Holy Family Area Catholic Community Newsletter — November 2021

ST. JA M E S

ST. ANDRE W

ST. J OS E PH

Holy Family Area CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

STEUBENVILLE YOUTH CONFERENCE:

An Impactful Faith Experience for Our Young Parishioners

I

f a weekend filled with Mass, adoration, praise and worship, engaging speakers, and good friends sounds life-changing, Nicole Rillo can confirm that it most certainly is. This summer, 10 students from Holy Family Area made the trip to the Steubenville Youth Conference in Rochester. Nicole, a parishioner at St. Andrew, was one of the attendees and she found the conference deeply impactful.

“My experience at Steubenville changed my life,” she says. “I can’t wait to go next year.”

Nicole and her fellow students got to know each other on the four-hour trip to the conference. She recalls that she was a little nervous at first, as this was her first time going to a Steubenville conference.

“I didn’t really know what to expect,” Nicole says.

“But once we arrived, I no longer felt nervous and I felt like I was meant to be there.”

Each day of the conference was filled with Mass, opportunities to receive the sacraments, and talks by some dynamic speakers, as well as some downtime for rest and reflection. Some of the talks were separated for the men and women. There was also small-group time so that Nicole had a chance to discuss the talks

(From left) Hayley Voller, Nicole Rillo, Marienau Huseby and April Roelike

she had attended with her peers.

For Nicole, the most memorable and impactful part of the conference was adoration. On Saturday night, everyone came together to adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. Adoration was accompanied by a praise and worship band. Nicole remembers singing along to

NOVEMBER 2021

continued on page 5

1

Teaching Our Children the

TRUE MEANING OF STEWARDSHIP

W

hat is your response when someone compliments your child’s achievements in art, music, or sports? Do you say “thank you” as a kind response, or do you thank God for granting your child the gifts necessary for success?

As parents, we serve as the primary educators of our children. Teaching them from a young age that their talents — whether in soccer, chorus or painting — come not from us, but from God, is essential to teaching stewardship. God graciously grants each of us unique skills and abilities, and it is our job to use those gifts to glorify Him. As parents, aunts, uncles, or older siblings, we can guide children in our lives to recognize their God-given gifts. We can further encourage children to use God’s gifts to their full potential, and then thank Him for bestowing them. This teaches young Catholics how to be good stewards. Indeed, not utilizing our talents brings to mind the parable of the servant who buries the treasure his master gives him, instead of using it to create more treasure. God wants us to use our talents wisely and thankfully.

Teaching children to utilize their talents to build God’s kingdom is only one step of the threefold stewardship message. How your children spend their time is also important. As we move through the hustle and bustle of our day — balancing school, chores, and extracurricular activities — do we find time to spend with God? It often seems as if 24 hours is not long enough to fulfill our many daily tasks.

So, how can we find the time to teach and demonstrate the importance of sharing our time with God? Simple time offerings include praying on the way to school, stopping by the church to pray for a friend in need, or thanking God for a good outcome on a test.

Even learning about a saint over dinner and praying as a family before bedtime can be a valuable time offering to the Lord.

As parents, finding daily prayer time ourselves is also necessary, both for our roles as good stewards and as an example to our children. How wonderful for a child to witness their parent in quiet prayer devotion!

The third tier of stewardship — treasure — is most frequently overlooked when educating our children. Birthday money from Grandma and allowance money doesn’t count — or does it?

All gifts we receive are really from God, and the “first fruits” of those gifts should be generously returned to God — even if they come from Grandma.

Starting as early as grade school, children can understand the concept of giving back to the all-giving God if we simply take the opportunity to teach it to them. Witnessing our weekly tithe is a great start, but encouraging them to give in their own children’s offertory envelope is also important. Knowing they are returning to God in thanksgiving will fill them with joy!

Of the many lessons parents instill in their children, teaching them to be good stewards should be a top priority. Our goal as parents is to get our children to heaven to be with our creator, God. Teaching them to be good stewards is a great way to ensure entry.

Of the many lessons parents instill in their children, teaching them to be good stewards should be a top priority. Our goal as parents is to get our children to heaven to be with our creator, God. Teaching them to be good stewards is a great way to ensure entry.

2

2

A Letter From Our Pastor

GIVING THANKS TO GOD FOR THE My Dear Friends in Christ,

T

he next several weeks are certainly a busy time for us as Catholics, good stewards, good citizens, and faithful members of the Church and our parish. There are celebrations and commemorations both inside and outside the Church that are momentous in terms of faith, citizenship, and living as people of thanksgiving and gratitude.

We celebrate Veterans Day to honor and thank all those men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces in one capacity or another. Indicative of the importance of this day, every year at 11 a.m. Eastern, the President of the United States lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

We all understand that Americans celebrate a day of Thanksgiving on Nov. 25. What more can we say about this? It is a day that was based in faith from its very beginnings, and it is an indication of how much we have to thank God for in terms of the gifts we have received — our lives, our families, our Church, our Lord and Savior — everything we are and everything we have.

No sooner are Thanksgiving Day celebrations concluded, than we begin that glorious season called Advent on Sunday, Nov. 28. This prepares us for and leads to Christmas. Indeed, this is both a busy and

Gift of Time

extraordinary time of year! There is, of course, much more on which we could focus and about which we could think, meditate and pray, but that is more than enough for us to consider and absorb.

From a stewardship perspective, I would like you to not only participate and focus on all the particular things that are about to happen, but also on one of our special gifts — the gift of time. The gift of time, which we all receive from God in equal amount, is precious because it is a non-renewable resource. Although some of our time is committed because of family responsibilities, work responsibilities or simply personal needs, we have an element of freewill with how we spend a certain amount of it. We need to spend some of that time in prayer, in thanksgiving, in worship, and in works of mercy and ministry. Our time is perhaps more precious than any material gifts we receive from the Lord. How are we doing with that gift?

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Fr. Paul Timmerman, Pastor

3 3

ST. JA MES PA RISH

ALLAN SCH

W

Ca r r y i ng th e Torch o f Fait

hen Allan Schacherer was a young child, our Lord in the Eucharist came to his home in a remarkable way — one that left an unforgettable impression on his heart and soul.

“My parents, Wayne and Gertrude, had Mass in their home for a couple of years in the early 1940s,” Allan says. “Soon after that, my grandfather, Albert, was instrumental in obtaining the new parish building on the north side of town, which is now St. James Parish. It was finally finished in 1956.”

Looking back, he remembers how hard our parishioners worked to build up the church community.

“They all worked very hard together to make the new parish a success and keep it going,” he says. “It took the dedication of many parishioners, and my family was quite involved. The sod for our new parish came from my grandfather’s land and the landscaping of the parish lawn was done by the parishioners.

In the early days, we hosted chicken dinners to raise funds for our parish, and for many years, we have held a fall festival as well. We have always been a

close parish that did many things together.”

Over the years, he has enjoyed watching our parish community flourish and become what it is today.

“St. James has really grown over time, and now we are growing in numbers as well, with outsiders coming in and babies being born,” Allan says. “We have the youngest congregation of the tri-parish cluster. It is really nice to have so many children and young people around. They really need each other.”

Looking back, Allan sees how extraordinary the devotion of his family really was, and how much their Catholic faith meant to them.

“To them, everything revolved around their faith in God,” he says. “They were involved in all of the parish activities, and they were always helping out however they could. My mother took care of the church linens and surplices, and I served Mass from the time I was about 12 years old until I got married.”

Allan and his wife, Donna, have six sons, 15 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Following in the noble footsteps of his forefathers, Allan

The Allan and Donna Schacherer family

4

4

HIO NER PROFI L E

HACHERER:

th Across the Genera ti ons has sought to bring the Catholic faith to his family.

One of his grandsons, Travis Schacherer, is a generous, active member of our parish community. With Allan’s full support, Donna converted from Lutheranism and taught religion at St. James for about six years.

Looking forward, Allan has a beautiful vision for the parish family — one we may all seek to embrace.

“I hope we can continue growing as a vibrant parish community,” he says. “I even have hopes that more men will become priests so that we can have more clergy to serve our parishes. We have so many young families at St. James Parish in particular, and this gives me a lot of trust that we can carry on as a parish and not have to close down. The number of family farms is dwindling, so the number of Catholics in rural areas is also dwindling. However, I am thankful that our area is very industrious, which helps us keep families living here. This is needed to keep a parish up and going.”

Allan and Donna Schacherer with their sons

THE STEUBENVILLE YOUTH CONFERENCE continued from front cover

the praise and worship music with her friends.

“I felt so close to God,” Nicole says. “The only thing that mattered was God and I will never forget how I felt.”

The Steubenville Youth Conference definitely packed a lot of formation into a short amount of time.

Nicole came out of it with new friends and a deeper relationship with God. “After the conference, it was a little bit tricky to go back to the ‘real world,’” Nicole says. “During the

conference, it felt like God’s own world. My faith has definitely gotten stronger and now I have amazing friends — we keep each other accountable to our prayer life.”

Nicole is already looking forward to the conference next year and would encourage other students to go.

“It makes your relationship with God so much stronger,” Nicole says. “That’s the most important thing you could ever do.”

Next year’s Steubenville Youth Conference will be held on July 23-25. Students in eighth through 12th grades and young adults are invited to attend. For more information, please contact Ann Voller at areaffcoordinator@holyfamilyarea.org.

5 5

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne:

“T HE WOMAN W H O A LWAYS P R AYS ” On Nov. 18, we celebrate the feast day of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. During her long life of service, she confronted many hardships, and played an important role in bringing the Catholic faith to the new American frontier. Her endless devotion to prayer and lifelong desire to help those in need provides us with a beautiful example of stewardship and faith in the face of great adversity.

B

6

6

orn on Aug. 29, 1769 in Grenoble, France, to a prominent lawyer, the young Philippine was educated by tutors and her own mother, as well as by the Visitation nuns in Grenoble. By 1788, the 19-yearold Philippine had become completely devoted to the Catholic faith, and she joined the Convent of the Visitation — by some accounts, against her family’s wishes.

However, by 1792, the convent was closed due to the Reign of Terror during the French Revolution — an era that witnessed the outlawing of all religious organization in France. While no longer a member of a convent, Philippine remained fully active in providing service and ministering to those in need — even selflessly putting herself at great risk by helping to hide priests from the Revolutionaries.

By the time the Reign of Terror ended and the Concordat between Napoleon and Pope Pius VII was signed in 1801, Philippine attempted to restart the convent, but without success. However, in 1804, she learned of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and with several of her companions, became a novice in the Society. By 1815, Philippine was elected secretary general of the Society, but had already expressed a strong desire to minister outside of France and Europe.

Such an opportunity was presented just three years later, as Bishop William Dubourg requested missionaries at his large diocese in Louisiana. Philippine, along with a group of four companions, sailed to New Orleans in May 1818. By that September, Philippine and her companions had opened the first free school for girls located west of the Mississippi.

While Philippine found great difficulty adjusting to an unfamiliar culture in what was still largely uncharted North American territory, she nevertheless continued to oversee several struggling convents. And despite her uneasiness

with the language and culture, Philippine worked to maintain a unified spirit within the Society as it spread throughout the new American territory.

By the early 1840s, Philippine decided to join her companions in the Society at a reservation of the Potawatomi nation, in Sugar Creek, Kan. A major influence on this decision was Philippine’s disgust with the treatment of the native people on behalf of the American government. She felt that by serving the reservation, she could concentrate on ministry and prayer in a setting far removed from European influence.

Unfortunately, Philippine’s health had already begun to fail, and at Sugar Creek she could do little more than continually pray in the reservation chapel. Nevertheless, her strong faith and spirit profoundly moved the Potawatomi people, and they affectionately referred to her as Kwahkahkanumad, or “the woman who always prays.”

As her health continued to deteriorate, Philippine was soon recalled from Sugar Creek. She would spend the final 10 years of her life quietly working to spread the Catholic faith throughout North America. Philippine died on Nov. 18, 1852. Her companion, Anna du Rousier, was by her side at her death. Anna would carry the mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus into South America, assuring that Philippine’s faithful devotion to ministry and prayer would continue to inspire and influence long after her passing.

In recognition of Philippine’s contributions to the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as well as to the spread of the Catholic faith in North America, she was beatified on May 12, 1940. And on July 3, 1988, St. Rose Philippine Duchesne was canonized.

F

MEET THE GODFREY FAMILY: St . Joesph’s Parishioners Making Family Prayer a Habit

or years, St. Joseph’s parishioner Asha Godfrey has listened to Real Presence Radio, a Catholic radio station. She heard stories of people praying a daily Rosary and the blessings they received as a result. After Asha watched the movie PRAY: The Story of Patrick Peyton, she knew it was time to start a daily Rosary with her husband, Dan, and their family — Henry, 11; Madeleine, 8; and Isabelle, 6.

“We started praying a daily Rosary as a New Year’s resolution on Jan. 4, 2021,” Asha says. “We still pray it every day! I am happy to say we even made it through the summer.”

For the Godfrey family, the daily Rosary has become a habit. Asha is so proud they have continued this devotion, sometimes replacing the Rosary with the Divine Mercy Chaplet, if they are busy.

In addition, a few years ago, Asha began doing a daily devotional based on the writings of Saint Pope John Paul II. She started to share it with the kids as they waited for the school bus. They continue the tradition during the school year, now using various other short devotionals.

“It’s just making time for it,” Asha says.

“It’s a great way to start the day with the kids.

It has never been perfect. It can be messy. But, eventually, it becomes a habit like brushing your teeth.”

Asha admits the kids can be antsy at times during prayer and the devotionals, but she tries to set an example of being quiet and peaceful.

The benefits of these daily prayers are so rewarding to Dan and Asha, whether it’s watching Henry lead the prayers or Isabelle learn the proper order of the Rosary. The family also has a habit of praying before bed and at mealtime.

“I can’t tell everyone why they should start praying daily, because their fruits will be different from mine,” Asha says. “You just have to continued on back cover

The Godfrey family — Dan and Asha with Henry, Isabelle and Madeleine

7 7

512 Black Oak Ave. Montevideo, MN 56265

www.holyfamilyarea.org

MASS TIMES: Sunday 8:30 a.m. — St. James, Dawson 10:30 a.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo Tuesday 5 p.m. - St. Andrew, Granite Falls Wednesday 5 p.m. — St. James, Dawson

Thursday 5:30 p.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo Friday 10 a.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls

Saturday 5 p.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls 7:00 p.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo in Spanish

CONFESSION TIMES: 30 minutes before daily Mass Sunday 8 a.m. — St. James, Dawson

8

Saturday 9:30 - 10 a.m. — St. Joseph, Montevideo 4:15 - 4:50 p.m. — St. Andrew, Granite Falls

THE GODFREY FAMILY continued from page 7

start and you will find out for yourself.”

Asha finds real peace and joy in their daily prayer routines, and adding this to their lives has blessed her in so many ways.

Along with daily prayer, Asha serves on the St. Joseph’s Administrative Council. She also teaches ninth-grade Faith Formation class, and she takes the lead on the Fall Festival Silent Auction.

“I like being crafty and taking photos, so this is good,” Asha says. “It’s something I enjoy.”

Henry will also start as an altar server, and Isabelle and Madeleine participated in the May Mary Coronation, as well.

Asha works as a home care registered nurse and Dan works in the auto body repair field. The couple moved back to the area from Texas about five years ago. They love being a part of the St. Joseph’s community and raising their children around where they both grew up.

“I can’t tell everyone why they should start praying daily, because their fruits will be

different from mine. You just have to start and you will find out for yourself.” — Asha Godfrey

NOVEMBER 2021