Father George Younes, center, exits the sanctuary at the end of his priest ordination liturgy at St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church in Minneapolis July 26. At left is Maronite Chorbishop Don Sawyer of Austin, Texas, and at right is Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, pastor of St. Maron. In 2014, Pope Francis revoked a previous papal order barring married men in Eastern Catholic Churches living in the Western Hemisphere from ordination to the priesthood, making this particular ordination possible. In the background at left is Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the U.S. Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles, the presiding bishop at the ordination, and at right is Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, a concelebrant.
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PAGETWO
PRIESTLY FRATERNITY Father Peter Williams, pastor of St. Ambrose in Woodbury and moderator of the Companions of Christ, welcomes participants to the Dwelling in Unity Conference at St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. The Aug. 4-8 gathering in Winona drew nearly 100 priests and seminarians from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and 15 other dioceses. Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, a founder of the Companions in 1992 when he was a priest in the archdiocese, was the main presenter at the conference. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis presided at the opening Mass and Bishop Ronald Hicks of the Diocese of Joliet, Illinois, presided at an Aug. 6 Mass. With associations already in Joliet and Denver, the conference was an opportunity for renewal and to introduce the charism of priestly fraternity to other diocesan priests, said Father Chad VanHoose, a member of the Companions who is chaplain of NET Ministries, a national Catholic youth ministry based in West St. Paul. “That was the dream and it came together,” Father VanHoose said. “It was an anointed and fruitful week.”
Christopher
and
Jesuit crosses at the end of the 2025 First Vows Profession Mass at Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul Aug. 9. They were joined by three other men who also made their first profession of vows: Noah Smith, Aidan Stenson and Mark Trombley. The annual vows Mass usually takes place at St. Thomas More in St. Paul, a Jesuit parish where the Jesuit Nouitiate is located. There was a scheduling conflict at St. Thomas More this year, so the event was moved to Nativity.
Practicing CATHOLIC
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Aug. 8
“Practicing Catholic” radio show included a discussion with Bishop Michael Izen on how to rekindle the role of spiritual elders, such as grandparents, in forming young hearts, and an interview with Matt Gerlach, headmaster of Chesterton Academy in Hopkins, about the fruit of the past school year and how the school’s mission shapes the students’ hearts and minds for Christ. The program also included Marcus Roesler, parishioner of St. Francis Xavier in Shafer, about how Our Lady of Guadalupe helped return him to the Church. Listen to interviews after they have aired at archspm.org/faith-and-discipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
Catholics in health care are invited to sign up for the Curatio Apostolate weekend retreat Sept. 26-28 at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo. The retreat master will be Father Michael O’Connor, pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Father O’Connor served in the Air Force and Air National Guard before entering the seminary in 2000. Formed in 2001 as an approved apostolate in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and welcomed into the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in 2023, Curatio’s mission is to help strengthen the faith of Catholics in health care. The retreat’s theme is Healing from the Heart of Christ: Living a life of virtue and self-knowledge in health care. People can register by Sept. 15 at curatioapostolate.com
Fueled by concern over proposed state budget cuts to nonpublic school aid, Minnesota Catholic Conference’s (MCC) Catholic Advocacy Network (CAN) has increased by 12,980 members so far this year, said Chris Mulcahey, MCC’s communications manager. The conference is the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota. The online network provides participants with action alerts, a directory for reaching elected officials and a bill tracker to help people understand and act on issues before the Minnesota Legislature. Mulcahey said this year’s CAN growth can be attributed to Catholic school families, teachers and faculty “who engaged with the MCC in response to proposed budget cuts to nonpublic pupil aid” during the 2025 legislative session. Those cuts did not gain traction in the Legislature. The MCC posted additional metrics of success this session on its website at mncatholic.org, recognizing advocacy wins such as stopping legalized sports gambling and ensuring health care access for undocumented children. The MCC recorded 276 formal staff meetings with legislators last session and 30,154 points of contact by Catholic Advocacy Network members to legislators.
An Aug. 7 ribbon cutting ceremony and blessing by Bishop Emeritus Richard Pates marked the opening of a $12 million Michel Family Aquatic Center at St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights. The center is home to the swim and dive teams of St. Thomas Academy and Visitation, also in Mendota Heights. It will also serve local swim clubs and Catholic Athletic Association schools. The facility includes a 25-yard pool with eight lanes, a diving board, bleacher seating for 350, expansive deck space and new locker rooms for both schools. “I am thrilled to see the completion of this beautiful new aquatic center,” said Chip Michel, co-chair of the capital campaign and title donor. A graduate of the academy, Michel was on the swim and dive team and was the team captain his senior year. The Michels contributed the largest financial gift in the history of both schools, giving $6 million to the project. “While it bears our family’s name, this facility reflects a community that prioritizes opportunities for kids to build physical, emotional and social skills that will shape their lives for years,” Michel said. “My four years on the swim team ... resulted in some of the most profound experiences and friendships of my life.” STA alum and Olympic gold medal swimmer Tom Malchow came to Minnesota and attended the event.
The Newman Center on the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus is undertaking a $30 million “Seeds of Faith” capital campaign to build the Newman Center’s first church, an expanded student center, rectory, meeting spaces and media production studio. An additional $20 million is being raised to establish an endowment to maintain the ministry and the building. Father Mike Schmitz, an internationally known speaker and podcaster, is chaplain of the Newman Center, which is in a 1950s-era, split-level house with a 400-square-foot garage that has been converted into a chapel that accommodates 60 people. “I hate to say it, but the building is dilapidated, small and unwelcoming,” Father Schmitz said. “We want a space that matches the ministry. One that welcomes students and invites them to become who God created them to be, whether it’s through sacred liturgy, Bible study, or having a cup of coffee and conversation with a friend.” Sunday Masses at the Newman Center are attended by about 800 people, which requires the center to rent space on campus or travel off campus to Holy Rosary Cathedral. “When this land became available, it was an opportunity presenting itself, a revelation of the Holy Spirit, and an affirmation,” said Bishop Daniel Felton of Duluth. “It was an affirmation not only of the renewal of the Newman Center but of the whole Diocese of Duluth. We need to trust that, and we didn’t hesitate to support this campaign going forward.”
Father Andrew Brinkman, co-pastor as a priest in solidum at Maternity of Mary in St. Paul, blessed motorcycles and riders at Maternity of Mary on Aug. 2. Following the blessing, Father Kevin Manthey, also pastor and priest in solidum at Maternity of Mary, led the group of motorcyclists to Prescott, Wisconsin, for lunch. Father Paul Hedman, parochial vicar of Epiphany in Coon Rapids, and Father Jim Perkl, pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, joined the ride. Father Joseph Nguyen, associate pastor of All Saints in Lakeville, met the group later in the day. Nine motorcycles were blessed that day.
For the second time in 10 years, almost to the date, St. Helena in Minneapolis was struck by lightning. Father Marcus Milless, pastor of St. Helena, said the Aug. 9 lightning strike damaged the roof and the organ, but no other damage was sustained. Father Milless said he hopes insurance will cover the costs. On Sept. 2, 2015, lightning blew the concrete cross off the roof of St. Helena and it broke where it landed. The cross was replaced.
In ADDITION
In addition to The Catholic Spirit’s July 10 tribute to jubilarians in men’s and women’s religious communities, the newspaper would like to honor Sister Elizabeth Huber of the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa) and Pro Ecclesia Sancta Brother Jose Ignacio Rodriguez for their years of ministry. Sister Elizabeth is celebrating her 70th jubilee and Brother Jose is celebrating 10 years with his community, which has local headquarters in St. Paul.
LIFT HIGH THE CROSS From left, Taylr Bahr, Jonathan Herrington,
Kinkor, Timothy Long
Robert Nichols hold their new
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COURTESY COMPANIONS OF CHRIST
FROMTHEBISHOP
ONLY JESUS | BISHOP MICHAEL IZEN
Mary our mother in heaven: She can’t wait to see us
My mother had great devotion to the Blessed Mother. She loved her and turned to her often. As a family, we prayed the rosary together every day. Mom named all three of her daughters after Mary: Mary Jule, Gerianne Marie and Anne Marie. I’m sure there are other examples that demonstrate my mother’s devotion, but just one more: During one of my summers as a college kid I painted our screen porch. For the color, Mom chose “Virgin Mary Blue.”
On Aug. 15, we honor Mary as we celebrate her assumption into heaven. It’s the day that marks Mary’s last day on Earth, and God completes what he began. Mary was conceived without sin because she would hold God himself in her womb, so we recognize that her body could not undergo corruption, even at the end of her life. The Church does not state whether Mary died, so we speak of Mary’s dormition. In that word you can see we also get the word dormitory, a place of sleep. So, Mary sort of fell asleep. In any case, we believe that Mary remained unstained.
Like so many of our beliefs and traditions, it’s always a good question to ask, “So, what does this feast day mean for me?” Mary’s assumption gives us a glimpse of what is intended for us, it’s a reminder of the promises that were made to us when we were baptized into Christ, that it’s God’s desire that we live forever. Where Mary has gone, you and I are meant to follow. Just as where Jesus has gone, Mary followed.
As with any Marian feast day, it’s ultimately about Jesus. In the second reading for that day, St. Paul tells us “Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The idea of first fruits would have made sense to Paul’s listeners; the people gave the first part of their harvest to the Lord. In a way of tithing, they gave the first 10% of their crop, or their fruits, to the Lord. By offering that up, the rest of their crop would be blessed. When we say Jesus and his rising from the dead are the first fruits, we’re saying that Jesus’ offering is such that we are all meant to follow that same path — to some day rise from the dead. It is most appropriate that Mary would be the first to enjoy that.
Not only does Mary’s assumption into heaven tell us something about Mary, but it also tells us something about heaven. As Caryll Houselander once said, we don’t know much about heaven, but one thing we do know is that in heaven, Mary is with God. Unlike the countless souls that we pray are already in heaven, Mary’s soul and body are there. Of course, Jesus’ soul and body are there as well. Mary’s presence assures us that our humanity is there in heaven, and it’s where we are meant to be. Just as Mary spent her life as the mother of God, bringing Jesus to others, you and I are called to imitate that by bringing Jesus to those we meet.
These are just some of the ways we can relate to Mary and honor her on this Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We know that Jesus was very close to Mary for most of his life on Earth. He spent his first 30 years with Mary, then began his public life. That was 30 years of Mary teaching Jesus, and then three years of Jesus teaching us. It would be difficult to overemphasize Mary’s role. As St. Maximilian Kolbe would say, we never have to worry about honoring Mary too much, because we will never honor her as much as Jesus did.
Another way to think of Mary’s significance is to think of your own mother. If you are like me and your mother has died, you can imagine and hope for that day when you will be reunited in heaven. And when we are, we will not say, “You used to be my mom.” Similarly for Jesus. He doesn’t point to Mary and say, “She used to be my mother” but rather, “She is my mother.” And she’s our mother as well.
satisfactions of this world, but for the great joy of heaven. Every time we take our rosary in our hand, we allow Our Lady to take us by the hand, and guide us toward our true home, where she resides. And like any mother, she can’t wait to see us.
Mary wants what’s best for her children. As glorious as Mary’s assumption into heaven is, we may not be in a glorious place right now. Whatever might be causing us stress, sadness or anxiety, we look to heaven. There, our mother waits for us. She reminds us that we are precious in God’s eyes and that we are made, not for the small
On the Solemnity of the Assumption, we honor Mary because she has been assumed into heaven, because where she has gone, we are meant to follow, and because no matter how much we honor her, we will never honor her more than Jesus did. We are called to imitate Mary by bringing Jesus to others, and we can ask Mary to help us do just that.
María, nuestra madre en el cielo: Está deseando vernos
Mi madre tenía una gran devoción por la Santísima Virgen. La amaba y acudía a ella a menudo. En familia, rezábamos el rosario todos los días. Mamá les puso a sus tres hijas el nombre de María: Mary Jule, Gerianne Marie y Anne Marie. Seguro que hay otros ejemplos que demuestran la devoción de mi madre, pero solo uno más: durante uno de mis veranos, cuando era estudiante universitaria, pinté nuestro porche. Para el color, mamá eligió “Azul Virgen María”.
El 15 de agosto, honramos a María al celebrar su asunción al cielo. Es el día que marca el último día de María en la Tierra, y Dios completa lo que comenzó. María fue concebida sin pecado porque albergaría a Dios mismo en su vientre, por lo que reconocemos que su cuerpo no podía corromperse, ni siquiera al final de su vida. La Iglesia no declara si María murió, por eso hablamos de la dormición de María. En esa palabra, como pueden ver, también encontramos la palabra dormitorio, un lugar de descanso. Así que María, en cierto modo, se quedó dormida. En cualquier caso, creemos que María permaneció inmaculada. Como muchas de nuestras creencias y tradiciones, siempre es bueno preguntarse: “¿Qué significa esta fiesta para mí?”. La asunción de María nos da una idea de lo que nos espera; es un recordatorio de las promesas que se nos hicieron al ser bautizados en Cristo: que Dios desea que vivamos para siempre. Donde María ha ido, tú y yo debemos seguirla. Así como Jesús fue, María lo siguió. Como cualquier festividad mariana, se trata en última instancia de Jesús. En la segunda lectura de ese día, San
Pablo nos dice: “Cristo ha resucitado de entre los muertos, primicias de los que durmieron”. La idea de las primicias habría tenido sentido para los oyentes de Pablo; el pueblo daba la primera parte de su cosecha al Señor. A modo de diezmo, le daban el primer 10% de su cosecha, o sus frutos, al Señor. Al ofrecerlo, el resto de su cosecha sería bendecido. Cuando decimos que Jesús y su resurrección son las primicias, decimos que la ofrenda de Jesús es tal que todos estamos destinados a seguir ese mismo camino: resucitar algún día de entre los muertos. Es muy apropiado que María fuera la primera en disfrutarlo.
La asunción de María al cielo no solo nos dice algo sobre María, sino también sobre el cielo. Como dijo Caryll Houselander, no sabemos mucho sobre el cielo, pero algo que sí sabemos es que allí, María está con Dios. A diferencia de las innumerables almas por las que rezamos que ya están en el cielo, el alma y el cuerpo de María están allí. Por supuesto, el alma y el cuerpo de Jesús también están allí. La presencia de María nos asegura que nuestra humanidad está en el cielo, y es donde debemos estar. Así como María dedicó su vida como madre de Dios, llevando a Jesús a los demás, tú y yo estamos llamados a imitarla llevando a Jesús a quienes conocemos.
Estas son solo algunas de las maneras en que podemos conectar con María y honrarla en esta Solemnidad de la Asunción de la Santísima Virgen María. Sabemos que Jesús estuvo muy cerca de María durante la mayor parte de su vida terrenal. Pasó sus primeros 30 años con María y luego comenzó su vida pública. Fueron 30 años en los
que María enseñó a Jesús, y luego tres años en los que Jesús nos enseñó a nosotros. Sería difícil sobreestimar el papel de María. Como diría San Maximiliano Kolbe, nunca debemos preocuparnos demasiado por honrar a María, porque nunca la honraremos tanto como Jesús.
Otra forma de pensar en la importancia de María es pensar en tu propia madre. Si eres como yo y tu madre ha fallecido, puedes imaginar y anhelar el día en que nos reencontraremos en el cielo. Y cuando lo hagamos, no diremos: “Eras mi mamá”. Lo mismo ocurre con Jesús. Él no señala a María y dice: “Era mi madre”, sino: “Es mi madre”. Y también es nuestra madre.
María desea lo mejor para sus hijos. Por gloriosa que sea la asunción de María al cielo, puede que no estemos en un lugar glorioso ahora mismo. Sea cual sea nuestra causa de estrés, tristeza o ansiedad, miramos al cielo. Allí nos espera nuestra Madre. Nos recuerda que somos valiosos a los ojos de Dios y que estamos hechos, no para las pequeñas satisfacciones de este mundo, sino para la gran alegría del cielo. Cada vez que tomamos nuestro rosario, permitimos que Nuestra Señora nos tome de la mano y nos guíe hacia nuestro verdadero hogar, donde reside. Y como cualquier madre, anhela vernos.
En la Solemnidad de la Asunción, honramos a María porque fue llevada al cielo, porque adonde ella fue, debemos seguirla, y porque por mucho que la honremos, nunca la honraremos más que Jesús. Estamos llamados a imitar a María llevando a Jesús a los demás, y podemos pedirle a María que nos ayude a lograrlo.
NATHAN SCATENA | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
All ears
Mike Dombeck, known as “Corn Mike” during the annual parish festival at St. George in Long Lake, dresses the part during the one-day event Aug. 9. He walks the parish grounds during the festival and greets visitors while serving as a walking billboard for the corn booth, the crown jewel of the event. He has been dressing as an ear of corn for the last 10 to 15 years to help create a festive atmosphere. He also orders the sweet corn for the corn booth every year, which often sells out by the end of the day. The corn has been supplied by Untiedt’s in Waverly, west of the Twin Cities, for the last 10-plus years. Dombeck ordered 3,600 ears this year (75 sacks of 48 ears each). His face was painted by Lorraine Owings of HappyFaces Entertainment Company in Long Lake. She runs a booth at Corn Days, with an ear of corn being a popular request for face painting. “I enjoy looking funky,” said Dombeck, a parishioner of St. George with his wife, Rowanne. He added that he especially likes the green paint used to color his beard because the paint “covers up the gray.”
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Archbishop Hebda: Archdiocesan Synod process impacting everyday life
By Joe Ruff
The Catholic Spirit
Archbishop Bernard Hebda recently offered a glimpse into preparing for the next few years of pastoral care in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis even as he reviewed fruits of walking in synodality through the Archdiocesan Synod 2022 and Archdiocesan Synod 2025 process.
Considering input from the faithful and promptings of the Holy Spirit, the archbishop outlined plans for several years of pastoral ministry with his 2022 pastoral letter “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.” Fruits of the initiatives include parishes forming small groups for faith sharing and evangelization and efforts to emphasize the Mass and the Eucharist, the archbishop said in a statement and video addressed to “My sisters and brothers in Christ,” posted Aug. 4 at archspm.org/synod-update-fromarchbishop-hebda
groups that have begun in parishes across the archdiocese,” the archbishop wrote.
“Others have shared with me how you have learned more about the meaning of the Mass and have become more aware of Jesus’ real presence in the Eucharist through the videos and talks given during this past year,” he said.
On July 1, the archdiocese entered a year for reclaiming Sundays for the Lord. Beginning in July 2026 there will be an emphasis on equipping parents to fulfill more fully their role as primary educators of the faith, the archbishop said.
“I see each of these efforts impacting everyday life in the Archdiocese going forward,” Archbishop Hebda wrote.
On June 7, the Vigil of Pentecost, 409 lay faithful, clergy and religious from parishes and apostolates gathered for the Archdiocesan Synod 2025: Be My Witnesses Assembly at Cretin-Derham Hall and the Cathedral of St. Paul, both in St. Paul, the archbishop noted.
SYNOD 2025 Be My Witnesses Assembly
each of those 409 members shared with me where they felt the Lord was leading our Archdiocese in the coming years,” the archbishop said of the June 7 gathering.
“Through the next months, I will be analyzing and praying with the voting results and with the more than 3,000 comments we received on June 7, trusting in the Holy Spirit.”
After discerning and seeking the counsel of others for implementation, a short pastoral letter will be released to guide the archdiocese “from the last phase of ‘You Will Be My Witnesses’ implementation into the first phase of whatever comes next,” the archbishop wrote.
“While I have not yet discerned what those next priorities will be, I am happy to share with you that the three Propositions with the highest vote totals were: Discipleship in Daily Life; Adult Formation; and Welcoming & Hospitality,” the archbishop wrote.
vote on their preference: The results resoundingly suggested that we should hold another one-day Synod three years from now,” the archbishop wrote.
The pastoral planning coincides with the efforts to build small groups centered on evangelization, to pray regularly, particularly at Mass, and to “enter ever more deeply into the mystery and beauty of what is really happening in the sanctuary and the pews,” the archbishop said in his statement.
RECLAIMING SUNDAYS
Archbishop Bernard Hebda closed his Aug. 4 Synod Update statement by encouraging the faithful to read a practical “Guide to Reclaiming Sundays for the Lord” prepared by the archdiocese.
The guide provides a month-by-month framework for anyone parents, children, single adults, young and old to take simple steps toward reclaiming Sundays as the Lord’s Day, a much-needed day for peace and rest, the archbishop said.
“So many of you have told me stories of how you have deepened your relationship with God and your friendship with others by participating in one of the thousands of Parish Evangelization Cells (PECS) small
The focus was eight top vote-getting propositions in Synod 2022 that were not selected at that time for immediate implementation. “Through prayer, sharing, listening, dialogue and voting,
The archbishop said his vision for the archdiocese is to continue walking in synodality for years to come. “I am already committed to convening another Synod,” he said. “While no final date or duration has been set, I did ask the members to
The guide can be found at archspm.org/Sundays and monthly videos will be released to complement the guide, with “real-life stories from our parishes, ideal for use in our small groups or independently in your home,” the archbishop said.
St. Agatha in Coates draws visitors as the Archdiocesan Passport Adventure continues
By Josh McGovern
The Catholic Spirit
Father Brian Lynch, pastor of St. Agatha in Coates, opened the doors to his church on Aug. 3 to parishioners and visitors from the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.
The small church was more crowded than usual during its 8:30 a.m. Mass as about 30 people came to celebrate the liturgy and hear Father Ryan Glaser, parochial vicar of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, talk about the meaning of sacrifice and the Mass.
Titled A Holy and Living Sacrifice: Revitalizing Our Participation in the Eucharist, the presentation began even before Mass at the 120-year-old church building, with Father Glaser explaining the prayers priests recite while donning each vestment for Mass by demonstrating with his own vestments. It ended with more discussion and coffee and donuts after the Mass.
The event was part of the Archdiocesan Passport Adventure — an initiative by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that invites every Catholic to become “An Archdiocesan Jubilee Pilgrim” by visiting seven or more parishes through Oct. 12.
Father Glaser hoped the presentation would draw visitors to St. Agatha, which is 18 miles south of St. Paul, so people could experience Sunday differently than they might at their parishes, and to “be aware of the broader-reaching universal nature of the Church.”
Father Glaser’s hope came true, with visitors that included Arthur Viera Ribeiro, who was welcomed into the Church on Easter in 2024 and has since made the Cathedral his home parish. He made the trek down to Coates with a group of friends for two reasons: to hear Father Glaser’s presentation and to participate in the Passport Adventure.
“We just thought it would be a perfect
opportunity to do both at the same time,” Viera Ribeiro said.
Viera Ribeiro said he’d heard Father Glaser give a similar presentation at the Cathedral as part of a series on the Mass and the Eucharist.
“It’s super nice to be able to remind us of what we should be thinking in Mass and what to do, what not to do,” Viera Ribeiro said.
In a small event space to the side of the main church — which doubles as a quiet room — members of St. Agatha served coffee and donuts. Father Glaser explained how the sacrifice of Christ and the Last Supper are tied to the Old Testament idea of sacrifices. In his talk, Father Glaser said the Eucharist helps Catholics “unite ourselves more closely to the sacrifice of our Mass.”
“When we celebrate Christ ascending into heaven, we’re praying for the grace that where our head and founder has gone before we may follow him in glory,” Father Glaser said. “That’s what redemption is. As Christ descended into the depths of our humanity and brought himself back to God, the Father ... he can bring creation and humanity up with him into that reunion with God — Father, Son and Holy Spirit — in the kingdom of heaven.”
Father Glaser explained that when Catholics attend Mass and only see empty gestures, they may be checking off the Mass requirement, but they are not celebrating and living the Mass.
“You’re not allowing yourself to be transformed by what happens,” Father Glaser said. “We are companions with Christ here on Earth. We are united with Christ by virtue
of being the body of Christ and receiving the body of Christ and living as the body of Christ. If we are united with Christ here and now through the liturgy, then we can be united with him in the kingdom of heaven.”
Before the event, Father Lynch said it would be good to have visitors from around the archdiocese who might not know about his parish, which has about 60 members. “We only have one Mass a week, and that’s on Sunday at 8:30 a.m.,” Father Lynch said.
Father Lynch sat in the front row during Father Glaser’s talk, and he chipped in a few questions during the Q&A. He asked Father Glaser to describe some practical things people might do to be more engaged in the Mass. Father Glaser recommended looking at the readings beforehand and having a prayer intention in mind or someone to pray for.
“I think it’s just beautiful that the Church is everywhere,” Father Glaser said in the days leading up to the presentation. “In the great
Cathedral parish, the large suburban parishes, but as well as in the tiniest country parish community. It’s the same Eucharist. It’s the same Lord. It’s the same Mass that’s being offered.”
Father Glaser is no stranger to presentations on the Catholic faith. He led The New and Eternal Covenant presentation that was offered as part of year two’s focus on the Mass as the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis implements Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.”
Father Glaser attended the Archdiocesan Synod Assembly at Cretin-Derham Hall in St. Paul on June 7 as the archdiocese continues to implement pastoral priorities guided by input from the faithful and Archbishop Hebda’s pastoral letter and leadership.
Father Glaser said St. Agatha trustee Cheryl Gores sat at his table during the Synod Assembly and the two discussed whether Father Glaser might travel to Coates to give a presentation.
“That’s how it started,” Father Glaser said. “There’s some energy and excitement to get something going with it. … It’s kinda cool to see how the Spirit brought us together at the Synod (Assembly) and just to see how the Spirit’s leading us.”
“I’m just hoping and praying for a spark of something,” Father Glaser said. “The real hope is that it spark(s) something in people that when they come back to Mass the next week and the next week and the next week, just one thing I present or one thing I say, they might be reminded of it and they might be able to pray the Mass a little more. … That’s up to the Holy Spirit, I guess.”
ARCHBISHOP BERNARD HEBDA
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT | JOSH MCGOVERN
Maria Warnock and her husband, Zach, parishioners of St. Joseph in Rosemount, greet Father Ryan Glaser outside St. Agatha in Coates on Aug. 3.
Father Glaser said he and Maria attended grade school together.
North St. Paul parish small groups are creating bonds, a ‘launching pad’ to reach others
By Mark Johnson For The Catholic Spirit
Tarah Hazard sat in a neighborhood park last year as her 2-year-old son played by himself in the sand. Hazard yearned for friendship — for herself and her son — but as was so often the case, no other families or children were to be seen in the park that day.
Then she saw a young woman pedaling a bike past the park with a 3-year-old strapped behind. “I remember — hoping upon hope — that they would stop at the park,” Hazard recalled. Anna Severson, the mother on the bike, did stop. Like Hazard, she had been searching, without success, for playmates for her child. “My son and I had made up a song that we used to sing as we rode through the neighborhoods,” she recalled. “Its refrain was: ‘Where are the kids? Where are the kids?’”
As the boys began to play happily together, the two women struck up a conversation about their children and the beauty of the day. Before long, Severson confided that she shared Hazard’s concern about a mother’s isolation and search for meaning. “But I told her I had found a key that had transformed my loneliness,” Severson said. That key would ultimately transform Hazard’s life as well.
Severson explained that she confronted her challenges as a mother through her Catholic faith and her mothers’ small group at St. Peter in North St. Paul. She invited Hazard to visit one of the group’s gatherings. “I’m not Catholic,” explained Hazard, “but I was so drawn to Anna’s joy, I accepted her invitation to visit her group.”
A year after that park encounter, Hazard and Severson still regularly attend meetings of the mothers’ small group. The moms meet twice a month in the home of Krysten Fulcher, a group leader, and in summer they gather twice a month in a nearby park. Severson credits participation in the group for building her confidence to refer to faith in conversations with strangers, such as Hazard.
The moms’ group is one of many thriving St. Peter
Tarah Hazard holds her daughter, Evelyn, during an Aug. 8 gathering of a mothers’ small group at St. Peter in North St. Paul. The moms meet twice a month in the home of Krysten Fulcher, the group’s leader.
small groups and the number of participants is growing steadily, said Patti Teachout, St. Peter’s director of liturgy and coordinator of its small group program. St. Peter, with a parishioner base of about 1,200 families, has adopted the Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS) approach to small groups that grew out of Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.” Small group meetings under the PECS model include
praise through song and prayer, sharing recent experiences with God, teaching and discussion of a religious text or concept, parish announcements, intercessory prayer for people in and outside the group, and prayers for one another’s petitions. Non-parishioners, both Catholics and non-Catholics, are invited to attend.
Fulcher said she believes the content and sequence of the PECS’ model are key to her group’s remarkable success, both for building a solid Catholic faith among its members and arming them for evangelization. “We begin by reflecting on God’s involvement in our lives,” she explained. “When we take time to stop and look for the Lord, we always find him.” She added that “sharing deeply about our faith and our lives has created a culture of authenticity that is really attractive and makes it easy for us to invite other women to join us.”
Teachout agreed that evangelism is a central component of the PECS model. While the groups are
PECS proponent from Spain encourages Latinos, others to evangelize
By Juan Del Valle Lopez For The Catholic Spirit
Editor’s note: The writer translated his interviews from Spanish into English.
For Father Fernando Mañó Bixquert, a special calling to evangelize can be traced back to Valencia, Spain. He wanted to do more of it; he wanted his parish to do more of it, too. Father Mañó Bixquert described himself as “restless,” always looking to go beyond.
That hunger took him to Italy. There, Father Mañó Bixquert met mentor Father Pier Giorgio “Pigi” Perini of St. Eustorgio in Milan. Something called the Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS) was part of Father Perini’s parish.
“From there, I got to know the project … We started in a parish, then in a diocese and finally in Spain,” Father Mañó Bixquert said.
PECS is a parish-based model for small groups that stresses building community and sharing the Catholic faith within and outside the group. It builds on relationships that are already present in people’s lives. Missionary discipleship can be achieved with a friend, neighbor or coworker. The process can be slow, but it bears fruit when the faithful stay with it. It is about sharing faith, not establishing it. According to Father Mañó Bixquert, “we need to let the Holy Spirit act.”
In the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the PECS model was chosen by Archbishop Bernard Hebda as he implements a pastoral plan outlined in his 2022 pastoral letter, “You Will Be My Witnesses: Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room.”
Participants attach balloons to a string as part of the event.
Father Mañó Bixquert said two important conversions are needed to fulfill missionary work: personal and pastoral. That was the message he brought from Spain to communities around the Twin Cities July 25-30.
Father Mañó Bixquert visited nine parishes, including a session at St. Odilia in Shoreview that focused on Spanishspeaking people from 13 parishes across the archdiocese.
Father Mañó Bixquert’s journey to the archdiocese first began in Milan, when he met then-Father Joseph Williams, a priest of the archdiocese who was later ordained a bishop and now is serving the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey. Father Mañó Bixquert said he helped then-Father Williams form Catholic leaders at St. Stephen-Holy Rosary in Minneapolis. Father Mañó Bixquert remains connected to the archdiocese
through its small group facilitators, Gizella Miko and Regina Mancilla.
“Since there are a lot of Latino communities (in Minnesota), I was also tasked with meeting them and understanding a little bit more of their reality,” Father Mañó Bixquert said. “I asked (Miko and Mancilla) if I could help with anything, and they prepared a program of talks and conferences to know more about those communities,” he said.
On July 26, at St. Odilia, people from those communities had the opportunity to learn more about PECS and Father Mañó Bixquert. The archdiocese hosted community members to remind them of relationship-based evangelization — reaching out to people in their everyday lives at work, school and other places.
People who attended were part of conversations on how to apply missionary
discipleship in their communities. One fact quickly became apparent: Communities must be united to reach a larger group.
To help those gathered visualize the concept, Miko directed an activity involving balloons. Through the first half of it, one person from each group collected as many balloons as possible only using their arms. As expected, some struggled; balloons fell to the floor, or groups couldn’t maximize the number of balloons they could collect.
But people thrived during the second part. This time around, groups were given a string. Instead of trying to pile as many balloons as they could on top of one person, the string allowed them to tie balloons together. Some groups doubled or tripled their balloon collection.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
COURTESY JUAN DEL VALLE LOPEZ
Father Fernando Mañó Bixquert (left) talks with an event attendee at St. Odilia in Shoreview on July 26.
COURTESY JUAN DEL VALLE LOPEZ
Archbishop Hebda, others rejoice as St. John Henry Newman to be named doctor of the Church
By Joe Ruff
The
Catholic Spirit
Reacting to word that Pope Leo XIV would name St. John Henry Newman a doctor of the Church, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said he was thrilled, and the director of the St. Lawrence Newman Center serving the Twin Cities campus of the University of Minnesota said it was great news.
During a July 31 interview at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center in St. Paul, the same day the announcement was made, Archbishop Hebda held in one hand a short letter written by St. John Henry Newman in 1875 that he recently came into possession of, and in the other a small portrait of the saint that he keeps near his desk.
The image “reminds me to ask for his intercession as I go about the sometimes challenging work of being an archbishop here in St. Paul and Minneapolis, but always asking him most particularly for the gift of wisdom, which I think he demonstrated in the course of his life,” the archbishop said. “And now it’s certainly going to be recognized with the title of doctor of the Church.”
The Vatican announced the decision after Pope Leo’s July 31 audience with Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
The title has been bestowed on saints whose doctrinal writings and teachings are considered to have special authority. St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, St. Gregory the Great and St. Jerome were the first four doctors of the Church. Now, St. John Henry Newman, a 19th-century theologian, intellectual, preacher and convert to Catholicism will join them and 33 other saints so named.
Father Jake Anderson, pastor and director of St. Lawrence Catholic Church
and Newman Center in Minneapolis, said St. John Henry Newman had a brilliant mind, but he insisted that the intellect be wedded to the heart and mind of God.
The saint’s writings and teaching inspired Newman Centers — Catholic campus ministry centers at secular universities — which try to emulate his thought, Father Anderson said. To be a strong Catholic is to have a strong mind to love, know and follow the truth, he said. “We want to have the mind and the heart unite,” he said.
Archbishop Hebda said that early in his priesthood he was a Newman Center
SMALL GROUPS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
designed to create personal bonds among members, she pointed out, “we also emphasize that Christian fellowship should create a launching pad for spreading the word of Christ beyond the group.”
St. Peter’s mothers’ group is an intriguing mix of profound religious reflection and a cacophony of joyful, family-centered noise. Father José Cortes, pastor of St. Peter, who has visited all the church’s small groups, said he was astounded at the scene in Fulcher’s living room when he attended the mothers’ group. “I could hardly believe what I was witnessing — children exuberantly running and playing everywhere, babies crying, and the moms sitting together — some with tears in their eyes, too — in deep conversation and prayer, as though nothing was going on around them.”
Some might think that singing together could provoke discomfort, but Fulcher said she believes it’s critical to the PECS model. “To sing praises to God at the beginning of the meeting — acapella in front of others — requires each member to acknowledge the possibility for vulnerability, a key aspect of the group’s success,” she noted. It also serves a utilitarian purpose, she added
PECS CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
At the end, people walked away with a metaphor to remember. The string represents all the faithful, and communities can grow through working together in missionary discipleship.
Fredy Perez is the acolyte coordinator at Incarnation in south Minneapolis. He is a member of a small group, and he agrees with the mission.
“We unite the Church, live as a Church … gather like the apostles did before. Live together and share,” Perez said. Perez said PECS groups — which often meet regularly
chaplain, and he is pleased with the ministry being done at St. Lawrence. Before he was a priest, he thought God might be calling him to be a member of an Oratory of St. Philip Neri, a communal way of priestly life St. John Henry Newman brought to the Englishspeaking world.
An aspiring Oratory of St. Philip Neri is in the Twin Cities, with Fathers Byron Hagan, Bryce Evans and Kyle Etzel, and a novice.
“I pray for them all the time,” Archbishop Hebda said. “I’m really excited that we do have a group of priests in our archdiocese who are striving to live that model of oratory
with a laugh. “Whenever we start singing, all the babies stop crying.”
The St. Peter mothers’ small group has grown to about 15 members, both Catholic and non-Catholic. Recently Hazard invited a woman from Red Wing, about 50 miles away, who is now a regular member.
Many other PECS-based small groups at St. Peter are building on the evangelism theme.
One is the Renew and Refresh group, whose focus is helping its members learn about evangelization for the purpose of communicating effectively with relatives and friends who no longer practice or lack understanding of Catholicism. Co-chairs Mike Nash and Nancy Tuerk pointed out that, to do so effectively, members must first deepen their own knowledge of the Catholic faith — the goal of the PECS teaching element. “I have been a Catholic all my life, but I can’t believe all I’ve learned about the pillars of the faith through our small group reading and discussions,” Nash said.
Tyler Scheidt, who chairs St. Peter’s men’s small group, sees a pressing need for evangelization right next to him in the pews at St. Peter. “Many men at Mass are just a few steps away from building strong, lasting friendships and living their Catholic faith more fully,” he said. “These are
for 90 minutes and include at each gathering seven PECS moments of song and praise, sharing, teaching, discussion, intercession, announcements and healing prayer — can help others express themselves and navigate through their expectations of a Christian life.
“I’m thinking how I can create a group like that and help facilitate a place where people can trust, and that way serve as a bridge to lead them to a church,” Perez said.
Part of applying this concept is communication, Perez said, and it takes preparation to forge and execute a vision.
Father Mañó Bixquert also recognized that PECS needs to be understood before implementing it.
life. I’m hoping that they grow, and I look forward to the time when they’re formally established as an oratory.”
Father Hagan, who also leads St. Mary in St. Paul as a priest in solidum with Father Evans, said St. John Henry Newman is a “sort of ‘second founder’ of the Oratory of St. Philip and therefore a co-patron of ours. But he’s long been a spiritual and intellectual companion to us all, and especially for English-speaking Catholics, and converts, like myself.”
OSV News contributed to this report.
the men our small group tries to reach.” Like Fulcher, Scheidt said he believes the PECS structure is essential to his group’s success. “Men’s groups, without the PECS focus and structure, can quickly become no more than buddy clubs,” he concluded.
Perhaps no small group has such high-stakes evangelism goals as the group Those Affected by Addiction, which focuses on the impact of substance abuse on the relatives and friends of group members. “Many other approaches to this problem avoid the essential tools of our Catholic faith,” said the group’s chair, Mike Stahlmann. He emphasized that the PECS model enhances members’ ability to positively impact others through deepening their understanding of that faith and through prayer.
St. Peter’s small groups are bearing rich fruit for members and for others. What is the key to their evangelization success? Fulcher put it this way: “We do not walk up to a stranger and tell her, ‘Here is what I believe; you should believe the same,’” Instead, she said with a smile, “we invite the person into our home, offer them a piece of coffee cake, invite their children to play with ours, give them a place to relax on the couch, and then enter into a Christ-centered conversation.”
“There (are) three obstacles,” he said. “The first one is not understanding the vision. When someone doesn’t understand the vision of the cell system there’s confusion.
“The second one is you can’t expect results in one day. This is a process. A cell, a small group, is a small community. You can’t expect everyone to develop at the same time. And the third one is you have to support and help your parishes understand this concept.”
In the short time he was in the archdiocese, Father Mañó Bixquert said, he saw strong foundations that will help PECS grow. He also said there’s a lot of work to be done.
PHOTOS BY JOE RUFF | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
LEFT Archbishop Bernard Hebda holds a letter written by St. John Henry Newman that recently came into his possession. The Vatican announced July 31 that Pope Leo XIV will name the saint a doctor of the Church.
RIGHT Archbishop Hebda keeps an image of St. John Henry Newman near his desk, praying for the saint’s intercession.
NATION+WORLD
‘God is using all these different types of media’: Digital missionaries gather for jubilee in Rome
By Rebecca Omastiak
The Catholic Spirit
Bringing Christ’s love into digital media was the focus of a trip to Rome Mackenzie Hunter, a parishioner of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, took in July.
Celebrated July 28-29, the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers centered on using digital platforms to share the Catholic faith and the message of the Gospel. This jubilee was part of the larger Jubilee of Youth, which was held July 28-Aug. 3.
That the Vatican hosted this specific jubilee for hundreds of attendees “gives me a lot of hope, which is perfect in the Jubilee Year,” said Hunter, 26. “I really felt validated, like there is a place for everyone. Each of us are so inherently unique and God is using all these different types of media.”
In 2018, Hunter started a blog, describing her writing there as “an overflow from my prayer.”
“I loved writing, and it was just kind of an outlet for me, a creative outlet,” she said of the site. As she noticed more people gravitating toward social media, she created the A Caffeinated Catholic account on Instagram in 2019.
“I think a lot of my content is good for people who are newer to the faith, or they’re curious about it, or just don’t really feel like they have a lot of people around them to see it being lived out,” she explained. “It’s a mix of my life and reflections on the faith.”
Hunter sees the Holy Spirit at work as she’s watched A Caffeinated Catholic’s audience grow (including a jump from roughly 6,000 followers to roughly 20,000 last May).
“I just show up and I’m open, and (I’m) seeing how the Lord is able to use that,” she said.
Hunter said she’s received messages and questions about the faith from people living in, and outside, the United States.
“(T)he digital age has given us so much more connectivity. And there’s pros and cons to that,” she said. One “pro,” she said, is “if it’s a question I do feel like I can answer, it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s cool that they felt like they have someone they could go to, to ask that.’”
When organizers of the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers reached out to Hunter to see if she was interested in attending, one of the organizers’ words stuck with Hunter: “She was like … ‘this is one of the biggest chances you’ll have to have an actual impact on the trajectory of the Church.’”
“I was like, wow, that is major,” Hunter said.
Most of the jubilee’s attendees were young adults, Hunter said. During the two-day event, Hunter said speakers gave exhortations “on the faith and how the work we are doing is really important.” She said there were opportunities to learn from panelists “who are working in the digital space,” as well as small group gatherings during which attendees would talk about the “direction (we) want the Church to go, in this (digital) space.” Attendees also “consecrated our digital mission to Mary” at a recreation of the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican gardens, Hunter said. “That was really special.”
A private Eucharistic adoration at
St. Peter’s Basilica after hours was one highlight of the jubilee for Hunter: “It was just surreal.”
Another highlight was the address Pope Leo XIV gave to those gathered on the jubilee’s second day: “The energy was insane,” Hunter said.
In his address, Pope Leo XIV spoke about being missionaries of peace in digital spaces.
“You are here to renew your commitment to nourish Christian hope in social networks and online spaces,” Pope Leo XIV said. “Peace needs to be sought, proclaimed, and shared everywhere, both in the places where we see the tragedy of war and in the empty hearts of those who have lost the meaning of life and the desire for introspection and the spiritual life. Perhaps, today more than ever, we need missionary disciples who convey the gift of the Risen Lord to the world.”
In addition to promoting peace on online platforms, Pope Leo XIV referred to “a second challenge” in the mission of
digital evangelization: “always look for the ‘suffering flesh of Christ’ in every brother and sister you encounter online. Today we find ourselves in a new culture, deeply characterized and formed by technology. It is up to us — it is up to each one of you — to ensure that this culture remains human.”
Hunter said Pope Leo XIV’s message about Jesus’ call to weave nets resonated with her. In his address, the pope said, “Jesus called his first apostles while they were mending their fishing nets (cf. Mt 4:21-22). He asks the same of us today.
“Indeed, he asks us to weave other nets: networks of relationships, of love, of gratuitous sharing where friendship is profound and authentic; networks where we can mend what has been broken, heal from loneliness, not focus on the number of followers, but experience the greatness of infinite Love in every encounter.”
Hunter said, “I feel like that has been sitting with me because it really brings it back to (the fact that) there’s souls behind it ... and to approach social media with
great care.”
Hunter said the jubilee gave her an opportunity “to re-evaluate and make sure that I’m always praying through my content” and a chance to be “really clear on what my strength is and what my mission is.” It was also a reminder, for her and other attendees, that “the work we’re doing here is good. I think it’s easy to get discouraged sometimes. So, I walked away like, ‘OK, yeah, this is a good mission.’”
Hunter is encouraged to see the Church embrace digital tools in a more modern way of sharing the faith. “The Church has always found a way to grow and adapt through the years, while holding onto the truth,” she said. “We’ve got to keep ourselves grounded in that. The ways of the world are addictive, social media is addictive, and so staying grounded in the truth is hugely important.”
Pope Leo XIV’s full address at the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers can be read on the Vatican website at tinyurl.com/6x96pjct.
CNS PHOTO | PABLO ESPARZA
Religious sisters attend a concert in Risorgimento Square in Rome July 29, during the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers. The evening celebration featured music and dancing following the day’s events at the Vatican.
CNS PHOTO | LOLA GOMEZ
Pope Leo XIV greets participants in the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers after Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican July 29.
COURTESY MACKENZIE HUNTER Bishops process into St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome to celebrate Mass with Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle as part of the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers.
COURTESY MACKENZIE HUNTER
From left, Mackenzie Hunter and Sister Bethany of the Daughters of St. Paul outside the Auditorium Conciliazione which hosted Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers sessions in St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
COURTESY MACKENZIE HUNTER
From left, Mary Harper, Mackenzie Hunter and Eliza Monts participate in a tour of the Vatican gardens as part of the Jubilee of Digital Missionaries and Catholic Influencers celebrated in Rome July 28-29.
HEADLINES
Works of mercy are the best way to invest what God gave you, Pope Leo XIV says. While giving money to charity is a good thing, God expects Christians to do more by giving of themselves to help others, Pope Leo XIV said. “It is not simply a matter of sharing the material goods we have, but putting our skills, time, love, presence and compassion at the service of others,” the pope told thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square Aug. 10 for the recitation of the Angelus prayer. Commenting on the day’s Gospel reading, Luke 12:32-48, the pope focused on how Jesus invites his followers to “invest” the treasure that is their lives.
Catholic women at a Knights convention are urged to “live on tomorrow’s joy today.” Through prayer, testimony and the arts, the Ladies Program during the Knights convention in Washington offered a space to reflect on how Christian hope is lived and led by women across the Church. Women filled the Columbia Ballroom of the Washington Hilton for the Aug. 6 program during the 143rd Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus. Montse Alvarado, president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, opened the gathering. After 14 years at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, she said, her path eventually led her to EWTN News and the leadership role she holds today. She said it was a role she discerned through prayer and the support of a trusted community.
“Our joy comes from knowing that we can live on tomorrow’s joy today,” Alvarado said. “Because we have Christian hope.” Other speakers included the first lady of the Knights of Columbus, Vanessa Kelly, whose husband is Supreme Knight Patrick Kelly; Jeanne Mancini, former president of the March for Life; and Claire Kretzschmar, artistic director of Ballet Hartford in Connecticut and a former soloist with the New York City Ballet.
Amid “reverse migration,” sisters in Mexico accompany migrants trapped by U.S. policies. In Mexico City, a mural at a migrant shelter reads: “Dreams travel on a train without fear of crossing borders.” But for thousands of women and families at CAFEMIN, run by the Josephine Sisters, that dream of reaching the U.S. has turned into a near-impossibility. Since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January, legal pathways have closed, humanitarian aid has been slashed and migrant support agencies are shutting down. Sister María Magdalena Silva, who leads CAFEMIN, said the crisis has reshaped the
entire mission: They’re still in Mexico City, but “this is a complete change.” With routes blocked and Mexico tightening controls, a new trend has emerged reverse migration. Some migrants now head home in defeat. Yet amid the suffering, acts of love continue. Outreach coordinator Mario Monroy said these moments are proof that “God is love.” Even in scarcity, the sisters remain steadfast. “Consecrated life will remain” with the migrants, Sister María Magdalena told Global Sisters Report.
Pope Leo XIV calls for nuclear disarmament and real commitment to peace. The scars still borne by survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and still visible on the cities’ streets and buildings are a plea to pursue peace and disarmament, Pope Leo XIV said. “True peace demands the courageous laying down of weapons especially those with the power to cause an indescribable catastrophe,” the pope wrote in a message to Bishop Alexis Mitsuru Shirahama of Hiroshima. “Nuclear arms offend our shared humanity and also betray the dignity of creation, whose harmony we are called to safeguard,” he wrote in the message released at the Vatican Aug. 5. The pope’s message was sent as people gathered from around the world to solemnly mark the 80th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima Aug. 6, 1945, and Nagasaki Aug. 9, 1945.
Court dismisses a case against a prominent exorcist priest. A criminal case against Father Carlos Martins, an evangelist and exorcist who is co-host of “The Exorcist Files” podcast, was dismissed July 30. A court order resolved a misdemeanor battery charge that was brought against him following an incident during a relic exposition held in November 2024 at a parish in Joliet, Illinois. In a July 30 press release, defense attorney Marcella Burke, chairman of the Burke Law Group representing Father Martins, said, “This is exactly the result we were expecting. What he was charged with was simply absurd. This was a case that never should have been brought forward.”
Against the odds, CRS has delivered aid to 1.7 million in Gaza since 2023. Despite daunting odds, Catholic Relief Services and its on-the-ground partners have managed to deliver aid to 1.7 million in Gaza since 2023, according to new data. On July 29, CRS the official relief and development agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops updated its diocesan coordinators regarding efforts to provide essential assistance to the
population of Gaza, where CRS has maintained a continuous presence since 1984. Amid “severe access limitations and aid blockades,” CRS and its partners have still managed to supply basic needs as well as psychosocial support, wrote CRS diocesan engagement adviser Jesús J. Huerta in an email, with the agency “mobilizing supplies from Egypt and Jordan” following “the recent humanitarian pause.” Huerta said that “decades of work with communities, the local Catholic Church and partners in Gaza and the region have enabled our rapid, flexible and impactful response.” He noted that “our staff and partners continue to operate under grave risk.” Among the aid CRS has so far provided since 2023: shelter assistance (including bedding, living supplies, tarps, tents and shelter repair kits) to 341,790 people; clean water, latrines, hygiene and sanitation kits and supplies to 500,268 people; and psychosocial support to 10,399 children and teens, and to 1,333 caregivers.
Massacre “of faithful in the house of God” in Congolese Catholic church leaves 43 dead. At least 43 people, including children, were killed July 27 in a brutal overnight attack on a Catholic church in Komanda in eastern Congo. Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces an Islamist group linked to the Islamic State group targeted faithful gathered for a youth retreat, opening fire and using machetes before looting homes and attacking displaced people sheltering nearby. Victims were laid to rest in a mass grave following a funeral Mass the next day. Pope Leo XIV expressed “deep sorrow,” calling the victims martyrs and praying their blood becomes “a seed of peace.” Church leaders and global observers strongly condemned the violence. The United Nations called the attack “heinous,” and the Orthodox Public Affairs Committee called it a “massacre in the house of God.” Just days earlier, another militia desecrated a church in Lopa, Ituri, reflecting a growing wave of anti-Christian violence in Ituri province, where decades of ethnic and political conflict continue to fuel instability and terror.
What’s your environmental impact? Catholic groups’ platform makes it easy to find out. Catholics wondering what they personally can do to respond to climate change and heed Pope Francis’ call in “Laudato Si’” to protect the earth can now look to Catholic Climate Action Projects. Also called CathCAP, the new initiative was launched by Catholic Climate Covenant with co-sponsorship by
the Association of U.S. Catholic Priests. It aims to offer the ecologically conscious a way to measure their own environmental impact, while also assisting organizations in their efforts to care for creation. As the CathCAP website cathcap.org explains, the project allows individuals and groups or organizations to offset some of their carbon footprint. It encourages lifestyle changes, but for emissions that cannot be completely eliminated, such as car or air travel, participants are invited to use the CathCAP calculator, which produces a carbon emissions estimate and a suggested donation ($15 per ton of carbon). Those funds are then designated for parishes or schools to help them advance their own “eco-projects.”
Poland’s “living memorial” to St. John Paul II marks 25 years of transforming lives. Thousands of young Poles walked in prayer and song to the Jasna Góra shrine in Czestochowa July 19 to mark the 25th anniversary of the Foundation “Dzielo Nowego Tysiaclecia,” or “Work of the New Millennium.” The foundation, a living tribute to St. John Paul II, supports underprivileged youth through scholarships, community and faith formation. Mass was celebrated by the apostolic nuncio to Poland, Archbishop Guido Filipazzi, who reminded the crowd that “gratitude is fundamental,” especially in today’s culture of self-sufficiency. “Do not waste the gifts you have received,” he added. Founded by Polish bishops after St. John Paul’s 1999 pilgrimage to his homeland, the foundation has helped over 10,000 students pursue education and deepen their faith.
Rhode Island celebrates Pope Leo XIV’s declaration that a baby’s healing was a true miracle. Rhode Islanders are celebrating Pope Leo XIV’s declaration that the healing of a baby born in their state in 2007 was indeed miraculous and advances the sainthood cause of a 19th-century Spanish priest. Pope Leo XIV had promulgated the acceptance of the miracle for Venerable Salvador Valera Parra on June 20, with various decrees presented to the pope by Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. The dicastery’s website specified that Father Parra’s intercession had been attributed to the miraculous resuscitation of “little Tyquan,” born critically ill Jan. 14, 2007, at the now-closed Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
‘True father’ — Married Maronite man ordained to the priesthood
Story and photos by Dave Hrbacek
The Catholic Spirit
A handwritten thank-you card was lifechanging for Father George Younes more than 20 years ago. It radically altered his plans for a move to Australia and led to his priestly ordination in the Maronite Catholic Church on July 26 at St. Maron in northeast Minneapolis.
Father Younes, 47, first felt a call to the priesthood when he was 18, living with his family in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities and attending St. Maron, one of two Maronite parishes in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
The fall after his high school graduation in 1997, he enrolled at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and spent the next four years at St. John Vianney College Seminary. After getting degrees in Catholic studies, philosophy and theology, his path toward holy orders continued when he began studies at Our Lady of Lebanon, a Maronite seminary, in Washington, D.C.
But, while there, a second vocational calling began to take root: marriage. In the Latin Catholic Church, feeling called to both is a conundrum. A man must choose between the two, with ordination to the permanent diaconate the only clerical option for men choosing marriage.
Yet, Father Younes felt drawn to both marriage and ordination to the priesthood. In earlier centuries, both were possible around the globe for Maronites and other members of the Eastern Catholic churches. While there was never the possibility for an ordained priest to marry after ordination, the Eastern Churches did allow for married men to be ordained, provided that the Church determined that they were called to the priesthood. The Maronite Church, while esteeming the life of celibacy (and limiting the episcopacy to unmarried men), had traditionally allowed the priestly ordination of married men. That ended in the Western Hemisphere in 1929 when a papal mandate by Pope Pius XI suspended the previous allowance for married clergy in Eastern churches.
With this restriction still intact, Father Younes explored further to see if there were ways to navigate around the ban. He learned that there were possibilities in places like Australia. Thus, while still studying in D.C., he traveled to Australia to explore being a married priest there. He liked this option because English is the country’s main language.
He met two married Maronite priests there and found encouragement for his desire to pursue both vocations. He seemed destined to move to Australia, where he hoped to find a wife and live as a married Maronite priest.
CHANGE OF PLANS
Enter Zahura Kerkinni. In December 2002, Kerkinni, who is Syriac Orthodox but attends St. Maron with her family, invited Father Younes over for a get-together at her family’s home in the Twin Cities. That evening, Dec. 22, she introduced Father Younes to her daughter, Susan, four years younger than Father Younes. That changed everything.
It wasn’t love at first sight because Father Younes had decided to go to Australia. But his conversation with Susan Kerkinni was enjoyable enough that he sought her out at a New Year’s party at St. Maron just over a week later. More conversations followed.
After one of those early conversations, he received something surprising in the mail.
“She sent me a very beautiful thank-you card,” Father Younes recalled. “I could read a little between the lines. And I thought, ‘Oh my goodness. There could be a possible (romantic) relationship starting.’”
They both discovered there were mutual romantic feelings. So, they started dating. Wedding bells rang on July 3, 2005, when they married at St. Maron.
For the moment, marriage had won out. Father Younes decided to figure out priesthood later, though he did indicate to Susan that he might still consider moving to Australia to become a married priest. She was at least open to it. But, at the time, he knew that becoming a deacon was as far as he could go in his home state and country, so he made that his aim and was ordained at St. Maron. Meanwhile, the couple started a family, eventually having four children: Rebecca, 18; Maria, 15; Thomas, 13; and Lucas, 11.
Then came a big change in 2014, when Pope Francis revoked the previous papal order, re-opening the door for Father Younes and other Eastern Catholic married men to pursue priesthood, even in the United States. The first married Maronite man to be ordained to the priesthood after the pope’s move was Father Wissam Akiki on Feb. 27, 2014, at St. Raymond Maronite Cathedral in St. Louis.
Eight more ordinations followed; then, on
July 26, came Father Younes, whose ordination was the first of a married Maronite man in Minnesota. Bishop A. Elias Zaidan of the U.S. Maronite Eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles was the presiding bishop at the ordination. Bishop Zaidan also ordained Father Akiki, who currently serves in Phoenix.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis concelebrated the ordination of Father Younes, along with several other Latin priests of the archdiocese, who joined Maronite clergy at the altar.
The ordination liturgy of Father Younes involved his entire family. Susan and the children all took active roles, with Thomas and Lucas serving at the altar and Rebecca and Maria singing in the choir. The children and Susan also participated in the various rites within the liturgy, which featured noticeable differences from Latin ordination Masses. All six members of the family gave remarks at the reception following the liturgy, which began with song and celebration and the presentation of a cake marking the occasion.
Family members felt a sense of joy that years of working and waiting finally came to fruition.
“Honestly, I’m excited for him,” said Rebecca Younes, who recently graduated from the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield and will attend Ave Maria University in Florida. “I’m glad that he’s finally able to fulfill God’s will and able to finally live out his dream.”
Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, the pastor of St. Maron, arrived at the parish when Father Younes was in grade school. The young boy captured the attention of a pastor who has watched him grow and develop into a mature man of faith. Chorbishop Sharbel has performed numerous sacraments for the Younes family, including the wedding liturgy for Father Younes and Susan, and he baptized their four children. He also participated in the liturgy that conferred the sacrament of holy orders, formally presenting then-Deacon Younes to Bishop Zaidan for ordination to the priesthood.
“I feel this is something that is right and fair for him,” Chorbishop Sharbel said. “He has always desired this in his heart and it’s fitting for him because he’s a serious man. He’s very committed to his faith, to his church and to his family.”
Father Younes will serve both Maronite
Father George Younes kneels before Bishop A. Elias Zaidan during his priest ordination liturgy July 26 at St. Maron in Minneapolis, becoming the first married man from the Catholic Church. Behind Father Younes at right is his son, Thomas.
priesthood
Midwest to be ordained a priest in the
parishes in the Twin Cities, St. Maron and Holy Family Maronite in Mendota Heights. An important part of his ministry will be celebrating weekend liturgies when the pastors are out of town. Chorbishop Sharbel travels regularly in his role as vicar general of the eparchy. Now, rather than quickly jumping on a plane to get back in time for weekend liturgies, he can slow the pace just a bit, knowing that Father Younes can celebrate liturgy in his absence.
As he works to fill in for the two pastors and perform other priestly duties, Father Younes will be learning to balance the roles of husband and priest. Now that his children are getting older, the parental load will lighten somewhat. This could open the door to moving to another city to serve if the bishop chooses to re-assign him. Father Younes and Susan talked about this before getting married, so that she would know what life could be like if his priesthood dream became a reality.
She recalled how she felt about this when she first met Father Younes at age 20. “I was thinking to myself, ‘Yes, I can see myself married to George.’ And I would go wherever
he wants to be.”
Today, her answer is the same. “I just go wherever he goes,” she said. “It’ll be hard to move our family because we’re so used to being here in Minnesota. But, if the bishop needs him to move, then we will have to move together as a family.”
Moving is a possibility Father Younes will always have to be ready for. Another thought on his mind is how Catholics outside the Eastern churches view married Maronite priests. Others may feel tension about how these two callings can meld into one, and they may wonder how one man can possibly fulfill both roles.
Father Younes has thought about this for decades and has a reply.
“We don’t look at it (having priests who are married) as something to offend or argue against celibacy,” he said. “We look at it as a way to support celibacy. And we want to make sure that the wider Catholic community understands that both of these vocations must work together.”
He also stressed that the Maronite church and other Eastern churches continue to value celibacy and will always have celibate priests. Chorbishop Sharbel said all 13 pastors in St. Maron’s 122-year history have been celibate, including himself, and that won’t change.
Father Younes doesn’t see his ordination as a vote against celibacy, but rather a vote for it and for all the ways in which people serve the Catholic Church as a whole.
“Without good celibacy, we will not have good marriages,” he said. “And without good marriages, we cannot have good celibacy. They are two sides of the same coin. The goal of both vocations is to bring souls to heaven.”
These sentiments were echoed by Father Thomas Wilson, pastor of All Saints in Lakeville. He attended the liturgy with another priest of the parish, Father Joseph Nguyen, and more than a dozen parishioners. Susan Younes is on staff full time at the school, and the family sent all four of their children to the school, beginning when they moved to Lakeville in 2009.
“We’ve been very excited about Deacon George getting ordained a priest,” said Father Wilson, noting that Father Younes has participated in adult education at the parish and has gotten to know parishioners. “I’ve participated in a few Maronite liturgies in the past and it’s just beautiful, a beautiful rite.”
He called the July ordination liturgy “an opportunity to teach about the beauty of the priesthood.” Though the reality of married priests in the Maronite Catholic Church may cause tension for some, Father Wilson said he sees it as a way to delve deeper into Church teaching.
“I think it’s a blessing, I think it’s a gift, I think it’s an opportunity for catechesis (on) the theology of priesthood,” Father Wilson said. “I think that too many people do not understand the complementarity of celibacy and marriage, and too many people don’t understand the theology of priesthood. ... There’s a beauty and complementarity of marriage and celibacy. The Church does not function if both of them aren’t working well.”
There is the possibility that another married Maronite priest could come from the Younes household. Thomas Younes said he has thought about it and even discussed it with his father. “Quite a bit, actually,” Father Younes noted. For now, the family will celebrate the new role their father accepted with his July 26 ordination.
“I’m very proud of my dad,” Maria Younes said. “We’ve all seen him work very hard and it’s like a reward seeing him achieve his dream.” Ordination to the priesthood gives Father Younes a new identity, summarized in the words of his youngest son, Lucas: “My father finally became a true father.”
Maronite
From left, Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, pastor of St. Maron in Minneapolis, places the amice on the head of Father Younes during the ordination liturgy. During the vesting rite, the amice is placed on the head of the ordinand, though it is worn over the shoulder.
From left, Bishop Zaidan, Father Younes and Lucas, Maria, Thomas and Rebecca Younes gather at the reception immediately following the ordination liturgy. Behind them is Father Michael Van Sloun, center, one of several Latin priests of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis who attended the ordination liturgy.
During this part of the ordination liturgy, Bishop Zaidan covers Father Younes with his cope.
Father of 5 finds joy in the hard FAITH+CULTURE
By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit
“Just because you’re on vacation doesn’t mean your children’s personalities change,” Morgan Kavanaugh said. “It’s not going to be all sunshine and roses.” The 41-year-old West St. Paul lawyer recently returned from a two-week road trip with his wife, Nicole, and their five kids, ages 3 to 14. His life is shaped by service to his family, his parish (St. Joseph in West St. Paul) and his city.
Q Let’s hear about the road trip.
A We covered 2,200 miles in our eight-passenger Toyota Sienna. The first stretches we say “no screens.” We have the Yoto players with their books and cards and put on headphones and listen to those. Every stop we’d have to do a reset of the van: “Hand me all your garbage.” The whole time I’m wondering, “Who’s going to barf?” But we made a lot of good memories.
Q What was the highlight?
A The Sand Dunes in Gary, Indiana — it was probably everyone’s favorite thing that we just added on at the last minute. It was some of the finest sand I’ve been on, and the water was clear, and you could see the Chicago skyline. Nobody wanted to leave.
Q Tell me about your conversion.
A I went through RCIA (now OCIA) at St. Joseph and converted in 2011, right after our oldest was born. I grew up evangelical, which has served me in a lot of ways. But I always wanted to know more — where everything came from and where it started and how it evolved into what it is. You learn about the tradition of the Church — all of that made sense to me and felt right and felt good.
Nicole is a cradle Catholic. She was an example of how to have testimony that’s not in your face. Evangelization by just living out your faith and saying: “This is important to me. You can join me or not.”
Q You’re a member of Red Lake Nation. How does your Native heritage intersect with your Catholic faith?
A Red Lake is predominantly Catholic. Going back to the mid-1800s, they started incorporating Catholicism on the reservation. There were priests and sisters there. That continues to this day. They’ve incorporated tribal traditions into Catholicism. I find that interesting. That is the universal nature of being Catholic — how Catholicism is this united Church, but then you can see different expressions in different cultures.
Q You ran for mayor (of West St. Paul) at age 32. What did you learn from that experience?
A I just wanted to get involved in my town. I had only lived there for four years at the time. I ran a positive campaign. I was running against an incumbent mayor and a city council member who were both lifelong residents — I wasn’t necessarily going for the win.
Every person I interacted with when I was out knocking on doors or talking about my campaign was great. But there were all these nasty things sent to me behind a screen and keyboard. I learned to (keep) that online stuff online and focus on the real world.
My filing triggered a primary, which I love: I love more democracy and more choice. I think uncontested elections are a symptom of a sick political system. That’s what makes our system great — the more arguments that can be heard, the better the marketplace of ideas.
Q What were the results?
A I got 12 percent of the vote. Neither of my opponents cleared 50 percent. That’s what I was shooting for. My colleagues on the planning commission heard what I had to say and were like: “Hey, you ran a positive campaign and did a good job, so we’re gonna vote for you to be chair.” It was definitely worthwhile.
Q Would you run again?
A I would run again for something if I felt strongly. I’d need to get Nicole to be a firm believer. If I ran for something again, I would do it to win.
Q You spent nearly a decade on the West St. Paul Planning Commission.
A It was so much fun! I thought my background in law and real estate could benefit the planning commission. I loved the little projects and little opportunities to make my town better.
We had one project that stuck out to me: A developer was pitching a redevelopment on a corner lot, and there weren’t sidewalks connecting from Robert Street to the adjacent parcels. We took a hard line and I led the charge: You need to put a sidewalk in here.
I see people being able to get off the bus and walk to Culver’s safely and I think: Yes!
Q That sounds like an expression of the Catholic belief in the dignity of every person.
A Yes. It was one of those things that drove me crazy — driving through town, it was winter, slush, and you see people struggling.
Q You were paying attention! That’s a virtue. It also helps you find the right rhythm for your family — and say no when you need to.
A From a time perspective, it’s letting go of the fillers I had before I had children. I’m not going to go out with friends on a boat from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. and then be completely useless the next day. You just have to set that aside. It’s a mindset shift.
It’s not sustainable to constantly say yes. Travel sports just isn’t an option. There’s no way for us to make it work with our schedule.
Q You’ve stayed in the same house as your family has grown.
A We added a fourth bedroom and later did a basement
remodel to add a fifth bedroom, an office and a play area. We’ve made it work. We try to use the space thoughtfully and be intentional about what we buy and where we put it. I feel like it’s the size of house I want. I don’t want to deal with a bigger house. This is plenty of house to clean, to keep up. I don’t have any interest in changing or moving.
Q There’s character building when a big family shares a smaller space.
A You have to deal with it; you have to wait your turn — there are other people here. You don’t get everything exactly when you want it. We always say: There are too many people here for you to treat the living room as your laundry room or garbage can.
Q You run every day during your lunch break.
A I do not like running. Every day (involves) a mental gymnastics that I have to do in order to get over that hurdle and go do it. Because every time I finish doing it, I feel great. My mind is clear.
Q Fresh air does wonders, doesn’t it?
A When the kids have been outside all day, everybody’s in a better mood, they go to bed better.
Q What sparked your interest in quantum physics and astronomy?
A Trying to understand the world around us. I love how being Catholic allows you to be pro-science. They’re not in competition with each other.
Q Faith and reason. What do you know for sure?
A I try to accept: Life is hard. We don’t need to sit around finding ways to make it more difficult. So, if we have the time and energy to manufacture hardships, I think we should be using that time to help others who are actually in need.
I’ve found joy and happiness in my work, my family and my faith. Even the hard that comes with that — those moments of joy have never been found anywhere else.
SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER ALLAN PAUL EILEN
God of mercy, God of justice
Anyone who has been to the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., cannot help but notice the very large mosaic above the apse of “Christ in Majesty” sitting in judgment.
Love it or hate it, this sacred image speaks to all gazing upon it an uncomfortable truth about Jesus: Jesus is not simply our friend, akin to our version of “Minnesota nice,” in which everyone readily believes in a God who is patient, kind, smiling and forgiving. Ending there would be a half-truth. The divine person of Jesus would be incomplete if we didn’t also accept that he is the spirit of truth.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb 13:8). Christ’s first coming proclaims the God of mercy, whereas his second coming ushers in the God of justice. And though it’s true in Scripture, we struggle accepting that God cannot be love without truth, nor truth without love. An analogy I heard can help: If truth is the root or foundation of a plant, and love is its fruit or flower, then mercy is the stem that holds those two together.
So, what are we all to make of Jesus’ seemingly contradictory and confusing words in Sunday’s Gospel: “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division” (Lk 12:51).
The depth of Christ’s peace is not of this world. Worldly or military peace is a superficial or
forced getting along, like tolerating one’s parents, siblings and relatives without the fire of love and forgiveness, unity and peace defining God’s plan for family. Growing up in a family of 10, I found there were always ample opportunities for love and forgiveness.
What kind of fire is Jesus setting upon Earth and what kind of fire does he wish were already blazing?
Fire has qualities that can help or harm us. Fire produces light, heat, destruction, purification, etc. And Christ’s purifying fire is moving the hearts of people today to ask three existential questions: Why am I here? Where am I going?
The priest as spiritual father
Editor’s note: This is the 14th column in a series on the priesthood.
A priest is addressed as “Father” for a reason. As a human or natural father loves and cares for his children, a priest as a spiritual father loves and cares for his parishioners and all the people of God. Many of the virtues and character traits that make a man a good natural father are the same virtues and character traits that make a priest a good spiritual father. A good natural father loves his children with all his heart, wants nothing but the best for them and wants to help them grow into happy and healthy adults. Likewise, a priest who is a spiritual father has a deep love and genuine concern for all those entrusted to his care. The priest has a warm place in his heart for each sheep in his flock. He is alert and aware, constantly paying attention, on the lookout for ways that he can assist and guide, often tailored to the unique circumstances of the individual person. He is particularly attentive to spiritual growth, and he helps his people grow in virtue and holiness on the road to spiritual maturity through his preaching, teaching, writing, wise
counsel and good example.
The birth of a child is a life-changing event for a natural father. Previously, the father may have tended to selfish preoccupation and serving his own needs. As a good natural father joyfully embraces his new child, the focus shifts from self to the child with blossoming generosity and willingness to sacrifice. Giving becomes easier. Likewise, a priest who is a spiritual father joyfully embraces his people and places their needs above his wants. He has a generous disposition and gladly shares his time and talent without counting the cost. He is willing to go the extra mile, take the extra time and give the extra effort for the spiritual benefit of his people.
Good natural fathers work hard and provide for their children. Priests who are spiritual fathers are industrious; reliable and dependable; and provide for the spiritual nourishment of their parishioners with Word and sacrament; preaching that enlightens and inspires; and sacramental graces through the Eucharist, reconciliation and the other sacraments.
Good natural fathers are men of character and conviction and give strong moral guidance to their children. Priests who are spiritual fathers are fiercely dedicated to their Catholic faith, live an upright and moral life, are pillars of strength for their community, teach the fullness of the
How do I get there?
This past Easter, a significant number of dioceses experienced a major uptick in millennials entering the Church or coming back to the faith of their baptism, giving many young people a reason for hope; a genuine sense of belonging, meaning, purpose; and a peace that God indeed has a plan for their lives.
Combined with the witnesses of soon-to-be saints like, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis, God is lighting a fire in the minds and hearts of seekers who cannot help but believe there must be more to life than the instant gratification and the unholy human trinity of me, myself and I.
It was the late, great St. John Paul II who often said: The future of the Church and society flows through marriage and family. As marriage and family go, so go the Church and the rest of society.
Let’s all begin by reclaiming the Lord’s Day (Sunday) for ourselves and for our families. Such a tiny, but vital spark of God’s love, mercy and truth will bring a measure of peace and unity to our families and to our Church, to ignite a fire in us that Jesus wishes were already blazing.
It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The image of “Christ in Majesty” heralds an urgent and powerful message that every human life and family matters to God. And by the look on Jesus’ face, his body language, he commands you and me to be part of the solution, and not part of the problem.
Father Eilen is pastor of St. Mary of the Lake and moderator of Frassati Catholic Academy, both in White Bear Lake.
Sunday, Aug. 17
Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Jer 38:4-6, 8-10
Heb 12:1-4 Lk 12:49-53
Monday, Aug. 18 Jgs 2:11-19 Mt 19:16-22
Tuesday, Aug. 19 Jgs 6:11-24a Mt 19:23-30
Wednesday, Aug. 20 St. Bernard, abbot and doctor of the Church Jgs 9:6-15 Mt 20:1-16
Thursday, Aug. 21 St. Pius X, pope Jgs 11:29-39a Mt 22:1-14
Friday, Aug. 22
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14b-16, 22 Mt 22:34-40
Saturday, Aug. 23 Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17 Mt 23:1-12
Sunday, Aug. 24
Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Is 66:18-21
Heb 12:5-7, 11-13 Lk 13:22-30
Monday, Aug. 25 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10
Mt 23:13-22
Tuesday, Aug. 26
1 Thes 2:1-8 Mt 23:23-26
truths of the Gospel, explain the importance of respect for self and others, prophetically call people to purity and decency, and do so tactfully and courageously.
Good natural fathers shift into overdrive with care and compassion when a child runs into difficulties such as disappointments, misunderstandings, arguments, sickness or loss. They are present and available and offer encouragement and assistance. Priests who are spiritual fathers have special compassion for those who have fallen on hard times and are attentive and helpful to those who are suffering misfortune, emotional turbulence or a troubled relationship, as well as the homebound, the lonely, the elderly, the sick and those who are grieving the death of a loved one.
Good natural fathers are humble, not authoritarian or heavy-handed. They are sincere, honest and truthful; patient and kind, willing to slow down and go at another’s pace, give the benefit of the doubt, and be gentle; and committed, unwavering and steadfast, persevering, especially in times of adversity. The priest who is a spiritual father exemplifies all these virtues in his life and ministry.
Father Van Sloun is the director of clergy personnel for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
Wednesday, Aug. 27
St. Monica 1 Thes 2:9-13
Mt 23:27-32
Thursday, Aug. 28
St. Augustine, bishop and doctor of the Church
1 Thes 3:7-13
Mt 24:42-51
Friday, Aug. 29 Passion of St. John the Baptist 1 Thes 4:1-8
Mk 6:17-29
Saturday, Aug. 30
1 Thes 4:9-11
Mt 25:14-30
Sunday, Aug. 31
Twenty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29
Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a Lk 14:1, 7-14
ST. PIUS X (1835-1914) Known as the “pope of the Eucharist,” St. Pius X was born Joseph Melchior Sarto in northern Italy. After being ordained for the Diocese of Treviso in 1858, he served in small parishes before being named diocesan chancellor and spiritual director of the seminary. Pope Leo XIII named him bishop of Mantua in 1884 and a cardinal and patriarch of Venice in 1893. He was elected pope in 1903. During his pontificate, he lowered the age for receiving first Communion, encouraged daily Communion and daily Bible reading and promoted biblical study. CNS
FAITH FUNDAMENTALS | FATHER MICHAEL VAN SLOUN
COMMENTARY
TWENTY SOMETHING | CHRISTINA CAPECCHI
Hanging art, adding beauty
When the chaos rises — the living room buzzing with four kids, piano pounding, guitar strumming, high-speed chases underway — Katie Murray’s eyes land on the “Annunciation” print framed above the couch.
It is a pivotal scene in salvation history, summed up in Mary’s upturned wrist and bowed head.
“Every time I look at it, it re-centers me,” said Murray, 39, a graphic designer who belongs to Our Lady of Good Counsel in Kansas City, Missouri. “Beauty has a way of making you pause. It lifts our hearts and minds to the eternal.”
Murray is a lifelong artist who has always worked with her hands — constructing with cardboard, building a tree house, knitting, baking. All the while, she sensed something sacred in her desire to create. “Because God is the ultimate creator, he places in us this desire to reflect his beauty by making things,” she said.
Then a two-year stint living in Europe allowed Murray to frequent museums and solidify her thinking about beautiful art: It belongs to everyone. Every home deserves the kind of art you’d see in a Paris gallery — even the young parents whose carpet has been destroyed by their children playing with viscous slime who have ruefully concluded, “We can’t have nice things.”
But Murray was surprised how hard it is to find highquality sacred art. “I wanted to make it easier for families to surround themselves with art that reflects their faith,” she said.
ALREADY/NOT YET | JONATHAN LIEDL
One night in bed, inspiration struck: create a print shop to make beautiful, faith-filled images accessible to all. It felt like a sweet spot, the intersection of her passions and talents.
Soon Murray was scouring museum websites for paintings in the public domain. She downloaded them and began to restore them digitally — smoothing scratches, removing dust, correcting color, brightening dark patches, increasing the resolution. She partnered with a printer to use archival inks on museumgrade paper, producing a lush, painterly finish.
In April, Murray officially launched Beata Home, a print shop offering “beautiful art curated for the Catholic home.” (Beata means “blessed” in Latin.) Murray’s new website, beatahome.com, offers some 350 prints. Many are religious images of biblical scenes and mysteries of the rosary. The range and depth is remarkable, with eight alone titled “The Adoration of the Shepherds;” each one is stirring.
Rounding out the collection is vintage art — the countryside dotted in pink flowering trees or cast in golden autumn light, baby goats frolicking with children, a mother braiding her daughter’s hair.
There is something at every price point. Customers can buy a digital image to download for $15; a physical print at various sizes, starting at $25 for an 8-by-10-inch print; or a print in one of seven frames, including a large ornate frame that totals $525.
Murray keeps adding to the website, usually in 10-print increments. Some saints and animals are waiting in the wings. Her wish list runs in the thousands. “There’s just so much beautiful art!” she said. “I wish I had more time.”
That yearning pulses through each of us. We work with what we have — old houses, small spaces, messy children — and we add to the beauty. We paint the walls, we hang the art, we light the candles. The entire process is an extended prayer, an exhaled “Amen.”
For Murray, a secretary desk at the foot of her bed becomes a home office. She pores over a MacBook Pro when her kids are napping or tucked in bed for the night. Sales are slowly picking up, and she’s hoping Catholics turn to Beata Home for memorable Christmas gifts.
She often cites a quote from the Catholic theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar: “Beauty claims the viewer, changes him and then sends him on a mission.”
“I want to evangelize with beauty,” she said. “The shop is my mission.”
Capecchi is a freelance writer from Grey Cloud Island.
St. John Henry Newman — the Doctor of the Heart?
With the news that St. John Henry Newman will be declared the next doctor of the Church, speculation has swirled about what, if any, “subtitle” Pope Leo XIV might bestow upon the 19th century English theologian and convert.
Doctors of the Church are saints whose teaching has profoundly illuminated some aspect of the Catholic faith. The Church will often give them a specific title to highlight their contribution or their personality.
St. Thomas Aquinas, for instance, is the Angelic Doctor, owing to the clarity and loftiness of his teaching and his purity of life. St. Cyril of Alexandria is known as the Doctor of the Incarnation for his defense against the Nestorian heresy at the Council of Ephesus. And just a few years ago, St. Irenaeus of Lyon was dubbed the Doctor of Unity by the late Pope Francis, a tribute to the second century Church father’s roots in both the East and the West.
For St. John Henry Newman, who was both a theological genius and a compelling Christian witness in his own right, the possibilities are aplenty.
Will he be dubbed the Doctor of Development, a tribute to his brilliant exposition of how the Church’s understanding of doctrine organically and faithfully deepens over time, which was enshrined at the Second Vatican Council? The Doctor of Education, for his enduring vision of Catholic higher education? Or the Courageous Doctor, a recognition of the personal and professional cost he paid for leaving the Anglican establishment to
join the Catholic Church after he became convinced it was the true Church?
All of these would certainly capture an element of St. John Henry Newman’s theological genius and/or heroic life, and, as such, would be worthwhile contenders.
But for my part, I’d name St. John Henry Newman the Doctor of the Heart.
No, not in the sense that the saint was any kind of “love doctor,” at least not how we understand that term today. Instead, I’d argue that the guiding light of his theological endeavors and his personal life, the “Ariadne’s thread” that connects it all together, was a profound attention to and understanding of the heart — which for him stood as the core of one’s personhood — in the Christian faith. This isn’t a particularly earth shattering claim. St. John Henry Newman’s personal motto, after all, was cor ad cor loquitor — or “heart speaks to heart.” He chose it because of his conviction that the truth of Christianity was most compellingly communicated not through abstract argumentation, but through the personal influence of witnesses, “who are at once the teachers and the patterns of it.”
St. John — but also historical figures like St. Augustine — played an important role in his own conversion and Christian journey. But I think it often goes underappreciated just how central this emphasis on the heart and on personal influence was to St. John Henry Newman’s entire theological project. For instance, in “Grammar of Assent,”
Without it, he writes that an academic system “is an artic (sic) winter; it will create an ice-bound, petrified, cast-iron university, and nothing else.”
Finally, St. John Henry Newman is also attentive to the importance of personal influence in the growth and development of the Church. As he writes, ‘living moments do not come of committees,’ but are made potent through the force of personal influence.
St. John Henry Newman experienced this in his own life, as heart-to-heart connections with English contemporaries like Ambrose
the saint argues that the “whole person — symbolized by the heart — needs to be involved in assenting to religious belief in order for one to “believe as if they saw.” And “the heart is commonly reached,” St. John Henry Newman wrote, “not through the reason, but through the imagination…”, because “Persons influence us, voices melt us, looks subdue us, deeds inflame us.” Likewise, in his “The Idea of a University,” St. John Henry Newman is certainly concerned with the various branches of knowledge and how they are to be taught, but he makes clear that “the personal influence of teachers upon pupils” is what makes the whole enterprise successful.
Finally, St. John Henry Newman is also attentive to the importance of personal influence in the growth and development of the Church. As he writes, “living moments do not come of committees,” but are made potent through the force of personal influence. The importance of heart speaking to heart is indeed woven throughout St. John Henry Newman’s entire theological project. And it’s a valuable insight for us to recover amid our current crisis. From AI-driven chatbots to ideological ossification, so many of us are severed from encountering the hearts of others and even our own. Rather than a source of communion with God and our neighbor, our hearts are closed off and turned inward, reduced to organs of selfpreservation and indulgence.
In the early stages of his papacy, this seems to be a primary concern of Pope Leo’s. Perhaps he’ll address it by designating St. John Henry Newman as a doctor of the Church who can help revivify our stagnant hearts.
KATIE MURRAY
COURTESY JACKIE MARKO PHOTOGRAPHY
Liedl lives in South Bend, Indiana, and is senior editor for the National Catholic Register.
Who do you say that I am?
Pope Leo XIV, our recently elected pope, has challenged us to answer the question posed by Jesus: “Who do you say that I am?” (Mt 16:15). We must answer this question in our lives and in our marriages. Our response will be reflected in how we live.
Pope Leo has reminded us that Jesus is not just a nice guy or a “superman.” He is the son of God. He is a miracle worker for those who have the faith to ask for healing or restoration and who believe in his power to heal them.
We know Jesus is to be the center of married life. He is the one who provides the means and the purpose to celebrate the Christian life as a couple, raising virtuous children. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Christ dwells with them, gives them strength to take up their crosses and so follow him, to rise again after they have fallen, to forgive one another, (and) to bear one another’s burdens” (No. 1642).
BRIDGING FAITH | DEACON MICKEY FRIESEN
Do we have the belief in Christ that is needed for our spouse and our marriage, to fulfill the expectations presented to us by the catechism? Are we ready and able to forgive any offense and allow Christ to dwell richly in us? This will require us to surrender our heart, mind and soul to him, trusting him with our lives and every situation we encounter.
This trust goes far beyond weekly Mass attendance. How could we develop a trusted relationship with anyone by spending one hour a week with them, no matter what kind of miracle worker they are? It would take years, at one hour a week, to attain the kind of trust that is needed to infuse us with the deep faith to correctly respond to the question, “Who do you say that I am?”
If we want to develop a relationship of trust with our Lord, we must invest more of our time and walk each day with him. We can begin every day with a prayer or daily Mass if we have time. If you are retired, perhaps attending Mass with your spouse during the week will provide the kind of closeness that is often longed for. Couples can tune into their favorite
Commending our spirits into God’s hands
I learned a little prayer many years ago that has become more important as time goes by. It comes from the night prayer of the Church: “Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.”
These words from Psalm 31 are meant to be a prayer for restful sleep or a prayer during uncertain times of distress. These are also the last words of Jesus as he died on the cross, and they are repeated at Catholic funerals as a prayer commending a loved one into God’s hands.
This prayer returns to me when life feels uncertain or seems to be moving beyond my reach. Every time I am on an airplane revving up for takeoff, I pray those words: “Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.” When faced with a big decision, a big question, a big need or problem that is beyond my understanding, I return to this prayer, take the next step and put the result in God’s hands. And I remember sitting
with my brother when he was dying from cancer and he asked me about death. I did not know the answer to his question, but the words of this prayer came back to me, and I shared them with him to put himself into God’s hands and to let God catch him.
I think the prayer of commending one’s life and spirit into God’s hands is a prayer of providence. It does not mean resigning or letting God do all the work for you. Rather, it means taking the next step that is just beyond our reach or control and entrusting ourselves, our spirits and the results into God’s hands no matter what comes.
In the biblical story of the feeding of 5,000, Jesus asked the disciples to feed the throng of people with woefully limited resources. It was not until they put their trust in his word and started feeding people with five loaves and two fish that the multiplication happened. This was not the last time he would ask them to step beyond their reach and trust him. I don’t think it ever gets easier to trust beyond one’s control, but it does get more familiar. Providence is like that.
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Catholic radio station and listen to the messages shared by the priests or guests who offer encouragement to live the Christian life. We can pray the rosary on our drive to work or with our spouse in the evening or on the weekend. We can listen to a podcast together in the car on a drive or to a destination and talk about the topic presented by the speaker. There are many ways to develop a trusted relationship with Jesus, so when we respond to the question, “Who do you say that I am?” we can reply correctly, as faithful Catholics. Our faith should be at the center of our lives. This requires surrendering our lives to Christ, which seems to be one of Pope Leo’s primary messages. His motto is, “In the One, we are one.” We must make a concerted effort to be faith-filled and enthusiastic in our faith journey. The invitation presented to us must be met with passion and eagerness, demonstrating a desire to express our faith as followers of Christ.
Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist emeritus and a member of St. Ambrose of Woodbury.
In 2017, I was asked to lead an effort to be more engaged with the Church in the Holy Land. I wondered how to begin. How could we grow closer in supporting the many needs? What could we do to make a difference? Ultimately, we were led to the Church in Damascus, Syria — a suffering Church in the midst of war. It is the Church that converted and baptized St. Paul. We formalized this relationship on Jan. 25, 2018, the feast of the Conversion of St. Paul. Last month, I learned from Archbishop Samir Nassar, the archbishop of Damascus, that at the time of our reaching out to Damascus with an invitation to partner together, they were losing the assistance of a previous partner who could no longer support them. He said God’s providence brought us together at that moment.
Every time we gather for Mass, we take time to announce the needs of the Church and the world. One reason we do this is our belief that where there is a need in the Church, the Holy Spirit will provide the gift. The needs of the Church and the world call forth and liberate the gifts of the Church for
the Church and the world. It’s important to lift and hold up the needs so that the gift can be shared. Sometimes, the need calls to me. It is my gift that is required. Or it is your gift that is needed. This is the way of providence. It has been said that hindsight is 20/20. Things seem clearer when we look backward, but the way forward remains cloudy. There is an African proverb that says, “To look back is the first step forward.” Providence looks back to see how God has guided and provided for us, and it can spur us forward to take a step into the dark, trusting that God is with us along the way. It does not make things easier, but it can become more familiar as we go, because we have been here before. Trusting builds trust. Hoping builds hope. Loving grows love. This is the way of providence. Let us not be afraid to commend our spirits into God’s hands and step out in faith. Let us pray and walk by faith, trusting that God provides and guides us along the way.
Deacon Friesen is director of the Center for Mission, which supports missionary outreach of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. He can be reached at friesenm@archspm.org
Why I Am Catholic
I’m the type of person who is motivated by the satisfaction of checking a completed task off a to-do list. Yet, when I ponder all the reasons I am Catholic, one that stands out to me is this: Being Catholic is never done.
On one hand, this aspect of faith is a challenge. Wouldn’t it be so much easier to believe that once I’ve accepted Jesus as my savior, I’m good to go? Wouldn’t it be so much easier to believe that the good deeds I’ve done have pre-paid my admission to heaven?
That’s not how it works. Jesus tells us to take up our crosses daily and follow him. I know that my actions cannot earn the salvation Jesus already won for me, but I also know that if I truly love him, I must choose him moment after moment, day after day, not simply check a rosary or a work of mercy off a list.
This is where the comforting aspect of “never done” comes in. Christ strengthens us through the sacraments and our faith family in his Church, and he has promised that “the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it” (Mt 16:18). I may waver in the neverending journey of carrying my cross, but Christ and his Church will always be there to lighten the load and get me back on track.
God is never done with me. Even if I turn away from him, he will never rescind my baptism and confirmation. He will never place limits on the mercy I can receive in reconciliation. When I am struggling in my prayer life, or if it’s been a while since my last confession, he is there waiting for me to come back. This part of “never done” also gives me hope for loved ones who have walked away from the Church.
The Holy Spirit works on us even when we don’t notice. Even at our most faithful, we are never done getting to know God. We cannot fathom his infinite goodness in this life. The Eucharist is the closest we can get on Earth, but even that does not compare to being in his presence in heaven. We can experience God’s love in many ways, including friendships, family life and marriage, but even the holiest and happiest of those relationships will end in death. All things come to an end, but God’s love doesn’t. He loves us so much that he never wants us to be done experiencing that love. He wants us to be with him forever in eternal life. Before we get there, Jesus asks us to continually take up our cross and follow him, and in turn tells us, “I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20). He is worth the feeling of an incomplete checklist, because he is never done with us.
Reisman, 34, is a parishioner of St. Rose of Lima in Roseville with her husband, Chip, and their two children. She participates in the parish’s homebound ministry, stewardship committee and small groups. Reisman enjoys playing softball with Catholic Softball Group, where she met Chip.
“Why I am Catholic” is an ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you are Catholic? Submit your story in 300-500 words to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with subject line “Why I am Catholic.”
Justine Reisman
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
CALENDAR
PARISH FESTIVALS
For updated information on parish festivals, please see the online parish festival guide at thecatholicspirit.com/festivals
PARISH EVENTS
St. Victoria Rummage Sale Aug. 14-15: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at St. Victoria, 8828 Victoria Drive, Victoria. Selling clothing, books, toys, shoes, garden, furniture, household, tools and miscellaneous goods. stvictoria.net
FunFest Aug. 17: 9:30 a.m-6 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament, 2119 Stillwater Ave. E., St. Paul. Pancake breakfast, Tacos de Carne Azada, corn on the cob, and other food and drink. Music, bingo, La Loteria Mexicana, Take-a-Chance, silent auction, book sale, and games for all ages. blessedscaramentsp.org
Basilica Golf Scramble Aug. 18: 10 a.m. at The Town and Country Club, 300 N. Mississippi River Blvd., St. Paul. Join Father Daniel Griffith and Basilica parishioners and friends for an afternoon of golf to support the many ministries that are part of The Basilica’s active faith community. Limited to 30 groups of four. mary.org/golf
A Summer at Father’s House/Un verano en la casa del Padre Aug. 23: 6:30-9 p.m. at St. Henry, 1001 E. Seventh St., Monticello. An outdoor concert fundraiser with food concessions available for purchase. Únase a nosotros a nuestro primer concierto musical al aire libre. sthenrycatholic. info/a-summer-at-the-father-s-house
KofC Pancake Breakfast Aug. 24: 8 a.m.-noon at St. John Vianney, 789 17th Ave. N., South St. Paul. All funds will go toward buying new winter coats for children.
WORSHIP+RETREATS
Centennial Celebration of St. Thomas More’s Sanctuary Superstructure Aug. 15: 5:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More, 1079 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Celebrating a century of faith, community and enduring legacy. Retired Bishop Richard Pates is set to preside at the centennial Mass. Memory Care Mass (formerly Dementia Friendly Mass) Aug. 21, Oct. 23, Dec. 11: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at St. Mary of the Lake, 4741 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake. A special Mass for people living with dementia, family members and their caregivers. The Mass is shorter in length and held in the chapel. Hospitality and fellowship after Mass. stmarys-wbl.org
“Fingers Crossed” Retreat for Men and Women: Presented by Father Charlie Lachowitzer Aug. 22-24: 8 p.m. Aug. 22-1 p.m. Aug. 24 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo.
Hope is not a fingers-crossed, wish-upon-aBethlehem star that nothing bad happens or something good happens. With hope, there is joy that grows and perseveres no matter the circumstances. $50 deposit, private room with bath, home-cooked meals. kingshouse.com
SPEAKERS+SEMINARS
Lumen Vero Aug. 14: 6-8 p.m. at Concord Lanes, 365 Concord Exchange N., South St. Paul. Bold Catholic men are needed now more than ever. Monthly Lumen Vero meetings feature prominent Catholic leaders who share testimonies and convictions, followed by audience Q&A. Be inspired by men on fire for Christ. No cost, just show up. lumenvero.com
OTHER EVENTS
Confirmation Classes for Persons with Disabilities Aug. 16: 9:30-11:30 a.m. at St. Richard, 7540 Penn Ave. S., Richfield. Classes are mandatory for guardians and candidates. For those who complete this second of two classes, the sacrament of confirmation will be available at the Mass for Persons with Disabilities in September. Of Distance and Time: Opening Reception Aug. 17: 3-5 p.m. at St. Paul’s Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Photographer Richard Leonard Schultz celebrates the 50th anniversary of Hmong immigration through a series of photos of Hmong elder women paired with interviews on their life experiences. Join us for an afternoon of light refreshments and talks. ofdistanceandtime.com/about ONGOING GROUPS
Widowers Coffee Group Fourth Fridays starting Aug. 22: 9:30-11 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace, 5071 Eden Ave., Edina. Widowers of Grace is a newly formed Catholic group for men who have lost their wives. Join us as we learn together how to navigate life without our loved one. Contact olgwidowers@gmail.com for more information. olgparish.org
Bridge Club Last Saturdays: 7-8:30 p.m. year-round at St. Joseph, 13015 Rockford Rd., Plymouth. All levels of players are warmly welcomed. Interested individuals can simply show up. Tables, treats and tallies are provided. For additional information, please contact Mike or Janet Malinowski 952-525-8708. stjosephparish.com/book-and-card-clubs
Calix Society First and third Sundays: 9-10:30 a.m., hosted by the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. In Assembly Hall, Lower Level. Potluck breakfast. Calix is a group of men, women, family and friends supporting the spiritual
needs of recovering Catholics with alcohol or other addictions. Questions? Call Jim at 612-383-8232 or Steve at 612-327-4370.
Career Transition Group Third Thursdays: 7:30-8:30 a.m. at Holy Name of Jesus, 155 County Road 24, Medina. The Career Transition Group hosts speakers on various topics to help people looking for a job or a change in career and to enhance job skills. The meetings also allow time for networking with others and opportunities for resume review. hnoj.org/career-transition-group
Catholic in Recovery Sundays: 7-8 p.m. at St. Mark, 2001 Dayton Ave., St. Paul. Catholic sacramental recovery and fellowship for those seeking freedom from addictions, compulsions and unhealthy attachments. We overlap Scripture reading, liturgical themes and 12-step recovery topics. Questions? Call Eileen M. at 612-483-2973. catholicinrecovery.com
Gifted and Belonging Second Fridays: 6:30-8 p.m. Aug. 8 at Harmon Park, 230 Bernard St., West St. Paul. Meet at the corner of Bidwell and Bernard. GAB in the park! Gather on the second Friday of each month this summer for Catholic fellowship with young adults with disabilities seen and unseen. giftedandbelonging@gmail.com
Natural Family Planning (NFP): Classes teach couples Church approved methods on how to achieve or postpone pregnancy while embracing the beauty of God’s gift of sexuality. For a complete list of classes offered throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, visit archspm.org/family or call 651-291-4489.
Quilters for a Cause First Fridays: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 Roselawn Ave. E., Maplewood. Join other women to make quilts to donate to local charities. Quilting experience is not necessary but basic machine skills are helpful. For more information, call the parish office: 651-771-1209. tinyurl.com/3fx64unf
Restorative Support for Victims-Survivors Monthly: 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom. Open to all victimssurvivors. Victim-survivor support group for those abused by clergy as adults first Mondays. Support group for relatives or friends of victims of clergy sexual abuse second Mondays. Victim-survivor support group third Mondays. Survivor Peace Circle third Tuesdays. Support group for men who have been sexually abused by clergy/religious fourth Wednesdays. Support group for present and former employees of faith-based institutions who have experienced abuse in any of its many forms second Thursdays. Visit archspm.org/healing or contact Paula Kaempffer, outreach coordinator for restorative justice and abuse prevention, at kaempfferp@archspm.org or 651-291-4429.
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:
Time and date of event
Full street address of event
Description of event
Contact information in case of questions
The Catholic Spirit prints calendar details as submitted.
TheCatholicSpirit.com/calendarsubmissions
Secular Franciscan Meeting of St. Leonard of Port Maurice Fraternity Third Sundays: 2:15-3:45 p.m. at St. Olaf, 215 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis. General membership meeting of Secular Franciscans who belong to the Fraternity of St. Leonard of Port Maurice. Any who are interested in living the Gospel life in the manner of St. Francis and St. Clare are welcome.
Secular Franciscan Order: St. Alphonsa Fraternity Aug. 24, Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 23, Dec. 14: Church of the Epiphany, 1900 111th Ave. NW, Coon Rapids. Membership meeting of Secular Franciscans. We welcome all who are interested in living the Gospel life to follow in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi and St. Clare. Meetings are in the Hearth Room. Contact Jean at 763-496-9369. queenofpeaceregion.org/coon-rapids-st-alphonsa Torchlight Readers: Book Study with Lay Dominicans Every other Thursday: 7:30 p.m.-midnight. Virtual meeting. Explore the Christian life through the charism of St. Dominic in a book study. For questions and the Google Meet link, contact jordanhazel3@gmail.com
Resurrection Cemetery: Mausoleum building: B1CC, QOP, Tier G, Crypt #109 for 2; Value: $30,165; Price: $28,500; Text: 612-5164003 or 952-906-9037.
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THELASTWORD
St. Paul man on 100 years in the archdiocese: ‘You cannot outdo the generosity of Christ’
By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit
Editor’s note: To mark The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ 175th anniversary, The Catholic Spirit will publish monthly stories about people and events that have shaped the local Church’s efforts to make Jesus known and loved.
Dick Clements — age 100 — can talk brick and mortar with the best of them.
Learning the plumbing, heating and supply business from the ground up in St. Paul after World War II, Clements manned a shop, was a salesman for 13 years including travels in western Minnesota selling products in small towns, and eventually was named an executive.
“When I was 38 years old, I became a minority stockholder and executive vice president in the same industry I was trained in, and I said yes. We took that company from $1 million a year in sales to 22 years later, we did $100 million in sales. We had tremendous growth.”
With that growth came deep and fruitful involvement in the community — including volunteering his expertise to the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as construction needs arose, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. A member of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul and later St. Peter in Mendota, he was a charter member of the Midway Serra Club in 1962 and the club’s second president. He was a regular retreatant and retreat captain at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House south of Stillwater.
“I was on several volunteer boards, some corporate boards, lots of committees,” Clements said. “I was asked to work on the new St. John Vianney (College) Seminary building on the (then-) College of St. Thomas campus” in St. Paul, he said.
“My responsibility was to select the architect, general contractor, the subcontractors, set the budget and see the project through to completion. I was the owners’ representative. That project turned out very well,” said Clements, who was chairman of the building committee in the early 1980s.
That led to building new residence hall and administration buildings at The St. Paul Seminary nearby, and to putting new roofs on the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis and the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.
“The Basilica is a historic building, where everything had to be done by historic preservation rules,” Clements said. “It turned out to be a huge success. ... With that job complete, the same team went to the Cathedral of St. Paul and put a roof on that building.”
Clements shared aspects of his life with The Catholic Spirit on Aug. 7, seated in his room in another building he helped bring to fruition: Cerenity Marian Senior Care in St. Paul.
Yet for all his success as a businessman and his generosity to the community, what Clements first shared and what continues to drive him is his love for Christ and the Church.
“Two years old, I learned my first prayer,” Clements said. “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.
“I remember at 5 years old, I was told to know, love and serve God in this world and I would be happy in the next.”
FRIENDSHIP WITH ARCHBISHOP ROACH
As Dick Clements helped found the Midway Serra Club in St. Paul, a young Irish priest was assigned as its chaplain: Father John Roach. The two men struck up a friendship that continued through Father Roach’s appointment as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1971 and as archbishop in 1975.
“We went on vacations together, like lots of them,” Clements recalled.
“I would go to his house, and he would come to my house. He was my golfing buddy for 30 years and my tennis partner. It was during this time that I picked up a tremendous respect and admiration for the priesthood that is still with me today. When I see a Roman collar, I just light up.”
“Of all the titles that Archbishop Roach had, he loved being a Catholic priest the most, and his five-minute homilies were poignant,” Clements said.
As a student at then-Cretin High School in St. Paul, Clements said, he joined his classmates in saying this prayer five times each day: Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God. That prayer and the Christian values taught at Cretin stuck with him.
Born in St. Paul on Sept. 1, 1924, one of seven children to Joe and Eileen Clements, Dick Clements lived through the Great Depression. His father was a building contractor who lost everything. He moved the family to Seattle to be with relatives.
That didn’t work out, and after a year the Clements family moved back to St. Paul, where Dick Clements attended Groveland Park Elementary School and hoped to attend Cretin High School because it offered a Catholic education.
Tuition was $7.50 a month. With seven
FIRST MEETING ARCHBISHOP HEBDA
Dick Clements said he lived for a few years in Naples, Florida, after his wife died. When he returned to St. Paul, he asked to meet with Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
“So, he came out from his desk and sat next to me,” Clements said. “We talked for about 20 minutes and he said, ‘Why did you come in here?’
“‘I want to get to know you,’ I said. ‘I want to know who the guy is behind the collar.’ He said, ‘Nobody ever asked me that before.’
That’s how we became friends.”
Describing the archbishop, Clements said, “His vitality and his drive (are) very good. We need that. That young energy and drive.”
children, the family couldn’t afford it.
“So, I got a job delivering papers,” Clements said. “I got up at 5:30 every morning for four years, rain or shine, and carried papers (for two routes). And then I’d put on my uniform, go to school and come home.”
He graduated in 1943.
He went into the plumbing, heating and supply business; married his wife of 67 years, Vivian; and they had five children — Susan, Sally, Dick (who died of lupus in 1983), Tom and Paula. Each has been recognized for charitable work, and they have been loving and helpful to him as he has grown older, Clements said.
“I only have five trophies in my life that are meaningful to me,” he said. “They are my children.”
His wife died 14 years ago. “There was
a tremendous void (after) losing my wife,” Clements said. “She was my buddy and best friend. I couldn’t understand why God would do that to me.”
But in time, the prayer he learned at Cretin High School when he was 13 years old, tried to live by and taught his family, came back to him, Clements said. He found himself repeating it four or five times a day. Let us remember we are in the holy presence of God.
“I was taking that to heart,” he said. “And God came in and filled that vacuum. And that’s where I am today. My goal is to live in the presence of God. I want to be conscious of everything I do, every move I make, I want God with me.”
“In three weeks, I will be 101 years old, and I am at peace.”
MICHAEL PYTLESKI | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Dick Clements discusses his work and faith life in his room at Cerenity Marian Care Center in St. Paul.
COURTESY PAULA CLEMENTS Clements and his late wife, Vivian, during one of two private visits with St. John Paul II at the Vatican, review a brochure produced during the building of St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul.
