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Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
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Participate in hy re ou fraid Pope Francis Delivers Urbi et Orbi Blessing an Outbreak of Kindness On Friday, March 27, Pope Francis delivered an Urbi et Orbi address and blessing from an empty St. Peter's Square. Urbi et Orbi comes from a Latin phrase meaning "to the city [of Rome] and to the world." It is reserved for the most solemn of occasions, such as Easter, Christmas, or the election of a new pope. In this case, it was delivered amid the coronavirus pandemic that has swept the world. The full text of Pope Francis' address, reprinted from Vatican News, appears below.
By SUSAN WINDLEY-DAOUST
…[T]he fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22–23)
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hristian friends, time to saint up. We’re bringing an outbreak of kindness. •
Vatican Media
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hen evening had come” (Mk 4:35). The Gospel pas“ sage we have just heard begins like this. For weeks now it has been evening. Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets and our cities; it has taken over our lives, filling everything with a deafening silence and a distressing void, that stops everything as it passes by; we feel it in the air, we notice in people’s gestures, their glances give them away. We find ourselves afraid and lost. Like the disciples in the Gospel we were caught off guard by an unexpected, turbulent storm. We have realized that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us called to row together, each of us in need of comforting the other. On this boat… are all of us. Just like those disciples, who spoke anxiously with one voice, saying “We are perishing” (v. 38), so we too have
realized that we cannot go on thinking of ourselves, but only together can we do this. It is easy to recognize ourselves in this story. What is harder to understand is Jesus’ attitude. While his disciples are quite naturally alarmed and desperate, he stands in the stern, in the part of the boat that sinks first. And what does he do? In spite of the tempest, he sleeps on soundly, trusting in the Father; this is the only time in the Gospels we see Jesus sleeping. When he wakes up, after calming the wind and the waters, he turns to the disciples in a reproaching voice: “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” (v. 40). Let us try to understand. In what does the lack of the disciples’ faith consist, as contrasted with Jesus’ trust? They had not stopped believing in him; in fact,
Urbi et Orbi, cont'd on pg. 17
When all the world is fear, we need to lean on the perfect love that casts it out. (1 John 4:18)
• When all the world is anxiety, we need to be the hands and feet of the Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) •
When all the world thinks illness and death is the end, we need to embody hope for the journey to the other side of this. (Jeremiah 29:11)
And when people are fighting over toilet paper, we need to incarnate kindness. The only way to spiritually overcome in this time of Covid-19 is to blast the world with the kindness we can only draw from the Holy Spirit. This is our mission right now. Kindness is the antidote to every person tightly wound and trapped in their
Kindness, cont'd on pg. 7
INSIDE this issue
Walking Toward the New Evangelization
page 4
April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month page 10
...Choose Hope! page 13
The Courier Insider
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USCCB President Releases Holy Week Message from usccb.org
...Don't Let Cell Phones Distract You..._____6
Stewards Find Hope in the Cross___________12 ...Choose Hope!___________________________13 Archbishop José Gomez
which will be livestreamed over the internet at 9 a.m. on the West Coast and 12 noon on the East Coast. Let us join as one family of God here in the United States in asking our Lord for his mercy. The Holy Father has granted a special plenary indulgence to those who pray for an end to this pandemic. To receive this indulgence, you need to pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart on Good Friday, be truly sorry for your sins and desire to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation as soon as it is possible, and you need to pray for the intentions of the Pope. In the heart of Jesus, pierced as he hung on the cross on Good Friday, we see the love of God for humanity, his love for each one of us. This Holy Week will be different. Our churches may be closed, but Christ is not quarantined and his Gospel is not in chains. Our Lord’s heart remains open to every man and woman. Even though we cannot worship together, each of us can seek him in the tabernacles of our own hearts. Because he loves us, and because his love can never change, we should not be afraid, even in this time of trial and testing. In these mysteries that we remember this week, let us renew our faith in his love. And let us ask our Blessed Mother Mary to intercede for us, that he might deliver us from every evil and grant us peace in our day.
Telephone: 507-858-1257 Fax:507-454-8106 E-mail: nreller@dowr.org Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
A Prayer for Protection___________________6
...National Child Abuse Prevention Month___10
Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Publisher Matt Willkom, Editor Nick Reller, Associate Editor
(ISSN 0744-5490)
'Pray Without Ceasing'______________________5
Catholic Schools Updates___________________8
The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 111 - 4
10th of the month prior.
Walking Toward the New Evangelization______4
...Church's Pro-Life Message...________________7
WASHINGTON, April 3, 2020 – Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has issued the following statement for Holy Week:
Future generations will look back on this as the long Lent of 2020, a time when disease and death suddenly darkened the whole earth. As we enter into Holy Week, these most sacred days of the year, Catholics across the United States and the world are living under quarantine, our societies shut down by the coronavirus pandemic. But we know that our Redeemer lives. Even in this extraordinary and challenging moment, we give thanks for what Jesus Christ has done for us by his life, death, and resurrection. Even now, we marvel at the beautiful mystery of our salvation, how precious each one of us is in the eyes of God. These are times almost without precedent in the long history of the Church. In the face of this worldwide contagion, bishops here and in almost every country have been forced to temporarily suspend public worship and celebration of the sacraments. My brother bishops and I are painfully aware that many of our Catholic people are troubled and hurt by the loss of the Eucharist and the consolation of the sacraments. This is a bitter affliction that we all feel deeply. We ache with our people and we long for the day when we can be reunited around the altar of the Lord to celebrate the sacred mysteries. In this difficult moment, we ask God for his grace, that we might bear this burden together with patience and charity, united as one family of God in his universal Church. On Good Friday, on behalf of the bishops in the United States, I will pray the Litany of the Sacred Heart of Jesus for an end to the coronavirus pandemic. I ask you to join me in this prayer,. . .
Articles of Interest
A Time for Choosing in Politics_________14 Diocesan Headlines_______________________15
The Holy Father's Intention for
April 2020
Freedom from Addiction We pray that those suffering from addiction may be helped and accompanied. Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following appointments: Civil Corporation Mr. Tim McManimon: reappointed to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Civil Corporation Board of Directors for a twoyear term, effective March 15, 2020.
Where to Find the Courier Note: During the suspension of public Masses as a precaution against the spread of the coronavirus, the Courier will only be published online (option 2). •
Hard copies of the Courier are available in the churches of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester at the first weekend Masses of each month.
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An online version may be viewed at www.dowr.org /offices/ courier/index.html
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To be added to the home delivery list, readers should send their names and addresses to:
Minnesota Catholic Conference Sr. Agnes Mary Graves, RSM: reappointed to the Minnesota Catholic Conference Life, Family and Healthcare Committee for a threeyear term, effective June 1, 2020.
Child Abuse Policy Information The Diocese of Winona-Rochester will provide a prompt, appropriate and compassionate response to reporters of sexual abuse of a child by any diocesan agent (employees, volunteers, vendors, religious or clergy). Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should call the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 507454-2270, Extension 255. A caller will be asked to provide his or her name and telephone number. Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is committed to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries. The diocesan policy is available on the diocesan web site at www.dow. org under the Safe Environment Program. If you have any questions about the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Mary Hamann at 507-858-1244, or mhamann@dowr.org.
Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 55 W Sanborn St. Winona, MN 55987 or nreller@dowr.org
Stay Connected COVID-19
As you all are very much aware, our entire world is in the midst of the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic. Since appearing in China just a few months ago, this virus has spread rapidly, traveling throughout Asia, heavily hitting Italy and other parts of Europe, and now it has infected people throughout North America and all of the United States. It is a sobering time, as we face the effects of this new and unprecedented health crisis. At this time when our lives are being turned upside down, it is easy for us to become overwhelmed with fear and anxiety. Business and facilities in our community are closed, people are self-quarantining and / or working from home, schools and universities are using distance-learning, and we all are forced to adjust to a new normal. In addition to the frequent and sudden changes of daily life, there is
Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn Bishop's Calendar
All of Bishop Quinn's Holy Week liturgies will be celebrated privately. You can access the liturgies at the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Weekly Mass webpage (www.dowr.org/about/weeklymass.html) where the links for viewing the live-stream will be posted for Facebook and YouTube. April 5, Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord - Mass to be live-streamed
remembered in their private Masses during this difficult time, and they are eager to be of service to you, even though their ministry may look a little different for the time being. Please know that I also will be keeping all of the faithful of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester in my prayers and private Masses these next months, especially as I privately celebrate the Eucharist every day. May the Lord draw us all close to His Sacred Heart during these trying times. Throughout these days without Mass and communal worship, it is important to continue to make time for the Lord in prayer, and to reach out to those in our community, especially those who may be particularly isolated and lonely. Both the diocese and parishes are working to provide resources and aids for prayer, and on the diocesan website you can find the DOW-R TV Mass, along with the viewing schedule for communities in southern Minnesota. Additionally, there are many other spiritual resources to help you stay connected to our Triune God and our Catholic Faith, in these times of social distancing. Even though all the faithful are dispensed from their obligation to attend Mass on Sundays, we are still obliged to keep holy the Sabbath, as best as we are able. One way to do this is by watching the TV Mass and making a spiritual communion, uniting yourself spiritually in prayer to Our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament. Sunday is also an excellent time for reading Scripture, praying the rosary, or reading about some aspect of our faith. It may help to set aside a corner in your home that is devoted to prayer, and furnish it with a table and a few items that will help you to focus on the Lord. You might include a crucifix, small statue or
April 6, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach Theology 380 over Zoom video conference 7 p.m. - Chrism Mass - live-streamed April 9, Holy Thursday 9:30 a.m. - Telephone guest speaker on Real Presence Catholic Radio 970AM 7 p.m. - Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper - live-streamed April 10, Good Friday 12 p.m. – Liturgy of the Passion of the Lord - live-streamed
image of a saint or Our Lord, a rosary, candle, or Bible. This will help create a prayerful space and atmosphere, for praying at home. Our worship may be more solitary and different than what we are used to, but it is in times of great suffering and trial that our Triune God pours down tremendous graces, and Our Lord continually invites us to turn to Him in hope and faith.
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I know many of you have questions about how the on-going suspension of Mass, shelter-in-place order, and other COVID-19 response measures are affecting the Church. To help people stay informed, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester has created a special section on its website, solely devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic. You will see a red banner across the top of our website, which will take you directly to this page. Once there, you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions that is regularly being updated; statements and communications from the Vatican, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and myself; and links to other information related to the current pandemic. If you have any questions you would like to see answered, please feel free to submit them to diocese@ dowr.org or 507-454-4643. Even though our diocesan offices are currently closed, employees are working from home and available by email, and also checking voicemail regularly.
parishioners, despite not being able to gather in-person for Mass and other activities. During this time when I am unable to travel around the diocese and visit with the faithful in person, I have been recording S c r i p t u r e reflections, to provide messages of hope based on the daily readings, in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. These reflections, and also the Stations of the Cross, can be found on the Weekly Mass page of our website, and on Facebook. In addition, even though the Holy Week Liturgies will not be open to the public this year, I will still privately celebrate Mass on Palm Sunday, the Chrism Mass on Monday of Holy Week, the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the Passion of Our Lord on Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Mass on Easter Morning. All of these liturgies will take place at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, and will be live-streamed so that the faithful can spiritually be present to these sacred liturgies that are so central to our life of faith. We are blessed in this day and age to have technology that provides ways to stay connected with each other, despite our inability to be together in person. Please know that you will all be in my prayers during this sacred time. Blessed are you.
In the news, you hear of many ways that priests and parishes are finding innovative ways to stay connected with their
Most Rev. John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona-Rochester
Information and Resources
Staying Connected
From the Bishop
�ear Friends in Christ,
the constant uncertainty of what will be coming next. I realize that for many of you, the hardest change brought about by the coronavirus pandemic, is the fact that public Masses have been suspended throughout the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, and in fact throughout the entire United States. The Eucharist is the Source and Summit of our lives as Catholics, so to not have Mass available to the faithful is an extremely difficult reality. The decision to suspend public Masses was perhaps the hardest decision of my life, certainly as a bishop. I know so many of you have a deep faith that is lived out by attending not only Sunday Mass, but also daily Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. It was with a very heavy heart that I chose to suspend public Mass for eight weeks, which includes the most solemn and important feast days of our liturgical year, Holy Week and the Sacred Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. As the celebration of the Lord’s Resurrection, Easter is the highpoint of the year for Christians. During this time, despite the suspension of public Masses, churches may be open for prayer, and priests will still be available for the Sacrament of Penance and Anointing of the Sick, but only on an individual basis and not in situations that would involve large numbers of people, such as communal Reconciliation services or anointing Masses. Our priests are still here for you, even though they will not be offering Mass publicly, so please do not hesitate to contact them or your parish office for any requests for Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Viaticum, or other pastoral or sacramental needs. Know that they will be keeping you in prayer and you will be
Sincerely in Christ,
April 11, Holy Saturday 8 p.m. - Solemn Easter Vigil Mass - livestreamed
April 22, Wednesday 11 a.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee conference call
April 12, Easter Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Solemn Easter Mass - livestreamed
April 27, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach Theology 380 over Zoom video conference
April 20, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach Theology 380 over Zoom video conference
April 30, Thursday 9:30 a.m. - Private Holy Hour 10:30 a.m. - College of Consultors conference call April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Missionary Discipleship
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Walking Toward the New Evangelization �he
Integral System of New Evangelization, known internationally with the initials SINE, reaches the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, with the arrival of the Colombian priests from the Diocese of Garzón, Huila, Colombia. The SINE was born from the invitation that Pope Saint John Paul II made when he invited the Church in one of his speeches to evangelize with new methods to reach the most distant. This is the main objective of SINE, to reach those far from the Church through steps of discernment and perseverance as good apostles and disciples of the Lord. It starts with: 1. Seedbed: Where a series of themes are taught, which invite conversion, raising a desire to turn our gaze to the Lord.
2. Kerygmatic retreat: At the end of the catechesis of discernment and motivation to be part of SINE, comes the Kerygmatic retreat, called the first announcement; this retreat should be held over a weekend. 3. Remain and Persevere: After the kerygmatic retreat, a series of catechesis arrives that will strengthen the group's theological and biblical base.
4. Eucharistic Retreat: At the end of the Staying and Persevering stage, the Eucharistic retreat is lived, where at the conclusion of this experience of Jesus the Eucharist, Small Communities are formed - groups of 12 people, imitating the first community of the 12 apostles.
5. Small Communities: The Evangelized continue walking in their small community, they choose the name of a saint for their small community that will identify them.
Susan Windley-Daoust
Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org
There is a series of training brochures or brochures that must be followed; these catechesis have theological, biblical, moral and pastoral content. In the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, the parishes of St. James in St. James and St. Mary in Worthington are living the SINE experience. May this invitation that the Church makes through the pastors to attract those most distant from God, be an opportunity to enrich the pastoral care of the diocese and therefore of its parishes. May we all have "evangelized and evangelizing communities!"
¡Caminando hacia la nueva evangelización! �l Sistema Integral de Nueva Evangelización, cono-
cido a nivel internacional con las siglas “SINE” llega a la diócesis de Winona – Rochester, con el arribo de los sacerdotes colombianos de la diócesis de Garzón, Huila, Colombia. El “SINE” nace de la Invitación que hiciera, EL Papa San Juan Pablo II, cuando invito en uno de sus discursos a la iglesia a evangelizar con nuevos métodos para llegar a los más alejados. Este es el objetivo principal del SINE, llegar a los alejados de la Iglesia a través de unos pasos de discernimiento y perseverancia como buenos apóstoles y discípulos del Señor. Se Inicia con: 1. Semillero: Donde se imparte una serie de temas, que invitan a la conversión suscitando un deseo de volver la mirada al Señor.
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
2. Retiro kerigmático: Al terminar las catequesis de discernimiento y motivación para hacer parte del SINE, llega el retiro Kerigmático, llamado el primer anuncio; este retiro debe impartirse durante un fin de semana.
3. Permanecer y Perseverar: Terminado el retiro kerigmático, llegan una serie de catequesis que fortalecerá al grupo su base teológica y bíblica. 4. Retiro Eucarístico: Al finalizar la etapa de la Permanecer y Perseverar, se vive el retiro Eucarístico, donde al concluir esta experiencia de Jesús Eucaristía, se lanzan las pequeñas
comunidades, grupos de 12 personas, imitando la primera comunidad, que fue la de los 12 apóstoles.
5. Pequeñas comunidades: Los Evangelizados, siguen caminado en su pequeña comunidad, ellos escogen el nombre de un santo para su pequeña comunidad que los va a identificar.
Hay una serie de cartillas o folletos de formación que deben seguir, estas catequesis tiene contenido teológico, bíblico, moral y pastoral. En la diócesis de Winona – Rochester, las parroquias de Santiago Apóstol en St. James y en la parroquia de “Santa María” en Worthington, están viviendo la experiencia del SINE. Que esta invitación que hace la iglesia a través de sus pastores de atraer a los más alejados de Dios, sea una oportunidad para enriquecer la pastoral de la diócesis y por ende de su parroquias. Que todos podamos tener: “Comunidades evangelizadas y evangelizadoras.”
'Pray Without Ceasing' Todd Graff
Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org
Have a keep-able rule of prayer that you do with discipline. You can’t just pray when you feel like it. You have to pray by discipline, with times of day when you would remember God and say your prayers. There is a maxim among the desert fathers: To pray always, you must pray often.
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-Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D. (quoting Fr. Tom Hopko) [see reference below]
reetings of Peace, and Blessings in these late Lenten Days! I would like to continue the reflections from my previous column on prayer. To do so, I will be drawing on a wonderful article that I recently came across by Dr. Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D. Dr. Neal writes a blog entitled Neal Obstat Theological Opining (https:// nealobstat.wordpress.com/), and is a professor of pastoral and spiritual theology at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. His is one of the few blogs that I try to read on a regular basis. Recently, he re-posted an article from 2013, Pray always, and a lot. It is a very helpful piece and worth a full read. I would like to highlight a few of his points from the article. First, he notes that Saint Paul calls on us as believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That raises the obvious question of how, exactly, we do this as lay people often living (too) busy lives working, raising families, volunteering in our parishes and communities, etc. Dr. Neal phrases it this way: “Other than contemplative monks and nuns, how can a real human being with real commitments do such a thing?” Last month, I ended my article with this advice from Fr. Ron Rolheiser, OMI: “[T]here is only one nonnegotiable rule for prayer: ‘Show up! Show up regularly!’” Dr. Neal cites St. Augustine in a related way. Augustine asserted that the “restless desire” for God in our hearts provides a kind of ceaseless prayer. But, this desire and love for God will “grow cool, erratic and eventually drift off into apathetic slumber” without a firm commitment to daily prayer at specific times of the day. In order to honor St. Paul’s command, we must, then, set aside time each day for prayer. Dr. Neal proposes “four constants” for us to consider in this regard.
We should begin each day with “15-30 minutes of dedicated prayer time.” This should happen, ideally, before we open a newspaper, check our phones, etc. We can begin by consecrating our day to God through a morning offering prayer. (Consult the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network [http://popesprayerusa. net/] for examples of daily offering prayers.) We can also pray Morning Prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours (or an adapted version of this from publications such as Magnificat or Give Us This Day), and/ or prayerfully reflect on a spiritual reading book/ devotional or on the Mass readings for the day. Dr. Neal encourages us to conclude our prayer in the morning by “reviewing your plans for the upcoming day with the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give you insights into your day’s plans.” Then, we sit quietly and listen for the Spirit’s guidance and direction, “sensed in gentle movements of the heart.” Feasting
Many of us offer a simple prayer to begin our meal times, and use the familiar prayer which begins, “Bless us, O Lord…”. We can also consider extending this prayer to include expression of gratitude for the blessings of the day, to lift up those people and needs that are in our hearts, and to bring to mind those who go hungry in our world each day and to pray for generous hearts to share our bounty with them. Evening
As we begin each day with prayer, so we also conclude with prayer each evening. We can use this time for family prayer, bedtime prayer with our children, and/or “to examine one’s day, offer thanksgiving for graces received and ask pardon for sins committed.” The “examen” prayer of Saint Ignatius offers a simple pattern for our evening prayer which includes: 1. Give thanks for the blessings of the day.
2. Ask for the Spirit to guide your review of the day.
3. Review the day in its joys, challenges, failures, etc.
4. Ask for forgiveness and healing for any sins and failures.
5. Pray about the next day, asking for the grace to live it well.
Several resources on the examen are available at the IgnatianSpirituality.com website.
Arrow Prayers
Lay Formation & RCIA
Morning
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The Church Fathers and desert monastic tradition encouraged the use of “arrow prayers,” which are short, scriptural prayers used for personal devotion and could be easily remembered. These prayers can be used to communicate one’s love for God and to seek His help. Examples of arrow prayers are: “I love you Lord, my strength.” “Have mercy on me, O God.” “Lord, enlighten my darkness.” “Your will be done.” The “Jesus prayer” is another prayer practice of this type, as the believer prays, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” throughout their day. Such a practice of prayer brings to our hearts a deeper and ongoing awareness of God’s presence with us throughout each of our days. As Dr. Neal states:
Genuine aspirations of prayer from the heart should rise to God from the midst of joy, weariness, anger, sorrow, love, pain and every other circumstance life finds us in…. And the more aware we become of God’s presence in each moment, the more we are able to permit God to freely act in us and through us.
As I write this, we are in the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, and there is great uncertainty, anxiety, and fear gripping our communities. Surely, our commitment to prayer is more needed than ever – to lift up to God all that is in our hearts, and all the suffering and darkness of our world. And, as Saint Catherine of Siena teaches us, “Out of darkness comes the light.” In these Lenten days, let us remember the love of the Crucified Christ in our midst, and let us pray for the light of the Risen Christ to transform our broken world. Deo Gratias!
St. Francis de Sales … "tells us the devil cares less about our 1000 good works than he does about our one hour of prayer. Why? Because prayer joins our works to God’s works, and the devil only fears God and His associates." -Thomas J. Neal, Ph.D. (quoting Fr. Tom Hopko in his blog post, “Pray always, and a lot”)
A joyful welcome to the catechumens and candidates who publicly expressed their desire for Baptism and full communion with the Catholic Church at this year's Rite of Election, held March 1 at Queen of Angels Church in Austin! April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
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A Prayer for Protection �t the time of writing this, we are at the beginning of the Coronavirus fears, and
Vocations Youth & Young Adults
much is still to be determined as to the severity as well as appropriate responses to this virus. It does at this time seem that the likes of this pandemic have not been seen in recent history. There are so many dynamics, and emotions can run really high depending on people's perspectives and the information that they are using to make their decisions. The focus that I would like to bring this month is one that coincides with the truth of history. It is a historical fact that death has been conquered by the God who loves humanity. In the Person of Jesus, God wed Himself to human nature. Even though in the best of circumstances we can see that humanity is frail and so many circumstances bear this out - none more clearly than a virus spread across the globe - there is a remedy that has already been given to us for the eternal truth of lives. By rising from the dead, Jesus has opened this possibility for our own humanity. Even though we still experience the effects of sin and we will indeed die, we must always keep before us the eternal truth of life in Christ. Live your life ready to do the will of God in every circumstance! This is our vocation - our call - to live life here and now with an eternal perspective. This is why we listen to God and discern the path He has marked for us each day. We can pray for counsel from the Holy Spirit to prudently discern the path He has marked for us each day. We can pray for knowledge from the Holy Spirit to help us see the limitations of this world and the events taking place in order to keep hope strong in our minds
Pope to Youth: Don't Let Cell Phones Distract You from Reality By COURTNEY MARES
VATICAN CITY, March 5, 2020 (CNA) - Pope Francis is asking youth to wake up from the deadening static of staring at a cell phone to encounter Christ in their neighbor. “Today, we are often ‘connected’ but not communicating. The indiscriminate use of electronic devices can keep us constantly glued to the screen,” Pope Francis said in his message to young people published March 5. “When I look at things, do I look carefully, or is it more like when I quickly scroll through the thousands of photos or social profiles on my cell phone?” Francis asked. The pope warned that he sees a “growing digital narcissism” among young people and adults alike. “How often do we end up being eyewitnesses of events without ever experiencing them in real time! Sometimes our first reaction is to take a picture with our cell phone, without even bothering to look into the eyes of the persons involved,” Francis said. Pope Francis encouraged young people to “wake up.” He said that if someone realizes that he is “dead inside,” he can trust that Christ can give them new life to “arise,” as he did with the young man in Luke 7:14. “When we are ‘dead,’ we remain closed in on ourselves. Our relationships break up, or become superficial, false and hypocritical. When Jesus restores us to April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
and hearts. Staying grounded in an eternal perspective gives our whole lives direction and meaning. Here is a prayer of protection that I pray over all readers and members of our diocese: Lord Jesus, thank you for sharing with me your wonderful gift of healing and deliverance.
Rev. Jason Kern Director of Vocations jkern@dowr.org
Thank you for the healing I have experienced already in my life. I realize that the sickness of evil is more than my humanity can bear, so I ask that you please cleanse me of any sadness, negative thinking, or despair that I may have allowed into my heart. If I have been tempted to anger, impatience, or lust, cleanse me of those temptations, and replace them with your love, joy, and peace. If any evil spirits have attached themselves to me or oppressed me in any way, I command you, spirits of earth, fire, water, the netherworld, or the evil forces of nature, to depart now and go straight to Jesus Christ, for him to deal with you as he wills. Come Holy Spirit, renew me, fill me anew with your power, your life, and your joy. Strengthen me where I feel weak and clothe me with your life. Fill me with your life. Lord Jesus, please send your holy angels to minister to me and protect me from all forms of sickness, harm, and accidents. I thank you and praise you my Lord, God, and King. -"Prayer for Protection," taken and adapted from Spiritual Warfare Prayers, a booklet life, he ‘gives’ us to others,” he said. The pope called upon young people to bring about “cultural change” that will allow those “isolated and withdrawn into virtual worlds” to arise. “Let us spread Jesus’ invitation: ‘Arise!’ He calls us to embrace a reality that is so much more than virtual,” he said. “This does not involve rejecting technology, but rather using it as a means and not as an end,” the pope added. Pope Francis said that a person who is alive in Christ encounters reality, even tragedy, that leads him to suffer with his neighbor. “How many situations are there where apathy reigns, where people plunge into an abyss of anguish and remorse! How many young people cry out with no one to hear their plea! Instead, they meet with looks of distraction and indifference,” Francis said. “I think too of all those negative situations that people of your age are experiencing,” he said. “One young woman told me: ‘Among my friends I see less desire to get involved, less courage to get up.’ Sadly, depression is spreading among young people too, and in some cases even leads to the temptation to take one’s own life.” With Christ, who brings new life, a young person can become more aware of those who are suffering and draw near to them, he said. “You too, as young people, are able to draw near to the realities of pain and death that you encounter. You too can touch them and, like Jesus, bring new life, thanks to the Holy Spirit,” he said. “You will be able to touch them as he does, and to bring his life to those of your friends who are inwardly dead, who suffer or have lost faith and hope.” “Perhaps, in times of difficulty, many of you have heard people repeat those 'magic' formulas so fashion-
Aaron Lofy
Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org
able nowadays, formulas that are supposed to take care of everything: 'You have to believe in yourself', 'You have to discover your inner resources', 'You have to become conscious of your positive energy' ... But these are mere words; they do not work for someone who is truly ‘dead inside,’” he said. “Jesus’ word has a deeper resonance; it goes infinitely deeper. It is a divine and creative word, which alone can bring the dead to life,” the pope said. Pope Francis addressed this message to the young people throughout the world who will celebrate local diocesan World Youth Day gatherings on Palm Sunday this year. The pope reminded young people that the next international World Youth Day will take place in Lisbon in 2022: “From Lisbon, in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, great numbers of young people, including many missionaries, set out for unknown lands, to share their experience of Jesus with other peoples and nations.” “As young people, you are experts in this! You like to take trips, to discover new places and people, and to have new experiences,” he said. “If you have lost your vitality, your dreams, your enthusiasm, your optimism and your generosity, Jesus stands before you as once he stood before the dead son of the widow, and with all the power of his resurrection he urges you: ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis: Church's Pro-Life Message More Relevant Now Than Ever
By COURTNEY MARES
VATICAN CITY, March 25, 2020 (CNA) - Pope Francis said Wednesday that the Church’s pro-life message is more relevant than ever as the world faces the coronavirus pandemic. “The attacks on the dignity and life of people unfortunately continue even in our era … We are faced with new threats and new slavery, and legis-
CNA
Kindness, cont'd from pg. 1
anxiety. Let’s be honest, there is not a lot most of us as individuals can do about a full pandemic — our influence is too small, too local. And there is a lot we do not know. But we can be kind to those we are near. We can forgive sharpness, be gentle with ignorance. We can listen and let people grieve. We can speak the truth with charity. But then we can be kind and offer help and hope. Kindness is a nod to human dignity that the best public policy cannot quite match. We can make sure people are fed, have childcare, get unemployment, and get physical and mental healthcare. And we should! Right now! But at the same time, we need to lead with kindness. We do all this because individuals matter to God and to us. They are our brothers and sisters. If we can’t do anything else, we can be kind. After all, as the psalm sings, The Lord is kind and merciful. If he has been so kind to us, it should be a joy to return the favor by offering kindness to our family and neighbors. So what can we do to be kind in a brave new world of social distancing? Some of us are low-risk, others high-risk. What small, deliberate contagions of kindness can we each do?
“The defense of life for the Church is not an ideology,” he said. “Every human being is called by God to enjoy the fullness of life; and being entrusted to the maternal concern of the Church, every threat to dignity and human life cannot fail to affect its heart.” “Beyond emergencies, such as the one we are experiencing, it is a question of acting on a cultural and educational level to transmit to future generations the attitude of solidarity,” he said. In his televised Wednesday audience delivered from the library of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Francis praised the “silent testimony” of many people who are witnesses to this “Gospel of Life” by serving the sick, the elderly, and those who are lonely and poor. He said that their lives mirror the example given by the Blessed Virgin Mary, who went in haste to help her cousin Elizabeth after the Annunciation. “Dear brothers and sisters, every human life, unique and unrepeatable, valid in itself, constitutes an inestimable value. This must always be announced again, with the courage of the word and the courage of actions,” the pope said. “Therefore, with St. John Paul II, who wrote this encyclical, with him I reaffirm with renewed conviction the appeal he made to all 25 years ago: ‘Respect, defend, love and serve life, every life, every human life! Only on this path will you find justice, development, freedom, peace and happiness,’” Pope Francis said.
Life, Marriage & Family
Peter Martin
Director of Faith Formation and Life, Marriage & Family pmartin@dowr.org
lation is not always to protect the weakest and most vulnerable human life,” Pope Francis said March 25. “The message of the encyclical Evangelium Vitae is therefore more relevant than ever,” the pope said in his livestreamed Wednesday audience. This year’s Solemnity of the Annunciation marks the 25th anniversary of the encyclical Evangelium Vitae promulgated by St. John Paul II on the value and inviolability of human life. Pope Francis said that the coronavirus pandemic makes the encyclical's message on the defense of all human life more urgent. “Today, we find ourselves relaunching this teaching in the context of a pandemic that threatens human life and the world economy. A situation that makes the words with which the encyclical begins even more demanding,” the pope said. Pope Francis then quoted the first line of the 1995 encyclical: “The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus' message. Welcomed by the Church every day with love, it must be announced with courageous fidelity as good news to men of all ages and cultures." Pope Francis said: “The life we are called to promote and defend is not an abstract concept, but always manifests itself in a person in flesh and blood: a newly conceived child, a poor marginalized person, a sick person alone and discouraged or in a terminal state, one who has lost his job or is unable to find it, a rejected or ghettoized migrant." The pope explained that the Catholic Church has a particular responsibility to ensure the protection of every individual human life, which in itself is unrepeatable and of inestimable value.
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1. We can sidewalk chalk walkways where people are taking a walk for fresh air amid quarantine. “Hang in there, we’ll get through this!” would make someone smile. So would small jokes. Make someone smile.
9. Call nursing homes and hospitals and ask if you can send letters of friendship and hope there. Many have been closed to visitors and may welcome this. Ask if there is anything else to do.
3. We can call neighbors and make sure they are OK, offer to do a grocery run if you are low-risk and healthy. If you aren’t, let people know you are available to talk.
11. (Yes, #11, why stop? Kindness is great!) Personally thank the health care workers and grocery store workers. They are putting in enormous hours and people are dumping their fear and frustrations on them. A kind word can save the day for them.
2. We can call a cease fire on social media or in-person arguments of any sort. If it isn’t encouraging, don’t say it.
4. If you have funds, you can donate to your local food shelf. You can also buy gift certificates from small businesses, which are taking a hit. 5. If healthy, consider offering to go on a sanity walk with someone (6 feet apart).
6. Step into providing meals in your community if you can. Brown bag breakfasts or lunches may be very welcome. Others are handing out frozen dinners from their door. Others are putting boxes in their front yard marked “free pantry: take if you need, donate non-perishables if you wish” stocked with cans of essentials. 7. Tell your family and social network if they need prayers, you have more time to pray and want to do that for them. If they are open to it, pray WITH them.
8. If you are low-risk and the troubleshooting type, ask your church “who needs help here?”--and invite yourself into helping that person.
10. Give blood if you can. Many places are running short.
Living according to the fruits of the Holy Spirit is part of our birthright as baptized children of God. We are temples of the Holy Spirit. Let us invite the Holy Spirit to act in our lives, and ask for the fruit of kindness. Holy Spirit, breathe in us and through us and bring God’s kindness into the world today. Colossians 3:12 is sounding pretty much like a recipe for life in our breakout week of COVID-19: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” We put our clothes on every morning, one leg, one arm at a time. Suit up in Spirit-led kindness, Christian friends. With deep prayer, it is the only path through this present darkness. Susan Windley-Daoust is the director of Missionary Discipleship for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Catholic Schools
8
Learning All Year
At Sacred Heart School, Adams Marsha Stenzel
Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org
Seventh and Eighth Grade
Hannah, Addie and Brandt participate in the Accelerated Reader Lenten Contest.
Submitted by DARLENE BOE
� ere's what the teachers at Sacred Heart School in Adams have to say about what their students have learned this year:
Kindergarten
In kindergarten, we have implemented a new phonics curriculum, and it has been amazing to see the growth of the kids this year. We use a sight word system that has 20 words per list. Each set of words is associated with a type of sports ball. Our first list is baseball. As the list is mastered, they move to the next set of words until they reach the last set. When they have passed all their words they start going to the library and checking out books! This year I have six out of ten kids who are using the library, and the other four are so close to passing. The new phonics curriculum has given us the extra boost needed to master our sight words and excel in our reading. First Grade
First-graders at Sacred Heart are doing a unit study on the book Charlotte’s Web. The unit consists of math, vocabulary, science and history. We’re studying the life cycle and habitat of spiders and learning new vocabulary words. We’re discussing how farming has changed through the years, and we will be putting a craft together. Of course, we’ll end our study by having a movie party.
Second Grade Second grade is a year of preparation for the Sacraments. Students made their First Reconciliation in the fall and are currently preparing for First Communion. The students have also enjoyed science projects and activities, learning new words and sounds in reading and phonics, learning about their community in social studies, and demonstrating a new knowledge of numbers in math. Many are excited to be learning cursive writing this school year. Third Grade
The third-grade class has been busy learning about poetry. We’ve written acrostic, biographical, diamanté, haiku, and cinquain poems and will be publishing our own poetry anthology. During reading time, we enjoy reading chapter books in book clubs, so we can discuss the stories in small groups. We’ve finished our unit on planets in science and are starting to learn about DNA and how traits are passed on. We are fractions experts in math and are now learning about area and perimeter. Fourth Grade
The fourth-grade science class has been studying various ways plants reproduce. A volunteer planted succulents with us by laying a leaf on top of the soil in our pots. We observed the roots growing and are hoping to have some beautiful plants soon! We also observed how the eyes of potatoes grow into roots. Pieces of potatoes were planted and the stems are growing toward the sunlight, which we learned was a kind of tropism. We hope to grow enough potatoes for all of us to try some!
The Sacred Heart seventh-graders and eighth-graders have been hard at work utilizing their research skills and the information they have been learning in their American history and geography classes. The seventh-graders have been learning about the Industrial Revolution, the inventions that were invented and how they have changed the world around us. Their research assignment was to choose an invention and present the history of it and how the invention changed the world as we know it. The eighth-graders have been studying South America and learning about the individual countries and the culture and people in the countries. They were each assigned a country to research and learn about the history, government, religion and culture of the country and the people in the country. Lent
During Lent, students participate in weekly Lenten Masses along with Stations of the Cross. We have mission boxes to collect our spare change to show we are fasting, praying and almsgiving. The money collected will be donated to local and global charities. Students are doing various activities in their rooms each week to remember that Lent is a season of change for the Church and her members. Also, students participate in an AR (Accelerated Reader) contest. Students are divided into teams, given a goal and are encouraged to read their AR books and pass the tests in order for their team to win. The winning team receives a special prize and all those who reached their goal will participate in a movie party. As you can see, Sacred Heart School students enjoy learning in so many ways! If you would like more information about our school, please contact Principal Darlene Boe at 507-582-3120.
Fifth-Eighth Grade
First Grade April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Each year, the fifth-eighth-grade math students participate in a middle school math project. This year, the students were marooned on a desert island and used math skills to survive and get off the island. These lessons came from the book Building Math by Wong and Brizuela. The students were split into multi-grade groups of three-four. They researched, planned, built, and tested models for shelters and water collectors. Then, they researched the Maori people and made a plan to load a canoe to leave the island.
Lawson reads at Mass.
Building Character Submitted by REBECCA SWEDBERG
�
t St. Mary’s School in Caledonia, our focus for the school year is building character. Part of the Catholic faith focuses on being a good person. Throughout the year, our school has worked to promote a positive school climate by teaching important morals and values. Each month, our students and staff focus on one character pillar and model that behavior in school and at home. During the month of October, the third- and fourth-graders focused on the character trait respect. To start things off, a short video on respect was shown. The third- and fourth-graders focused on The Golden Rule: “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” Then the students acted out a short skit showing what disrespect looked like and then acted out the scenario again showing what respect looked like.
The character pillar for the month of November was citizenship. The seventh- and eighth-graders focused on how we can make our school and community a better place, whether it is protecting the environment, being a good neighbor, obeying the laws and rules, or staying informed and voting. St. Mary’s School hosted veterans for a Veterans Day Mass, program, and lunch as a way to thank them for their service. In January, the student body focused on the character trait of responsibility. The fifth- and sixthgraders sang a song about responsibility to kick off the month. Staff rewarded students with tickets when they saw students demonstrating ownership, accountability, integrity, or dependability. The tickets were collected, and a few winners were chosen at the end of each week to receive prizes. The fifth- and sixth-graders were awarded with an afternoon of sledding for their outstanding display of responsibility.
Throughout the month of February, St. Mary’s School focused on trustworthiness - doing the right thing, being honest, being loyal, and being reliable. Our students learned that a trustworthy friend always tells the truth, keeps promises, and does the right thing. Implementing the different character pillars into our school each month has given our school community an opportunity to foster a culture and climate of good character. Living out the character traits has provided our students strong morals and values to incorporate into their daily life. These strong values will follow our students in whatever life path God has planned for them.
Rebecca Swedberg is the principal of St. Mary School in Caledonia.
October's Character Pillar: Respect
November's Character Pillar: Citizenship
January's Character Pillar: Responsibility
January's Character Pillar: Responsibility
The deadline for the
Richard M. Shulze Family Foundation Matching Grant Challenge is April 30, 2020.
This grant would directly affect all 4,350 students attending Catholic elementary schools in the Diocese of WinonaRochester through professional development opportunities for teachers. If you have not donated toward the matching grant, we invite you to participate with a jubilant and open heart. Donations may be sent to the:
Catholic Schools
At St. Mary School, Caledonia
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Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota Box 30098 Winona, MN 55987 Please direct any questions to Monica Herman at mherman@catholicfsmn.org or 507-858-1276.
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Safe Environment
10
April Is National Child Abuse Prevention Month There are many wonderful resources available on the internet regarding the prevention and awareness of child abuse. The tip sheet below is from https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/ preventing/preventionmonth/about/ In addition, please check out the “new and improved” Safe Environment page on the Diocese of WinonaRochester website: dowr.org
�o prevent child sexual abuse, it
is important to keep the focus on adult responsibility while teaching children skills to help them protect themselves. Consider the following tips:
• Take an active role in your children’s lives. Learn about their activities and people with whom they are involved. Stay alert for possible problems.
• Watch for “grooming” behaviors in adults who spend time with your child. Warning signs may include frequently finding ways to be alone with your child, ignoring your child’s need for privacy (e.g., in the bathroom), or giving gifts or money for no particular occasion. • Ensure that organizations, groups, and teams that your children are involved with minimize one-on-one time between children and adults. Ask how staff and volunteers are screened and supervised.
US Reporting Mechanism for Episcopal Abuse Cases Launched
WASHINGTON D.C., March 16, 2020 (CNA) - A national third-party reporting system for allegations of abuse, neglect, or misconduct against bishops in the US has launched. The Catholic Bishop Abuse Reporting Service is operated by Convercent Inc., “an independent, third-party entity that provides intake services to private institutions for reports of sensitive topics such as sexual harassment through a secure, confidential and professional platform” according to a March 16 statement from the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The system gathers and routes reports of abuse to the appropriate ecclesial authorities, so that the reports can then be investigated. The reporting system does not replace reporting abuse to civil authorities, but some reports, such as those of sexual abuse of a minor, will be conveyed also to civil authorities. The system is meant only for allegations involving bishops. April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
• Make sure your children know that they can talk to you about anything that bothers or confuses them. • Teach children accurate names of private body parts and the difference between touches that are “okay” and “not okay.” • Empower children to make decisions about their bodies by allowing them ageappropriate privacy and encouraging them to say “no” when they do not want to touch or be touched by others—even in nonsexual ways. • Teach children to take care of their own bodies (e.g., bathing or using the bathroom) so they do not have to rely on adults or older children for help. • Educate children about the difference between good secrets (such as birthday surprises) and bad secrets (those that make the child feel unsafe or uncomfortable). • Monitor children’s use of technology, including cell phones, social networking sites, and messaging. Review their friends’ lists regularly and ask about any people you don’t recognize. • Trust your instincts! If you feel uneasy about leaving your child with someone, don’t do it. If you are concerned about possible sexual abuse, ask questions. • If your child tells you that he or she has been abused, stay calm, listen carefully, and never blame the child. Thank your child for telling you. Report the abuse right away.
It allows for reports of a US bishop who has forced someone to perform or to submit to sexual acts through violence, threat, or abuse of authority; performed sexual acts with a minor or a vulnerable person; produced, exhibited, possessed or distributed child pornography, or recruited or induced a minor or a vulnerable person to participate in pornographic exhibitions; or a bishop or administrator of a local Church who has “intentionally interfered with a civil or Church investigation into allegations of sexual abuse committed by another cleric or religious.” In November 2019, the general counsel for the US bishops' conference said that a process would be in place promptly to filter out irrelevant claims and ensure that allegations pertain to bishops and to those acts of misconduct for which the system is meant. When a report is received through the system, it will be forwarded to the metropolitan archbishop “and a designated lay staff member who will assess the report.” If the report regards the metropolitan or the metropolitan see is vacant, it will go instead to the senior suffragan bishop, and to a member of the bishop's staff. After review by the metropolitan and a layman, the report will be sent to the apostolic nuncio with an initial assessment; he will in turn send the report and assessment to the Holy See, which will determine if a formal investiga-
Mary Hamann
Safe Environment Program Director mhamann@dowr.org
Signs of Possible Sexual Abuse The following may indicate sexual abuse and should not be ignored: • Unexplained pain, itching, redness, or bleeding in the genital area • Increased nightmares or bedwetting
• Withdrawn behavior or appearing to be in a trance • Angry outbursts or sudden mood swings • Loss of appetite or difficulty swallowing • Anxiety or depression
• Sudden, unexplained avoidance of certain people or places
• Sexual knowledge, language, or behavior that is unusual for the child’s age
(This tip sheet was created using information from Prevent Child Abuse America, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the Enough Abuse Campaign, and Stop It Now.)
tion is warranted. If so, it will authorize a bishop to oversee it. The investigators will include lay persons, and should normally be completed within 90 days of the Holy See's determination. The system is paid for the by dioceses and eparchies of the US. In September 2018, the US bishops’ executive committee had initially proposed a thirdparty reporting mechanism to handle accusations made against bishops. The decision followed new claims of sex abuse that had been made against Theodore McCarrick in the summer of 2018; in August, McCarrick was removed from the College of Cardinals and assigned a life of prayer and penance. At their November 2018 meeting, however, the U.S. bishops did not take substantive action on the abuse crisis following instructions from the Vatican that they not act until a clergy sex abuse summit in Rome would be convened in February 2019. After that February summit, Pope Francis issued his apostolic letter Vos estis lux mundi, which outlined a canonical process of handling accusations of abuse, neglect, or misconduct made against bishops. To handle such accusations, the U.S. bishops voted overwhelmingly at their June 2019 to authorize a third-party reporting mechanism to receive accusations made online or by phone.
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Catholic Foundation
12
Stewards Find
Hope in the Cross �o you ever think about how you
experience the cross of Jesus Christ? Do you ever think about the power of that cross in your daily life? Is the cross even relevant to your life? It is to stewards of the Lord, who recognize the hope Christ brings through the gift of his cross. They acknowledge that for them, the cross is their only hope. Being good stewards of our life in Christ is not easy, but to embrace the cross is not only countercultural, it seems absurd. Then again, we cannot avoid what Jesus said to his disciples: “If you wish to come after me you must deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow me. For if you wish to save your life, you will lose it; but if you lose your life for my sake you will save it” (Luke 9:23-24). What is preached about the cross from the pulpit sounds good, but in reality something more tangible is desired. The cross is more readily embraced by people of faith who suffer, are poor, broken, or are the victims of such things as violence, oppression or natural disasters. They see the cross as the hope that no matter what has happened to them, God will see them
t n e v E
through. The Father did it for Jesus who hung on the cross, so surely their sufferings will be redeemed by Jesus’ sufferings. Where people possess much material abundance, comfort and leisure, however, there is a tendency to de-emphasize the cross, to draw away from it. They can’t touch it or feel it so they wish to “save” their lives by looking to other things: power, wealth, fame, relevance, being the center of attention. What is preached about the cross from the pulpit sounds good, but in reality something more tangible is desired. Christ emptied himself completely in humble obedience, allowing himself to suffer and die out of compassion for the world (Philippians 2:6-11). Good stewards follow his example and work day-to-day to empty themselves and live compassionately; most noticeably by sharing their lives with others. As we approach the climax of our liturgical year, the Easter triduum, let us ask the Holy Spirit for an even deeper awareness of the cross in our lives. Let us find hope in the cross and pray that as we embrace it, we too will experience in a special way the joy of new life in the risen Lord.
n a C
d e l l e c
late macu ne m I , s yo u navir inner. An o r o C D . : ID-19 ector on to f COV ishops & R a donati o d 0B prea send the s d the 202 may still e t a e g l miti ation ancel on to ary has c arian form i t esota u a in rec y Semin inary ern MInn m p m e s e a S h g ar As in IHM n of Sout pport t of M Hear sted in su 8 atio ound Box 3009 87 e r F e c t i l n 9 i o O 5 h 5 P t a MN , c/o C a n Wino
April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
Monica Herman
Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota mherman@catholicfsmn.org
Stewardship Prayer for the Easter Season Christ is risen and with him all creation! Light replaces darkness, joy replaces sadness, life replaces death. There is no failure the Lord’s love cannot reverse, no humiliation he cannot exchange with blessing, no anger he cannot dissolve, no routine he cannot transform. All is embraced by the victory of his cross and resurrection. May we always be good stewards of Easter’s light, see Resurrection as a daily event, and yearn for Jesus’ love as intensely as he yearns for ours. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Parish Donations Continue Online With Masses suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, parishioners may still donate to any parish in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester through an online giving option at the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota's website.
To donate, visit https://catholicfsmn.org/parish-donations and select the parish you wish to support from the drop-down menu.
Donations over telephone are also graciously accepted at 507-858-1276. Thank you!
When You Reach Your 'Fork in the Road' Moment,
Mary Alessio
Director of Advancement Catholic Charities of Southern MN
�ife is all about choices! With every journey you
and I take, we are faced with a choice. At every “fork in the road” moment, you and I are required to make a decision. What path will you and I take? If you are like me, you have experienced several “fork in the road” moments: those deciding moments in life when a major choice is required. We often arrive at that fork in the road because of a problem hanging over our heads. Ironically, when you and I are standing at that fork in the road, fear often tries to tempt us. Fear is paralyzing; it feeds on anxiety. Fear is an adversary of hope. Did you know that “fear not” is used at least 80 times in the Bible? God knows the enemy uses fear to decrease our hope and limit our victories. Fear is such an ugly emotion. It preys on the innocent, the vulnerable and those who are suffering. Fear causes us to settle for less than our best because it dilutes our trust in God. It makes us feel unworthy of God’s love. But, most of all, fear robs you and me of peace and joy. St. Paul knew about those “fork in the road” moments we experience and addressed them with his legendary advice to the Romans: Rejoice in your sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope!
Over 16 years of serving the poor and vulnerable through Catholic Charities, I’ve stood beside hundreds of individuals and families faced with “fork in the road” decisions. I have a tattered, love-worn piece of paper with St. Paul’s words of advice, and each morning before I head out the door I read those words; they inspire and uplift my days. They remind me that walking the walk of suffering with those I serve is a path to hope.
I will never forget caring for a young refugee man who arrived several years ago to this country. War had beaten down on his life. He appeared thin and weak. He was alone in this world, having lost his home and his loved ones. While his outward appearance may have appeared weak, I was in awe of the fact he had not lost hope. As we drove to register him in English classes, this fragile man smiled at me and we discussed his future hopes and dreams. He quoted Dale Carnegie as we chatted over a cup of tea. He told me a man gave him a book when he was young, and he remembered sitting on a curb amongst the rubble of bombridden buildings, reading, “Two men looked out from prison bars, one saw the mud, the other saw the stars.” He continued to tell me that I was that star in his life and that Catholic Charities was his hope. How profound, don’t you think, that a man who was homeless and outwardly appeared shattered to the core should remind me that hope is like a star and my caring for him through Catholic Charities was his star. “Hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity” (D.H/ Spurgeon). At Catholic Charities, we serve those who are experiencing those “fork in the road” moments. Many are suffering with insurmountable challenges. While suffering in life in unavoidable, with your help we strive to be that source of hope in the lives of children, families in crisis, vulnerable adults, seniors, refugees, the uninsured, the poor, the homeless, and the unborn. Because of your compassionate support of the Catholic Charities Annual Appeal, our staff and volunteers provide the hope that allows those we serve to see all that is possible and reach their full potential. In 2019, with your help, we served 8,819 people.
You uplifted lives with hope for approximately 1,000 more people than in the prior fiscal year. The hope you inspire through your compassionate generosity:
• provided 1,089 people with 2,315 hours of competent, caring, and licensed mental health services. • assisted low-income individuals lacking prescription drug insurance to enroll in programs, receiving 422 prescriptions at reduced or no cost, saving $592,000.
Catholic Charities
Choose Hope!
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• opened the doors of a second Community Warming Center in 2019 for the homeless; uplifting them with dignity and respect; providing them with a warm bed, shower facilities, fellowship, healthy nourishment, and referrals for additional help. • supported 1,624 birthparents seeking the best plan for their children with 24/7/365 accessibility to counseling and compassionate care.
While you and I arrive at “fork in the road” moments because we are faced with problems in life, it makes all the difference when we have someone who believes in us, those who support us because they have our wellbeing foremost in their minds and hearts. At Catholic Charities, we recognize the greatness in those we serve, especially during those “fork in the road” moments when they often do not see that hope is right around the corner, ready to help them reach their full potential. God bless you for being an instrument of hope in the lives of those we serve. Thank you for inspiring hope. Thank you for restoring hope. Your investment in the lives of those we serve reaps rewards that are beyond measure. Heartfelt thanks and hope-filled blessings!
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A Time for Choosing in Politics �nhishomilyduringthe“Extraordinary
Faith in the Public Arena
Moment of Prayer” on March 27, Pope Francis addressed the Lord Jesus this way: “You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others.” In that moving homily, Pope Francis invited us during this long Lent to convert and hope in the Lord. In doing so, we turn away from sin and live in solidarity with others. Already, we see in this coronavirus crisis creative models of hope and solidarity, even in the political realm. Here in Minnesota, state legislators have worked collaboratively to put aside differences and pass legislation to help those who are working on the front lines to address coronavirus and those most vulnerable to its effects: health care workers, the unemployed, the disabled, the elderly, and the homeless. God willing, we will be able to contain this virus and rebuild together. But we must take this opportunity to continue to build on a foundation of solidarity and human dignity. Much, including our politics, cannot go back to the way it was before. It is, as Pope Francis says, a time for choosing. True and False Choice
The slogan “my body, my choice” is dead. Coronavirus killed it. This pandemic has made clear that, like with all our choices, what we do with our bodies and the spaces we occupy with them
have an impact on others. And in a global village, we are all connected. So much of modern life is driven by an ethic of consumption, in which we demand a plethora of choices to satisfy needs, both real and perceived, and expect instant gratification. Yet we cannot structure a healthy society around the maximization of consumer choice and the ongoing liberation of the willing self. In fact, our political culture is so bereft of a sense of solidarity and the common good that decades of financial deregulation, the re-working of other regulatory structures to favor big business and political insiders, and the disintegration of civil society and traditional social norms have led us to a place where the solution to a major crisis is the erection of a police state and the printing of fiat money. We have ourselves to blame for bringing the consumer culture to politics. Increasingly, citizens view legislators as consumer-satisfaction agents, who are responsible for giving them what they want, regardless of its effect on others or the harm it may do to themselves—more legal forms of gambling, recreational marijuana, even assisted suicide. The mere fact that someone wants a certain type of legislation allegedly gives it legitimacy. This “get mine” ethos of our political life is the enemy of solidarity. It sees the good as essentially private, locating it in one’s own satisfaction. It fails to see us living within a fabric of relationships, where we find both our happiness and our wellbeing. Coronavirus could help us recalibrate and reevaluate our relationships—familial, social, ecclesial, and economic. We thought we were independent so long as the global supply chain worked. But what happens when it does not? Who can we lean on then? Can we afford to not be in right relationship with those around us? It is a time for choosing.
Jason Adkins
Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference
Choosing a Politics of Solidarity This fall, Americans will go to the polls to elect new legislators and officials. Perfect candidates don’t exist, and we will always disagree with each one on some issues. But we must identify real leaders who are focused on fostering a society of right relationships, and who promote solidarity with the unborn, the disabled, the economically disenfranchised, and the vulnerable, rather than choose those who cater to what they believe is the latest desire of 51 percent of political consumers. We cannot become ambivalent or discouraged by what seem like the limitations of the moment. We must embrace the hope that we can build stronger solidarity—solidarity that starts in our homes and communities but that is reflected in our political choices. Pope Francis concluded his March 27 homily as follows: Embracing his cross means … finding the courage to create spaces where everyone can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality, fraternity and solidarity. By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping us protect ourselves and others. Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope.
Catholic schools have endured numerous costs in helping to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, including transitioning to alternative learning platforms and additional sanitation measures. As the federal government provides education stabilization assistance to all schools, and the state considers its own forms of COVID-19 assistance, nonpublic schools need to be included. As Catholic schools played their role in responding to closure rules and guidance from the state, they should also be part of aid packages to mitigate those costs. Call legislative leaders and Gov. Walz and ask them to treat nonpublic schools equitably in COVID education assistance programs. Governor Tim Walz: (651) 201-3400
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka: (651) 296-4875 Senate Minority Leader Susan Kent: (651) 296-4166
Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman: (651) 296-4280 House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt: (651) 296-5364 April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
The Televised Mass Rochester Community Is Offered Every Sunday
Special hour-long Easter Sunday Mass times are listed in red if different from regular start time. Sioux Falls - KTTW Channel 7 at 7 a.m. (6:30)
Mankato - KEYC Channel 12 at 7:30 a.m. (7:00) Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 NEYC at 9:30 a.m. Digital Channel 7 (DirecTV) or Channel 11 (DISH) KMNF at 9 a.m. Rochester/Austin/Mason City KIMT Channel 3 at 7:30 a.m. (6:00) MyTV 3.2 at 9 a.m. Southeastern MN - HBC Channel 20 at 3 p.m. (repeated Wed. at 3:30 p.m. (10 a.m.)) Winona/La Crosse/Eau Claire - WLAX/WEUX Channel 25/48 at 7:30 a.m. (7:00) and on our website, dowr.org (click "Weekly Mass")
By TOM PARLIN
ROCHESTER - On March 31, 2020, the Rochester Community Warming Center wrapped up its inaugural season, having opened its doors for the first time last December 11. On that first night, 26 people came in from the cold to receive 10 hours of shelter, a warm bed, hot coffee, and food. Catholic Charities opened the Warming Center in a collaboration with Olmsted County and the City of Rochester. The Rochester Community Warming Center is the newest program of Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota, patterned after Winona’s Warming Center, which is in its fourth season of operation and also under the umbrella of Catholic Charities. The offer from Olmsted County and the City of Rochester to enter into a partnership to open a Warming Center in Rochester came in August, 2019. Olmsted County provided the building, located on 200 4th St. SE, and three months were necessary to complete the renovation to accommodate 30 beds for overnight guests. Catholic Charities had to hire, build a volunteer base, provide formation in the running of the Center, and prepare the building for operation. The City of Rochester has provided a grant for season one to help in the cost of operations. This has been a great collaboration with Olmsted County, the City of Rochester and Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota. The commitment to provide shelter every night, even during holidays, was in play when the shelter was open this past Christmas and New Year, and the Warming Center remained open every night through March 31. There is an average of 22 guests per night at the Warming Center, with our highest number so far at 27 for an overnight stay. It is common to hear from those whom we regularly serve, how rewarding the experience is and the friendships they are forming with the guests of the Warming Center. The Rochester Community Warming Center has a low bar for entry, and the practices include no ID check, no breathalyzer tests or other requirements that would keep those who need shelter out in the cold. The guests are required to follow a set of rules that allows
Beds in the Rochester Community Warming Center
Michael Gwanjaye
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In the Diocese
Sioux City - KPTH Channel 44 at 8:30 a.m.
Warming Center Completes First Season
for safety and consistency in the running of the Warming Center, which include coming during an intake period between 9 and 10 p.m., having their belongings locked up for the night, and a zero tolerance policy on having alcohol and drugs in the building or aggressive behavior. We have a relationship with local law enforcement and communicate with them nightly. The rules and the relationship with law enforcement is a benefit to the volunteers, staff, and guests alike, assuring a safer environment. The staff of the Warming Center includes a full-time coordinator, Michael Gwanjaye, who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Warming Center, and four night shift managers who staff the shelter during all hours of operation from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The Warming Center also relies on dedicated volunteers who join staff to provide safety and consistency every night. Besides a warm place and a bed, the Rochester Community Warming Center provides food, showers and laundry facilities for our guests. The early success of the Rochester Community Warming Center is best told in Michael’s words: The warming center has kept 106 bodies and hearts warm at least for a night among the less hopeful folks thanks to the compassionate team of 172 volunteers, donors and staff who make this possible.
The operation of the Warming Center is consistent with the mission of Catholic Charities to “serve the poor and marginalized” and is consistent with the Gospel call to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and welcome the stranger (Matthew Chap 25). Season 2 at the Warming Center will begin on November 1, 2020, and run until March 31, 2021. If you would like to learn more or support the great work of the Warming Center, a link is provided here: https://www.ccsomn.org/programs/ warming-centers/rochester-communitywarming-center/ Tom Parlin is the director of the Parish Social Ministry Program for Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota. April 2020 w The Courier w dowr.org
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'Hello!'
By JEANETTE FORTIER
�’ve been attending a lot of
In the Diocese
funerals lately. Many times I learn so much about the deceased person from their obituary as memory loss made it impossible for the person to tell me stories about their life. I remind myself when I am singing or sitting with someone to look past their age, past the white hair, past the walker and wheelchair, and realize how much activity, struggle, adventure, and joy this person experienced in their life. One of the funerals was unique. The father of a high school friend was buried in February. When the pastor got up to speak after Scripture was read, he told a story. It took place somewhere in the south. People were standing along the river bank and ministers were baptizing people in the river. As each of the newly baptized was led out of the water, others standing on the shore would walk up to them and say, “Hello, my name is ___. If you need help with ___ call on me.” The pastor then went on to talk about all the times and ways this father of seven gave out his “Hello!” to family and guest, stranger and friend. As I reflect on Holy Week and Easter, I think of the Disciples gathered in the upper room. I imagine the stories they told one another about Jesus. Then, the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and their bursting forth from that room out into the streets saying, “Hello, my name is ___. If you need help learning about Jesus, call on me.”
We, as Church, are surrounded by people willing to listen to us and share with us the Good News of Christ. Be one of those people! What will you offer in your “Hello.” The Council of Catholic Women extends their “Hello!” often. We invite you to come and join us and we offer you help with empowered leadership, spirituality, and service. Let us share our gift with you! Our Province Conference is currently scheduled for June 19-20 at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church in St. Augusta, MN, with a theme of Honoring Our Past, Living Our Present, Hopeful For Our Future. We’ll be in Arlington, VA, August 25 – 29 for our 100th Anniversary, and mark down September 26, 2020, as we celebrate our Diocesan Convention at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Winona. Hello! My name is Jeanette. If you need information on the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women or the National Council of Catholic Women, call on me! I join my W-RDCCW Board members in extending to you and those you love a joyful Easter season! Alleluia! Jeanette Fortier is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.
The Courier Crossword Last Month's Answers
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Obituaries
Sister Sylvia Borgmeier, SSND, 81, professed in 1958, died March 5, 2020, in Notre Dame Health Care, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mankato. A native of Mankato, she graduated from Loyola High School in Mankato in 1956. She entered the SSND Candidature that same year and professed first vows in 1958. She was an elementary and secondary grade teacher in several Minnesota and Washington Catholic schools, and also a religious education director. In the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, she was the director of religious education at St. Mary, Worthington (1974-78) and St. Ann, Janesville (1983-87). She also spent 29 years as a missionary in Africa, serving in SSND missions in Kenya, Ghana, Gambia and Nigeria. She returned to Mankato in 2015 and was involved in the Simon Ministry at St. John the Baptist Parish, Mankato, and the Diocesan Social Concerns Committee. She is survived by her sister-in-law; her nephews and their families; her friends, colleagues and former students; and her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ray and Anna (Hutterer) Borgmeier; and her brother, John. She requested a green burial, and was buried the day following her death. Her Memorial Mass has been postponed indefinitely because of coronavirus concerns. Sister Julia Tomsche (Sister Dolorita), 86, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights, March, 14, 2020. Julia was born January 31, 1934, in Minneapolis to Joseph and Rosalia (Wilwerding) Tomsche. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1954, and made perpetual vows in 1960. In 1961 she completed training to be a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at Saint Marys Hospital. Sister Julia served as an LPN for 14 years at various places in Minnesota: St. James Nursing Home, St. James; St. Marys Hospital, Rochester; St. Anne Hospice, Winona; Sacred Heart Hospice, Austin; and Assisi Heights, Rochester. She also worked for two years as an LPN at St. Francis Convalescent Home, Denver, CO. Following further studies, Sister Julia worked seven years as a dental assistant in Rochester. In 1984, Sr. Julia moved to Assisi Heights, where she worked as a health care aide for 15 years and followed with assistance in various ministries at Assisi Heights. Sister Julia is survived by her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 66 years; her brother Joseph Tomsche of Saint Paul; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; one brother, Francis; and two sisters: Gen Cunningham and Teresa Mancuso. A Memorial Liturgy will be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.
Urbi et Orbi,
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cont'd from pg. 1
they called on him. But we see how they call on him: “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” (v. 38). Do you not care: they think that Jesus is not interested in them, does not care about them. One of the things that hurts us and our families most when we hear it said is: “Do you not care about me?” It is a phrase that wounds and unleashes storms in our hearts. It would have shaken Jesus too. Because he, more than anyone, cares about us. Indeed, once they have called on him, he saves his disciples from their discouragement. The storm exposes our vulnerability and uncovers those false and superfluous certainties around which we have constructed our daily schedules, our projects, our habits and priorities. It shows us how we have allowed to become dull and feeble the very things that nourish, sustain and strengthen our lives and our communities. The tempest lays bare all our prepackaged ideas and forgetfulness of what nourishes our people’s souls; all those attempts that anesthetize us with ways of thinking and acting that supposedly “save” us, but instead prove incapable of putting us in touch with our roots and keeping alive the memory of those who have gone before us. We deprive ourselves of the antibodies we need to confront adversity. In this storm, the façade of those stereotypes with which we camouflaged our egos, always worrying about our image, has fallen away, uncovering once more that (blessed) common belonging, of which we cannot be deprived: our belonging as brothers and sisters. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” Lord, your word this evening strikes us and regards us, all of us. In this world, that you love more than we do, we have gone ahead at breakneck speed, feeling powerful and able to do anything. Greedy for profit, we let ourselves get caught up in things, and lured away by haste. We did not stop at your reproach to us, we were not shaken awake by wars or injustice across the world, nor did we listen to the cry of the poor or of our ailing planet. We carried on regardless, thinking we would stay healthy in a world that was sick. Now that we are in a stormy sea, we implore you: “Wake up, Lord!”. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” Lord, you are calling to us, calling us to faith. Which is not so much believing that you exist, but coming to you and trusting in you. This Lent your call reverberates urgently: “Be converted!”, “Return to me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12). You are calling on us to seize this time of trial as a time of choosing. It is not the time of your judgement, but of our judgement: a time to choose what matters and what passes away, a time to separate what is necessary from what is not. It is a time to get our lives back on track with regard to you, Lord, and to others. We can look to so many exemplary companions for the journey, who, even though fearful, have reacted by giving their lives. This is the force of the Spirit poured out and fashioned in courageous and generous self-denial. It is the life in the Spirit that can redeem, value and demonstrate how our lives are woven together and
sustained by ordinary people – often forgotten people – who do not appear in newspaper and magazine headlines nor on the grand catwalks of the latest show, but who without any doubt are in these very days writing the decisive events of our time: doctors, nurses, supermarket employees, cleaners, caregivers, providers of transport, law and order forces, volunteers, priests, religious men and women and so very many others who have understood that no one reaches salvation by themselves. In the face of so much suffering, where the authentic development of our peoples is assessed, we experience the priestly prayer of Jesus: “That they may all be one” (Jn 17:21). How many people every day are exercising patience and offering hope, taking care to sow not panic but a shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers are showing our children, in small everyday gestures, how to face up to and navigate a crisis by adjusting their routines, lifting their gaze and fostering prayer. How many are praying, offering and interceding for the good of all. Prayer and quiet service: these are our victorious weapons. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith”? Faith begins when we realise we are in need of salvation. We are not self-sufficient; by ourselves we flounder: we need the Lord, like ancient navigators needed the stars. Let us invite Jesus into the boats of our lives. Let us hand over our fears to him so that he can conquer them. Like the disciples, we will experience that with him on board there will be no shipwreck. Because this is God’s strength: turning to the good everything that happens to us, even the bad things. He brings serenity into our storms, because with God life never dies. The Lord asks us and, in the midst of our tempest, invites us to reawaken and put into practice that solidarity and hope capable of giving strength, support and meaning to these hours when everything seems to be floundering. The Lord awakens so as to reawaken and revive our Easter faith. We have an anchor: by his cross we have been saved. We have a rudder: by his cross we have been
redeemed. We have a hope: by his cross we have been healed and embraced so that nothing and no one can separate us from his redeeming love. In the midst of isolation when we are suffering from a lack of tenderness and chances to meet up, and we experience the loss of so many things, let us once again listen to the proclamation that saves us: he is risen and is living by our side. The Lord asks us from his cross to rediscover the life that awaits us, to look towards those who look to us, to strengthen, recognize and foster the grace that lives within us. Let us not quench the wavering flame (cf. Is 42:3) that never falters, and let us allow hope to be rekindled. Embracing his cross means finding the courage to embrace all the hardships of the present time, abandoning for a moment our eagerness for power and possessions in order to make room for the creativity that only the Spirit is capable of inspiring. It means finding the courage to create spaces where everyone can recognize that they are called, and to allow new forms of hospitality, fraternity and solidarity. By his cross we have been saved in order to embrace hope and let it strengthen and sustain all measures and all possible avenues for helping us protect ourselves and others. Embracing the Lord in order to embrace hope: that is the strength of faith, which frees us from fear and gives us hope. “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith”? Dear brothers and sisters, from this place that tells of Peter’s rock-solid faith, I would like this evening to entrust all of you to the Lord, through the intercession of Mary, Health of the People and Star of the stormy Sea. From this colonnade that embraces Rome and the whole world, may God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace. Lord, may you bless the world, give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts. You ask us not to be afraid. Yet our faith is weak and we are fearful. But you, Lord, will not leave us at the mercy of the storm. Tell us again: “Do not be afraid” (Mt 28:5). And we, together with Peter, “cast all our anxieties onto you, for you care about us” (cf. 1 Pet 5:7).
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April 2020
• The Courier