The Catholic Spirit - March 21, 2024

‘CRUSHED for our INIQUITY’

CRISIS People wait along a street in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 12 to collect water in buckets and containers after Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry pledged to step down following months of escalating gang violence. Two U.S. bishops are urging awareness and action by the global community to assist Haitians in restoring peace. “We’re at a critical junction,” Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami, who is fluent in Haitian Creole and whose archdiocese is home to an extensive and historic Haitian expatriate community, told OSV News. “It’s a time in which we hope against hope that the Haitian people will be able to resolve some of their differences and start building back a society that is peaceful and that promotes justice for all citizens.” Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon and chairman of the Committee on International Justice and Peace for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged in a statement March 15 that “our government and the international community actively continue to seek ways to address the long-term challenges the country is facing. This is an unlivable situation for the people of Haiti, where families are unable to provide basic necessities for their loved ones.”

March 5

receive funds from St. Paul-based Aim Higher

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from the Catholic Services Appeal of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The gathering at St. Jerome was part of the second annual Check Delivery Marathon by Aim Higher, with stops at more than 26 schools in the archdiocese to deliver more than $2.3 million in scholarships supporting 2,330 children this year. Joining the group for a photo was Archbishop Bernard Hebda (standing behind check at right), who visited a classroom and talked with students at the school after the presentation. Others in the center of the photo include Ricky Austin, president of Aim Higher, Mary Schaffner, chair of the Aim Higher board, and Jean Houghton, former Aim Higher president and now leader of the CSA as director of the archdiocese’s Office of Mission Advancement. The Aim Higher Foundation offers $1,000 scholarships to kindergarten through eighth grade students in the archdiocese whose families have a financial need.

NEWS notes

Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield recently announced the appointment of a new president. David Sorkin has been appointed the school’s president effective July 1. Sorkin most recently was head of school at St. Hubert Catholic School in Chanhassen and has served in various capacities at Providence Academy in Plymouth, St. Agnes in St. Paul and Seton Catholic Preparatory High School in Chandler, Arizona.

The Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis will exhibit a 22.5-feet long, 3.5-ton bronze sculpture titled “Let the Oppressed Go Free” on the front plaza from March 28 through the spring. By Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz, the sculpture depicts St. Josephine Bakhita opening the underground and releasing modernday slaves. Currently on tour across the country, the sculpture was inspired by the words “setting free the oppressed” found in the Scripture verse Isaiah 58:6.

A formation advisor and spiritual director at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul has been appointed vocations director of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. As announced by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Father Mark Pavlak will fill the role now held by Father David Blume, who July 1 will take a temporary, three-year assignment to the Diocese of Crookston as one of three members of the priestly fraternity Companions of Christ who have been assigned to that diocese. In a statement, Father Pavlak said being a priest of Jesus Christ has been “the greatest joy” of his life and now as vocations director he gets “to help men and women hear their call to follow the Lord Jesus in a more intimate way. I’m very grateful and humbled that the Archbishop has asked me to take on this important task on behalf of our local church, and I’m more than aware of the large shoes to fill that Fr. David Blume is leaving behind; he has done exceptional work these past nine years.”

Bishop Joseph Williams presided at a Mass March 10 at St. Timothy in Maple Lake that closed a 40-hours devotion of Lenten prayer and adoration that the parish shared with St. Ignatius in Annandale. Starting March 8, parishioners at both parishes came together with exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at the St. Ignatius church from 8 p.m. March 8 through 5 p.m. March 9, and at St. Timothy from 6 p.m. March 9 through the 4 p.m. March 10 closing Mass. Guided prayer was scheduled at various times, and the religious sisters of Pro Ecclesia Sancta provided special talks at each parish March 9.

A robotics team made up of seven children from four homeschool families from St. Louis Park, Maple Grove, Corcoran and Rogers took first place in the FIRST LEGO League (FLL) State Tournament and will advance to the April 18-20 FLL world championship in Houston. The team, JP2 Fireworks 2.0, competed against 459 teams at the state championship. At the world championship, they will be one of only 200 teams competing out of about 50,000 teams that vied for a spot in the competition. Decidedly Catholic, with St. John Paul II as its patron saint, the team begins and ends each competition with prayer, coaches said.

Two Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis won state girls basketball championships March 16 at Williams Arena at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. Providence Academy , the top seed in Class AA, won its third consecutive state title, the first Class AA school to do so since the tournament was expanded to four classes in 1997, by defeating Albany 81-78. Sophomore Maddyn Greenway led her team with 30 points, as the Lions finished the season with a record of 28-4. In Class AAA, Benilde-St. Margaret’s defeated De La Salle 81-58 in the championship game. BSM senior Olivia Olson led the scoring with 30 points, and the team finished the season at 27-5. De La Salle finished at 27-4.

PRACTICING Catholic

Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the March 15 “Practicing Catholic” show included a discussion with Bishop Michael Izen about Church teaching on reconciliation. Then, host Patrick Conley spoke with two leaders of the St. Paul-based Catholic Athletic Association about the mission of the association and its upcoming 75th anniversary. Also on the show: a leader of the March 23 Archdiocesan Men’s Conference talked about what to expect at the event and a keynote speaker encouraged men to attend. Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingcatholicShow com or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.

CHECK PRESENTATION Students and staff at St. Jerome School in Maplewood gather in front of

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HAITI

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

OSV NEWS | RALPH TEDY EROL, REUTERS

ON THE COVER: This depiction of the 13th Station of the Cross — Jesus is taken down from the cross — is located inside St. William church in Fridley. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

ONLY JESUS | ARCHBISHOP BERNARD HEBDA

FROMTHEARCHBISHOP Sharing the graces of Easter

Easter was never one of my favorite holidays as a child. At the age of 5, I was diagnosed with an allergy to chocolate, so for most of my youth the joy of the great feast of the Resurrection was diminished by a growing resentment that I couldn’t join my siblings in nibbling on the ears of a chocolate bunny or cross. Jelly beans and marshmallow Peeps never seemed to cut it.

To make matters worse, my parents would make us stay in our dress clothes each Easter for an afternoon trek to the cathedral to wait in line to receive the Easter blessings of our bishop and his auxiliaries. If we misbehaved at the cathedral, my parents would insist on a visit to Phipps Conservatory for the annual Spring Flower Show. The family photos taken among the lilies, hyacinths and tulips always captured four miserable kids and two frustrated parents.

I am happy to share that my experience of Easter is much different these days. I hope that my present love for Easter flows more from a deepening liturgical and theological appreciation of the Paschal feast than from the fact that I have overcome my chocolate allergy. There has been a building excitement within me all of Lent to hear once again the Exultet chanted at the Easter Vigil in the stillness and beauty of our darkened Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. I wish that you could all join me in the sanctuary at that moment and look out as I do on the candlelit splendor. I can’t imagine any other bishop in any other diocese feeling as blessed as I do that evening!

I am already looking forward, moreover, to the vigil’s readings (all of them!), reminding us of our family history in a way that emphasizes God’s fidelity and mercy. It’s hard to describe, moreover, the joy that I

Compartiendo las gracias de la Pascua

La Pascua nunca fue una de mis fiestas favoritas cuando era niño. A la edad de 5 años me diagnosticaron alergia al chocolate, por lo que durante la mayor parte de mi juventud la alegría de la gran fiesta de la Resurrección se vio disminuida por un resentimiento creciente por no poder unirme a mis hermanos para mordisquear las orejas de un conejito o una cruz de chocolate. Las grageas y los malvaviscos Peeps nunca parecieron ser suficientes.

Para empeorar las cosas, mis padres nos obligaban a quedarnos en ropa de vestidos cada Pascua para un viaje por la tarde a la catedral para esperar en la fila para recibir las bendiciones pascuales de nuestro obispo y sus auxiliares. Si nos portábamos mal en la catedral, mis padres insistirían en visitar el Conservatorio Phipps para la Exposición Anual de Flores de Primavera. Las fotos familiares tomadas entre lirios, jacintos y tulipanes siempre capturaban a cuatro niños miserables y dos padres frustrados.

Me alegra compartir que mi experiencia de Pascua es muy diferente estos días. Espero que mi amor actual por la Pascua fluya más de una apreciación litúrgica y teológica cada vez más profunda de la fiesta pascual que del hecho de haber superado mi chocolate alergia. Ha habido un entusiasmo creciente dentro de mí durante toda la Cuaresma al escuchar una vez más el canto del Exultet en la Vigilia Pascual en la quietud y la belleza de nuestra Catedral de San Pablo oscurecida en St. Paul. Desearía que todos ustedes pudieran unirse a mí en el santuario en ese momento y contemplar como yo el esplendor a la luz de las velas. ¡No puedo imaginar a ningún otro obispo en ninguna otra diócesis sintiéndose tan bendecido como yo esa noche!

Además, ya espero con ansias las lecturas de la vigilia (¡todas!), que nos recuerdan nuestra historia familiar de una manera que enfatiza la fidelidad y la misericordia

Let’s commit to sharing with those closest to us the joy that the Resurrection prompts in our heart. Easter is the perfect occasion for bringing family and friends together to reflect on God’s goodness.

of Jesus’ victory for us needs to be shared. Consider the joyful urgency with which Mary Magdalene proclaimed to the Apostles that Jesus had risen. In addition, consider the reaction of the disciples who encountered the risen Lord on the way to Emmaus: They “got up and returned at once” to Jerusalem to share the good news. Let’s commit to sharing with those closest to us the joy that the Resurrection prompts in our heart. Easter is the perfect occasion for bringing family and friends together to reflect on God’s goodness.

I’m hoping, moreover, that the small groups that have formed in our parishes this Lent will provide an additional opportunity for the sharing of the graces of Easter and for considering how we might respond to God’s love in compassionate service. If you were not able to participate in a small group this Lent, it’s not too late. Contact your parish to see how you can still be part of this diocesan-wide initiative.

iSTOCK PHOTO | BOONYACHOAT

experience when the Gloria is sung at the vigil or when I have the privilege of celebrating the Easter sacraments for our brothers and sisters entering the Church.

No matter how little sleep I get that night, I’m always reinvigorated on Easter morning as the Basilica choir and congregation boldly chant the Victimae Paschalis Laudes: “Christians, to the Paschal Victim offer sacrifice and praise!” It’s no wonder that we need 50 days to sing out our praises to Christ for the amazing victory that he won for us; it’s a victory that is truly snatched from the jaws of death and despair, a victory that brings hope to a world wracked with discouragement and grief.

While it’s common for us to adopt resolutions for Lent, I would like to suggest that we make some resolutions for this Easter season. First, the good news

de Dios. Es difícil describir, además, la alegría que experimento cuando se canta el Gloria en la vigilia o cuando tengo el privilegio de celebrar los Sacramentos de Pascuas para nuestros hermanos y hermanas que ingresan a la Iglesia.

No importa lo poco que duerma esa noche, siempre me siento revitalizado en la mañana de Pascua cuando el Coro de la Basílica y la congregación cantan audazmente las Victimae Paschalis Laudes: “¡Cristianos, ofrezcan sacrificio y alabanza a la Víctima Pascual!” No es de extrañar que necesitemos 50 días para cantar nuestras alabanzas a Cristo por la asombrosa victoria que obtuvo para nosotros; es una victoria verdaderamente arrebatada de las fauces de la muerte y la desesperación, una victoria que trae esperanza a un mundo atormentado por el desaliento y el dolor.

Si bien es común que adoptemos resoluciones para la Cuaresma, me gustaría sugerir que hagamos algunas resoluciones para esta temporada de Pascua. Primero, es necesario compartir las buenas nuevas de la victoria de Jesús para nosotros. Consideremos la gozosa urgencia con la que María Magdalena proclamó a los Apóstoles que Jesús había resucitado. Además, considere la reacción de los discípulos que encontraron al Señor resucitado en el camino a Emaús: “se levantaron y regresaron inmediatamente” a Jerusalén para compartir la buena nueva. Comprometámonos a compartir con los más cercanos a nosotros la alegría que la Resurrección suscita en nuestro corazón. La Pascua es la ocasión perfecta para reunir a familiares y amigos para reflexionar sobre la bondad de Dios.

Además, espero que los pequeños grupos que se han formado en nuestras parroquias esta Cuaresma brinden una oportunidad adicional para compartir las gracias de la Pascua y para considerar cómo podemos responder al amor de Dios en un servicio compasivo. Si no pudiste participar en un grupo pequeño esta Cuaresma, aún no es demasiado tarde. Comuníquese con su parroquia para ver cómo puede seguir siendo parte de esta iniciativa diocesana.

Finalmente, San Lucas nos dice que fue en la “fracción

Finally, St. Luke tells us that it was in the “breaking of the bread” that the hearts of the disciples on the road to Emmaus began “to burn within them.” In 2024, we, too, can encounter the risen Jesus in the breaking of the bread. Each time we gather at the Lord’s altar for Mass or spend time with him in adoration this Eastertide, let’s be intentional about opening our hearts to the graces that flow from the Eucharist, particularly as our archdiocese prepares for year two of our pastoral letter implementation (which will focus on the Mass) and as Catholics from coast to coast prepare for our National Eucharistic Congress this July in Indianapolis.

As Sister Agnita always reminded my fifth grade classmates and me, God is never outdone when it comes to generosity. Let’s be generous this Easter season to our risen Lord as we strive to be his witnesses in word and in deed. Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

del pan” que los corazones de los discípulos en el camino a Emaús comenzaron a “arder dentro de ellos”. En 2024, nosotros también podremos encontrarnos con Jesús resucitado al partir el pan. Cada vez que nos reunamos en el altar del Señor para Misa o pasemos tiempo con Él en adoración durante esta Pascua, seamos intencionales en abrir nuestros corazones a las gracias que fluyen de la Eucaristía, particularmente mientras nuestra arquidiócesis se prepara para el segundo año de implementación de nuestra carta pastoral (que se centrará en la Misa) y mientras los católicos de costa a costa se preparan para nuestro Congreso Eucarístico Nacional este julio en Indianápolis.

Como la hermana Agnita siempre nos recordaba a mis compañeros de quinto grado y a mí, Dios nunca se queda atrás cuando se trata de generosidad. Seamos generosos en esta temporada de Pascua con nuestro Señor resucitado mientras nos esforzamos por ser sus testigos en palabra y obra. ¡Cristo ha resucitado! ¡Él ha resucitado!

OFFICIALS

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:

Effective February 15, 2024

Reverend Mark Wehmann, granted a medical leave of absence from his assignment as parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Olaf in Minneapolis.

Effective April 17, 2024

Reverend Robert Pish, assigned as parochial vicar of the Church of Saint Bartholomew in Wayzata. Father Pish is returning to full time ministry after studies in psychology and serving as a licensed counselor.

Caruso’s charisma

Glenn Caruso, right, head football coach at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, talks with young adults at a gathering sponsored by the Center for Evangelization and Discipleship (CEND) March 5 at the University of St. Thomas. About 25 young adults came for Mass followed by Caruso’s talk, in which he described his coaching career at St. Thomas since he was hired in 2008. He also shared about his faith and how it has helped in coaching and in life. Genny Murdock of St. Joseph in New Hope said having Caruso as a speaker was “incredible.” She helps at CEND events, which take place about every two months.

“I played softball in college, so I live for motivational speakers and coaches and sports,” she said.

“In my professional life, I try to challenge myself to remember these sort of core principles (outlined by Caruso in his talk). It’s so good to get a light fired again and be exposed to somebody who’s doing it every day and tying it into Christ.” CEND was formed in 2020 to bring young adults together and amplify their involvement with the Church.

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

8 Minnesota bishops have ‘hard conversations’ with governor, lawmakers

By Anna Wilgenbusch

The Catholic Spirit

Archbishop Bernard Hebda and seven other Catholic bishops met March 7 with Gov. Tim Walz and at least 19 lawmakers about bills in the Minnesota Legislature that the bishops say would degrade human rights in the state.

“There were some hard conversations that had to be had,” said Maggee Hangge, policy and public relations associate with the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), which represents the bishops.

On the same day, Archbishop Hebda led the state Senate and House in prayer, encouraging mutual understanding and respect. “In the fraternal bonds we share, may we work to generate policies that foster peace and justice,” the archbishop prayed. “Giving to each what is due, help us to engage conflict not in a spirit of anger and resentment, but in mutual acknowledgement that disagreement is often rooted in misunderstandings.

“Teach us to listen patiently to one another so that we may come to a deeper place of understanding and move forward in greater unity, while always striving to respect the legitimate diversity with which you have left and enriched the state.”

Minnesota’s bishops meet annually with lawmakers. But this day of meetings was highlighted by several legislative proposals of particular concern to the bishops, including a proposed constitutional amendment that would add “gender identity or expression” as a protected status in Minnesota but exclude protections for religion or creed.

In addition, the Legislature last year passed an amendment to the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) that added “gender identity” as a protected status. But lawmakers did not include a religious exemption. An amendment that the bishops support has been introduced in this legislative session to include religious protection.

Minnesota lawmakers also are considering legislation that would legalize physician-assisted suicide for patients diagnosed with a terminal illness and with a prognosis of six months or less to live.

The proposals in question would put “our rights as Catholics ... in jeopardy,” Archbishop Hebda said in a video about the day of meetings produced by MCC. “We cannot be condemned to silence; we have to be able to share our faith.”

Joining the archbishop at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul were Auxiliary Bishops Joseph Williams and Michael Izen and Bishops Daniel Felton of Duluth, Patrick Neary of St. Cloud, Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, and Chad Zielinksi and Bishop Emeritus John LeVoir, both of New Ulm.

All the bishops met with Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, as well as several House and Senate leaders. The bishops also spread across the Capitol to meet in groups or singly with various lawmakers.

On the same day the bishops were at the Capitol, members of the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee heard testimony, debated and amended the physician-assisted suicide bill (HF1930) and referred it to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. On March 12, that committee heard testimony and debated the bill before voting 8-5 to forward it to the House Commerce, Finance and Policy Commitee, which sent the bill to

the House Ways and Means Committee March 18. The Senate bill is SF1813.

Several people who attended the March 7 hearing said they wanted to show their concern about the physicianassisted suicide bill and testify against it. Among them was Brother Conrad Richardson of the Franciscan Brothers of Peace in St. Paul, who said the bill has personal significance for him and members of his religious community. The community’s founder, Brother Michael Gaworski, required a feeding tube for 12 years after he suffered cardiac arrest and an infection that caused a brain injury. Brother Conrad, a certified nursing assistant, cared for him before his death in 2003.

Brother Conrad said physician-assisted suicide is wrong “because it’s taking a human life with dignity and value and meaning.”

“A person’s usefulness, success or notoriety (is seen as one) of the most important things,” Brother Conrad said. “But there is beautiful, great dignity in just the human person.”

Bother Conrad said he and the other friars were edified by the way Brother Michael suffered in the years before his death.

“(There is) an amazing amount to be

Our family is here for

learned from people that are in our lives that we care for,” he said. “If life has any meaning at all, then suffering does as well, because that’s part of life.”

Bishop Felton said the bishops voiced their concerns about the physicianassisted suicide bill. “We don’t want to see it on the floor and we certainly don’t want to see it implemented,” he said in MCC’s video about the day. “We are very much not in favor of (the bill).”

Bishop Williams said in the video that “religious liberty matters” and while religious leaders like him can help influence public policy, laypeople have a special responsibility to act.

“Faith is not divorced from culture, from society, from politics — but of course, according to our faith, it is not the bishops that have the first role in this — it is the layperson,” he said.

Also in the video, Bishop Neary urged people to “be aware of the issues before the Legislature that have a significant impact on the common good.”

Bishop Cozzens said Catholics have a responsibility to be faithful citizens. “Faithful citizenship means that I have a role to play in the citizenship of our government and I have a role to play to help influence the common good,” he said in the video.

COURTESY MINNESOTA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE Bishop Michael Izen stands with state Sen. Julia Coleman (R-District 48) in the Senate Office Building after meeting with the assistant minority leader.

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Archbishop Bernard Hebda leads the Minnesota Senate in prayer March 7 on the Senate floor at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul. The archbishop also led the House in prayer as it opened its floor session.

Catholic Racial Justice Coalition event to address harm, foster healing

By Rebecca Omastiak

The Catholic Spirit

Hoping to advance local conversation about racial equity, particularly from a Catholic perspective, the Catholic Racial Justice Coalition (CRJC) is sponsoring an April 13 event at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Minneapolis.

Among members of the Black Catholic community in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis invited to share their experiences will be Cynthia Bailey Manns, as she addresses the group about the need to listen and share with respect and honesty.

Conversations about the effects of racial injustice create opportunities “for people to share with vulnerability and honesty ... and to feel seen and listened to,” said Bailey Manns, a member of St. Joan of Arc in Minneapolis and the parish’s adult learning director.

Bailey Manns — who is also a U.S. lay delegate chosen by Pope Francis to represent the North American region at the Vatican’s Synod of Bishops — will be the keynote speaker for the event, “Walking Together Toward Racial Truth and Healing: An Experience of Restorative Justice.”

“This is important within our Catholic family,” Bailey Manns said. “These are issues that are happening now and in order for us to journey together, in order for us to recognize the sacred in each other and in order for us to create a space where all are welcome and can have a place to call home, we have to do the work together.”

Such was the sentiment as the CRJC began taking shape in the summer of 2020.

“It was clear right from the beginning that our mission was to do more together than we can do alone,” said Meg Payne Nelson, vice president of impact for the St. Paul-based Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) and a representative of CCF for the CRJC.

The CRJC “works collaboratively to build just relationships, heal the wounds created by racism and discrimination, and contribute to ending racial injustice within our communities and collective Catholic organizations,” according to its mission

It was clear right from the beginning that our mission was to do more together than we can do alone.

Meg Payne Nelson

statement. It currently includes representatives of eight Catholic institutions in the Twin Cities metro area — the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; Catholic Charities Twin Cities; CCF; the GHR Foundation; the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet; and the universities of St. Catherine, St. Mary and St. Thomas.

Nelson, who is helping coordinate the CRJChosted April 13 event, expects the event to draw roughly 200 attendees, including leadership from the coalition member organizations. Nelson said she is hoping even more people will register.

“Whether you have worked in racial justice or not, this is a call to all Catholics,” said Nelson, a member of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis.

Nelson said the event will begin with prayer and music, including choral music from St. Peter Claver in St. Paul. Then, a few members of the Black Catholic community will share “their experience, what it’s like being a Black Catholic in the Twin Cities,” Nelson said.

After the testimonials, people will meet in small, facilitated sharing groups “to both reflect on what they’ve heard (and) also tell their own stories,” Nelson said.

Relationship-building can occur within these groups, Bailey Manns said. “With the Holy Spirit among and within us, grounded in prayer and silence, we are challenged to open our hearts to one another, through that process of deep listening and honest, respectful sharing. And this can create the container for healing, repentance, justice and reconciliation.”

This effort to listen and to acknowledge harm caused by racial injustice “is part of a broader, nationwide, Church-wide effort to address these matters, to bring about healing,” said Father Chris Collins, parochial administrator of St. Peter Claver, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, and a representative of the

WALKING TOGETHER

“Walking Together Toward Racial Truth and Healing:

An Experience of Restorative Justice” begins at 8 a.m. April 13 at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. People can register for the event at ccf-mn org/crjc

CATHOLIC RACIAL JUSTICE FUND

The Catholic Racial Justice Fund was created at the end of 2022 by the Catholic Racial Justice Coalition (CRJC).

Meg Payne Nelson — vice president of impact for the St. Paul-based Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) and a representative of CCF for the CRJC — said the fund serves two purposes: to support the work of the CRJC (including covering its coordination, administrative and some materials costs) and to support racial justice initiatives that involve the Twin Cities Catholic community and “align with our mission and values.”

An advisory committee of coalition member delegates oversees the application and grant process for the fund.

During its first year in 2023, the fund awarded $18,250 in grants, the CRJC reported.

Grant recipients included the University of St. Thomas and St. Thomas More, both in St. Paul; the Minneapolis-based Minnesota Council of Churches; the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis; St. Peter Claver in St. Paul; and St. Paul-based Modern Catholic Pilgrim.

Those funds went toward presentations, performing arts, National Black Catholic Congress attendance, and a civil rights tour.

Nelson said consideration is given to “what kinds of activities might touch people’s hearts or get people talking about racial justice or move the conversation forward.”

More information about the fund can be found online at ccf-mn org/crjc

university for the CRJC.

Father Collins said the April 13 event offers an opportunity to “confront history (and) also

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Holy

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increase our understanding and desire to collaborate within the Church itself to bring about greater understanding and relationshipbuilding and, where possible, reconciliation so that we can be part of the healing body of Christ.”

Nelson said conversations about racial equity must happen in Catholic spaces “because we should be holding ourselves to the highest standards and anti-racism has been explicit in Catholic social teaching.”

“We’re called by Jesus, by several consecutive popes, by our archbishops, and hopefully by our consciences to identify and fight racism where it exists,” Nelson said.

Journeying together

Bailey Manns said she is drawing from her experiences in various roles for her keynote address. In addition to her work at St. Joan of Arc and as a Vatican synod delegate, Bailey Manns was one of 26 participants from the archdiocese to attend the National Black Catholic Congress in Florida in 2017. Upon their return, she worked with a group to restart the archdiocesan Commission for Black Catholics and joined the commission’s leadership team.

Bailey Manns said her keynote address will include “the historical

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

Titled “Morning of Connection,” the events have taken place recently — March 2, 2024, and March 18, 2023 — at the University of St. Thomas’ Iversen Center for Faith in St. Paul. Each event drew dozens of people, including parish-based racial justice, social justice and outreach ministry workers and volunteers.

The Morning of Connection events are modeled after similar events hosted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Ad Hoc Committee Against Racism, said Meg Payne Nelson, vice president of impact for the St. Paul-based Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) and a representative of CCF for the CRJC. The local events — which Nelson said the coalition hopes to eventually host more than once a year — offer people an opportunity to network, learn best practices in racial justice ministry and seek formation.

“I hope they will be exposed to greater ideas for bringing racial justice initiatives to their parishes; I hope they’ll get a deeper understanding of the history of both racism in our Church and racial justice work in our Church, in our local archdiocese; I’m hoping ... that they’ll be able to do networking so they can support each other in this work,” Nelson said.

These events are an opportunity to “get people together, listen, learn, and then see what happens. And let the (Holy) Spirit operate,” said Father Chris Collins, parochial administrator of St. Peter Claver in St. Paul, vice president for mission at the University of St. Thomas, and a representative of the university for the CRJC.

At the March 2 event, Father Collins facilitated a discussion with Yohuru Williams — founding director of the Racial Justice Initiative at the University of St. Thomas and a distinguished university chair and professor of history at the university — that touched on racial equity in the context of Catholic social teaching.

Father Collins said he hopes attendees have found “encouragement that there are other people like them in other parishes that are concerned and are allowing their faith to move them into deeper understanding and action as well.”

“We’d like to keep convening people and having conversation and learning,” Father Collins said.

and present overview of Black Catholics in the United States and our archdiocese” as well as “the intersectionality between synodality and restorative justice, which I think of as journeying together in love and pathways to healing, repentance, justice and reconciliation — reconciliation in ourselves, and our parishes, and our Church.”

Bailey Manns said she hopes people reflect on what it means to respect human dignity during the April 13 event.

“No matter the color of one’s skin, we must honor the dignity of each person,” she said. “There should be no room for racism and inequity that creates spaces or structures within our Church where anyone does not feel safe, or seen, or listened to, (or) respected. We all want a place to call home at our church.”

Catholics can foster reconciliation and healing by reflecting God’s love, Bailey Manns suggested.

“We are affirmed and anointed by God to serve in the healing of the world in our own unique way,” Bailey Manns said. “And we need everybody on this journey, we need people (who) come along and learn and love as we do this sacred work, and to commit to being the people God calls us to be, to serve and love one another as we are loved and served by God.”

In addition to the “Walking Together Toward Racial Truth and Healing: An Experience of Restorative Justice” event April 13, the Catholic Racial Justice Coalition (CRJC) has hosted two racial justice ministry events.

HEADLINES

uThe Wisconsin Supreme Court rules against a tax exemption for Catholic Charities Bureau. The Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior is not exempt from paying into the state’s unemployment insurance system, Wisconsin’s Supreme Court found March 14. The group plans to appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The 4-3 decision by the state court in Madison raises the threshold for religious groups to prove their charitable organizations qualify for such an exemption under state law. The court’s ruling, along its ideological lines, found that while the mission of the Catholic Charities Bureau and its subsidiaries is inspired by Catholic teachings, its actual work is “primarily charitable and secular” under the statute. Writing for the majority, Justice Ann Walsh Bradley wrote that asserting “a religious motivation behind their work” is “not enough to receive the exemption” under the statute, and that “paying a generally applicable tax is not a constitutionally significant burden” under First Amendment jurisprudence. Eric Rassbach, vice president and senior counsel at Becket, a religious liberty law firm representing Catholic Charities Bureau and its sub-entities, said in a statement, “The Wisconsin Supreme Court got this case dead wrong” and the organization “is religious, whether Wisconsin recognizes that fact or not.” Catholic Charities Bureau is seeking an exemption so that it can participate in an alternate program, the Church Unemployment Pay Program, established by the Wisconsin bishops in 1986, according to its court filings. Several state Catholic conferences, including the Minnesota Catholic Conference, filed friend-of-the-court briefs in the case, with religious groups from other denominations also weighing in, including the American Islamic Congress, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Sikh Coalition, and the Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty.

uPro-life group deplores Harris’ historic visit to Planned Parenthood abortion clinic. Vice President Kamala Harris on March 14 toured an abortion clinic in St. Paul, marking the first time that a president or vice president has visited such a clinic, according to Harris’ office. During a trip to the Twin Cities area, part of a nationwide tour Harris launched earlier in 2024 to advocate for expanding abortion access after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the vice president spoke with staff at a Planned Parenthood clinic. Harris has frequently argued that access to abortion should be expanded by congressional legislation, a position that the Biden-Harris reelection campaign has also advocated. Marjorie Dannenfelser, a Catholic and president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect anti-abortion candidates, said in a statement, “As America’s largest abortion business, Planned Parenthood is far from benign” unlike the “thousands of pregnancy resource centers” offering women “compassionate and truly empowering support” during pregnancy and following birth. She noted that in contrast to Harris, former Vice President Mike Pence was “the first sitting vice president to visit a pregnancy resource center” during his time in office.

uPope Francis advances sainthood causes. Pope Francis has advanced the sainthood cause of U.S. Sister Rose Hawthorne, the daughter of Nathaniel Hawthorne, and he recognized the martyrdom of a German priest executed by the Nazis and a German nun and her 14 companions who were raped and murdered by Russian soldiers during World War II. After Pope Francis met March 14 with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, the Vatican published the list of decrees the pope approved in 12 sainthood causes. The pope recognized the heroic virtues of Sister Hawthorne, who was born in 1851 in Lenox, Massachusetts. She and her husband, George Lathrop, converted to Catholicism, but they eventually separated after his alcoholism led to extremely violent behavior. She moved to New York City to dedicate herself to charitable work, studied to become a nurse and cared for the poor afflicted with cancer. After her husband died, she professed religious vows and became known as Mother Mary Alphonsa as she founded the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne, the Congregation of St. Rose of Lima. She established two homes where the sisters cared for the poor without charge, St. Rose’s in Manhattan and Rosary Hill in Hawthorne, the motherhouse, where she died in 1926.

uPope Francis sets up groups to study the most controversial issues raised at the synod. Pope Francis has decided that some of the most controversial issues raised at the first assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality will be examined by study groups that will work beyond the synod’s final assembly in October. The possible revision of guidelines for the training of priests and deacons, “the role of women in the church and their participation in decision-making/taking processes and community leadership,” a possible revision of the way bishops are chosen and a revision of norms for the relationship between bishops and the religious orders working in their dioceses all will be the subject of study groups. That Pope Francis did not wait until the end of the second assembly to convoke the study groups, “shows that he has a heart that listens; he listened and is acting,” Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the synod, told reporters March 14. Pope Francis approved the 10 groups and their topics; he asked the groups, coordinated by different offices of the Roman Curia, to make a preliminary report to the synod’s second assembly in October and to give him a final report on their work by June 2025.

uEucharistic Revival’s “Invite One Back” initiative helps parishes reach lapsed Catholics. As part of the parish year of their National Eucharistic Revival, the U.S. bishops are encouraging parish leaders to reach out to lapsed Catholics and invite them back to Mass. The “Invite One Back” initiative is aimed in large part at the many people who didn’t return to the pews after the COVID-19 pandemic restricted in-person Mass attendance in 2020. One 2022 study from Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate showed a 7% decline in adult Catholics attending Sunday Mass

compared with pre-COVID data. Pew data from 2014 found that 13% of all U.S. adults are former Catholics. In a letter to parish leaders, Bishop Andrew Cozzens of the Diocese of Crookston and chairman of the board of the National Eucharistic Congress Inc., wrote, “Our efforts in evangelization and inviting Catholics back to Mass are not just about increasing numbers or filling pews. Rather, our efforts are about guiding people to intimate encounters with Jesus Christ and leading souls to salvation, allowing them to experience God’s love, mercy, and goodness.” When it comes to tools for reaching those who have stopped attending Mass, resources found at eucharisticrevival org/inviteone-back include letter and postcard templates as well as scripts for starting phone calls with former parishioners. Creativity and personalization are encouraged in these conversations with the goal to listen to individuals and meet them where they are.

uBorder pilgrimage is like Stations of the Cross for sisters as they learn of migrants’ hardships. Feb. 5-9, sisters participated in a ”border pilgrimage.” “This wasn’t just nuns crossing the border and feeling good,” said Sister Suzanne Cooke, provincial of the U.S.-Canada province of the Society of the Sacred Heart, one of about two dozen sisters from various congregations who participated. It was an opportunity to contemplate “What is God saying? What’s my responsibility?” she told Global Sisters Report Feb. 9. What spoke to her and others were the stories from those they met on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, including a family of 10 from Afghanistan running from the Taliban’s treatment of women; a Peruvian family of seven who left after threats from criminal elements; and a young Chechen escaping Russia. Though silent, landmarks that sisters visited in the desert also told of the tragedies and ignominy people on the move are increasingly facing, like a group of feeble tents. A lot of women religious feel the border is a new calling, said Mercy Sister Mary Waskowiak. “Before, it was teaching. Now, it’s the border. This is the time.”

uThe Church and the world need women’s contributions, Pope Francis says. The Catholic Church and the world itself need the gifts and contributions of women, especially in bringing people together and overcoming tensions and violence, Pope Francis wrote. “Ours is a time seared by hatred, in which our human family, which needs to feel the power of love, is instead frequently scarred by violence, war and ideologies that stifle the noblest feelings of the human heart,” he wrote. “Precisely in this context, the contribution of women is more necessary than ever.” Pope Francis prepared his text for an audience with people participating in a March 7-8 conference, “Women in the Church: Builders of Humanity.” While the pope met participants in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican March 7, he had an aide read his speech. The conference, hosted by Rome’s Pontifical University of the Holy Cross, was sponsored by several pontifical universities and coincided with the celebration March 8 of International Women’s Day. — CNS and OSV News

Ham Lake parish dedicates Living Stations to pair of past cast members

Story and photos by Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit

When Josh Ritter was in high school, he wanted to play Jesus in the annual Living Stations presentation every Lent at St. Paul in Ham Lake. He did this twice, in 2007 as a high school junior, and again in 2008 as a senior.

Years later, he again would serve as a reminder of Christ’s life, but in a more unusual way — by dying at the same age.

After serving in the U.S. Navy in California after high school, Ritter moved back to Minnesota in 2018. He bought a house in Coon Rapids in 2023. A little before 2 a.m. Nov. 26, 2023, he called his mother, Marian, and they talked for about half an hour. These conversations were commonplace, and Marian cherished them.

But this one would be their last. Sometime between the end of that phone call and the following Monday, Josh suffered a brain aneurysm and died at his home. He was 33.

That he died at the same age as Jesus was not lost on the Ritter family, which includes Marian’s husband, Gary, and their other three children.

Father Jim Livingston, pastor of the Ham Lake church, also acknowledged it at Josh’s funeral Mass Dec. 5.

Just one month after the funeral, it was time to start preparing for this year’s Living Stations, which youth of the parish have presented in the main church every year during Lent since 1995. Gary and Marian helped start it with Barb Skillings and a handful of other volunteers. Skillings and the Ritters are still involved.

With much important work about to begin, the question arose: What would Gary and Marian do about this year’s presentation, which was scheduled for three consecutive evenings March 13, 14 and 15? Would the grief of losing their son keep them away for the first time in 29 years?

No. The thought of stepping back simply didn’t cross their minds.

“It’s these kids,” Gary explained. This year, 130 young people from seventh through 12th grade stepped forward to put on the presentation, which includes not only the standard 14 Stations, but scenes showing the life of Jesus before the First Station, plus the final scene, the Resurrection, known as the 15th Station.

As they pondered the upcoming preparations and the hours of work ahead, they took the whole matter to prayer, and Marian voiced an answer that spoke for them both.

“I’m doing it because I know that this is where Jesus wants me,” she said. Along with taking on their normal roles — Gary narrating and Marian working on costumes — they and the entire cast plus the adult volunteers dedicated this year’s presentations to Josh and Adam Christoffel, who played the role of Jesus in 1999 and 2000 and died just two weeks after Josh.

Over nearly three decades, Gary and Marian have become bonded to this annual tradition and to the youth who participate, many of whom participate every year they are eligible.

Josh was one of them. Starting at age 5, he played other parts (younger children are

sometimes allowed to be in it, if their parents are involved), and was developing an interest in playing the role of Christ.

“I just remember him wanting it so bad,” Marian said. He received the role in 2007.

There are no auditions for the role of Christ. Selection for the role is not based on acting ability, Skillings noted. Rather, the person who is picked — this year, it’s senior Tim Klimisch — earns the role by displaying faith, virtue and character. In other words, the person selected is the one who lives in the most Christ-like manner.

Here’s how it works: A team of parish leaders, including youth ministers, gathers to discuss possible young men for the role. After the team comes to an agreement, someone, often Skillings, reaches out to the boy who has been chosen.

The people who select Jesus put their trust in the Holy Spirit to get it right, Skillings said.

This method has borne fruit for 29 years. In the early days, a teen would play the role for two years, as Josh did. Now, a new person is selected every year, always a high school senior.

Skillings remembers what Josh was like when he played Jesus, and what he brought to the role over two years.

“He was very gifted in voice and guitar,” she said. “And he loved praise and worship, even

ALL ABOUT

from (when he was) a little boy. When he would be here at Mass, you could hear him sing (from) all the way across the other side of the church.”

The current youth minister of the parish, Joy Carlson, is a year older than Josh and was there for his first year of playing Jesus. Her husband, Andrew, played Jesus in 2005 and 2006. She played people in the crowd in her earlier years, then played Veronica, who wipes the face of Jesus in the Sixth Station. That same year, Josh was playing Jesus, which gave her a close look at his expressions and what he put into the role.

“He, I would say, really was trying to portray the face of Christ,” she said. She remembered “the sincerity that he brought to that, the humility that he brought to that. ... This performance is so much more than a performance. It’s really a prayer.”

Gary and Marian said that when playing Jesus, Josh felt the heaviness of the cross — literally. One year, the cross used for the presentation broke during a rehearsal within days of the performances. Wondering aloud what they would do, a teen said he would make one. It arrived just in time for the first performance.

The cross was made of oak, and life-sized. “It weighed a ton,” Gary said.

No matter. Josh carried it the first night and

GRIEVING

After the final night of Living Stations, Christoffel talked with each other the deaths of their sons, Josh Ritter both of whom played Jesus in Living over two weeks apart late in 2023. Christoffel was 40. Cast members dedicated this year’s Living Stations

“That whole presentation was Joan Christoffel said. One scene, the 13th Station, in which Mary “When I was watching that, I out,” said Christoffel, who lives husband, John. Likewise, Ritter that scene. Both women said grief more deeply.

“I’m sad that we both know what said. But, the chance to talk with presentation was “very comforting

never complained, even though during at least one of the portrayed in the Stations, to his back.

ABOVE CENTER Jesus, played by Tim Klimisch, greets Mary, played by Katie Meuer, during a dress rehearsal of Living Stations March 12 at St. Paul in

TOP LEFT Marian and Gary Ritter hold a picture of their son Josh, who played Jesus in the Living Stations and died in November at age 33 LEFT David

ABOUT JESUS

Ham Lake.

MOTHERS

Stations, Marian Ritter and Joan other about the presentation and Ritter and Adam Christoffel, Living Stations. they died just 2023. Ritter was 33 and members and adult volunteers Stations to them. was absolutely phenomenal,” scene, in particular, moved her: Mary holds the body of Jesus. was just bawling my eyes lives in Coon Rapids with her Ritter felt strong emotions during they now understand Mary’s

what it’s like,” Joan Christoffel with each other after the comforting for both of us.”

though it landed on him

three falls of Jesus Stations, which caused an injury

Whoever plays Jesus understands what the role entails because the person usually has been involved in the performance for at least a few years. Such was the case for Klimisch, this year’s Jesus, which is why he hesitated to accept the role when Skillings informed him at a youth gathering at the parish that he had been chosen.

“I said, ‘I’ll have to think about it,’” he said. “I don’t really like being put in the center. I like to be more on the side.”

Just a day or two later, he texted Skillings that he would do it. All the way through the fourhour weekly practices on Sundays, including the final dress rehearsal, he did not disappoint, Skillings said.

“He’s just a wonderful young man,” she said. “He gives direction (to other cast members) as he’s playing Jesus. When we were practicing, he would give directions to the soldiers because he’s been a soldier.”

One of this year’s soldiers was Klimisch’s best friend, Joe Brounstein, also a senior. Part of his role was pounding the nails into Jesus’ hands and feet during the crucifixion scene. The two boys attend and drive to PSEO classes together, talk about their respective roles and give each other tips.

“Stations is a really incredible experience,”

Brounstein said. “It’s a chance for me to grow deeper in my faith and to evangelize to other people about the love of God. My conversion story actually happened through (the) Stations. Just acting out the Passion and death of Christ is so different from just reading it in the Bible. You’re experiencing it, you’re feeling it, you’re in it. And it has so much more meaning that way.”

He called it “the biggest kind of evangelization thing that I do all year, and I love it, and that’s why I keep going back.”

Father Livingston saw it for the first time in 2017, less than a year after becoming pastor of the parish.

“It just took my breath away,” he said. “It’s among the most powerful things that happen here.”

Living Stations wouldn’t be possible without people like Gary and Marian. “Both of them have really given their heart and soul to the whole production and program,” Father Livingston said.

Before practices in the church on Sundays, cast members and adult volunteers have 45-minute prayer gatherings. Those take place in the chapel, and people are invited to write down prayer intentions. After that, they spread out in the main church and take some time to pray for those coming to see the event.

These experiences create new friendships and

deepen existing ones. Katie Meuer, who played Mary this year, said it is one of the things she liked about being in Living Stations, and why she came back this year after a one-year absence last year.

“I feel like I’ve gotten so much closer with (other cast members),” she said. “It’s just a lot of time that you’re with people, especially the girl who plays Mary Magdalene, Emily (Johnson), because she’s just right there (in the scene depicting the 13th Station, in which Jesus is taken down from the cross). I feel like I’ve gotten to know her a lot better. Just being so close with people physically (in the scenes) has helped me to grow in relationship.”

Meuer was one of nine high school seniors — the maximum age for being on stage — in this year’s group. Odds are, some of them will come back at some point to serve as adult volunteers. The Ritters’ youngest son, Dominic, helped this year. In 1999, he played baby Jesus in the opening scene when he was just 7 weeks old.

Then there are people like Skillings, who at 76 has given no thought to stopping. She is driven by a passion that likely will never go away.

“It’s really all about the teens,” she said. “They touch my heart. I feel called. And, as old as I am, I still feel connected, (still feel) pretty close to them. I want them not to just know about Jesus. I want them to know Jesus, to come (to him), to want his love and to love him back.”

ABOVE From left, Roman soldiers Landon Schouviller, Patrick Larsen and Noah Bookey place a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head.

LEFT Klimisch, as Jesus, holds a candle during the Resurrection scene.

Kostick as Pontius Pilate condemns Jesus to death in the First Station.

Woodbury dad of 9 leads SPO, makes movies in free time

By Christina Capecchi

For The Catholic Spirit

For years, David Fischer dreamt of being a priest, immersing himself in a year of NET Ministries, four years at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul plus summers with the Companions of Christ, a local group of seminarians and priests. Then, he discerned marriage was his vocation and he carried the fruits of that intense formation into fatherhood, raising nine kids — now ages 2 to 20 — with his wife, Laura, in Woodbury.

Fischer, 45, a member of St. Ambrose in Woodbury, is president of St. Paul’s Outreach, a Catholic organization based in Mendota Heights that supports college students. He also works as a film producer. His feature film “Sight” stars Greg Kinnear and will be released Memorial Day weekend.

Q What drew you to the priesthood?

A Father John Ubel, in his first year of priesthood, gave me a confession at CYC (Catholic Youth Camp). I was in sixth grade. I thought: “Wow! This is how confession could be.” It changed my life.

The reason I wanted to be a priest was because I saw the best of men in the priesthood — not the best men, but the best of what a man can be.

I didn’t grow up with that in my household. I was raised by a single mother, and we were transient. To have (the late) Father Jeff Huard take me under (his) wing at seminary and (the late) Father Bill Baer and then (the late) Father Paul Sirba and Father Don DeGrood, who both became bishops — these men invested in relationship with me as a young man. There’s such a lack of true fatherhood in today’s culture, and when you don’t have that, you find yourself lacking a certain identity and blessing in life. I was able to get that blessing and so much confidence and identity from those holy priests.

Q And they counseled you when you began to question your call to the priesthood.

A They always guided me back to relationship with the Father. They didn’t say: “Trust your gut.” They said: “Trust your prayer. Lean into prayer.” I didn’t date Laura till almost a year and a half after leaving seminary. Jeff Cavins was looking to hire a female producer to help him launch Relevant Radio, and I suggested Laura. He still takes credit for setting us up.

Q You and Laura have done so much for this archdiocese. You run St. Paul’s Outreach. You founded a men’s ministry at St. Ambrose called Impact 133 that involves more than 200 men. Laura hosts a group of St. Ambrose moms through a program called Walking with Purpose. How do you do it all while raising nine kids?

A We just love people, and we love hospitality and we love to teach. If you love to golf, you’re going to find the time. If you love to watch shows on Netflix,

you’ll find the time to binge watch your Netflix show. Once I put the kids to bed, I would edit videos for Impact. We released one a day for 100 days during COVID. It just has grown.

Impact has been a rally cry for men to understand: There are brothers around you in this parish who may look like they have everything together, but they don’t. I’m chief among you. And that’s OK, because there was a man who went to the cross for you, and we can rally around him, and he will take us along. We’ve taken all these books and then created our own talks around them. I’ve seen men come alive to the fact that they don’t have to have it all together. I want to be a resource to let people know you can do this at your parish. Take the talks that we’ve done!

Q Meanwhile, every other Friday morning Laura hosts these moms and their young kids.

A On Thursday nights when it’s time to get ready for Walking with Purpose, we all pitch in. We do it as a family. The basement gets picked up, all the things are put in their right spot and set up for the kids who will be coming over. Laura has little vases that she puts flowers in, and she takes out candles, and she always has tea and coffee and nice napkins. The women bring the food. It has become this beautiful expression of sisterhood, of family, of parish. You have to lead with beauty before you can get to the good and the true. We take that very seriously, so we put a lot of effort into making sure that that first step is an easier step for someone to make. This is important to us, so that the front end of evangelization is intentional.

Q Was it daunting to be the first president of St. Paul’s Outreach after the founder, Gordy DeMarais?

Come home to ST. ALBERT THE GREAT

Rich tradition u Open minds u Warm hearts

Located one block north of E. Lake Street at 32nd Ave. S. in Minneapolis 612-724-3643 — Fr. DePorres Durham, O.P., Pastoral Administrator

u Holy Thursday, March 28 — Soup Supper 5:30 pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper— 7:00 pm

u Good Friday, March 29 — Stations of the Cross at 3:00 pm

The Lord’s Passion — 7:00 pm

u Saturday, March 30 — Easter Vigil at 8:00 pm

u Easter Sunday, March 31 — Masses at 9:30 am and 12 pm

We’re more than just great Lenten Fish Dinners!

Visit us at www.SaintAlbertTheGreat.org or on Facebook

A Yeah. I stepped into big shoes. Gordy is a hero of mine in so many ways. He advocated for me to take on the presidency, which emboldened me to take it on and do my best at it, with Jesus as my lead. I believe SPO is poised to really let the country know who we are and what our brand is. I think SPO has remained the best kept secret for many, many years, and that’s heavily because we have been so deep in the paint, on accompanying college students all over the country, that we haven’t spent time building up our marketing and communications department. I think there are unique opportunities for us to be a gift to the Church in an apostolic era and not a Christendom era anymore.

There are opportunities to reach out and build the new evangelization, to borrow from my hero JPII The Great — to not re-evangelize but to reach out and just evangelize a whole new generation that has grown up without JPII, completely in digital and virtual relationships. I pray for every young man and woman to have a time of being single, of no dating, and of giving their heart entirely to the Church because I know what will happen: The Church will give your heart back to you in spades. It will just pour out a vocation that is so awesome.

Q In your free time, you make movies. How does a regular guy go about making that happen?

A It certainly is an industry that has a lot of mystery around it. But it’s like building a house, and along the way, you hire these great professionals who are teaching you. I’ve always had that desire for the creative. I love to write. As a child, I was a professional actor at the Guthrie. And I realized I could lean into those creative instincts while learning from the experts.

Q You must be excited for people to see “Sight.” You brokered the deal with Angel Studios, the studio behind “The Chosen” and “Cabrini.”

A It’s been incredible! To date, more than 50,000 people have screened the film. When I see an audience member tear up or feel inspired to do something more in their life, I am deeply moved. There’s been a beautiful outpouring across the country for this movie.

This will be the fifth feature film released by Angel. I was at a conference in Orlando for an award we were getting, the ICVM Crown Awards, when I ran across Neal Harmon, the CEO of Angel Studios. He’s coming down the escalator as I’m walking up the escalator. I knew his face, and I said, “Neal Harmon.”

Q What do you know for sure?

A I know for sure that I am loved. I know for sure that everything good in my life is a blessing from the Lord. I bring my five loaves and two fish, and it’s the Lord who has multiplied them.

Holy Week at the Cathedral of Saint Paul

HOLY THURSDAY • MARCH 28

• Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 7:30 a.m.

• Archdiocesan Chrism Mass at 10:00 a.m.

• Confessions from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.

• Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper at 7:00 p.m.

• Adoration until Night Prayer (Compline) at 9:45 p.m.

GOOD FRIDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION • MARCH 29

• Matins and Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 7:30 a.m.

• Confessions from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

• Stations of the Cross at 12:00 p.m.

• Celebration of the Lord’s Passion at 3:00 p.m. (Solemn)

HOLY SATURDAY • MARCH 30

• Matins and Lauds (Morning Prayer) at 8:00 a.m.

• Confessions from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

• Blessing of Easter Foods at 11:30 a.m.

THE EASTER VIGIL IN THE HOLY NIGHT AT 8:00 P.M. • MARCH 30

EASTER SUNDAY OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE LORD

• MARCH 31

• Masses at 8:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. (Solemn), Noon

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

St. Joseph: A humble model for all fathers

By John Cavadini OSV News

One of St. Joseph’s most devoted followers, St. Peter Julian Eymard, recommends we use the March 19 feast of St. Joseph as an opportunity to seal a devotion to him, saying: “I consecrate myself to you, good St. Joseph, as my spiritual father; I choose you to rule my soul and to teach me the interior life, the life hidden away with Jesus, Mary and yourself.”

St. Peter Julian is following the recommendation of a faithful devotee of St. Joseph, St. Teresa of Avila, who says, “If a person cannot find anyone to teach him how to pray, let him take this glorious saint for his guide, and he will not lose his way.”

But what could this possibly mean? No teaching of St. Joseph is recorded. He is silent in Scripture.

The journey to find the answer to that question has been a personal one. After years of overlooking him, I discovered St. Joseph later in life by, ironically, noticing he was not being noticed. In our church, there are side altars to the Blessed Virgin, to the Sacred Heart and to St. Joseph. After Mass one Sunday, I noticed that while the first two always had many votive lights burning, there were usually far fewer before St. Joseph.

The inequity of this struck me. After all, St. Joseph was head of the Holy Family! True, his wife was the Mother of God, and his son was God Incarnate — but still, I thought, he was the dad, responsible for his wife and her child, whom he had welcomed as his own, securing their safety, earning their livelihood. He seemed to deserve more respect. I’m a dad, too — was this all projection out of a moment of self-pity? Whatever the reason, I went to light a candle at his altar so there would at least be one more. Thus, almost accidentally, began my devotion to “this glorious saint.”

About A.D. 112, the martyr Ignatius of Antioch wrote: “Mary’s virginity was hidden from the prince of this world; so was her giving birth; and so was the death of the Lord. All these three secrets, to be revealed at the appropriate time, were brought to pass in the deep silence of God.”

Origen of Alexandria, in the next century, commented on this passage from Ignatius, explaining that it was primarily the presence of Joseph that preserved these three secrets until Jesus’ “hour” had come.

Although the Annunciation was only to Mary, it was to Mary as betrothed to Joseph.

Now we are ready to see the true depths of the mystery of St. Joseph, who, Scripture says, is “just.” He is not an unthinking stage prop just taking up space to make things look normal. He was betrothed to Mary, and, perhaps

against his better judgment but in obedience to a vision that tells him the babe in Mary’s womb is conceived by the Holy Spirit, he took Mary into his home as his wife, giving up his own chance at natural paternity to be the father of a child about whose very existence he was not even consulted.

In other words, the economy of the virginal conception and birth of Jesus, and even his death, are “hidden” in the loving generosity of St. Joseph, hidden from the prince of this world by the only thing he can’t see — self-giving love — because he doesn’t believe in such love.

The generous obedience of St. Joseph to the vision of God is astonishing. No one asked him how he felt about his wife alone being consulted on an intimate matter affecting their whole married life, or about raising someone else’s child and giving up his own natural paternity for good. But his sacrifice in generous obedience to the will of God became a home in this world for Jesus, his legal son, and Mary, his wife, both treasures of divine initiative.

This act submerges Joseph in the profound “silence of God,” as Ignatius calls it. St. Paul says in Colossians, “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Col 3:3). There is something intrinsically “hidden” about the Christian life, and we see the form of this revealed in St. Joseph. His life, by its very structure, cannot provide an accounting of itself without undoing itself.

Joseph has no one to tell his story to, and he exercises a prudential silence about himself.

St. Peter Julian writes: “St. Joseph

stands out as one of the great men of silence. He observed ... the silence of fidelity in keeping strictly secret the divine mystery of which he was the confidant. Nothing could make him break this secret of God.”

A mosaic of St. Joseph, commissioned by Pope St. John XXIII and placed over the side altar in St. Peter’s Basilica where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved, uniquely depicts the warmth and beauty of this saint. In the picture, Joseph is outside, holding the child Jesus in his right arm. Jesus looks about 2 years old. This gives Joseph’s figure a look of immense strength, because he manages to hold such a big, active child in one arm with no trouble.

In his left hand, he holds his identifying iconic sign, the staff blooming with the lilies of purity. He holds it a little stiffly, as though a neighbor had chanced upon him and asked him to pose for a picture with his son, insisting Joseph hold the staff, too. He is in the middle of taking care of his 2-year-old and someone has asked him to pose. But he tolerantly obliges, picks up the baby and looks at the “camera.” His face is calm but hardly grave; rather, even though posing for an annoying family

picture, his face seems to take it in stride and seems to radiate happiness.

It’s a face familiar to any dad.

Here is the hiddenness of St. Joseph, who accepts the utterly common lot of a dad holding his child, without fanfare, though he is holding the Word Incarnate, and could claim glory and fame. Jesus does not pay any attention to the imaginary photographer, but rather seems wholly delighted with his dad, for what on St. Joseph’s side is the continuous immolation of self-gift, is on Jesus’ side the brilliant radiance, comfort and charity of paternal love, that cloak of invisibility that gives even the Word of God a genuine childhood and keeps him hidden from the Prince of Darkness until it is time for him to confront him alone, armed only with the love he had learned, in part, from his earthly dad.

It is as though he was learning, in a truly human way, from his true and legal human dad, St. Joseph, the dimensions of the generosity of the Eternal One he will later call his Father in a wholly unique way. After all, just like the eternal Father, Joseph “loves the Son and has given everything over to him” (Jn 3:35).

Here is St. Teresa again: “I took for my patron and lord the glorious St. Joseph, and recommended myself earnestly to him. ... I cannot call to mind that I have ever asked him at any time for anything which he has not granted.”

I believe that I can say the same thing, though in some cases I have had to grow up a little in order to see it. But isn’t that the job of a dad, to help his kids grow up by seeing beyond their childish concerns, even as those concerns are warmly received and not dismissed as merely childish?

Devotion to St. Joseph has shown me why he has so few, comparatively speaking, candles at his altar. It is because he wills it. He has always willed his family to shine beyond himself, deflecting attention from himself to them. Devotion to St. Joseph means that, as the genuine mystery of his person is revealed to us little by little, we grow up to accept the form of the Christian life as, in baptism, a hidden one, a death to the noise of the world and a life in the silence of God that is nothing other than his eternal love.

Thank you, St. Joseph!

Cavadini is director of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.

OSV NEWS PHOTO | BOB ROLLER

A statue of St. Joseph and the Christ Child is pictured at a Maryland Catholic church.

FOCUSONFAITH

Palm Sunday and the unveiling of love

Darkness, as we all know, can be quite powerful; amid suffering, it can be hard to see a way out. But as Holy Week shows us, love and hope are far more powerful than the forces of evil.

I’ve always been inspired by the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe, a priest who lived in greater Poland. He provided shelter to Jews, including protecting 2,000 at his friary. He was imprisoned by the Gestapo and was eventually transferred to Auschwitz. His guards were vicious, but even in the horror of this prison, he never thought of himself; the meager portions of food given to prisoners he would often share and at night he was known to go from bunk to bunk and say, “I am a Catholic priest, is there anything I can do for you?”

When the guards could not find one of the prisoners,

ASK FATHER MIKE | FATHER MICHAEL SCHMITZ

How can I know when I’m just making excuses?

Q I know that I make excuses. My family members point that out to me, and my friends (my very close friends) have told me that my excuse-making makes it difficult to trust me. But most times they don’t feel like excuses to me. They seem like the real reasons I’m late or don’t do what I had said I would do. How can I tell the difference between excuses and real reasons?

A This is a very good question. Possibly even better than your question are your friends and family members who are willing to be honest with you. These people clearly love you.

Another observation: The fact that these people in your life have brought up a difficult topic also shows something about you. Clearly, they not only love you enough to tell you the truth, but they also trust your character enough to believe that you will receive their

DAILY Scriptures

Sunday, March 24

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Mk 11:1-10 or Jn 12:12-16 Is 50:4-7

Phil 2:6-11

Mk 14:1—15:47 or Mk 15:1-39

Monday, March 25

Holy Week Is 42:1-7

Jn 12:1-11

Tuesday, March 26

Holy Week Is 49:1-6

Jn 13:21-33, 36-38

Wednesday, March 27

Holy Week Is 50:4-9a

Mt 26:14-25

it was determined that 10 men would be left to starve in retaliation. One of the men, Franciszek Gajowniczek, cried out, “My poor children! What will they do?”

Upon hearing this, Father Kolbe asked if he could take the man’s place. Father Kolbe and nine others were thrown into Building 13 and left there to starve. Over two weeks, they slowly died, Father Kolbe being the last alive. All during this time, he tried to keep the others’ spirits up as best he could through prayers, psalms and meditations on the Passion of Christ.

Throughout history, people have done horrible things to one another — some on a massive scale, but often in daily life. As humans, we harm one another, even people we love, and suffer so much, too. Like the fickle crowds who drop their palms and walk away, we do too. However, God stands with us in our suffering and invites us to look deeper into the good inside us all.

Take the Passion. Look closer, and we can see the good that we are capable of. Mary stands by her son. A centurion sees the events unfold and comes to faith. Joseph of Arimathea, a just man, extends kindness to someone who has been executed. And a criminal who is being executed for his crime defends an innocent man. And of course, we have as the central figure, Jesus — who, despite the physical and mental anguish he endures, freely lays down his life for us all out of love.

correction in good faith. That says a lot about the quality of person they think you are.

Let’s get to the heart of your question. Through experience, we learn that there can be a real difference between an excuse and a genuine reason.

One difference between a reason and an excuse can be that a reason is a fair and logical justification, while an excuse is a pretense that does not justify one’s actions. For example, one reason might be, “I can’t come to your wedding because I’ve already committed to another wedding that day.” An excuse would not necessarily lead to the consequence. For example, “Oh, I’m washing my hair that night.”

While I agree with those differences between a reason and an excuse, I believe that there is an even deeper and possibly more significant discrepancy. A reason is almost always associated with the individual taking some degree of personal responsibility, while an excuse is an attempt to avoid personal responsibility. With an excuse, I am redirecting the blame toward something, anything, other than myself, my choices or my preferences. This could be one of the reasons your family and friends are struggling with counting on you. Reasons, however, will almost always involve taking responsibility.

Now, a reason might be bad or good. For example, a person might say, “I was late because I overslept my alarm.” Obviously, that is not a good reason for being late. But they are clearly not making excuses for themselves. It is clear from their language that they are the ones who overslept and that the fault lies with their choice not to get up in time. On the other hand, there might be a good reason, like, “I left the house with

God can indeed certainly seem hidden from us, but this story shows us what our relationship with God is all about, which is love. Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ, says St. Paul, and how right he is.

As we enter this solemn week, let’s look at ourselves and see what we want to change, and the way we can change the world. What do we need to confront that is sinful? And what can we do to help others confront their sins and fears? Jesus is with us, and as St. John Paul II so often said, let us be not afraid.

Yes, evil is powerful stuff. We give in to sin and we harm one another. We look at the world and it can be so hard to see what people do to each other. God’s response was not to abandon us, but to show us the radical nature of his love, a love for which death and darkness are no match. Let us truly let go, and let God — knowing he will lead us through the troubled waters, together confronting the evil in our hearts and the world, never forgetting love will have the last word, a love unveiled on a throne of wood, a love unveiled in a concentration camp, and a love we too can unveil with our acts of love and mercy for one another.

Father Kammen is pastor of St. Joseph in Rosemount.

plenty of time, but there was an accident on the freeway that blocked traffic for an hour.” In this case, they are legitimately not to blame and are simply giving the relevant information so that the people know why they were late.

Hopefully this casts some light on the degree to which we strive to be reliable and honest with the people around us. But there is something more at work here. What does a tendency to make excuses have to do with a person’s relationship with God?

Well, I wonder if too many of us make excuses for our bad behavior with God. I wonder if we tend to deceive ourselves regularly when it comes to our sins and lack of prayer or virtue. For example, how many of us would excuse our pride by saying that it is justifiable self-consciousness? Would we excuse our impure words by saying that they are just jokes? Is our anger at others excused as self-defense, or is our gossip and slander excused as just making conversation? Are unjust business practices merely the result of lawful competition in the marketplace? How many times might we excuse our lack of prayer or our lack of Sunday Mass by almost any pretext (we were out of town, life is busy these days, the kids don’t like going, etc.)?

We must acknowledge that these are not reasons. They are all excuses. Even more than that, they are deceptions. We use these excuses to deceive ourselves into giving ourselves a pass and avoiding doing what God has asked of us.

If we want to know whether our excuses are good

PLEASE TURN TO ASK FATHER MIKE ON

Thursday, March 28

Mass of the Lord’s Supper Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 1 Cor 11:23-26 Jn 13:1-15

Friday, March 29 Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion Is 52:13—53:12 Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9 Jn 18:1—19:42

Saturday, March 30

Easter Vigil Gn 1:1—2:2

Gn 22:1-18

Ex 14:15—15:1 Is 54:5-14 Is 55:1-11

Bar 3:9-15, 32—4:4

Saturday, March 30

Easter Vigil (continued)

Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28

Rom 6:3-11

Mark 16:1-7

Sunday, March 31

Easter Sunday

The Resurrection of the Lord Acts 10:34a, 37-43

Col 3:1-4 or Cor 5:6b-8 Jn 20:1-9

Monday, April 1

Octave of Easter Acts 2:14, 22-33

Mt 28:8-15

Tuesday, April 2

Octave of Easter

Acts 2:36-41 Jn 20:11-18

Wednesday, April 3 Octave of Easter Acts 3:1-10 Lk 24:13-35

Thursday, April 4

Octave of Easter Acts 3:11-26 Lk 24:35-48

Friday, April 5

Octave of Easter Acts 4:1-12 Jn 21:1-14

Saturday, April 6

Octave of Easter Acts 4:13-21

Mk 16:9-15

Sunday, April 7

Second Sunday of Easter, Divine Mercy Sunday Acts 4:32-35 1 Jn 5:1-6 Jn 20:19-31

Monday, April 8

Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord Is 7:10-14; 8:10 Heb 10:4-10 Lk 1:26-38

Tuesday, April 9 Acts 4:32-37 Jn 3:7b-15

Wednesday, April 10 Acts 5:17-26 Jn 3:16-21

Thursday, April 11

St. Stanislaus, bishop and martyr Acts 5:27-33 Jn 3:31-36

Friday, April 12 Acts 5:34-42 Jn 6:1-15

Saturday, April 13 Acts 6:1-7

Jn 6:16-21

Sunday, April 14

Third Sunday of Easter Acts 3:13-15, 17-19 1 Jn 2:1-5a Lk 24:35-48

An unlikely cathedral

Some stories testify to the Easter Passion more than most. Case in point: Venerable Cardinal Francis Xavier Nguyen Van Thuan (19282002).

Born in Vietnam into a very devout family, Van Thuan was the eldest of eight children. His mother Elizabeth would recite Bible stories to her son every evening, along with the accounts of Vietnamese martyrs for the faith, some of whom were his blood relatives — a lineage for which he would later prove himself worthy.

He entered the seminary as a young teenager and was ordained in 1953. He spent the next decade serving in various capacities, primarily as a teacher and rector of the seminary where he himself had been trained and earning a degree in canon law in Rome. By 1967, he was elevated to the role of bishop.

Under Van Thuan’s leadership, vocations flourished: the number of those in major seminary more than tripled over an eight-year period. He co-founded a Catholic radio station, developed programs for forming laity, and met with a cardinal from Poland — the future Pope St. John Paul II — to gather wisdom on how to best serve his flock under communist rule.

In 1975, Pope Paul VI named Van Thuan coadjutor archbishop of Saigon, and, at the same time, titular archbishop of Vadesi. The communist regime saw the elevation of such a beloved man as a threat and shortly thereafter, they detained him and placed him

In praise of singing

The first thing I noticed about our parish was the music. Everyone sang.

From the moment the opening hymn began, the sanctuary was filled with a robust chorus. I looked around and couldn’t believe my eyes (or ears) — adults, children, women and men were all singing at full voice.

I grew up in a typical Catholic church where the congregation mostly listened to the choir or cantor, so I came to assume the same whenever I’d visit a new parish. You might find beautiful instrumental music or an exceptional choir, but rarely would the people in the pews respond with more than a mumbling “Amen.”

But now our parish has changed my mind.

It’s a foretaste of heaven to look around during Mass and witness the full participation of the people of God. Turns out, the wider Church agrees. In the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy issued by the Second Vatican Council, we find robust encouragement for active participation: “Religious singing by the people is to be intelligently fostered so that in devotions and sacred exercises, as also during liturgical services, the voices of the faithful may ring out according to the norms and requirements of the rubrics” (Sacrosanctum Concilium, 118).

What’s more, this vocal participation in the liturgy becomes a means for grace: “And the people reply to God both by song and prayer … when the Church prays or sings or acts, the faith of those taking part is nourished and their minds are raised to God, so that they may offer Him their rational service and more abundantly receive his grace” (Sacrosanctum

Father Almighty, as we approach the sacred Triduum, we beg you for hearts and lives that testify, not only on Easter morning, but through the passions we suffer in life, to a God who transforms our prisons into magnificent houses of prayer, worship and effective evangelization. Amen.

under house arrest. Then, as was characteristic of the communist treatment of clerics at that time, he was taken to North Vietnam where he was imprisoned for more than 13 years, nine of which were spent in solitary confinement in a “re-education camp,” without ever having been tried or sentenced.

Van Thuan wrote numerous works documenting these dark and difficult years and the effect it had on his priesthood. Even in solitary confinement, his fatherly zeal could not be contained. In fact, it seemed to make him even more effective. As vocations flourished under his leadership as bishop, conversions flourished under his pastoral leadership in prison.

Prison guards were commonly converted through their interactions with this holy man. So much so that, at one point, officials decided they would change the men guarding him every two weeks to prevent their being “contaminated” by this “dangerous criminal.” After some time, they reversed their decision, saying they would not change out his guards to prevent his contaminating — i.e. converting — every prison guard he encountered.

Concilium, 33).

Music makes us human. From the first rhythms of our mother’s heartbeat in the womb, we grow attuned to the world through song: lullabies, childhood ABCs, birthday celebrations, and holiday favorites.

Of this time, Van Thuan wrote: “I understood that ... this prison was my most beautiful cathedral, and that these prisoners (and those who imprisoned me), without exception, were the people of God entrusted to my pastoral care” (“Testimony of Hope,” Boston: Pauline Books, 2000, p. 79). How we need witnesses to evangelization like this!

What is your prison? Illness, poverty, isolation, fatigue, abandonment? Jesus is not hindered by these; he will find you and come to you no matter the shape or kind of prison you might find yourself in and turn that prison into a cathedral where you may worship him freely and draw those around you to him.

Father Almighty, as we approach the sacred Triduum, we beg you for hearts and lives that testify, not only on Easter morning, but through the passions we suffer in life, to a God who transforms our prisons into magnificent houses of prayer, worship and effective evangelization. Amen.

Stanchina is the award-winning author of more than a dozen books. Visit her website at LizK.org or follow her on Instagram at LizKtoday

the leaders we follow, not the soloists we watch. We are not spectators but participants in these sacred mysteries.

My high school choir director often quoted St. Augustine that “singing is praying twice.” Sacred song sinks into our bones, giving God glory. We don’t need to be professional singers or have perfect pitch, only to raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving together.

If your own singing has lagged as an adult, what a perfect practice to add to your Lenten observance: singing more at Mass. Remember that your children, grandchildren and all young people in the pews are watching. What are we teaching children by the way we sing?

You might start by singing more at home. Growing up, my family added a sung grace after the traditional “Bless us, O Lord” prayer. Today my own family sings a short hymn before dinner to match the liturgical season. Each night I get to hear voices, old and young, warble “Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days” and remember how Christ came for all of us, from toddlers to teenagers to tired adults — and everyone in between.

All this makes me wonder: Are we teaching younger generations of Catholics how to sing?

Few sports fans would refuse to stand and sing for the national anthem or “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Many drivers belt out their favorite tunes on the radio in the car. But do we bring the same enthusiastic participation to Mass?

Of course, context matters. Worship is meant to be reverent, not raucous. But full and active participation in the liturgy means not just silent respect but singing, too. The cantor and choir are meant to be

Music makes us human. From the first rhythms of our mother’s heartbeat in the womb, we grow attuned to the world through song: lullabies, childhood ABCs, birthday celebrations, and holiday favorites. But if we stop singing in worship — out of insecurity, boredom, habit or sheer laziness — we miss what full participation in the liturgy means: the grace it brings us and the glory it gives to God.

In its ancient roots, the word “enthusiasm” means to be inspired or inhabited by God. This Lent, let us bring our enthusiasm to Mass and pray together in song, that we might all be filled with God’s Holy Spirit, from generation to generation.

Fanucci is an author, speaker and founder of Mothering Spirit, an online gathering place on parenting and spirituality at motheringspirit com

FAITH AT HOME | LAURA KELLY FANUCCI

iSTOCK PHOTO | ALEXE_TM

iSTOCK PHOTO | ARTECKE

FROM THE LOCAL CHURCH | ANGELA JENDRO

Lent: An awkward phase

I’ve always found it a bit underwhelming that the word Lent merely means spring. It also seems paradoxical. Growing up in South Dakota and living my whole adult life in Minnesota, I have only experienced two Easters that remotely felt or looked like spring. Most Lents and Holy Weeks are cold and even snowy.

However, some vestiges of spring do push through this obstinate Midwest weather, and nature’s changes point to what ought to be our supernatural changes.

For example, during Holy Week last year, I ventured out on a nature walk in my winter layers and noticed the landscape had begun to change. Unfortunately, it seemed at its ugliest. The melted snow revealed a mishmash of mud, clumped leaves and a mess of sticks and dead underbrush. Even more notably, while I strived to imagine the forests soon leafed out and blossoming, I was shocked to instead encounter many freshly cut trees and the gaping holes their absences made in the now imbalanced view. Emerald ash borer had begun infecting the area, and trees were sacrificed to stop the spread. Intellectually I know this makes sense, but nevertheless it felt like a crime had been committed.

How can nature be made healthier when it has suffered such a loss? Even tree and bush trimming feels counterproductive. My husband loves gardening and landscaping. I hate cutting anything away, but he promises that it will help the shrub or tree grow even fuller. At the time, however, it just looks lopsided with awkward holes. I can’t bear to watch so I turn the other way and trust his trimming, which by midsummer always proves his skill and wisdom.

The more time I spend in our Minnesota springs, the more I have begun to appreciate the season’s apt connection to Lent. Spring is not actually all that beautiful. It’s the awkward phase between the majesty

CATHOLIC OR NOTHING | COLIN MILLER

Making a start on community

The early Christians provide a model of community for the Church, an ideal that we are always to be striving toward.

They prayed together, ate together, shared possessions, cared for the poor together — and all these things daily. They lived such a tight-knit life that they had “all things in common” (see Acts 2 and 4). There is no doubt that the Church in our day has work to do in recovering this vision.

But how do ordinary Catholics like you and me begin to do this? Most of us are nowhere near Acts’ vision, and, if we are honest, could not imagine how it might look in our own lives. Not to mention that all that togetherness and sharing seems a little scary even to the best of us. What should we do?

Let me suggest that we start where the early Christians started, for they didn’t get there all at once either. They started where the whole Christian life starts: with the Eucharist, the Mass, and they were committed to extending its logic to all their lives, little by little. So, after the Mass, it became the custom to hold a meal — they called it the Agape, or Love Feast. What happened in the sacred liturgical context of the Mass here found its expression in normal life.

If we allow the Holy Spirit to cut away our attachments, then we will find ourselves fuller than before and blossoming a little at Easter.

of winter and the vibrant life of summer.

That transition consists of unveiling nature in its bareness, just as we work with Christ in Lent to unveil who we truly are once our rationalizations and distractions have melted away. The Holy Spirit finds the insipid disease of sin infecting us and cuts it out to prevent spread. At first, we feel at a loss, but he urges us to trust his deft and skilled hand. In this new state we feel uncomfortable and possibly a little embarrassed. Challenging our attachments through Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we can be humbled by the hold that base and superficial things have on us. Yet, we cannot choose and receive “the one thing necessary” (Lk 10:42) as Mary did, if we allow ourselves to stay distracted by lesser things. As Psalm 24:3-4 exhorts us: “Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place? The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things.”

We could keep things covered in snow. We could

At the Mass everyone — rich and poor, sinner and saint, doctor and dropout — are equally included, all undeservedly, in the common good of salvation. It is a liturgical feast wherein food, drink and praise have the function of uniting what was separate, and where we enact the unity that we have in the body of Christ.

Perhaps most importantly, too, the Eucharist is primarily a celebration. It is “mere” thanksgiving — Eucharist means thanksgiving — for the victory Christ has won for us. We don’t accomplish anything at the Mass, we simply celebrate what God has accomplished for us. That’s what worship is.

At the Agape meal these two aspects of the Mass — unity and celebration — began to invade all of life. The meal included everyone, and it celebrated, among other things, the odd but wonderful fact that God had seen fit to make these particular people my sisters and brothers at this particular moment.

After the Mass, I might suggest, this is the most important task for Christians today, just like it was for the early Church. There may be more to Christian community than eating together regularly, but there cannot be less. It is the foundation, as it was in the Acts of the Apostles, from which everything else springs.

Perhaps most importantly, we must hold on to this feast as a celebration. Thankfully, for us who are Minnesotan and Catholic, this doesn’t have anything to do with being particularly exuberant or sentimental or saying pious things about God all the time. It’s primarily about the fact that eating together is a time to simply enjoy one another — in the flesh, face to face, in the present moment.

Celebrations aren’t useful or functional. We’re not trying to accomplish anything when we eat together. The feast is an end in itself. This is important to get

give all the appearance of mystery and majesty. But winter is cold and barren. The lush flourishing of summer requires the work of spring. If we allow the Holy Spirit to cut away our attachments, then we will find ourselves fuller than before and blossoming a little at Easter. The narrowness of our selfishness will open to the broadness of Christian love. The infection of greed, vanity, over-ambition, lust or intemperance cut down and destroyed will safeguard the new growth of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control.

Maybe Lent is the proper word for this time of year. At the same time, I would love it if they could start making cold weather Easter dresses for us northern Midwesterners!

A wife and mother, Catholic speaker and writer, Jendro teaches theology at Providence Academy in Plymouth and is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran. Follow her blog at taketimeforhim com

Celebrations aren’t useful or functional. We’re not trying to accomplish anything when we eat together. The feast is an end in itself.

straight, because, in the first instance, the feast is not even about community building. It is the community. Ironically, it will create social bonds if we don’t make it about that. Again, you don’t have to get anything done, and that is why you can enjoy it. Like the Eucharist, it is what all our other efforts are for; it’s the climax of life. Bask in it. Soak up the good things about it.

Make it a point to be aware that God has brought each person there intentionally as a gift, and this includes those who may be different from us. Because they are God’s gifts, we do not need to control, manage, or impress them — only to receive them. This means being open, not least to the way that they may genuinely surprise us, evading our prejudices and stereotypes. For in our brothers and sisters we want to leave open the possibility of finding Christ himself — present among us simply as a gift. In this way Christians eating ordinary meals together is meant to be a foretaste of heaven itself.

Miller is the director of pastoral care and outreach and director of the Center for Catholic Social Thought at Assumption in St. Paul.

iSTOCK PHOTO | PONGSAKORNJUN

moment.

In total, the bishops had nearly 20 scheduled meetings. They also had numerous conversations in the hallways and during their meet-and-greet with legislators, staff and constituents throughout the day. Watch the MCC Weekly Legislative Update to hear directly from bishops on how the day went at mncatholic.org/mcclegupdate3824.

Safeguarding religious freedom

and register at CatholicsAtTheCapitol.org

Bishops meet with lawmakers, advocate for the common good

A key issue the bishops emphasized is the paramount importance of upholding religious freedom for citizens and faith groups in Minnesota.

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Bishops at the Minnesota State Capitol

On March 7, the bishops visited state leaders and lawmakers at the State Capitol — an annual tradition. While Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) staff are typically deployed to be the bishops’ day-to-day voice at the Capitol, the bishops make it a priority to advocate in person on key issues and get to know legislators on a personal level.

This year, the bishops met with Gov. Tim Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and legislative leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman, and House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth joined by Rep. Jim Nash, the House minority whip.

The bishops also met with legislators from their individual dioceses. In the spirit of faithful citizenship, it was a rewarding experience for the bishops to get to know or strengthen their relationships with many of the elected officials serving the state at the Capitol.

They voiced concerns over a religious exemption from gender identity discrimination complaints being removed from the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), as well as the proposed Equal Rights Amendment, which does not provide protection for religious liberty, but does include “gender identity, and expression” as a protected status. Consequently, the bishops fervently advocated for robust and ongoing protection of religious liberties, citing the imperative need to safeguard the mission and integrity of the Church to decide what it professes about the human person and to pick its ministers and teachers accordingly. The bishops received notable and strong interfaith support from Jews, Muslims, Mormons, Evangelicals and Lutherans to reinstate religious exemption protections in the MHRA.

The bishops also expressed reservations about proposals for legalizing online sports gambling, citing potential adverse effects on vulnerable individuals and their families if a veritable sports casino can be placed in every pocket via the smartphone, particularly those susceptible to addiction. They asked lawmakers to ensure proper safeguards would be included to mitigate the harm that could be caused by legalization, such as a ban on in-game betting.

Exemplifying faithful citizenship

Throughout their interactions and on a broad range of legislative concerns, including physicianassisted suicide, migration and economic security, the bishops exemplified faithful citizenship. Amid areas of divergence with legislators, they upheld the

You, too, can answer the call to faithful citizenship by engaging in meaningful action on these critical issues affecting Minnesota families.

truths espoused by the Church while acknowledging the complexity of these contentious matters. They demonstrated principled advocacy, devoid of partisanship, fostering collaboration across political boundaries.

You, too, can answer the call to faithful citizenship by engaging in meaningful action on these critical issues affecting Minnesota families. Take a stand by visiting mncatholic org/actionalerts, where you can convey your support to legislators via messages, videos, or phone calls, urging them to support policies that prioritize the well-being of every Minnesotan.

“Inside the Capitol” is a legislative update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff.

The breadth and depth of lectio divina

During my years of formation as a diaconate candidate, one of the most valuable practices to learn was engaging in lectio divina.

This encompassed reading, meditating, praying and contemplating a word or phrase that seized my attention in the moment from a particular Scripture selection. At one point, as I delved into one of the readings for Holy Week — Jesus’ Passion — the word “behold” captured my attention. What was God saying to me as a Catholic man when I repeatedly uttered a word that means “to see, look upon, or to gaze at”?

Whether you are working through lectio divina — divine reading — individually, in a small group (highly recommended) or a large group activity, the key is to focus on the word or phrase that grabs your attention. It is God speaking to you in that moment and no other as you read the Scripture

of choice three or four times. As you progress through the reading, you can build upon it as the Holy Spirit takes hold; not with an interpretation of the entire passage, but with a focus on that word or phrase that sticks with you. The key is that Jesus is central to how that passage is speaking to you and your life.

As I went through lectio divina, it dawned on me that the word behold came up a few times in the (quite long) Good Friday reading I had selected on the Passion: “Behold the man,” “Behold your king,” “Woman, behold your son,” and “Behold your mother” (Jn 18:1-19:42). The difficulty was keeping my focus on the word behold without going down too many paths to Calvary. All these “beholds,” however, did go down the same way of the cross, which is the one path Jesus took on that road to Calvary. Additionally, I looked to, and asked for, the powerful intercessory prayers of our Blessed Mother in part because she followed Jesus’ path to the foot of the cross.

As an adopted child of God, I am compelled to do the same. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mk 8:34). That is the only way to behold goodness, beauty and truth as a man of Christ and to clearly see the paradox in taking up my own crosses and those of others. To work through trials in life, I must do the same — learning from the Lord what he taught and witnessed to his disciples. To “come after” and be a follower of

Jesus, one must “deny himself” — deny my ego, possessions, pleasures and power — to “take up his cross” daily.

Focusing on whatever word locks in on you during lectio divina can lead to an increased knowledge of Christ and how he works in your life. The repetitive readings lead to a deeper understanding as the meditative element takes you to prayer — in a way that is personal and relational. Through prayer, you come to desire to live out more externally what you have largely been internalizing. This contemplative stage can help integrate what love of God and love of neighbor bears out in you as a true disciple of Jesus. The benefit of practicing lectio divina in small groups is that you are doing it as a community of believers with Christ in the center.

To encounter Jesus in sacred Scripture — one of the seven disciplines of the Catholic Watchmen (see archspm org/faith-communities/men/) — is a daily practice the movement asks men to weave into their lives as a commitment in providing, protecting and leading with their faith as Catholic

Christians. The Watchmen always start at the home front with their families. Following this discipline demonstrates love and trust in God by keeping Jesus in the center of their lives through studying and acting upon these Bible readings. Lectio divina is one way that bears great fruit.

Words like “behold” can bring new meaning when reading passages such as, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” (Jn 1:29). Or perhaps you will simply see, look to and gaze at our Lord in adoration as you hear his voice speak to you: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock …” (Rev 3:20).

Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville and assists with the archdiocesan Catholic Watchmen movement. See heroicmen com for existing tools supported by the archdiocese to enrich parish apostolates for ministry to men. For Watchmen start-up materials or any other questions regarding ministry to men, contact him at gordonbird@rocketmail com

iSTOCK PHOTO | KIRKIKIS

The Catholic faith, deeply intertwined with my Latino background and influenced by the experiences of my immigrant parents, has provided me with a sense of purpose, community and spiritual fulfillment that has enriched every aspect of my life.

Catholicism has been a source of immense strength and resilience for me, serving as a bridge between the experiences of my parents and my diverse cultural experiences in the urban fabric of Chicago, where I was born and raised.

The colorful tapestry of Latino Catholicism is woven into the fabric of Chicago. Shaped by the sacrifices and dreams of my parents, it has infused my faith with a deep sense of celebration, passion and devotion. From the lively celebrations of cultural feast days to the heartfelt expressions of faith, my upbringing has enriched my faith, imbuing it with a profound sense of gratitude and perseverance.

The Catholic Church has provided a spiritual home where my roots can flourish and where I can embrace the values of family, community and solidarity. The Church’s emphasis on unity and the importance of family has resonated deeply with me, reinforcing the bonds of love, respect and support that were foundational in my upbringing.

Additionally, the teachings of Jesus, particularly the beatitudes, and passed on by the Catholic Church, have played a pivotal role in shaping my moral compass and guiding my ethical decisions.

Why I am Catholic

By Sandy Cortez

The Church’s commitment to social justice and the dignity of every person has been a beacon of hope, inspiring me to advocate for the rights and well-being of my immigrant community. The call to embrace compassion, uphold the sanctity of life and work for the common good reflects the values I hold dear.

Furthermore, the intellectual tradition of Catholicism, encountered within the diverse intellectual landscape of Chicago and shaped by the aspirations of my immigrant parents, has deepened my understanding of the world and enriched my spiritual journey. The fusion of faith and reason within the Catholic intellectual tradition has empowered me to engage in meaningful dialogue, seek knowledge and explore the complexities of faith.

My Catholic faith is not just a belief system but a way of life, providing me with a sense of belonging to a global community of believers. I am grateful for the spiritual, intellectual and moral guidance that the Catholic Church has provided me, and I am committed to living out my faith with humility, compassion and love, honoring both my faith and the diverse experiences and aspirations that have shaped my family and me.

Cortez, 45, is the Latino liturgy coordinator at St. Odilia in Shoreview. She also is a parishioner there with her husband, Enrique, and their two teenage boys. She is “passionate about assisting families with any kind of need.” She also likes the outdoors, gardening and traveling to Mexico, her parents’ homeland.

“Why I am Catholic” is an ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you are Catholic?

Submit your story in 300500 words to CatholiCSpirit@ arChSpm org with subject line “Why I am Catholic.”

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

CALENDAR

PARISH EVENTS

Ham Bingo — March 23: 6-10 p.m. at Presentation of Mary gym, 1725 Kennard St., Maplewood. For more information, call 651-777-8116 or visit preSentationofmary org

KC Palm Sunday Brunch — March 24: 8:3012:30 p.m. at Epiphany, 1900 111th Ave. NW, Coon Rapids. Egg bake, pancakes, French toast sticks, sausage, toast, a fruit cup, coffee, juice and milk. Hosted by Knights of Columbus, Council 10138. kc10138.mnknightS org/events

Living Stations of the Cross — March 24, 29: 8 p.m. at St. Michael, 11300 Frankfort Parkway NE, St. Michael. A dramatic presentation of Jesus’ final hours in Jerusalem. Experience the Stations of the Cross in a powerful way. StmCatholiCChurCh org/eaSter

Concert with Pianist Klyde Ledamo — April 12: 6 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 E. Roselawn Ave., Maplewood. Concert pianist Klyde Ledamo has won several prestigious piano competitions and played Carnegie Hall in 2023. This is his Twin Cities debut. Stjerome-ChurCh org

WORSHIP + RETREATS

Awaken the Heart — March 23: 6 p.m. at St. Peter, 2600 Margaret St., North St. Paul. Featuring licensed psychologist and speaker Daniel McClure on “Why Have You Forsaken Me?” plus music with singersongwriter Teresa Shackleford. Prayer teams and confession available. darkneSSlit Com

Triduum Retreat — March 28-30: St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Join the Benedictine community in celebrating the holiest days of the Christian year. Opportunities for silence, worship, group lectio divina and contemplation. Email development@StpaulSmonaStery org or call 651-777-8181.

Imagining Joy Retreat — April 12-13: St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. A sacred space for participants to embark on a personal journey, reflecting on joy. Email development@StpaulSmonaStery org or call 651-777-8181.

CONFERENCES+WORKSHOPS

Radical Discipleship and Catholic Community:

Mondays, March 18-May 27, 10:15-11:45 a.m.; or Thursdays, March 21-May 30, 5:30-7 p.m. at Assumption, 51 Seventh St. W., St. Paul. This free, 10-week course envisions a Church deeply engaged with the liturgy, each other, our communities and the poor. Register online: CatholiCSoCialthought org/radiCaldiSCipleShip-Community

Genealogy Open House with the Minnesota Genealogical Society — March 23: 10 a.m.-noon at Resurrection Cemetery, 2101 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights. The Catholic Cemeteries is partnering with the Minnesota Genealogical Society to provide this

free event. Learn about cemetery records, how to find graves and what resources are available to the public, including at the MGS library.

CatholiC-CemeterieS org/eventS

Retrouvaille Marriage Help: Single Weekend Programs — April 5-7: Best Western Dakota Ridge Hotel, 3450 Washington Dr., Eagan. Retrouvaille is a lifeline for troubled marriages. Couples learn the tools to rediscover each other and heal their marriage. 100% confidential. helpourmarriage org

Pro-Life Sidewalk Ministry Training — April 9: 7-9 p.m. at 9900 Lyndale Ave. S., Bloomington. Learn peaceful, legal methods of saving babies from abortion through prayer, literature and words of truth in love outside local abortion facilities. No charge. Presented by Pro-Life Action Ministries. Register: thomaS wilkin@plam org plam org/event/SidewalkCounSeling-training-Seminar

Graduate Studies Information Night Spring 2024 — April 11: 6 p.m. at The St. Paul Seminary, 2260 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Learn about course offerings and program information for lay students, full-tuition scholarship opportunities, application process details, and meet faculty, staff and other prospective students. Dinner included. SaintpaulSeminary org/event/graduate-StudieS-informationnight-Spring-2024/

SPEAKERS+SEMINARS

From Lord’s Supper to Adoration: The History of the Earliest Christian Eucharist — March 21, 22 and April 5, 11: 6:30-9 p.m. March 21, 9 a.m.1 p.m. March 22, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. April 5, and 6:30-9 p.m. April 11 at Emmaus Hall, St. John’s University, 2966 Saint John’s Road, Collegeville. Delve deeper into the history of the Christian Eucharist from the celebration of the Lord’s Supper to present day Eucharistic adoration. Free event. Registration is required. tinyurl Com/49z63txz

Pre-Planning Seminars: 10-11 a.m. April 3 or 1-2 p.m. April 11 at Resurrection Cemetery, 2101 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights. 10-11 a.m. April 3 or 1-2 p.m. April 11 at Gethsemane Cemetery, 8151 42nd Ave. N., New Hope. Learn how preplanning saves time and money. Free seminar, space is limited. Register: 651-228-9991.

CatholiC-CemeterieS org/eventS

Annual Author Night with Matt Goldman — April 8: 6:30 p.m. at St. Pascal, 1757 Conway St., St. Paul. Fellowship will be followed by Goldman, author of “Carolina Moonset” leading a book discussion. Sign-up is online: SignupgeniuS Com/ go/70a0C48abaC2. StpaSCalS org/pariSh-newS

The Continuing Importance of Vatican II with George Weigel — April 17: 6:30-8 p.m. at 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul. This talk is free, open to the public, and part of The St Paul Seminary’s Archbishop Ireland Memorial Library Lecture series. A reception will follow the presentation.

SaintpaulSeminary org/event/ireland-leCture-Spring-2024george-weigel

ProLife Across America Banquet — April 18: 5:45-9 p.m. at Banquets of Minnesota, 6310 Highway 65, Fridley. The 27th annual Culture of Love spring banquet features keynote speaker Scott Klusendorf. Cost: $75. Reservations: 612-781-0410 or online by April 10. prolifeaCroSSameriCa org

Elliptical Theology: Revelation, Theology and Human Experience — April 19: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Emmaus Hall, St. John’s University, 2966 Saint John’s Road, Collegeville. Explore elliptical theology through the reality of the Incarnation, the Word of God, work of the Spirit, and the role of human experience. Free event. Registration is required. CSbSju edu/Sot/Sem/ alumni-and-friendS/attend-eventS/theology-day

SCHOOLS

Blue and White Gala — April 12: 5:30 p.m. at Starkson Family Life Celebration Chapel, 3075 Vermillion St., Hastings. A fundraising event through St. John the Baptist School to celebrate the tradition of support for Catholic education. Tickets are available online: Sjb-SChool org

OTHER EVENTS

Stabat Mater: A Lent Meditation Concert — March 23: 7 p.m. at Holy Cross, 1621 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis. A Lenten Meditation Concert featuring Giovanni Battista Pergolesi’s Salve Regina and Stabat Mater. Free and open to the public. ourholyCroSS org

Online Evening Prayer with Young Adults — March 26, April 23, May 28, June 25: 7 p.m. Young adults ages 18-plus are invited to pray online together with School Sisters of Notre Dame every fourth Tuesday. Learn more and register for the Zoom link at SSnd org/eventS

NET Ministries Youth Evangelization Gala —

April 5: 6-9 p.m.at JW Marriott, Mall of America, 2141 Lindau Lane, Bloomington. An inspirational evening with NET Ministries, including a keynote address by Anna Carter, co-founder of Eden Invitation, testimonies, and an opportunity to meet NET Missionaries. netuSa org/mn-gala

Labyrinth Grief Retreat at Resurrection Cemetery

— April 6: 9-11 a.m. at 2105 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights. A path of prayer and meditation for those who have lost a loved one. At the Chapel Mausoleum, with Sheryl Rose, a spiritual director and labyrinth facilitator. Free, registration required. CatholiC-CemeterieS org/labyrinth

Joyful and Alive Conversation — April 13: 10:30 a.m. Single women ages 18-45 are invited to bring their questions about God’s invitations and religious life to this conversation with School Sisters of Notre Dame. Learn more and register for the Zoom link at SSnd org/eventS/4-13-24

CALENDAR submissions

DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. We cannot guarantee a submitted event will appear in the calendar. Priority is given to events occurring before the issue date.

LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and organizations. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your submission. Included in our listings are local events submitted by public sources that could be of interest to the larger Catholic community.

ITEMS MUST INCLUDE:

uTime and date of event

uFull street address of event

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uThe Catholic Spirit prints calendar details as submitted.

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ASK FATHER MIKE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14 reasons, I think a good practice would be to pray with our death. What would it be to present these reasons before the God who knows everything? Would they be genuine reasons or mere excuses? Would that moment reveal to our honest heart that we have been deceiving ourselves? Say what you will about death, but death ends the deception. Before God, we will have to stand in the bright light of truth, where no excuse has a place to hide.

During this season, practice dying. Practice placing yourself in the presence of God as you are. Ask him to end the deception and reveal to you where you might be making excuses. This might be painful, but it is better to do this now, while we can still ask for grace and mercy, than later, when there will be no more chances to abandon our excuses.

Father Schmitz is director of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Duluth and chaplain of the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

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A new walking pilgrimage culture?

By Maria Wiering OSV News

In March 2017, Will Peterson and his friend David Cable stepped out of Peterson’s front door in Lexington, Kentucky, to begin a pilgrimage. Their destination was the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani, some 70 miles away.

The journey is 75 minutes by car along the Bluegrass Parkway, but the friends didn’t drive. Instead, with backpacks and hiking boots, they walked the route, in rain and shine, relying on strangers’ hospitality along the way.

The experience led to Peterson and Cable in 2019 co-founding Modern Catholic Pilgrim, a Twin Citiesbased nonprofit organizing the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage that begins in mid-May. Four groups of pilgrims will travel — mostly by foot — from routes beginning in the north, south, east and west of the country, converging in Indianapolis ahead of the National Eucharistic Congress July 17-21.

The pilgrims will accompany a monstrance displaying the Eucharist the entire way, making their walk an eight-week Eucharistic procession through mountains, plains, cities and countryside.

The undertaking is massive, but Peterson — Modern Catholic Pilgrim’s president — said he is working with pilgrimage coordinators in the 65 dioceses the pilgrims will pass through to secure their housing and meals, and to plan special events such as Mass and adoration wherever they stay.

The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, where Peterson now lives with his wife and son, is marking the pilgrims’ weekend in the Twin Cities with a 5-mile procession May 27 from the University of St. Thomas campus in St. Paul — coincidently home to Modern Catholic Pilgrim’s office — down historic Summit Avenue to the Cathedral of St. Paul, also designated the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul.

Part of the three-year National Eucharistic Revival that is underway, the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage is by far the largest project Peterson and his small team have worked on. The central focus is small pilgrimages — sometimes mere city blocks — that focus on local religious sites, such as parish churches.

Modern Catholic Pilgrim also organizes pilgrimages to established U.S. shrines that commemorate the country’s saints including St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, St. John Neumann and St. Junípero Serra, as well as places that honor the men and women who have saint causes underway, such as Father Augustus Tolton. Pilgrimages in the Twin Cities area have included walks from the Franciscan Brothers of Peace’s Blessed Solanus Friary in St. Paul to St. Michael in Stillwater to celebrate Blessed Solanus Casey on his feast day.

Peterson, 31, knows firsthand the power of a pilgrimage. A native of San Diego, Peterson spent Holy Week 2013 in Rome on a pilgrimage organized by the University of Notre Dame, where he was then an undergraduate. He experienced the tradition of Eucharistic adoration in seven churches on Holy Thursday night, prayed with newly elected Pope Francis at the Colosseum on Good Friday and attended Easter Mass at the Vatican.

“That was really where I encountered the Holy Spirit in a major way,” Peterson said. He is a cradle Catholic, he said, but his Catholicism felt like a cultural expression, not true faith. That changed in Rome.

Despite the week’s late nights and early mornings, “stepping out in the streets of Rome for that Easter Sunday was like lightning coming from my fingertips,” he said.

That energy continued after the trip, as he dove into writings by and about the saints and other influential Catholics, including Catholic Worker movement co-founder Dorothy Day and Gethsemani Trappist monk Father Thomas Merton, who wrote about the idea of what Peterson thinks of as “biblical hospitality,” in which Christians care for each other, including opening their homes for those needing a place to stay.

Peterson connected those ideas to previous “protopilgrimages” he had done, like the time he took a train from Chicago to Ottumwa, Iowa, where he spent a weekend, sleeping one night under a tree and the next at the parish church. He planned a similar trip to Rugby, North Dakota, surprising a parish priest with his request for a place to stay. Once the priest understood Peterson’s purpose, he offered a room in the rectory.

“Merton talks about how we’re all naturally wanderers and wayfarers,” Peterson said. Those trips, he acknowledged, were a means of testing out whether biblical hospitality does — or can — exist in the contemporary U.S. Catholic Church. “I was glad to find it there,” he said.

— Joe Ruff of The Catholic Spirit contributed to this report.

MARIAN ROUTE PERPETUAL PILGRIMS

When the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage gets underway this May, four groups of designated perpetual pilgrims will depart from the four regions of the U.S. — the North, South, East, and West — before they and thousands of Catholics convene in Indianapolis for the July 17-21 National Eucharistic Congress.

Anyone can join for sections of the pilgrimages, but the designated pilgrims will accompany the Eucharist the entire way on each route. Six laypeople will be perpetual pilgrims on the northern Marian Route, which will begin at the headwaters of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca in the Diocese of Crookston on Pentecost weekend, May 18-19. The pilgrims — accompanied by two seminarians and two Franciscan Friars of the Renewal among a rotating group of 30 Franciscan Friars — will enter the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis at St. Albert in Albertville May 24 and leave the archdiocese at St. Michael in Pine Island May 31.

Organizers of the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage shared biographical information about the perpetual pilgrims on each route at eucharisticpilgrimage org The pilgrims on the Marian Route include:

DANIELLE SCHMITZ

From Santa Clara, California, Schmitz is a junior at The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where she studies theology and philosophy. At CUA, she serves in the Office of Campus Ministry as a student minister and worship leader.

JENNIFER TORRES

Torres serves people experiencing homelessness, pregnant women, under-resourced families and sex trafficking survivors in Denver. Originally from Mexico City, she is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

KAI WEISS

A graduate student in theology at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., Weiss also conducts research there for the Thomistic Institute. Originally from Regensburg, Germany, he immigrated to the U.S. in 2021 for a master’s degree in politics from Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, Michigan, where he focused his research on the political thought of St. Augustine and Pope Benedict XVI.

MATTHEW HEIDENREICH

Heidenreich studies math at the University of Alabama. He directs a math tutoring program for middle schoolers in the Tuscaloosa community, and he is vice president of community outreach for BamaCatholic, the campus ministry component of St. Francis of Assisi University Parish in Tuscaloosa.

MEGAN ZALESKI

Zaleski works as a personal trainer in Illinois, where she also serves the St. Gianna Shrine Ministry at her home parish. “Upon learning about the National Eucharistic Pilgrimage, she felt an intimate and joyful invitation to serve Christ and his Church in this way,” states the pilgrimage website.

SARAH CAHILL

Cahill lives in Philadelphia, where she works as a housing stability specialist. This interest was sparked after volunteering as a Christ in the City missionary in Denver for two years. She also coaches swim lessons.

— Anna Wilgenbusch, The Catholic Spirit

OSV NEWS | TODAY’S CATHOLIC FROM THE DIOCESE OF FORT WAYNE-SOUTH BEND Will Peterson, center, walks the 5-mile Way of St. Joseph in South Bend, Ind., May 1, 2021.