OTECT LIFE & MAN DIGNITY

Mindy made her choice.

An adorable amphibian was born: Kermit the Frog.

In 1955, Kermit debuted in “Sam and Friends,” airing on WRC-TV, a local station in Washington, D.C. The frog proved remarkably expressive, thanks to Jim’s decision not to stuff the head. With only his hand inside it, each movement became a subtle change of expression. Somehow, Kermit reached through the television and connected with viewers.

Debbie was more than receptive to the idea. The two women discovered “a unity in dream and desire to draw my daughter closer to Jesus through the dress,” Mindy said. “The Holy Spirit’s involvement became abundantly clear.” bishops, dynamic Church leaders, and 1,000+ Catholics from for a day of inspiration and advocacy at our State Capitol. students 22 -and -under FREE! lunch included with

As Debbie worked, the dress proved to be “a vehicle for evangelization,” Mindy said, sparking conversations with friends, neighbors and grandchildren about its special purpose.

He would soon become a star, paving the way to the global phenomenon of “The Muppet Show” — all thanks to a mother’s hand-me-down.

I’ve been reflecting on her gift this May, as we celebrate Mother’s Day and power through a busy month held together by moms armed with snacks, schedules and stain remover, the family’s comprehensive to-do list etched into their sleepdeprived brains.

Twenty years after Mindy wore her wedding dress, it was worn for another sacrament: Cecilia’s first Communion.

God blesses our faith-filled efforts. He multiplies our generosity — finding the seamstress, making the way. He simply asks us to set things into motion.

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Pope Francis expressed this during Lent of 2020, early into the COVID-19 quarantine. He preached, “This is what we need today: the creativity of love.”

Democrats, have you no fear of the Almighty ... of a God whose love cherishes his creation of each unique human life? When I recently gazed upon our Minnesota newspapers’ front-page photos of Governor Walz and a cluster of Democratic women excitedly witnessing the signing of legislation permitting abortions in Minnesota throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy, I could not help but remember the Bible’s stern admonition (Mt 7:13) warning that the road to perdition is, sadly, broad indeed. How about a straightforward display, on the editorial pages, of a political cartoon showing a mob of picketing prochoicers marching toward a glowing red destination, quite visible just ahead, entitled “Hell.” This is my sincere advice to those who unrepentantly encourage and even embrace this modern scourge of infanticide — avoid the impending wrath of human life’s Creator by being very, very careful to never die.

Paul S. Petronack

Their daily sacrifices make it all possible. Sometimes their dreams are spurred in surprising ways, and the Church — the Body of Christ — springs into action.

That’s what happened to Mindy Hoefer, a 42-year-old mom of eight who belongs to the Church of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake. For years, her wedding dress sat in a brown box in the closet, professionally cleaned and tucked away. Out of sight, out of mind.

It had been perfect for her June wedding — a David’s Bridal “Lady Eleanor” dress with a sheer overlay and

What some might call magic or luck — the winning of a raffle, the work of needle and thread, the transformation of an old green coat — has a more apt name. The creativity of love.

So, go ahead with your meager offerings. Give up your scraps, your bad jokes, your early mornings. Reheat the leftovers and say a prayer. Offer up your off-key songs and your lumpy body, your half-baked ideas and your overcooked ham. Toss it all into the “Strega Nona” pot and trust the creativity of love.

Capecchi is a freelance writer from Inver Grove Heights.

Other times, committees “hold bills over for possible inclusion in their omnibus bill.” Instead of passing hundreds of individual bills, the committee chairs and staff compile the bills that they hope to pass into an “omnibus bill.” In early April, the respective committees began hearing these omnibus bills. Each omnibus bill must pass out of its committee, and off its respective floor.

HOSTS: SPONSORS: do things such as expand taxpayer funding of abortion and undermine conscience rights. The best way to stay informed and message legislators is to become a member of the Catholic Advocacy Network online at mncatholic.org/actioncenter.

Numerous Catholics have called or emailed the conference in recent weeks asking about the legislative process at the end of the session, so here is a quick explainer.

Each body of the Legislature (Senate and House of Representatives) is split into about 20 different committees. Each committee has its own focus — Health and Human Services, Taxes, Agriculture, etc. Throughout the session, the committees hear bills that pertain to their subject area. Sometimes they pass bills onto another committee, and eventually to the floor, where all the representatives or senators vote on the bill.

Because the House and Senate must ultimately pass omnibus bills with the same language, once the House and Senate have passed their individual version, a small group of legislators, or a “conference committee” (made up of representatives and senators on both sides of the aisle) come together to work out the differences. Once they determine what will be in the final omnibus bill, it must go back to the floor of both chambers for final passage before it can be signed by the governor.

Because many of these omnibus bills still need to be either passed by one body or worked on in a conference committee, there is still time for your voice to be heard.

MCC has spent a significant amount of time in the tax committee this year working to pass a robust, ongoing, child tax credit. MCC staff members are hopeful of its passage since a version of it is included in all three versions of the budget — the Senate, House and the governor’s proposals. Although each version is targeted to help low-income families, which is a minimum requirement for MCC, the conference is also advocating its extension into the middle class to assist families.

Fortunately, another pro-life tax provision that MCC brought to legislators — an expansion of the types of baby items that would be exempt from sales tax — is included in both the House and Senate tax bills, where MCC will work to keep it in the final versions.

St. Pius X, White Bear Lake

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You can view MCC testimony on these and more bills, and contact your legislators, by visiting mncatholic org/issues

The House health committee is coming to its conference committee with a bill that is littered with provisions to repeal the health and safety protections surrounding abortion, as well as to expand taxpayer funding of abortion. The Senate version comes free from those, but instead, it includes a health insurance coverage mandate for controversial infertility treatments like in vitro fertilization. All large-group health plans would be required to cover these expensive services for couples, even in cases when they are not medically necessary.

MCC also supports three provisions in the public safety omnibus bill: the Clean Slate Act, which provides mechanisms for the automatic expungement of certain convictions; expanding criminal background checks for certain types of gun purchases including pistols; and an increase in the nonprofit security grant program. MCC is concerned with other proposed bills to narrow conscience rights and religious liberties currently protected in the Minnesota Human Rights Act in the areas of housing and youth programming.

“Inside the Capitol” is an update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff during the legislative session.

Why am I Catholic? The simple answer: My parents loved me enough to baptize me as a Catholic. They also gifted me with a Catholic school education as a foundation to foster my relationship with Jesus.

Growing up in Milwaukee as a Catholic, I thought everyone was Catholic. I loved all things Church-related with the simple love of a child. As early as elementary school, I loved going to Mass. I loved the music, the beauty of the stained-glass windows, and I looked upon the statues of the saints with a sense of wonder. At my first holy Communion I believed I was the Bride of Christ, and I was going to be more holy every time I went to church. I couldn’t wait to make my second holy Communion. I don’t know if I fully understood at that age the beauty of the Eucharist as the bread of life. I just felt joy, peace and holiness when I was at Mass.

When I received my confirmation, I felt the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. I actually wondered if my sacramental grace was visible to the archbishop when he blessed me with the (chrism) oil. Humility was not yet present as one of my virtues. I thought I was a saint in the making.

When my husband, Michael, entered the diaconate, I realized my love of being Catholic was still that of a child — simple. What a