, the moment of making the decision to act and not just have wishful thinking) when most people get off the boat. It is easy to go on and on and wonder at God’s existence. It is easy to study the arguments and argue the points. But until a person comes to this point, the point at which a decision is made to engage the will as well as the intellect, that person will never have faith.
This is crucial because faith is much more than belief. Simply believing in God never saved anyone. If all one had to do was believe in God’s existence or in Jesus as the Son of God, then Satan would be saved. James writes about this in his letter: “You believe that God is one. You do well. Even the demons believe that and tremble” (2:19).
Faith is much more. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, having faith is when a person “completely submits his intellect and his will to God. With his whole being man gives his assent to God the revealer. Sacred Scripture calls this human response to God, the author of revelation, ‘the obedience of faith’” (CCC 143).
PLEASE TURN TO ASK FATHER MIKE ON PAGE 19
Tuesday, Sept. 12
Wednesday, Sept. 13 St. John Chrysostom, bishop and doctor of the Church
Thursday, Sept. 14
of the Holy Cross Num 21:4b-9 Phil 2:6-11 Jn 3:13-17
Friday, Sept. 15
Our Lady of Sorrows 1 Tm 1:1-2, 12-14 Jn 19:25-27 or Lk 2:33-35
Saturday, Sept. 16
Sts. Cornelius, pope, and Cyprian, bishop, martyrs 1 Tm 1:15-17 Lk 6:43-49
Sunday, Sept. 17
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sir 27:30 —28:7 Rom 14:7-9 Mt 18:21-35
Father Bambenek is the assistant director of the archdiocesan Office for the Renewal of Structures and Office of Synod Evangelization.Why doesn’t everyone have faith in God?ASK FATHER MIKE | FATHER MICHAEL SCHMITZ
I found the lump at the end of Lent.
My husband was out of town, and I was swamped with work and caring for our five kids. Never one to do a regular self-check (more likely to resolve to “do it next month”), I can’t remember exactly how or when I noticed the small lump in my breast — except that it was obvious once I did.
Only because I hadn’t been to see my midwife in more than a year did I make an appointment for the routine checkup, figuring I’d mention it to her in passing. Instead, I watched her expression shift the second she felt the lump, too.
I found myself at my first mammogram on Holy Thursday. The radiologist insisted I return for a biopsy the next morning, so I spent Good Friday in pain. We waited all weekend for the results we dreaded were coming. I learned it was cancer on Easter Monday.
Never have we had a harder Holy Week. Never have I clung to the sacred mysteries more.
Now we find ourselves again in Ordinary Time, yet life is anything but normal. As we got swept into the
I’m grateful to the editor for inviting me to take this month’s column to write about a new initiative I am directing, the Center for Catholic Social Thought, and an upcoming speaker series the center is hosting.
The center is a ministry of Assumption in St. Paul, and our mission is to spread the message and practice of Catholic social teaching, especially to parishioners who may not have encountered it before. I’m especially grateful to Father Paul Treacy, pastor of Assumption, for his encouragement and support in this endeavor. (See July 27 edition of The Catholic Spirit.)
The center will host free classes, discussion groups, speaker series, book studies and the like, led by me and in collaboration with area experts. Our central themes are Christian community, work and labor, economics, poverty and the poor, technology, education, and the social nature of Catholicism. We’re also working on establishing a ministry of presence with the poor, drawing in part on my experience with the Catholic Worker Movement. Information on upcoming events, as well as a growing base of material about Catholic social thought, is available on our website, catholicsocialthought org
To help launch this initiative, the center is hosting a fall speaker series titled “The Catholic Social Difference.” The series of local Catholic leaders will introduce the Church’s social teaching and ways to
whirlwind of doctors’ appointments, follow-up tests, painful procedures, second opinions and difficult decisions, I had to step back from work, literally overnight. I started treatment and lost my hair. We crumpled up every plan we had for the summer and started preparing for surgery in the fall.
Yet the quiet space of Ordinary Time still brings me hope for what might lie ahead: a return to a new version of life, changed but not ended.
Liturgical living does not simply mean fancy desserts on special feasts or wearing the right colors on the right days. At its deepest level, the liturgical rhythms of the Church remind us that our whole life is modeled on Christ’s dying and rising. We cycle through patterns of preparing and waiting, suffering and repenting, celebrating and rejoicing — growing in wisdom as we seek to live out the central truths of our faith.
As I sink to the depths of grief and fear, and as I try to rise to the hope of healing and resurrection, I lean into the liturgical seasons as a source of comfort, knowing there is no part of this current agony that Christ himself
practice it in daily life. I’m pleased to welcome Michael Naughton, a professor and director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, who will introduce Catholic social teaching Aug. 31; Michael Goar, CEO of Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who will talk about “Poverty and the Common Good” Sept. 7; Father Daniel Griffith, pastor of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and a professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, on “A Catholic Economy” Sept. 14; and Msgr. Martin Schlag, a University of St. Thomas professor of Catholic social teaching, on “Church and Politics: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” Sept. 21.
Each conversation will begin at 7 p.m. at Assumption, free and open to the public. The speakers will highlight the difference our faith makes in areas of social life. Together, we’ll talk not just about what we think about these areas, but also about ways we can put the Church’s teaching into practice.
Sometimes Catholic social teaching can be presented as if it were just the Church’s political platform. In that case it’s about issues, or activism, lobbying, or how we vote. While there’s certainly some of that, I want people to get the message that it’s also about so much more. It’s primarily about what we do.
It’s about building thick Catholic communities — and do we have any Catholic community, or do we just wave to people once a week across the pews? It’s about our finances — what we spend our money on, how much we should have, what we should invest in, and why. It’s about work and labor — what is good work anyway, and are we satisfied with our jobs? It’s about the poor and their place in our lives, and what Pope Francis calls encountering the poor. It’s about reconnecting with the land — about agriculture and the environment, what we eat and where it comes from. It’s about technology — not only what we do with it, but what it does to us. And it’s about education — how we bring up our kids, and what counts as Catholic education.
Most importantly, Catholic social teaching is about helping us see the concrete connections between all the details of our daily lives and our worship of God in the Mass. It’s about linking all the moments of our days and our weeks with what we do on Sunday
has not known.
I had no family history of breast cancer. I was young and healthy: a non-smoker, a vegetarian, a mother who breastfed all my babies. Everything that was supposed to protect me.
But suffering is woven into the fabric of human existence. None of us is immune. What feels extraordinarily hard has been revealed to me as yet another path through Ordinary Time.
On Divine Mercy Sunday, just days after I was diagnosed, I was scheduled to serve as a lector in my parish. Sticking to this commitment felt like the still point in the spinning world, so I took a deep breath and stood up to read these words from the first letter of St. Peter (1:6-7):
“In this you rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
The only way I can make sense of this present trial is to see it as a wilderness or a desert. Not a permanent place to dwell, but a harsh land in which I must sojourn for a while — knowing that any good that can come from this suffering will be for the glory of God.
Thank you to all of you who have reached out to say you missed the column over the past few months. As I return, I am grateful for your prayers for my healing and for my family as we face what the seasons ahead will bring, in this extraordinary Ordinary Time.
Fanucci is an author, speaker and founder of Mothering Spirit, an online gathering place on parenting and spirituality at motheringspirit com
morning. It’s about, in other words, integrating all our lives with the living reality of Jesus Christ.
Miller is director of pastoral care and outreach at Assumption in St. Paul. He has a Ph.D. in theology from Duke University, and lives with his family at the Maurin House Catholic Worker community in Columbia Heights. You can reach him at colin miller1@protonmail com
In response to Jonathan Liedl’s “Already/Not Yet” column, (Aug. 10 edition), expressing a viewpoint of a movie you haven’t seen, in a public forum, is irresponsible. In that context, I would like to bring a few things to Mr. Liedl’s attention. 1. The Barbie movie is a movie: a comic satire. 2. Deciding that this movie is trying to dictate guidelines on the relationship of men and women is ludicrous. It is a “doll” movie, with actors playing dolls. That said, if Mr. Liedl had seen the doll movie, he might have realized from the metaphor illustrated in it, that self-examination might be a useful step to self-actualization (that naughty woke word), before any “marriage, interaction or relationship” he refers to in the real world, will ever get beyond an “empty coexistence” of the sexes. Also, comparing Wollstonecraft’s view of the sexes to that of the Church, if I may use Mr. Liedl’s own metaphor, is like comparing crocodiles to hippos. Not even close. E.g., I guess not being a woman he forgot we can’t even receive all seven sacraments. Equal in the Church? I don’t think so.
Elizabeth Rosenwinkel St. Albert the Great, MinneapolisShare your views by emailing thecatholicspirit@archspm org Please limit your letter to the editor to 150 words and include your parish and phone number. The Commentary pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Catholic Spirit. Read more letters from our readers at thecatholicspirit com
The thing that terrified me the most about the prospect of receiving chemotherapy was this: I was worried it might kick my very mild case of multiple sclerosis into a more progressive version. Stress can sometimes do this to the wearied MS body. My husband and I were weighing the cost-benefit of this treatment. It would be great to reduce my chances of cancer recurring, but would it be worth it if I lost the ability to walk or to care for myself? We’ve always been “less is more” when it comes to any kind of medication, and we wondered whether this might be a good time to apply such a philosophy.
We considered, we prayed, we lost sleep. But then one day as I was steeped in my morning prayer, the Lord settled this verse on my heart: “By waiting and by calm shall you be saved, in quiet and in trust your strength lies” (Is 30:15b). I latched onto that verse, and it became a kind of insistent refrain for the season ahead. When I found myself tempted toward panic, I grabbed at this verse like a life preserver, and most especially the word “calm.” Hard to misinterpret that word; it’s not a subtle reply to a heart poised for panic.
We took a deep breath and made plans for my first chemo infusion. In due diligence, I wrote to my neurologist asking if he’d had other patients with MS go through chemo. Did it kick their MS into something more progressive? Should I be worried
CATHOLIC WATCHMEN | DEACON GORDON BIRD
On any given day I am following or leading something. It probably goes that way for most people if they are active in the secular and/ or religious realm. At work or at play — our daily routines on the job, large or small group gatherings, multi-media outlets, extracurricular activities and so forth all give us the opportunity to lead or follow either something or someone. Speaking personally, when it is my call to be the leader of a particular topic, initiative or project, I go about that responsibility based upon experiences — good, bad or neutral — that I learned as a follower.
We generally start out as followers. Due to our lot in life, level of competence, assertiveness or serendipity, leading may come sooner or later as the situation and timing often dictates. Which is why “the what” or “the who” we are following, discussing and discerning all need the wisdom of Jesus to step in as the great mediator to help sort things out.
Around 1.3 million youth attended the recent World Youth Day event with the theme “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39). Evangelizing the love of
about that?
I will never forget his reply. Through his nurse, we read, “No, it shouldn’t do that. (The doctor said) some forms of chemotherapy are used to treat MS ... chemo is much more likely to ‘calm down’ MS than to activate it.” The message listed some of those chemo meds that were used to treat MS — including one that I would be on.
My heart soared. I could hardly believe the words he used to describe it. It was as if Jesus himself showed up in my living room and with some fervor said, “Liz, I told you, calm down.”
It recalls all too vividly a favorite moment from the Gospel of Mark: “A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But (Jesus) was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?’ He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace! Be still!’ Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, ‘Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?’ And they were filled with great awe” (Mk 4:37-41).
In this season of windstorm, of bashing waves, and feeling swamped, I choose, moment by moment, to remember the mighty Lord I worship. When the stormy sea of me kicks up, I must hold fast to the word of God, trusting in its power, its burning veracity, and remember that Jesus doesn’t dally with my life and heart like a toy. No, when he settles a word on my heart, it is indeed meant to sustain me in hope, trust, and in this case, unassailable calm.
Father, how you know me! In your mercy you break through to my heart with your unfailing word. Set it as a seal upon my heart, Lord, that nothing may assail my trust in you. Amen.
Kelly Stanchina is the author of 13 books, a retreat leader and speaker. Visit her website at lizk org or follow her on Instagram at lizkToday
Christ to the attendees so they will evangelize others, Bishop Robert Barron, during one of his keynote talks at the event in Lisbon, Portugal, commented lightheartedly to the audience: “Please don’t listen to those who tell you to do whatever I tell you! Do whatever he (Jesus) tells you, not me!”
The bishop of Winona-Rochester and Word on Fire founder went on to emphasize that while we are all sinners — bishops included in the bunch — “Jesus is divine, we can trust him; we should do whatever he tells us.” If that kind of leadership sounds familiar, it is because it is true. It also patterns the last recorded words of the Blessed Mother in sacred Scripture: “… his (Jesus’) mother said to the servers, ‘Do whatever he tells you’” (Jn 2:5).
To encounter Jesus in sacred Scripture is a daily practice of the Catholic Watchmen. As followers of his word, the Bible keeps us grounded in truth. Following those who follow the Word we can teach, protect and live the faith through the Ten Commandments, the sacraments, the beatitudes and prayer. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that sacred Scripture is the actual word of God written by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. Watchmen follow the leadership and emulate the heart of those who follow the word of God to understand what is true and whether we are living in virtue or vice. We will all be held accountable for what we say, seek, do, neglect, and finally, what or who we really worship.
Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville and assists with the archdiocesan Catholic Watchmen movement.
In political, social and economic life, there is no “neutral” ground. Good and evil are competing for control of the same institutions (political bodies, corporations, education, the arts and entertainment) because those institutions matter. We live our lives within them, and they shape the world around us. They can help bring us closer to God or pull us away from him.
The key is to understand the nature of the competition for social life and our role as Christians within the temporal sphere.
Recently, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis hosted a “playful demon summoning session” for families, where children were invited to create a trap for their own demons so they could get to know them better. Walker Art Center’s description of the event read as: “Demons have a bad reputation, but maybe we’re just not very good at getting to know them.” Alpha News called attention to the event in an Aug. 11 online article. The event is a good reminder that the battle we wage in this life is a spiritual one against the powers and principalities who wish to enslave the world. St. Augustine called this contest one between the City of God and the City of Man. They are two cities, with two loves and two aims.
One city, the City of Man, seeks to devour the Father’s creation and condemn his children into a life of slavery to sin and fear of death. Satan and his legion of demons have a special desire to devour the youngest and most vulnerable — embodied today in the forms of child abuse, sex trafficking and abortion.
The other city, the City of God, seeks to bring all into right relationship with God the Father and with each other through his son Jesus Christ — a true king, savior and liberator from the powers that control this world.
What does this have to do with what happens inside the Minnesota Capitol? We see our state dollars going to divisive organizations more often than we would like. The demon-summoning session at the Walker Art Center may even have been funded with our tax dollars, since the museum receives millions of dollars per year from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
Renewed in our minds through Christ (cf. Rom 12:2), we must see our task as not giving over an inch to the kingdom of Satan — meaning that we must not cede control of society’s institutions, including political institutions, to those who, wittingly or unwittingly, have become his servants.
It is important to remember that those who are enthralled to dark forces are not our enemies. What they need is to be liberated by the grace of Jesus Christ and his army of angels. Thus, like the first Christians in the Acts of the Apostles, we are called by the power of the Holy Spirit to bring the love of Christ to our enemies and help free them from sin and death.
Perhaps proactive laity will work to have the Walker Art Center defunded and help ensure these sorts of troublesome public programs are not promoted by other institutions receiving public money. We can use the power of the dollar to not support corrupt businesses.
This task might seem daunting, but we must remember that we have a savior, and it is not us. The battle has been won, and we must have the confidence of those early Christians. We are called to be faithful and bring the same sacrificial love that Christ showers upon us to those around us — which includes participating as his disciples in social, economic and political life.
The reason I am Catholic can be found among the hundreds of miles, random strangers and new cities each day of the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain. This summer, I walked the route that pilgrims have walked for centuries and yet it was completely unique. My Camino was different from anyone before me because of the people. There was something in each person that the Father used to draw me closer to him; to teach me about his radical and enduring love. As I look at my life, I know: That is why I am Catholic. I am Catholic because of the “yes” and witness of those he has placed in my life to bring me to himself: to bring me home.
I am Catholic because of the gift of being raised in a Catholic family, with a mother who instilled the importance of commitment to Mass, a sister who prayed for me through the angsty pre-teen years, and a father who shared the unconditional and steady love of the Father. I am Catholic because of my CCD teacher who inspired me to pray the rosary every night before bed through high school. I am Catholic because of the grandmas at Mass who showed me it truly is possible to live on fire for Jesus every day of life. I am Catholic because of the country priest who courageously challenged us to know the person Jesus. I am Catholic because of the beautiful missionary women who pursued my freshman heart at college, welcomed me into community, spoke charitably of all, and encouraged me to a daily prayer life.
I am Catholic because of a radical priest in Alaska who showed me the great adventure that “yes” can lead to, as he climbed
Denali and led mission work in Siberia. I am Catholic because of the women religious who showed me the intimacy that Jesus wants with each of us. I am Catholic because of my middle schoolers and the ways they push me to greater authenticity and to rely on the Father for strength in trials. I am Catholic because I see the glory and wonder God has worked in the lives around me. By their “yes” each day to allow the Lord to guide their steps on the way to heaven, they have lit the way for me to follow. Each one of the people mentioned significantly altered the course of my life. Their presence led me closer to the Father and set my heart on fire for the fullness of life that is possible.
To all who read this, I hope you realize this story is our Catholic story, repeated throughout the ages and yet unique. You matter. Your existence is a significant part of a greater narrative. You may not realize the impact you have until you walk into the Great City one day. Now, I pray that you may have the courage to let the Lord shine within you to light the way for another. “Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire” — St. Catherine of Siena.
Carlson, 24, is a middle school science teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School in West St. Paul. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walking, reading and doing anything outdoors.
“Why I am Catholic” is an ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you are Catholic? Submit your story in 300-500 words to CatholiCSpirit@arChSpm org with subject line “Why I am Catholic.”
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Mary’s Meals Fundraiser Dinner and Silent Auction — Oct. 12: 5:30–8:30 p.m. at St. John the Baptist, 835 Second Ave. NW, New Brighton. Buy a meal, feed a child. Cost: $25 adult, $15 ages 4-12, free ages 3 and under. For reservations call Debra Waldera 651-772-6935 or contact marySmealSmn@gmail Com
Mary’s Meals is an international organization feeding over 2.4 million children daily. faCebook Com/marySmealSmn
Oktoberfest — Oct. 14: 6–10 p.m. at Holy Childhood, 1435 Midway Parkway, St. Paul. Food, beer and fun at traditional German festival. maternityofmaryChurCh org
Women’s Midweek Silent Retreat — Sept. 19-21 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo.
Theme: “Shepherd Me, O God.” $50 deposit.
kingShouSe Com
Men’s Weekend Silent Retreat — Sept. 22-24 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo.
Theme: “Shepherd Me, O God.” $50 deposit.
kingShouSe Com
2023 Curatio Fall Retreat — Sept. 22-24 at Christ
the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo.
Theme: “Love and Sacrifice: The Meaning of Suffering in Christ.” Daily Mass, five reflections, adoration, spiritual direction. Retreat Master: Father James Dominic Brent, Dominican. CuratioapoStolate Com/2023/05/fall-2023
Serenity (12-Step) Retreat for Men and Women
— Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. Presented by Ruth Hoenick: “Brilliant Light in Recovery.” $50 deposit. kingShouSe Com
Help for Struggling Couples — Oct. 6-8 at Best Western Dakota Ridge Hotel, 3450 Washington Drive, Eagan. Retrouvaille Marriage Help. In this weekend retreat, couples learn the tools to rediscover each other and heal their marriage. 100% confidential.
helpourmarriage org
Women Doctors of the Church — Oct. 14: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at St. Patrick, 6820 St. Patrick’s Lane W., Edina. Join other women from around the archdiocese for a day retreat to discuss the spirituality of the four women doctors of the Church. Donations for Southwest Options for Women are encouraged.
StpatriCk-edina org/womenSretreat
Living Out St. John Paul II’s Rule of Joy-Filled Marriages — Oct. 28-29: 7–9 p.m. Oct. 28; 8 a.m.–4 p.m. Oct. 29 at Holy Family, 5900 W. Lake St., St. Louis Park. A marriage retreat to strengthen couples to live more faithfully and deeply the mystery of marital love. Featured speakers: Theresa and Peter Martin, coauthors of the book “The Rule” and founders of the Wojtyla Community and Institute (WCI).
hfCmn org/marriage-retreat-2023
Ignatian men’s silent retreat — Thursday-Sunday most weeks at Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House, 8243 Demontreville Trail N., Lake Elmo. Freewill donation. demontrevilleretreat Com
Catholic Social Difference Speaker Series — Aug. 31, Sept. 14, 21: 7–8:15 p.m. at Assumption, 51 Seventh St. W., St. Paul. The Catholic Social Difference of conversations with local Catholic leaders (see website for speakers) introducing Catholic social teaching. Talks are free and open to the public.
CatholiCSoCialthought org/2023-CatholiC-SoCial-differenCe-Conf
The Jewish Roots of the Mass with Dr. Brant — Sept. 23: 6:30–8 p.m. at St. Peter, 1405 Highway 13, Mendota. Brant Pitre will speak on the subject matter of his soon-to-be released book, “The Jewish Roots of the Mass,” followed by Q&A. StpeterSmendota org
Deep Incarnation and Co-Creation in an Unfinished Universe — Sept. 29: 7–9 p.m. at St. Frances Cabrini, 1500 Franklin Ave. SE, Minneapolis. Presentation speaker: Ilia Delio, OSF, will focus on the meaning of the Incarnation in light of science and humanity’s role as co-creators in a universe still in formation. Delio is an American theologian specializing in the areas of science and religion, evolution, physics and neuroscience. Cabrinimn org/tegeder-talkS
Honoring Indigenous People’s Day: Importance and Roots of Tribal Sovereignty — Oct. 8: 10:15–11:30 a.m. at St. Frances Cabrini, 1500 Franklin Ave. SE, Minneapolis. Presentation speaker: Jacob Jurss, scholar of early American history and Indigenous treaty rights, will examine the roots of tribal sovereignty from the Doctrine of Discovery to treaties to key developments in federal law and the impact on Native Nations today. Cabrinimn org
St. Joe’s Nickle Dickle 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament — Sept. 16: 11 a.m. –5 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic School, 41 E. First St., Waconia. 30th annual outdoor 3 on 3 basketball tournament. A 3-point shootout and slam dunk contest starts at 6:15 p.m. More information at: niCklediCkle Com
1st Annual Sporting Clay Tournament — Sept. 20: 1:30–6 p.m. at Minnesota Horse and Hunt Club, 2920 220th St. E., Prior Lake. Sport shooting, supper, beer, camaraderie and more. Represent your parish and enjoy a good competition — all for a great cause — raising funds for the St. Joseph Business Guild. Register as a parish team of four, or sign up individually: $700 per team, $175 per individual. The winning team will receive a traveling trophy. Supper only: $75. Register today at: SjbuSineSSguild Com/ eventS/1St-annual-Sporting-Clay-tournament-Sep-20
Cantor Workshop with Dr. Barbara Leyden — Sept. 20: 7–9 p.m. at St. Richard, 7540 Penn Ave. S., Richfield. Cantors of any level and experience are invited. almSpm org/eventS/2023/Cantor
Voices of Intergenerational Catholic Philanthropy — Sept. 26: 6–8:30 p.m. University of St. Thomas, McNeely Hall, 2060 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Bring younger generations into charitable legacy and ensure faith and values carry on. This event offers families a venue to explore best practices, ask critical questions and gain insights from others who practice family philanthropy. CCf-mn org/eventS/intergenerational
Call Me: A Catholic Young Adult’s Guide to Dating, Discernment and I Do — Sept. 18, 25 and Oct. 2, 9, 16: 7–9 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace, 5071 Eden Ave., Edina. Discover practical tips on navigating the dating scene while staying true to Catholic values. Topics include building healthy relationships, discerning God’s call and preparing for marriage. Featured speakers: Ryan O’Hara and Pat and Kenna Millea of the Martin Center. olgpariSh org/young-adult-newS-and-eventS/Call-meSerieS-2023
Gifted and Belonging — Sept. 24: 6–8 p.m. at St. Matthew, 510 Hall Ave., St. Paul. Providing Catholic fellowship for young adults with disabilities, seen and unseen. Gather to share a time of prayer and reflection, followed by games and social activities. Sept. 24: Bingo Night. Invite friends and bring a caregiver as needed. For more information on monthly themes and activities and/ or volunteer opportunities, call Megan at 612-456-1572 or email giftedandbelonging@gmail Com Future dates: Oct. 22, Nov. 26, Jan. 28, Feb. 25, March 24, April 28 and May 26.
Restorative Support for Victims-Survivors — Monthly: 6:30–-8 p.m. via Zoom. Open to all victimssurvivors. Victim-survivor support group for those abused by clergy as adults — first Mondays. Support group for relatives or friends of victims of clergy sexual abuse — second Mondays. Victim-survivor support group — third Mondays. Survivor Peace Circle — third Tuesdays. Support group for men who have been sexually abused by clergy/religious — fourth Wednesdays. Support group for present and former employees of faith-based institutions who have experienced abuse in any of its many forms — second Thursday. Visit arChSpm org/ healing or contact Paula Kaempffer, outreach coordinator for Restorative Justice and Abuse Prevention, at kaempfferp@arChSpm org or 651-291-4429.
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Faith is related to belief, but the kind of faith that saves a person is more like trusting obedience. With that in mind, does it make sense why I said that some people don’t have faith because of sin?
At its heart, sin says: “My way.” At its heart, faith says to God: “Your way.” Like love, faith is a decision, not a feeling.
If you don’t feel like you have faith, don’t worry. Be practical. Look at your life. Are you striving to be faithful (obedient) to God? Do you pray every day? Do you feed yourself with Scripture? Do you go to Mass each week? Do you try to love the people around you who need love? When you fail, do you go to the sacrament of reconciliation?
If yes, you have faith. If not, now is the moment to begin. Start by praying this very instant.
Father Schmitz is director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth. He leads the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
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Jena Kolles started going to Vacation Bible School at St. Paul in Ham Lake before the current church was built in the early 1980s. The 44-year-old mother of four now co-leads that program, which took place Aug. 7-11 and annually serves more than 400 kids.
When asked what she remembers most about attending as a child, she provided a quick and enthusiastic response.
“I remember being a 5-year-old in Vacation Bible School, sitting there listening to the music,” Kolles said. “And, they were singing, ‘Oh, how he loves you and me.’”
This song about God’s love was made personal to the kids by the woman leading the music. As she sang the words, she looked at individual children in the crowd and inserted their names. At one point, she looked at Kolles and sang, “Oh, how he loves Jena.”
“I’ll never forget sitting there going, ‘She saw me, and I’m loved,’” Kolles recalled. “That ... has always remained fresh as one of my favorite VBS memories.”
It also fueled her involvement in a program that is a cornerstone of ministry in the parish. After going every year as a child, she volunteered as a teenager and then kept helping as an adult. For the last 15 years, she and her husband, Shawn, have been co-directors. All four of their children have attended, and her two oldest, Jacinta and Amara, have served as volunteers.
This kind of family legacy is exactly what parish leaders, including the pastor, Father Jim Livingston, want to see. It started for Jena, the oldest of four, when her parents, Gary and Sandy Perkerwicz, volunteered during the early years. Both still help today.
“My mom and dad were really instrumental in Vacation Bible School,” Jena said. “They did a piece called Catholic Academy, which is just dear to my heart. It was: How do you make the faith come alive in a fun, visual, memorable way? And so, our living room was filled with props and balloons and all kinds of fun silliness for a week.”
The program is offered for children ages 4 through the start of seventh grade (child care is offered for infants and toddlers). Many of those children turn around and become volunteers. Some remain permanent fixtures of VBS. One of the two original co-directors, Mary Jo Weinreis, 74, is still going. She and Trudy Swanson started the program in 1983, which launched at a nearby church in Blaine, Faithful Shepherd, before St. Paul had its own church. They approached Father Tim Nolan, the founding pastor of St. Paul, and he gave them the green light.
The two co-led the program for eight years before handing it off to others. Weinreis took the next year off to give the new leaders a chance to establish themselves, then came back to help out. She hasn’t missed a year since. All three of her children and all eight of her grandchildren have gone to VBS at St. Paul.
“I love it,” she said. “I just love the people here. I love youth; I love the vitality that they have. I love watching them when they get those ‘Aha moments’ when things click. There’s just nothing (more) that can be said about the energy that’s here. It keeps you young, keeps you going. And, I love kids. ... I just think that they are our future and someone’s got to be there to help lead them.”
One thing that distinguishes VBS at St. Paul is the emphasis on young volunteers and placing them in meaningful roles. This year, there were 250 volunteers overall serving about 450 kids. Many of the volunteers are teens, some just one year removed from being participants. This is how the parish works against the modern cultural trend of young people leaving the Church in their teens and 20s.
“They say that people make a decision to leave the
Church when they’re 13 years old, on the average,” Father Livingston said. “That’s when they start checking out mentally, if not physically, if they’re able. On the other hand, we have 13-year-olds here who are investing in the faith. They are investing in community. They’re creating memories and positive friendships.”
This experience creates what he calls the “antidote” to what’s happening in the secular culture all across the country. He knows how fruitful the VBS experience is when he talks to people years later.
“I interview couples for marriage (preparation),” said Father Livingston, who has been the pastor at St. Paul for the last seven years. “And, whenever there is a young woman or a young man who has been part of this parish (during childhood), I ask them all the time: Tell me about your spiritual life. Tell me about your faith life. What was it like for you as a kid? What’s it like for you now? What’s made the difference? … The ones who are from here, they’ll always say, ‘I went to VBS.’”
At least one religious vocation has come from the program. Paulette Kostick, 58, has sent all eight of her children to VBS. Her third is now a member of Pro Ecclesia Sancta, a religious community founded in Peru with men and women serving in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. That child, Sister Teresa Kostick, who’s in her second year in the Pro Ecclesia Sancta community, still remembers and praises VBS at St. Paul and hopes to incorporate some of that in other parishes.
Kostick remembers a recent conversation she had with Sister Teresa about VBS after both had seen a Facebook video post. It stirred some nostalgia and reflections about what the program meant in her formation and path to a religious vocation.
“She (Sister Teresa) said, ‘I just praised God for my upbringing, to have this as the environment that I was raised in, so I can proclaim the good news of the Lord,’” said Kostick. “And, that’s where she saw her vocation. It was through Father Tim, but she said she just realized God allowed her to be part of this parish and to participate in Vacation Bible School ... so she could go out and reach out to these kids.”
Getting kids into VBS can, in turn, bring their parents in, which has ended up being an effective evangelization
tool, leaders said. Kostick noted that one of her daughters is a nanny and brought children she was caring for to VBS, along with other children in the neighborhood. That, in turn, leads to the children “coming home and bringing the faith to the home,” she said.
“VBS is so accessible, it’s such a great on ramp” into a faith experience, said Kolles, who works at the parish as director of family catechesis. It facilitates “learning about God in a very fun, easy, beautiful way.”
Another notable part of the program, which volunteers spend months preparing, is that everything is home-grown — material for the classes, skits written and produced by volunteers as young as incoming seventh graders, and a learning center complete with craft and education stations that look like theater sets. There’s even what is casually referred to as a “trombone trio” of Father Livingston, Shawn Kolles, who has a background in music and coaxed the pastor into picking up his horn again, and Brian Cox, youth ministry coordinator. They play every morning, with kids singing and even marching to the music.
“It just makes my heart sing,” Father Livingston said of VBS, which takes place five consecutive mornings every August. “Parish life is liturgy on Sunday, yes, but it’s community as well, and a community that is bonded by experiences of faith. … As a pastor, it feels like this is just a happy place to be.”
Marissa Furness, 39, has six children and all were present at VBS this year, two as volunteers and the rest as participants. She was there, too, as a volunteer.
“It’s a wonderful, wonderful week,” she said. “Best week of the year. It’s so much work and so much volunteer time, but it is worth every second of work to put this on. … It’s just a beautiful, beautiful time to grow closer to Jesus.”