The Courier - February 2025

The COURIER

TrusT and surrender

By KAT LARSON

�eet Laurie Archbold. At first glance, she may be perceived as a devout Catholic living out her faith through seemingly normal means. She has been an active parishioner within the Diocese of WinonaRochester for over 21 years. Throughout these years, Laurie has been active in parish music liturgy, OCIA sponsorship and faith formation. Based on these works, it could be easily said that Laurie has taken the gifts she has received from the Lord and given back to him in the best ways possible. But, if you were to ask Laurie if she had used her gifts in the most prudent way, most likely she would say no; there is so much more work to be done.

In 2018, Laurie felt a call to enroll in the Institute of Lay Formation offered by the diocese. She had a sincere and growing desire to deepen her relationship with her Lord and Savior. Although she was already an active participant in her faith, she sensed that God was calling her to something more. Laurie attributes much of her spiritual growth to the Institute, which enriched her formation and helped her begin to navigate deeper waters in her relationship with God. Through this journey, she realized that living out her faith goes beyond participating in parish programs; it requires the courage to say “yes” to the Lord’s will, fostering a fuller integration of life in all aspects - faith, family, work, and community.

Laurie also sees her timing at the Institute as part of God’s divine plan. The Class of 2018 was the only group to receive an extra year of formation due to COVID, ultimately graduating in 2022 instead of 2021 as originally scheduled. She views this additional

time as a true blessing, allowing for further spiritual growth and strengthening of her faith. It also fostered a deeper sense of community and provided an inspiring immersion into the catechesis the class explored together.

After completing her time at the Institute, she began receiving unexpected opportunities to serve the Lord, often requiring significant sacrifices. She deepened her prayer life through adoration and participation in intercessory prayer teams. Her service to God's community expanded through ministries such as St. Paul Street Evangelization, the Seven Sisters Apostolate, and Unbound Ministry, among others. Additionally, she accepted a position at a public television station. Although not unfamiliar territory, seeing as she began her career in TV news, this opportunity came as a surprise. Discerning the Lord’s will while working in a secular environment is not always clear.

Mass Attendance Going Up?

By VERY REV. WILLIAM THOMPSON

� very October, parishes across the United States take part in the annual Mass attendance count. The bishops of the country decided several decades ago to set one month aside each year to learn the average Mass attendance in order to understand local trends. You will know it is October when you see the ushers moving around the church quickly, pointing pencils at people’s heads!

The good news is that each year since COVID has seen an increase in Mass attendance. This year (October 2024) increased over last year by only one percent. While we have experienced small increases recently, the same cannot be said of our long-term data: from 2009 to 2024, overall Mass attendance dropped 36.1%.

Over the past 15 years, our diocese, similar to other dioceses in the Midwest, has seen a decline in Mass attendance in both number and percentage of Catholics. More specifically, in 2009, 29.1% of the roughly 131,000 Catholics were attending Mass at a parish on any given Sunday. In 2024, 21.4% of the 114,000 Catholics attended Mass on Sundays. While the percentage drop in attendance may not seem like

Laurie Archbold (3rd from L) and members of the Red Couch Stories film crew met the Dalai Lama at a shoot for the Parliament of the World's Religions, where he was the keynote speaker.

Both of the statements below were released by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on January 22, 2025.

Statement of USCCB President on Executive Orders Signed by the President

WASHINGTON - In response to this week’s Executive Orders signed by President Trump, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered the following statement:

“Many of the issues President Trump addresses in his recent Executive Orders, along with what may be issued in the coming days, are matters on which the Church has much to offer. Some provisions contained in the Executive Orders, such as those focused on the treatment of immigrants and refugees, foreign aid, expansion of the death penalty, and the environment, are deeply troubling and will have negative consequences, many of which will harm the most vulnerable among us. Other provisions in the Executive Orders can be seen in a more positive light, such as recognizing the truth about each human person as male or female.

“I wish to reiterate that the Catholic Church is not aligned with any political party, and neither is the bishops’ conference. No matter who occupies the White House or holds the majority on Capitol Hill, the Church’s teachings remain unchanged. It is our hope that the leadership of our Country will reconsider those actions which disregard not only the human dignity of a few, but of us all.

“Following the ancient tradition, Pope Francis has declared 2025 as a Jubilee Year of Hope. As Christians, our hope is always in Jesus Christ, who guides us through storm and calm weather. He is the source of all truth. Our prayer is one of hope that, as a Nation blessed with many gifts, our actions demonstrate a genuine care for our most vulnerable sisters and brothers, including the unborn, the poor,

the elderly and infirm, and migrants and refugees. The just Judge expects nothing less.”

The USCCB will publish additional information pertaining to specific Executive Orders on usccb.org.

Executive Actions Will Subject Vulnerable Families and Children to Grave Danger, says Bishop Seitz

USCCB Issues Statements on Executive Orders The

WASHINGTON – Following an earlier statement by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), Bishop Mark J. Seitz of El Paso, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Migration, issued the following statement:

“The Catholic Church is committed to defending the sanctity of every human life and the God-given dignity of each person, regardless of nationality or immigration status. Church teaching recognizes a country’s right and responsibility to promote public order, safety, and security through well-regulated borders and just limits on immigra tion. However, as shepherds, we cannot abide injustice, and we stress that national selfinterest does not justify policies with consequences that are contrary to the moral law. The use of sweeping generalizations to denigrate any group, such as describing all undocumented immigrants as ‘criminals' or ‘invaders,’ to deprive them of protection under the law, is an affront to God, who has created each of us in his own image. Pope Francis has stated, ‘No one will ever openly deny that [migrants] are human beings, yet in practice, by our decisions and the way we treat them, we can show that we consider them less worthy, less important, less human. For Christians, this way of thinking and acting is unacceptable.’

signed by President Trump this week are specifically intended to eviscerate humanitarian protections enshrined in federal law and undermine due process, subjecting vulnerable families and children to grave danger. The open-ended deployment of military assets to support civil immigration enforcement along the U.S.-Mexico border is especially concerning. Meanwhile, policies barring the consideration of any humanitarian claims—including those of unaccompanied children and trafficking victims— have repeatedly failed to reduce irregular migration in a legal, sustainable, and humane manner.

“Preventing any access to asylum and other protections will only endanger those who are most vulnerable and deserving of relief, while empowering gangs and other predators to exploit them. Likewise, indefinitely halting refugee resettlement is unmerited, as it is already proven to be one of the most secure legal pathways to the United States. Even non-humanitarian legal immigration and naturalized persons are targeted by these policies in support of a so-called ‘unified American identity.’ Finally, the proposed interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment to limit birthright citizenship sets a dangerous precedent, contradicting the Supreme Court’s longstanding interpretation.

“While an emphasis on anti-trafficking is welcomed, several of the executive orders

Lane NW, Rochester, MN, 55901 Vol 116 - 2

Most Reverend Robert E. Barron, Publisher

Nick Reller, Associate Editor

Telephone: 507-361-3068 E-mail: nreller@dowr.org

Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the 10th of the month prior. (ISSN 0744-5490)

“We urge President Trump to pivot from these enforcementonly policies to just and merciful solutions, working in good faith with members of Congress to achieve meaningful, bipartisan immigration reform that furthers the common good with an effective, orderly immigration system. My brother bishops and I will support this in any way we can, while continuing to accompany our immigrant brothers and sisters in accordance with the Gospel of Life.”

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 507-454-2270, 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 Michael Gerard at 507-361-3377, or mgerard@dowr.org.

The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 2907 Jeremiah

February Saint St. Paul Miki & Companions

Feast Day: February 6

From Catholic News Agency

�

n Feb. 6, the Catholic Church honors the 26 Martyrs of Nagasaki, a group of native Japanese Catholics and foreign missionaries who suffered death for their faith in the year 1597.

During the 16th century, the Catholic faith reached Japan by the efforts of the Jesuit missionary Saint Francis Xavier (1506-1552). Jesuit outreach to the Japanese continued after his death, and around 200,000 Japanese had entered the Church by 1587.

Religious tensions led to a period of persecution during that year, during which many churches were destroyed and missionaries forced to work in

The Holy Father's Intention for February 2025

For Vocations to the Priesthood & Religious Life

Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel a call to serve Christ's mission in the priesthood and religious life.

secret. But few episodes of martyrdom took place during this time, and within a decade 100,000 more Japanese became Catholic despite the restrictions.

During 1593, Franciscan missionaries came to Japan from the Philippines by order of Spain's King Philip II. These new arrivals gave themselves zealously to the work of charity and evangelism, but their presence disturbed a delicate situation between the Church and Japanese authorities.

Suspicion against Catholic missionaries grew when a Spanish ship was seized off the Japanese coast and found to be carrying artillery. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a powerful imperial minister, responded by sentencing 26 Catholics to death.

The group was comprised of three native Jesuits, six foreign Franciscans, and several lay Catholics including some children. Sentenced to die by crucifixion and lancing, they were first marched 600 miles to the city of Nagasaki.

During the journey they underwent pub lic torture meant to terrorize other Japanese believ ers in Christ. But all of the 26 held out courageously, even singing the hymn of praise “Te Deum” when they arrived at the hill where they would be crucified.

Three of the best-known martyrs of Nagasaki are Saints Paul Miki, John of Goto, and James Kisai. Though none were priests, all

This Month in

Carol Wells enjoys a story time with her kindergarten class at Holy Spirit School in Rochester. Teachers like her, as well as other faculty, parents and students in the 32 Catholic schools in the Diocese of Winona, will celebrate Catholic Schools Week during the first week of February. The theme for this year's celebration is "Catholic Schools: Lighting the Way to a New Century."

Reprinted from February 2000.

were associated with the Jesuits: Miki was training for the priesthood, while Kisai was a lay brother and John of Goto was a catechist preparing to enter the order.

3

Paul Miki offered an especially strong witness to his faith during the group's month-long march to Nagasaki, as he joined one of the captive Franciscan priests in preaching to the crowds who came to mock the prisoners.

The son of a wealthy military leader, Miki was born in 1562 and entered the Church along with the rest of his family. He joined the Jesuits as a young man and helped many Buddhists to embrace Christianity. His last act of evangelism took place as he hung on his cross, preaching to the crowds.

“The only reason for my being killed is that I have taught the doctrine of Christ,” he announced. “I thank God it is for this reason that I die. I believe that I am telling the truth before I die.”

“After Christ's example, I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.”

St. Paul Miki and his 25 companions were stabbed to death with lances on Feb. 5, 1597, at the site that became known as “Martyrs' Hill.” Pope Pius IX canonized the Martyrs of Nagasaki in 1862.

Winona parishes held a combined Ash Wednesday evening liturgy in the gym of the senior high school in Winona. Bishop Loras J. Watters was chief celebrant for the all-city Mass.

The picture shows part of the congregation which came from all over the city for this first all-city celebration.

Reprinted from February 21, 1975.

Winona - Pictured above, left, is the Rev. Frank W. Klein receiving a farewell bouquet on Jan. 25. In the center is His Excellency, the Most Rev. Edward A. Fitzgerald, D.D., Bishop of Winona, and on the right is the Very Rev. Msgr. Joseph F. Hale, V.G., pastor of St. Joseph's Church here. The occasion was Father Klein's departure for his new duties as assistant pastor at St. Joachim's Church, Plainview. Mr. A. L. Koutsky represented the laity and presented Father Klein with a gift. Shown presenting the bouquet are Leo Eischen and James Meier.

Reprinted from February 5, 1950.

From the Bishop

�ust recently, the diary of a young North Korean soldier killed in Ukraine came to light. What attracted most commentary was the revelation that he and his unfortunate colleagues were being used, essentially, as bait for the deadly drones that hover over the battlefields of that beleaguered country. What I found even more desperately sad, however, was a more personal truth that was laid bare in the pages of that diary.

Explaining why he was committed to fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war, he said, “I put on the military uniform of the revolution for the sake of protecting the Supreme Commander,” and "I will unconditionally carry out the orders of the Supreme Commander Kim Jong Un, even if it costs me my life.” I want to be perfectly clear that I have nothing whatsoever against honest patriotism or passionate love of one’s own country, and I’m certainly not questioning this young soldier’s sincerity. But what I find tragic is the narrowing of his heart’s desire, for the young soldier expresses a

Officials

The Most Rev. Robert Barron, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following:

Vicar for Senior Priests

Rev. Joseph Pete: appointed to a three-year term as Co-Vicar for Senior Priests of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, effective January 1, 2025.

Chaplain

Rev. Franklin Okoro: appointed Chaplain for the Catholic Medical Association, Diocese of Winona-Rochester Guild, effective January 3, 2025.

Presbyteral Council

Rev. Joachim Anumba: appointed to a three-year term on the Presbyteral Council, effective January 1, 2025.

The Witness of a Consecrated Life

loyalty, not so much to his country, as to “the leader.”

And the leader in question, we know, is a petty, violent, and mean-spirited dictator. Again, I’m not casting blame on the soldier himself. He came of age in a dramatically closed society, and he had been propagandized from his youngest days that the supreme value was none other than Kim Jong Un. But to me it is just devastating to think that all his idealism, intelligence, energy, and emotion was ordered to such a pathetic end.

Now this is but an extreme case of a spiritual problem that is truly universal in scope. It is a basic conviction of the Bible that every human being, made in the image and likeness of God, possesses a heart that is oriented toward God, so that, as the psalmist has it, “only in God will my soul be at rest.” To be sure, the fall has obscured and compromised that desire, but it remains, often inchoately, present and operative within each person. In some ways, the drama that defines every human life is the tension played out within the conflicted heart, when what is properly ordered to the supreme good devolves into being ordered to some lesser value. As St. Augustine put it with admirable economy of expression, we sinners have “substituted a creature for the Creator.”

So, we seek the deepest satisfaction in wealth, in power, in politics, in our human relationships, in

Rev. Msgr. Thomas Cook: appointed to a three-year term on the Presbyteral Council, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Matthew Wagner: appointed to a three-year term on the Presbyteral Council, effective January 1, 2025.

College of Consultors

Rev. Andrew Beerman: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Timothy Biren: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

our families, indeed in our countries. But these things are, at best, relative goods and not the supreme good, and hence in the measure that we place them at the center of our concern, we make of them idols, false gods, golden calves. The prophet Jeremiah understood this truth in his bones. In the seventeenth chapter of his book, he says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings, who makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a barren bush in the wasteland…that stands in lava beds in the wilderness, a land salty and uninhabited.” The heart that is directed to the superficial goods of the world is like a tree with shallow roots in the desert. On the other hand, the one whose heart is ordered to the Lord, Jeremiah insists, is like “a tree planted beside the waters that stretches out its roots to the stream…in the year of drought, it shows no distress, but still produces fruit.”

One might be tempted to say that these are elementary spiritual truths - and indeed they are - but they are forgotten all the time. Though the Bible and much of the literature of the world are filled with the reminder that nothing in the finite world satisfies the aching of the heart, nevertheless, every generation, it seems, comes to believe the lie: though it has never worked before, we somehow convince ourselves that this time around, if

Rev. Msgr. Thomas Cook: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Glenn Frerichs: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Thé Hoang: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Swaminatha Pothireddy: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. James Steffes: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

we just get enough of the world’s goods, we will find joy. Sermons, exhortations, indeed articles like this one, can provide a service to some degree, but the most powerful argument against idolatry is the witness of a life. When we see someone who lives as though only God finally matters, we tend to get it. And this is one of the principal reasons the Church has, from the beginning, encouraged the consecrated life, by which I mean, a life marked by poverty, chastity, and obedience, a life that makes sense only if God exists. This is why it has held up St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Antony of the Desert, St. Francis of Assisi, St. Clare, St. Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, St. Ignatius of Loyola, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Edith Stein, and so many others who have heroically embraced poverty, chastity, and obedience out of total dedication to Christ.

This month in our diocese, I will celebrate a Mass specially for those in consecrated life. Part of the purpose of that Mass is to thank these good people for their dedication, but a deeper purpose is to shine a light on them so that the world can see them more clearly. They are like trees whose roots go deep, deep into the ground, reaching all the way to the waters that bubble up to eternal life. And there are so many, languishing in the sadness of various forms of idolatry, who need to see that such a life as theirs is possible.

Very Rev. William Thompson: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Rev. Matthew Wagner: appointed to a five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective January 1, 2025.

Minnesota Catholic Conference

Rep. Gene Pelowski: appointed to a two-year term on the Minnesota Catholic Conference Advisory Committee, effective January 1, 2025.

Mr. Matthew Petrusek: appointed to a three-year term on the Minnesota Catholic Conference Advisory Committee, effective January 1, 2025

*indicates event is open to the public

February 1, Saturday

5:30 p.m. - A Man for All Seasons Video and Discussion - St. Mary's University, Winona February 2, Sunday

*10:30 a.m. - Mass for Consecrated Life - St. Thomas More Chapel, St. Mary's University, Winona

February 11, Tuesday

1 p.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee - The Chancery, Rochester

3:30 p.m. - Fr. Andrew Whiting, IVE - The Chancery, Rochester

February 12, Wednesday

*8:30 a.m. - School MassSacred Heart, Waseca

February 13, Thursday

*8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass - The Chancery, Rochester

9 a.m. - Mother Mary Christa Nutt, RSM - The Chancery, Rochester

February 14, Friday 6 p.m. - Mass - Federal Medical Center, Rochester

February 18, Monday Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) Conference - London, England

February 21-22, FridaySaturday Word on Fire ConferenceLondon, England

February 27, Thursday 11 a.m. - Upper Room Faith Formation Director Gathering - The Chancery, Rochester

Non Nisi Te Domine

Bishop Robert Barron

Bishop's Calendar

El testimonio de una vida consagrada

Por EL OBISPO ROBERT BARRON

�ace poco, salió a la luz el diario de un joven soldado norcoreano asesinado en Ucrania. Lo que atrajo más comentarios fue la revelación de que él y sus desafortunados compañeros estaban siendo utilizados, esencialmente, como cebo para los mortíferos drones que se ciernen sobre los campos de batalla de ese asediado país. Sin embargo, lo que me pareció aún más desesperadamente triste fue una verdad más personal que quedó al descubierto en las páginas de ese diario. Explicando por qué se comprometió a luchar en la guerra entre Rusia y Ucrania, dijo: «Me puse el uniforme militar de la revolución para proteger al Comandante Supremo» y “cumpliré incondicionalmente las órdenes del Comandante Supremo Kim Jong Un, aunque me cueste la vida”. Quiero dejar perfectamente claro que no tengo nada en absoluto contra el patriotismo honesto o el amor apasionado por el propio país, y desde luego no estoy cuestionando la sinceridad de este joven soldado. Pero lo que me parece trágico es el estrechamiento del deseo de su corazón, ya que el joven soldado expresa una lealtad, no tanto a su país, sino al «líder». Y el líder en cuestión, lo sabemos, es un dictador mezquino, violento y malintencionado. Una vez más, no estoy culpando al propio soldado. Llegó a la mayoría de edad en una

sociedad dramáticamente cerrada, y le habían propagandizado desde su más tierna infancia que el valor supremo no era otro que Kim Jong Un. Pero para mí es simplemente devastador pensar que todo su idealismo, inteligencia, energía y emoción fueron ordenados a un final tan patético.

Ahora bien, esto no es más que un caso extremo de un problema espiritual de alcance verdaderamente universal. Es una convicción básica de la Biblia que todo ser humano, hecho a imagen y semejanza de Dios, posee un corazón orientado hacia Dios, de modo que, como dice el salmista, «sólo en Dios descansará mi alma». Sin duda, la caída ha oscurecido y comprometido ese deseo, pero sigue estando, a menudo incipientemente, presente y operante dentro de cada persona. En cierto modo, el drama que define toda vida humana es la tensión que se desarrolla en el corazón en conflicto, cuando lo que está debidamente ordenado al bien supremo se desvía hacia algún valor menor. Como dijo San Agustín con admirable economía de expresión, los pecadores hemos «sustituido al Creador por una criatura».

Así, buscamos la satisfacción más profunda en la riqueza, en el poder, en la política, en nuestras relaciones humanas, en nuestras familias, incluso en nuestros países. Pero estas cosas son, en el mejor de los casos, bienes relativos y no el bien supremo, y por

On D�c��b�r 29, 2024, Bishop Barron kicked off the diocesan celebration of the Jubilee 2025 with 10 a.m. Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona. Included in the opening procession was a Jubilee Cross, which was brought to the side of the altar near the choir seating, where it will remain for the duration of the Jubilee Year, which concludes on January 6, 2026. The Cathedral Parish invites pilgrims to come and pray and to venerate the Jubilee Cross this year. Indulgences can be gained by visiting the Cathedral or Basilica in Winona, or the Co-Cathedral in Rochester during this coming year. The theme of the Jubilee Year is Pilgrims of Hope

Photos by LEANDRA HUBKA, administrative assistant to Bishop Barron.

eso, en la medida en que las colocamos en el centro de nuestra preocupación, hacemos de ellas ídolos, falsos dioses, becerros de oro. El profeta Jeremías comprendió esta verdad en sus huesos. En el capítulo diecisiete de su libro, dice: «Maldito el hombre que confía en los hombres, que hace de la carne su fuerza, cuyo corazón se aparta del Señor. Es como un arbusto estéril en el páramo... que se yergue en lechos de lava en el desierto, tierra salada y deshabitada». El corazón que se dirige a los bienes superficiales del mundo es como un árbol de raíces superficiales en el desierto. En cambio, aquel cuyo corazón está ordenado al Señor, insiste Jeremías, es como «un árbol plantado junto a las aguas que extiende sus raíces hasta la corriente... en el año de sequía, no muestra angustia, sino que sigue produciendo fruto». Uno podría estar tentado de decir que éstas son verdades espirituales elementales - y de hecho lo son - pero se olvidan todo el tiempo. Aunque la Biblia y gran parte de la literatura del mundo están llenas del recordatorio de que nada en el mundo finito satisface la aflicción del corazón, sin embargo, cada generación, parece, llega a creer la mentira. Aunque nunca ha funcionado antes, de alguna manera nos convencemos de que esta vez, si tenemos lo suficiente de los bienes del mundo, encontraremos la alegría. Los sermones, las exhortaciones, incluso artículos como éste, pueden ser útiles

hasta cierto punto, pero el argumento más poderoso contra la idolatría es el testimonio de una vida. Cuando vemos a alguien que vive como si al final sólo importara Dios, tendemos a entenderlo. Y ésta es una de las principales razones por las que la Iglesia ha fomentado desde el principio la vida consagrada, es decir, una vida marcada por la pobreza, la castidad y la obediencia, una vida que sólo tiene sentido si Dios existe. Por eso ha sostenido a San Agustín, San Juan Crisóstomo, San Antonio del Desierto, San Francisco de Asís, Santa Clara, Santa Teresa de Ávila, San Juan de la Cruz, San Ignacio de Loyola, Santa Teresa de Lisieux, Santa Edith Stein y tantos otros que han abrazado heroicamente la pobreza, la castidad y la obediencia por entrega total a Cristo.

Este mes, en nuestra diócesis, celebraré una Misa especialmente para los consagrados. Parte del propósito de esa Misa es agradecer a estas buenas personas su dedicación, pero un propósito más profundo es iluminarlas para que el mundo pueda verlas más claramente. Son como árboles cuyas raíces son profundas, profundas en la tierra, que llegan hasta las aguas que burbujean hacia la vida eterna. Y hay tantos, languideciendo en la tristeza de diversas formas de idolatría, que necesitan ver que una vida como la suya es posible.

Answering God's Call Through the Catholic Ministries Appeal

By MARK DOCKERY

�

he Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) is an annual invitation to the faithful in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester to answer God’s call by supporting ministries and services that directly impact parishes, schools, families, and other vital ministries. Serving 20 counties in Southern Minnesota, with a combined Catholic population of 114,450, the appeal provides an opportunity to experience God’s grace by living the Gospel message of faith, hope, and charity with those in need. How can you be sure your CMA donations are making a difference?

The numbers tell a powerful story of the impact of the CMA on local parish communities. In 2024, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, through its parishes, welcomed 1,078 new Catholics through baptisms, celebrated 190 marriages, and received 139 people into Full Communion. CMA funding beneifts your parishes in supporting faith formation for youth and adults, parish services, cemeteries, evangelization, and charitable outreach through Catholic Charities.

While Catholic Charities is a separate entity, it aligns closely with the diocesan mission, and the CMA provides significant financial support for its work. Catholic Charities offers vital services such as adult advocacy, family and parent services, emergency shelters, Project Rachel, parish social ministry, and more. By supporting Catholic Charities through the CMA, you help strengthen these essential services in addition to their own fundraising efforts.

The CMA plays a crucial role in supporting Catholic education. In 2024, Catholic schools throughout the diocese provided an excellent education rooted in Catholic values for nearly 4,500 students. These schools are central to the faith formation of our youth, often identifying and nurturing those who feel called to religious life. In addition to the elementary, middle, and high schools across the Diocese, the CMA supports the Newman Centers on Winona State and Mankato State campuses, ensuring that Catholic students in higher education have the resources to grow in their faith.

The CMA also provides care for our 64 active priests and 31 senior priests. A significant portion of CMA funds supports priests through continued vocational training and care for retired priests. Priests sacrifice much to serve. These men, who are assigned to parishes throughout the diocese, play an essential role in attending to the spiritual needs of parishioners, administering the sacraments, and ensuring the parish's financial health. CMA nurtures and encourages priests by providing counseling and ongoing formation opportunities so they can effectively attend to the many requests and emotional demands of parishioners. In addition, the diocese helps guide priests in areas such as faith formation, adult christian initiation, evangelization, and other ministries.

The Diocese provides these services through the generous support of over 7,000 donations to the CMA. Each parish is assigned a fair-share goal. Beyond that goal, additional funds are returned to the parishes to address local needs. For 2025, the diocesan goal for all parishes combined is $2 million.

As the Director of Stewardship and Development for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, I am writing to highlight your crucial role in the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Your generosity directly benefits your parish and the Diocese. In my role, I work closely with parishes to help with offertory efforts, special appeals, and capital campaigns, ensuring the longterm financial vitality of our parishes.

Each year, the CMA is centered around a theme, and for 2025, the theme is Answering God’s Call. This theme is not just a slogan but a call to action inspired by Caravaggio’s painting The Calling of Saint Matthew, chosen by Bishop Barron to remind us that Christ continually calls us to follow Him, just as He called St. Matthew. One powerful way we can respond to God’s call is by being good stewards of the gifts He has entrusted to us. Stewardship is the belief that all we have comes from God, and we are responsible for using these gifts wisely and generously. Whether we volunteer our time, offer our talents, or contribute financially, we are all called to serve our neighbors in both spiritual and material ways.

Your support of the Catholic Ministries Appeal profoundly impacts the life of the Church in our community. Please consider financially supporting the 2025 CMA, which will allow us to address specific needs such as supporting evangelization efforts, strengthening local parishes, and supporting the ministries that help our neighbors in need. Together, we can answer God’s call and continue to spread His message of faith, hope, and charity throughout our Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Mark Dockery is the director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Events

February 14, Friday

St. James Coffee, Rochester, will host its Brew Ha Ha, our highly anticipated annual fundraiser, at the Empire Event Center at Best Western Apache. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. What's brewing at the Brew Ha Ha? Wine & spirits tasting, spirit-lifting music, silent & live auctions for unique items & experiences, dinner, and a program designed to entertain and enlighten, with featured speaker Susan Windley-Daoust. Proceeds support the mission of St. James Coffee. Tickets now available at St. James Coffee or online at stjamescoffee.com.

March 1, Saturday

St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Rochester, will repeat their racial justice education session, which was featured in The Courier's December 2024 issue, from 9-11 a.m. Viewing of the film Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity, followed by discussion and brainstorming about next steps, and a light breakfast in the St. Francis Room of McCarthy Hall at the church. Send questions to Carol Fishbune at cfishbune@charter.net.

March 5, Wednesday

Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Wilmont, will serve a Knights of Columbus Ash Wednesday Fish Fry after 5:30 p.m. Mass. Fish fried or baked, bun, chips, assorted salads, beverages. All are invited for good food and fellowship.

March 14, Friday

Christ the King Parish, Byron, invites you to their annual all-you-can-eat Fish Fry Fridays, March 14 - April 11, at the church (202 4th St. NW in Byron). Served 5-7 p.m. Fish baked or fried, cole slaw, potatoes, green beans, and famous homemade desserts. Dine-in (all-you-can-eat) $18 adults, $16 seniors, $10 kids. $150 punch cards available for 10 fish fry meals. Adult mac & cheese meal $10. Kids mac & cheese or pb&j $5. OR drive-up service for $16 fish meal or $10 mac & cheese or pb&j. Drive up meals include 3 pieces of baked fish or 2 pieces of fried fish, cole slaw, green beans, potatoes, bread & butter, tartar sauce and dessert. Plastic utensils provided upon request. St. Mary Parish, Caledonia, will serve its annual fish fry in the school gym, 4-7:30 p.m. for carry-outs, 5-7 p.m. for dine-in. Event includes basket raffles, desserts, music by Simply Sis (starting at 5), and a $3,000 grand prize drawing at 7 p.m. $14 fish dinner. Local deliveries available; call 725-3355.

April 4, Friday

St. Thomas More Newman Center Parish, Mankato, will serve a fish fry from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Newman Center, 1502 Warren Street in Mankato. Suggested donations are $15 per plate, $50 per family of 5+, or $10 per child. Fried pollock, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans, dessert and coffee bar. All proceeds benefit Newman Center Ministry, helping students at Minnesota State University, Mankato, to grow in their Catholic Faith. Please park in large lot next to the Newman Center (parking lot of the Beacon).

Care Packages and Coughlan Award Updates from the Winona Serra Club

Submitted by CLARISSA POLACHEK

� special delivery was made to Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona. The smiles were bright on the seminarians' faces when they were greeted by members of the Winona Serra Club, who delivered for them 63 Christmas care packages. They were just as happy to see several large boxes of special treats. Seminary Rector Father Robert Horihan thanked us as well.

These young seminarians are not allotted the time to work and earn money as many of their college peers are. The latter might have jobs on or off campus for an income to help pay for their expenses. In the summer, the seminarians may be serving Catholic youth attending a Catholic camp. The expenses they incur while attending school at the seminary and for traveling home for Christmas will be helped by receiving the gift cards included in the care packages. The monetary donations made by the Winona area parishioners are so appreciated. The handwritten elf notes that the parishioners wrote to the seminarians, displayed on a trifold board, will help to affirm the seminarians as they continue along the discernment journey.

On December 9, 2024, at a Winona Serra Club meeting, Clarissa Polachek was awarded the Thomas P. Coughlan Award for Outstanding Serrans of the District 7 South region in Minnesota. Clarissa is the Serra

communications VP, and her duties include notifying all Serra members and Friends of Serra regarding meetings, and composing the ads for the church bulletins and the Winona Post newspaper. She was honored for her service above and beyond her duties with Serra. Her smiling face and positive attitude make her a joy to work with.

Thomas Coughlan was a charter member of the Mankato Serra Club in 1955. Tom was the first Serran from this district to serve in the highest international office, President of Serra International. Since Tom was from the 7 South District, it was fitting that the Coughlan Award remained with District 7 South. "The Serra Club International's mission is to promote and foster vocations in the ministerial priesthood of the Catholic Church as a particular vocation to service and to support priests in their sacred ministry. To encourage and affirm vocations to consecrated religious life in the Catholic Church. To assist members to recognize and respond in their own lives to God's call to holiness in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit."

To find out more information about joining a Serra Club, please contact your parish office. Clarissa Polachek is the communications vice president of the Winona Serra Club.

� roups of students from Winona State University and Minnesota State University,

Mankato - both located within the Diocese of WinonaRochester - traveled to Salt Lake City, UT, January 1-5 to

Attendees from Winona State University

Our Lady of Luxembourg

Our

Lady of Consolation Is Celebrating 400 Years

Submitted by PAULA HARRIGAN

�

oly Trinity Church in Rollingstone is blessed to have a very special statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg, also known as Our Lady of Consolation or the Consoler of the Afflicted, or, in Latin, Consolatrix Afflictorum. Our statue is based on the original statue of Our Lady of Consolation, which is housed today at the Notre Dame de Luxembourg Cathedral in Luxembourg City. The original statue recently celebrated its 400th Anniversary, on December 8, 2024.

The original statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg dates to 1624 when the Thirty Year’s War, plague and famine were wreaking havoc on the lives of the poor people of Luxembourg. At that time, Jesuit priest Fr. Jacques Brocquart served at the Jesuit College for high school boys in Luxembourg City. On December 8, 1624, Fr. Brocquart led his students in a procession through the narrow streets of the Luxembourg City fortress with a wood-carved statue of the Blessed Mother and the Christ Child. It was this precious statue that became referred to as Our Lady of Luxembourg or Our Lady of Consolation.

Fr. Brocquart placed the statue by a cross outside of the fortress wall, and he vowed to build a chapel on that site. A few years later, the chapel was completed, and the statue was placed in it. Soon pilgrims from Luxembourg City and throughout the region of Luxembourg and its borders came to the chapel to pray for the Consoler’s intercession and healing. Miracles and wonders began to happen in people’s lives through her intercession and, in 1666, the Consoler of the Afflicted was named patroness of Luxembourg City, and in 1678, she was named patroness of the entire Duchy of Luxembourg.

Processions with the statue began to happen on a regular basis as the people of Luxembourg publicly demonstrated their devotion to her.

During the French Revolution, the original chapel was destroyed, and the 1624 statue found a new home in what is today the cathedral in Luxembourg City which now bears her name. Luxembourg and Belgic-Luxembourg immigrants to America brought along their love for Our Lady of Luxembourg and today there are 40 “public” replica images of her found in churches, chapels and shrines in the United States. Our statue is one of those sacred images.

As you gaze upon our statue of Our Lady of Luxembourg this year, wish her a happy 400th anni-

Winter Service Projects at Crucifixion School, La Crescent

Submitted by LORI DATTA

c

rucifixion School is located on the Mississippi River in Southeastern Minnesota. It is directly across the river from La Crosse, WI. We are a school that is proud of its service to the parish and community.

This past Advent, our service project benefitted those who may not have had any winter gear. Students and families donated gently-used coats, hats, gloves, mittens, scarves, and snow pants. We collected these items in school and donated them to Catholic Charities to distribute the items to those in need.

We also had another project we worked on the week before Christmas Break. Each day, students could bring a dollar to participate in the day’s theme. Monday was Comfy/Cozy Day. Students were allowed to wear their Christmas themed (or any theme) PJs, sweats, sweatshirts, etc. Tuesday was Red and Green Day. Students could wear anything in green and red (even Packer gear). Wednesday was Dress in Your Christmas Best Day. Students were dressed up in their Christmas finery. Thursday was Christmas Explosion Day. Students could wear anything and everything related to Christmas. We even had elves, Santas, and reindeer. Friday was Christmas Sweater Day. It was a fun week.

versary but most of all, come before her with your afflictions and concerns and pray for her intercession in your life.

If you would like to find out more about Our Lady of Luxembourg and the 400th Jubilee Celebration in her honor this year in Luxembourg, please feel free to email Kevin Wester, the Attaché for Cultural Affairs for the Honorary Consulate of Luxembourg in Wisconsin at kevin.wester14@gmail.com.

Paula Harrigan is a member of Holy Trinity Parish in Rollingstone, and an administrative assistant for the offices of the diaconate and vocations in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

The money raised from the week before Christmas was donated to the La Crescent Animal Shelter. The students raised over $375 for the shelter. We will be participating in other service projects before the end of the school year. We have Catholic Schools Week at the end of January and Lent at the beginning of March. Our students, families, and staff give their all, and we are blessed they are part of the Crucifixion School Family.

Lori Datta teaches sixth grade at Crucifixion School in La Crescent.

Our Lady of Luxembourg in Luxembourg

Our Lady of Luxembourg in Rollingstone

Pacelli Students Experience

Eucharistic Miracles of the World 9

Submitted by JEAN MCDERMOTT

�

n the entire history of the Catholic Church, there have been numerous eucharistic miracles approved by the Catholic Church as truly worthy of belief. Knowledge of these miracles strengthens our faith in Christ and his Church. They are visible proof of Jesus Christ’s real presence in the Holy Eucharist. The International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles faithfully recounts many well-documented miraculous occurrences for us. This collection of miracles attributed to the Eucharist itself was created by Blessed Carlo Acutis, an Italian teenager who died from leukemia in 2009 when he was just 16 years old, and who was beatified on October 10, 2020.

The special display came to St. Augustine and St. Edwards Catholic churches in Austin in early December. Pacelli Catholic Schools students in grades four through twelve were given the opportunity to attend a presentation, review the collection panels, and venerate relics while the display was in Austin.

Nicholas McGrath, a Pacelli teacher; Jaci Brennan, a parishioner; and Fr. Andrew Beerman, the pastor of St. Augustine and St. Edward parishes, were part of the local effort to bring the International Exhibition of Eucharistic Miracles display to Austin.

A select number of panels were on display between the two churches with availability to the public. A presentation for both the public and for Pacelli Catholic Schools students was given by Patrick Brueggen.

The Eucharist is a commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ. In the Roman Catholic tradition, the Eucharist isn’t just a commemoration calling to memory what happened. Rather, the bread and wine are changed through transubstantiation into the sacramental Body and Blood of Jesus. Through that action of Jesus Christ, a miracle is made present at every Mass.

A Pew Research Center poll conducted in 2019 states that only 30% of Catholics believe the Eucharist actually becomes the Body and Blood of Christ. “Everyone else believes it’s just a symbol; that it’s just bread that symbolizes Jesus,” Fr. Beerman said. “The faith of the Church since the very beginning has been that it is actually the Body and Blood of Christ. Throughout history there have been eucharistic miracles where something happens with regard to the Eucharist to illustrate that this is actually the case,” Fr. Beerman said.

Pacelli teacher Nicholas McGrath said that students could come away with a better understanding of the Catholic faith through this display. “It is who we are,” he said. “We pray together, go to Mass together. Eucharist is the core part of Mass for us.

Forty percent of the student body at Pacelli isn’t Catholic, so to give them a much more tangible introduction to what the Eucharist is and how it’s been represented and portrayed over the last 2,000 years - there is something more here,” he said. “God is actually engaged with who we are and what we become.”

Students learned about and were able to venerate a first-class relic of Acutis. “I had never heard of Carlo Acutis,” said freshman Autumn Drennan. “It was cool that we got a prayer card to touch to the relic. Now I have a third-class relic that I can keep. There is a prayer on the back that we all prayed together. Carlo is the first millennial saint. It is neat to relate to a saint who is our own age, who went through the same things we do. It feels more relevant to us.”

“It was a life-changing experience for me,” said freshman Landon Phan, “to be in the presence of the sacred relics of a saint. I could feel the presence. Carlo’s story of being a faithful young teeager making an impact on faith and inspiring other young Catholics to proclaim the miracles to others - really understanding the true presence of Jesus in the Eucharistic - that is inspirational.”

Abby Yepez Ramirez already knew about Acutis. “At Queen of Angels Church we do an All Saints Day celebration," she said. "They put up images of many saints, and he was one of them. I learned more about him at the program. The speaker was very passionate about Carlo. Our class, which is getting confirmed, got another special card to touch to the relic with a prayer specific to confirmation.”

The display, as well as the example set by Acutis, also holds the potential of demonstrating the value of being a virtuous person. “It’s important to see the roles of the saints in all of the churches, that we have good holy role models from every walk of life in every century in recorded history in every continent,” McGrath said. “There are people who live heroic virtue in every day of their life. Students could relate to (Acutis) very deeply.”

Sophomore, Madi Klankowski agrees. “I was especially inspired by Carlo from his great faith in the Lord. He wasn’t scared of his approaching death, because he trusted God’s purpose for his life and felt superior peace only few people experience. He was fearful of the Lord yet had no fear of death as he knew he would have eternal life in heaven.”

Pope Francis has announced that Blessed Carlo Acutis will be canonized on Sunday, April 27, 2025, during the Jubilee of Teenagers in Rome.

“Acutis will be canonized as a saint in April of 2025, and his work in gathering all of these miracles related to the Eucharist is an example of his dedication,” said Brennan.

“I think the goal is to make people more aware of all of these miracles that have existed …I hope there is a growth in faith in Jesus,” said Fr. Beerman.

Jean McDermott is the president of Pacelli Catholic Schools in Austin.

Photos by Laura Sheedy.

Sophomore

Curatio Apostolate

Turning

a

Second of Honest Prayer into a Seed of Love

Submitted by DIANNE JOHNSON, RN

Curatio was formed in 2001 as an approved apostolate in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul & Minneapolis, with the mission of strengthening the faith of Catholics in healthcare. The apostolate thanks Bishop Barron for his welcome into the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. At this printing, Curatio is planning a celebration for the Feast of the Sacred Heart, June 27, 2025, at Resurrection Church, Rochester. Stay tuned for details. catholics in healthcare are at a crossroads. As we watch modern healthcare abandon its foundational principles of profession, mission and vocation, only to be replaced by a healthcare industry dedicated to efficiency models - with an ever-changing definition of human dignity that often lacks compassion - it’s quite normal to look around the landscape that is changing before your very eyes and feel somewhat helpless. The central tenets of Christianity in healthcare, to love and care for the sick and dying, seem to be at risk. It is incumbent on us to choose wisely which road we will follow. For centuries caring for the sick and the dying held a universal meaning, always with a goal to restore, maintain, and, in general, protect the health and life of the patient. When a cure was not possible,

We are now faced with a twisted view that advocates for acts of killing and mutilation under euphemisms like “death with dignity” and “freedom of choice.” So anyone who views all human life as sacred is viewed as restricting healthcare. It was not always this way. Even the first Charter for Healthcare Workers written in 1995 by the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Assistance to Healthcare Workers, did not see the need to address Catholics specifically. There was no need to make a distinction between the care given in a secular hospital versus a religious one, no need to say you practiced a Lutheran, Jewish or Catholic delivery of healthcare. It was either good healthcare or it wasn’t. That is no longer the case. How this division happened deserves more explanation than space allows here, but it may be due in part to an overall market push for profit in healthcare, and the modern quest to radically solve all the problems of humanity, eradicating all illness, poverty and suffering.

From the very beginning of Christianity, writes Msgr. James Shea,

[o]ne loved and helped those in need not because one was “fixing the world” but because they were God-created beings with a divine destiny, because in a special way they were sacramental representations of the poverty and hunger and sickness of everyone, and because to do so was to participate mystically in the self-forgetful charity of Christ working though his body.

However, when suffering is deemed “offensive

started to pray.

Honestly, I did not really know how to pray in the beginning. I still have a lot to learn. The best I can say is that I trust the Holy Spirit as my intercessor. I do my best to faithfully show up somewhere in a silent spot at home or at church, and, if I am unable to find exterior silence, I do my best to keep interior silence. I trust God to do the rest. I do try to get to daily Mass and frequent the Sacrament of Confession. Don’t think I have figured this all out. It takes daily practice and commitment. I can say with certainty that prayer is not one activity among others. To me, it is the fundamental activity of my life, and how I do it is not as important as the fact that I do it.

There is a natural rhythm of prayer and activity, like breathing in and out, and prayer comes first. This does not mean we put our heads in the sand, ignoring what we can do to alleviate the situation we face in healthcare; rather, it means prayer is the priority before any action. We simply can’t give what we don’t have.

The month of June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart in 2025 is Friday, June 27. We are excited to celebrate this feast day at Resurrection Parish here in Rochester, and hope you can attend! I cannot think of anything more important than praying to the Sacred Heart, asking him to continually pour out his graces and love to strengthen us during this time.

Since the beginning of Curatio’s Apostolate some 20-plus years ago, I knew that if our apostolate would bear any good fruit it would only do so to the extent that we would spend time with Jesus and just be with him.

Professor Mary Healy writes:

…[T]he first and most important duty of the apostles was simply to be with him - to waste time in the presence of Jesus, loving him and being loved by him, learning his ways, letting their hearts become more and more aligned with his. Only then were they sent out to preach, heal, and deliver others from evil…. Fruitfulness comes from being with him or it will not come at all. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5) … [T]he closer we come to Jesus the more we are filled with God’s unconditional love, and the more we long to give it away to the lost and the broken. (Mary Healy, Healing: Bringing the Gift of God’s Mercy to the World. Huntington, IN: Our Sunday Visitor, 2015, pg. 167)

Talk about a perfect recipe for Curatio right now! In order to give love to the lost and broken, both to our coworkers and patients, we simply need to “waste time” with Jesus - and no time spent with Jesus is ever wasted! As St. Teresa of Avila wrote, it is only then that we can “turn a second of honest prayer into a seed of love.” Sometimes that is all we have - a second of prayer - but God can do what to us seems impossible. And do we ever need authentic love and Catholic witness in healthcare now! I believe Curatio was made for this task. In my experience during times of trial, it is not as important to roll up our sleeves as it is to fold our hands. May the Sacred Heart of Jesus intercede for all of us as we stay the course. Only then we will bear fruit, fruit from Christ the vine which is always fragrant. I hope to see you on the Feast of the Sacred Heart, June 27, 2025!

Dianne Johnson is the founder of Curatio Mission. For updates on the planning of the June 27 event, visit curatioapostolate.com or email curatioevent@gmail.com.

National Marriage Week February 7-14, 2025

By PETER MARTIN

�

he observances of National Marriage Week (February 7-14) and World Marriage Day (Sunday, February 9) are an opportunity to focus on building a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family. The theme for 2025 is Marriage: Source of Hope, Spring of Renewal. Pursue a Lasting Love!

It almost seems elementary to say, but now, more than ever, it needs to be said: marriage is important! Marriage is the foundation of the family and “the future of the human person, his happiness, his capacity for giving life meaning all depend on the family” (St. John Paul II).

Every week is a good week to work on your marriage, but every year National Marriage Week occurs the week of Valentine’s Day to serve as a reminder for us married folks to prioritize the love that we have in our marriage.

Every year the Diocese of WinonaRochester hosts a marriage retreat (see the advertisement below, and

there are other Catholic marriage retreats that take place in and near the Diocese). This is a great opportunity for us to take time away from our busy lives and focus on our marriage. If you cannot get away, there are other opportunities for you to strengthen your marriage. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have an at-home couples’ retreat in English and Spanish available online at foryourmarriage.org/celebrate-nationalmarriage-week/ as well as prayers for married couples and a video series to help you fortify your marriage.

Sadly, people forget to prioritize their marriage and they find themselves in a place where they do not believe there is any hope. During this Jubilee Year, let’s all be Pilgrims of Hope and build up the love that brought us together in marriage. It can truly change the world! Marriage truly is a source of hope and a spring of renewal!

Peter Martin is the director of the Office of Life, Marriage & Family for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

By DEACON ROBERT YERHOT, MSW

�wo questions for all deacons: “Who are you and what are you to do?” These are questions about your identity and your vocation.

How did Pope Francis answer a similar question shortly after being elected pope? The journalist wanted to get to know the new pope so he asked, “Who are you?” The Holy Father could have said he was Jorge Bergoglio, the name his parents gave him, and it would have been true. He could have said he was a Jesuit, and that too would have been true. He could have said he was the Bishop of Rome which also would have been true. He could have said many things that would have been true, but he said only one thing, “I am a sinner…” and I paraphrase now…. “in desperate need of God’s healing and mercy.” Then the following year he gave the whole world a year of mercy, a time to look at our wounds, our divisions, and our sins, and seek healing.

Accompanying Jesus Promote Godly Love This Valentine's Day

By SHELLY HOLT

�ebruary is notable for the holiday of LOVE celebrated on Valentine’s Day. True love, Godly love, seeks the best for each other and is sacrificial. When love is exploited, it becomes self-serving and sinful. In the sinful darkness, one can go down many dangerous and destructive paths, including pornography, sexual addiction, domestic violence, and human trafficking.

The National Council of Catholic Women has a representative, Karen Painter, in the group Religious Alliance Against Pornography (RAAP). Available on RAAP's website (religiousalliance. org) is a helpful video series on the effects of pornography on mental health. RAAP introduces the series as follows:

RAAP seeks to promote "hope that is inspired by love that is authentic, heals, and endures." In this video course, Dr. Janet Dean explores topics around the issue of mental health and shares key principles for effectively helping others.

Emotional regulation and good mental health are significant components of maintaining sobriety. While it is not true that every person who uses porn has a diagnosable mental disorder, the principles in these videos can be useful in working with those who struggle.

Please note: Watching these videos does not give viewers a degree or competency as a counselor. They

So many people nowadays are confused as to who they are and how they are to live. This confusion is creating so much division and ill feeling. We see it politically. We see it in the Church. We see it in people’s personal lives. Are we, deacons, confused in the same way?

Our world is deeply wounded, and so are we. All of us need healing, and I think we all must acknowledge this. This is the world in which we live. It is the world in which we deacons minister. These are the people we are to accompany. Are we up to it?

I think we can prepare for such ministry if we ourselves seek healing of our own wounds. This is no small matter. If we do not have clarity as to who we are and what we are to do, a clarity that is found in a close relationship with Jesus, we cannot accompany others in their suffering.

To know ourselves and our mission in life, we must always closely accompany Jesus in our own lives. An intimate relationship with him will reveal to us our identity and our mission. I emphasize, we must accompany Jesus so closely that we walk cheek to cheek to him. Our interior lives must be deep. Jesus accompanies us all the time, so will we willingly, knowingly, and intentionally accompany him? What is our interior life really like? How close are we to him in prayer? How close are we to him in the sacraments? How close are we to him in the lives of

suffering humanity?

We must not give glib answers to the questions. Jesus has only humility, poverty, and dishonor to offer us. St Ignatius of Loyola taught us that the way of Jesus leads us to those realities. Simon of Cyrene found that out when he began accompanying Jesus, did he not? If we fail to accompany Jesus, we turn toward the Enemy, and, though we may find temporary satisfactions of honor, riches, and pride, ultimately we discover only division and sin. Which way will we walk, my brothers?

To walk intimately with Jesus, to accompany him closely and, in doing so, find our identities and our missions, will require walking with particular men and women in this world to whom we are pressed into service, as we walk closely with Jesus in the depths of our interior lives. That is a lot of walking, brothers. Shall we give it a go?

Deacon Robert Yerhot serves the parishes of St. Mary in Caledonia and St. Patrick in Brownsville.

are intended to introduce you to the topics of mental disorders.

The RAAP blog features stories from people impacted by pornography and sexual addictions in a variety of ways. Here is an excerpt from the entry You Are Worth Something:

“You’re worth something,” sounds like a statement a motivational speaker would make at a self-help seminar. But instead, these are the words of a young woman referred to as “Tonya” (not her real name), made after government officials rescued her following months of her being sexually trafficked as a teenager. Tonya’s complete interview is on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) website, at https://www.ice.gov/features/ human-trafficking-victim-sharesstory.

[The introduction to the ICE interview states:] "Tonya spent night after night in different hotel rooms, with different men, all at the command of someone she once trusted. She was held against her will, beaten, and made to feel like she had no other option at the time, all by the man she thought she loved. She felt she deserved it. Tonya felt she couldn’t escape. Afraid and confused, she thought the emotional and physical abuse she endured was her own doing.”

After her rescue, Tonya shared with her rescuers, “…emotionally, it took a toll on me. I didn’t feel…

I didn’t feel like I was a person. I felt really bad. There were nights I couldn’t sleep. There were times I thought about killing myself. I just thought about … the type of person I was. What would people think about me if they knew what I was doing? What my mom would say? Just stuff like that.”

“Most people do not understand

the volume of trafficking that is going on in America, in our own backyard,” explained one experienced law enforcement officer in the PBS Frontline documentary film entitled Sex Trafficking in America

This film reports on the unimaginable stories of young women coerced

Inside the Capitol

Kicking Off 2025 with Key Legislative Priorities

By MINNESOTA CATHOLIC CONFERENCE

�he 2025 Minnesota legislative session has begun under unprecedented circumstances. In the Senate, a 33-33 tie following the death of Senator Kari Dziedzic has led to a temporary powersharing agreement between Democrats and Republicans. Meanwhile, the House is facing gridlock. What began as a 67-67 tie has shifted to a narrow 67-66 Republican majority, after one DFL candidate was disqualified for not living in the district he sought to represent. With DFL members boycotting proceedings and pending litigation before the Minnesota Supreme Court, it is uncertain when normal legislative operations will resume in the House.

While political dynamics may change, the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) remains steadfast in its principles. Regardless of who holds power, our mission to advocate for the common good and promote policies that support life, family, and human dignity remains unchanged.

Here are some of the key issues we will focus on this session:

Promoting Family Economic Security

Last biennium, we helped pass a nation-leading Child Tax Credit that eased financial burdens for low- and middle-income families. This year, we’re advocating to expand the credit by raising the income phaseout threshold to $45,000 for joint filers, ensuring more families benefit. Additionally, we support a sales tax exemption on essential baby items, providing meaningful relief for growing families. These policies prioritize family life and address the rising costs facing parents today.

Opposing Online Sports Gambling

Minnesota legislators are once again considering legalizing online sports gambling. While 40 other states have already done so, we remain deeply concerned about the societal harm it causes. Legalized online gambling would effectively put a bookie in everyone’s pocket, fostering addiction, economic hardship, and family fragmentation. Young people, especially young men, are particularly vulnerable to these harms. Thus, MCC will work to ensure this dangerous policy does not advance.

Opposing Commercial Surrogacy

The push to legalize commercial surrogacy - a practice that commodifies children and exploits womenhas been ongoing at the Capitol. Last year, it narrowly

A Letter to the Governor from Minnesota's Catholic Bishops

The following letter on the harmful effects of online sports betting was sent on January 14, 2025, to Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota's Legislative Leadership, from the bishops of Minnesota's six Catholic dioceses: Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Auxiliary Bishop Michael Izen and Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney, of Saint Paul & Minneapolis; Bishop Andrew Cozzens of Crookston; Bishop Daniel Felton of Duluth; Bishop Chad Zielinski of New Ulm; Bishop Patrick Neary or St. Cloud; and Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester.

� ear Gov. Walz and Minnesota Legislative Leadership:

Peace be with you. We write at the beginning of the legislative biennium to offer our prayers. In these challenging times, we encourage you, where possible, to move beyond mere compromise to collaboration, and to devise creative solutions to the true problems impacting Minnesotans.

We write, moreover, to implore you to not waste time with harmful proposals to expand gambling in Minnesota, particularly in the form of online sports betting platforms.

Expanding gambling in this form would be irresponsible, especially in light of the troubling data documenting the effect that it has had in other states since this relatively new industry was made possible by a 2018 U.S. Supreme Court decision.

Putting a sports book in people’s pockets via their cellphone will likely create another public health crisis, while benefiting at best a privileged few. In a recent study by scholars at Southern Methodist University of 700,000 online sports gamblers, fewer than five percent of the bettors emerged with profits. As is well known, those few who do prevail can be removed from the platform by the company if they get too successful. The house—or in this case, the algorithm—always wins.

In fact, three percent of bettors account for 50 percent of the profits generated by online sports betting platforms, meaning that the industry is reliant on the most heavily addicted users for its revenue.

A recent commission of 22 academic experts convened by the medical journal The Lancet concluded that existing studies and surveys demonstrate that gambling’s prevalence poses a significant threat to public health. Commentator Saagar Enjeti believes that online sports gambling likely represents the next opioid crisis.

We know that the risks of gambling addiction have grown 30 percent nationally since 2018. The data shows that calls to gambling helplines in Virginia rose 387 percent after the first year of legalization. In New Jersey, it is believed six percent of residents now have a gambling disorder.

And in the United Kingdom, a recent study indicated that there were 400 suicides a year due to

passed in the House. This year, we will continue to oppose any efforts to legalize the buying and selling of children. Women are not for rent, and children are not for sale.

Protecting Non-Public Pupil Aid

Non-public schools educate the Minnesota public. In fact, private schools serve nearly 100,000 Minnesota students each year. Therefore, the education of these children should be supported by our state’s public education dollars. With non-public pupil aid at risk of being cut from the governor’s budget, MCC is committed to ensuring that Minnesota kids at non-public schools receive the aid and support they deserve.

Opposing Assisted Suicide

Legalizing assisted suicide endangers vulnerable populations, undermines the dignity of life, and shifts focus away from true compassionate care. MCC is committed to opposing any efforts to normalize or legalize this practice and instead advocates for expanding access to palliative care that honors the inherent worth of every person.

Those are just a few of the many topics MCC will address this session. Our advocacy relies on the support of Catholics in the pews, and together, we can make a difference. Visit www.mncatholic.org to join the Catholic Advocacy Network and to learn more about these issues.

Let us pray for wisdom for our legislators and for God’s guidance as we work to advance the common good in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference has been the public policy voice of the Catholic Church in Minnesota since 1967. The voting members of the MCC's board of directors are Minnesota's Catholic bishops.

problem gambling and that 55,000 of the 395,000 problem gamblers in that country were children ages 11-16.

The financial costs to Minnesota families could be severe. Legalization of sports betting has been estimated to increase the risk of bankruptcy by 25 to 30 percent. And according to scholars at Northeastern University, for every dollar spent on sports gambling, households put two fewer dollars into investment accounts.

Even Congress is considering regulation as the NCAA is lobbying to ban in-game “prop” betting on college athletics, as one in three high-profile college athletes have received abusive messages from people with gambling interests.

And that leads us to the “big tell” regarding the predatory pursuit of profits of online gambling platforms: their refusal to ban prop bets or “in-game” betting. In a hearing last year in the Minnesota Senate Commerce Committee, lobbyists for online sports gambling platforms actually seemed to boast that the vast majority of their revenue by 2030 will derive from prop bets, which are the most likely to fuel gambling addiction and lead to financial ruin as people chase their losses.

What is being proposed by gambling interests is not just enabling fans to put money on the Vikings game. It is making available at one’s fingertips an endless array of sports betting opportunities. When the losses pile up, far too many gamblers will continue to chase them and will have easy means of doing so via an app. Safeguards have been shown to be illusory and easily circumvented.

Obituaries

Sister Doris Welter, SSND, 91, died December 30, 2024, at Benedictine Living Community - Windermere, in Shakopee. Her funeral Mass was celebrated January 6, 2025, at Windermere Chapel, with her cousin, Fr. Jerry Hackenmueller, as presider. Burial followed in the Good Counsel Cemetery, Mankato.

Sister Doris was born in 1933, in St. Michael. She attended St. Michael Catholic School for grades one through eight, and Good Counsel Academy in Mankato for her high school years. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame following her high school graduation in 1951. After profession of first vows in 1954, she began a 41-year ministry in Catholic elementary school education, serving as both a teacher and administrator at schools in Minnesota, Iowa and South Dakota, including St. Mary, Worthington (197484), with a consultative role at St. Anthony, Lismore (197883). From 1995 through 2002, she served in pastoral ministry and leadership for the sisters living on Good Counsel Hill in Mankato. Following seven years of parish ministry service at St. Raphael, Crystal, she returned to Good Counsel in 2009 as a pastoral ministry volunteer, as well as a volunteer in other areas. One area of responsibility was the coordination of the SisterFriend program, which invited Mankato area residents to partner with retired sisters. Along with other School Sisters of Notre Dame, she moved to Benedictine Living Community in the fall of 2022.

Sister Doris is survived by her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre

Dame, including her sister, Sister Marion Welter, SSND, and SSND Associates; her sister, Kathryn Welter; a niece and two nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dominic and Agnes (Hackenmueller) Welter; and her brothers LeRoy, Harold and Lloyd. A longer obituary and a recording of her funeral are available at //www.ssndcp.org/obituaries. Memorials may be directed to the School Sisters of Notre Dame; 11 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 310; Mankato, MN 56001.

Sister Bernadette Servaty, OSF, 103, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Saturday, January 18, 2025.

Sister Bernadette was born on October 9, 1921, in Osseo, to Peter and Laura (Marchand) Servaty. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1941, received the name of Sister Jude, and made perpetual vows in 1947. She received her Bachelor of Business Administration in economics from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, in 1960.

Sister Bernadette served in various leadership and administrative roles for over four decades. From 195253, she served as superior and CCD teacher at St. Mary Convent in Chatfield. She served as treasurer at St. Francis Sanatorium, Denver, CO, from 1953-55, and also as superior and treasurer from 1955-62. In 1962, she served as superior at St. Anne Hospice in Winona, later serving as administrator from 1963-68. She was treasurer at Sacred Heart Hospice in Austin from 1968-69. From 1969-74, Sister

Bernadette worked in administration at Assisi Heights in Rochester, including as business office aide and healthcare coordinator. She also served as a business office aide at the College of St. Teresa in Winona from 1974-75. She returned to St. Anne Hospice as administrator from 1975-80, and served as personnel director from 1980-82. From 1982-89, she served as business office manager and accountant at Assisi Heights. She served in accounting at the College of St. Teresa until 1991, before serving in secretarial roles at St. Anne Hospice and Assisi Heights until her retirement in 1997.

Survivors of Sister Bernadette Servaty include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 84 years. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Clarence, James, and Joseph Servaty; and two sisters, Marie Servaty and Florence Weber.

A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on Thursday, January 30, 2025, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.

Father James Callahan, 74, of Worthington, an ordinary man who was blessed with an extraordinary life, died January 20, 2025, at home.

Born and raised in Waltham, MA, near Boston, on July 24, 1950, he was the son of the late James and June (Kelley) Callahan. He was proud of his Irish heritage. The oldest of three children, he was influenced in his spirituality by his devout Catholic family, significantly by his maternal grandfather, Francis Kelley, who gave him the opportunity to encounter Jesus while visiting the poor. His parents also were great role models in teaching him the importance of social justice and demonstrated, by example, the impact of helping the marginalized with faith in action.

He entered the seminary after his freshman year of college and was ordained to the priesthood on April 26, 1975, at the American Provincialate of the Society of African Missions in Tenafly, NJ. He held

a bachelor's degree in philosophy, master's degree in theology, master's degree in African/ Black studies, and was also a PhD candidate. He was looking forward to celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination in April.

Fr. Jim devoted his life’s missionary work to serving immigrants, refugees, and migrants across the world, including Liberia, West Africa, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Haiti and the USA. He worked with alcoholics and addicts in recovery as well, and taught spirituality for priests in treatment. It was there that he met his best friend, Cathal Gallagher, an Irish priest, who shared his devotion and mission to serve the less fortunate and the outcast.

His greatest source of pride was starting OLGFC (Our Lady of Guadalupe Free Clinic) 14 years ago, shortly after his arrival in Worthington with his dear friend Dr. Dave Plevak. Recognizing the plight of many, he had a vision for a community where there is health equity for all. His purpose each day was to offer spiritual, physical, emotional and mental care

to those in need, which he continued to do in his retirement and until the day he died.

With a devotion to the Sacred Heart, which exemplifies love, mercy, compassion, and justice, Fr. Jim’s philosophy of ministry was always “God speaks through his people, and I am called to be a servant.” He worked tirelessly and faithfully to minister to the marginalized and underserved. He devoted his life to bringing people of different ethnic backgrounds and cultures into one community.

Fr. Jim is lovingly remembered by his sister Sheila Callahan Lee (Charles); his nieces and nephews: Matthew (Amanda) Lee, Kelley (John) Sadowski, Tom (Mary Kate) Callahan, Michael (Caitlin) Callahan, Lauren (Mike) Goulet; and 13 great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother and sister-in-law, Thomas and Ann Callahan. As well, he will be missed by the many friends he made around the world in the communities he served, where he inspired others to truly live the Gospel of Jesus in their daily lives.

“A truer servant of God is rarely encountered,” an OLGFC volunteer said.

Funeral Mass was held on Friday, January 24, 2025, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Worthington. Burial will be at a later date in Waltham, MA.

Benson Funeral Home in Worthington is in charge of the arrangements.

SEEK25,

cont'd from pg. 7

(FOCUS) whose missionaries are an active presence on both campuses. More than 17 thousand people attended the conference in Salt Lake City, and another 3 thousand attended the same conference, running concurrently at a secondary location of Washington, D.C. Below are testimonials of two attendees from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

This January, I had the great joy of traveling with numerous Winona State students to Salt Lake City to attend the SEEK Conference. There were about 20,000 people that gathered for SEEK, most of whom were college students, but there were also many bishops, priests, and other religious, as well. It was a wonderful experience of attending daily Mass, hearing wonderful and inspiring talks on gratitude, how to strive for purpose, learning how to grow in prayer, and even a talk on the Shroud of Turin. The best part of SEEK was the ability to have adoration and the Sacrament of Confession for two hours. It was great to see many other people I knew from throughout the country, many friends that I had not seen in many months or years. To me, it felt like a large Catholic reunion. My biggest take away from SEEK, is to give or to be a gift for others. St. Pope John Paul II said people don’t find themselves until they make total and sincere gifts out of themselves. I found this very true in my own life, as last summer I was a Totus Tuus missionary. After giving myself to the communities I’ve served through the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, I found great satisfaction, meaning, and purpose for my life.

The Televised Mass Is Offered Every Sunday

Sioux Falls - ODLT Channel 7 at 7 a.m.

Sioux City - KPTH Channel 44 at 8:30 a.m.

Mankato - KEYC Channel 12 at 7:30 a.m.

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.

MyTV 3.2 at 9 a.m.

Twin Cities - WFTC Digital Channel 29 or Channel 9.2 at 11:30 a.m.

Southeastern MN - HBC Channel 20 at 3 p.m. (repeated Wed. at 3:30 p.m.)

Winona/La Crosse/Eau Claire - WLAX/WEUX Channel 25/48 at 7:30 a.m. and on our website, dowr.org (click "Weekly Mass")

At SEEK, I found that desire through prayer, to be a gift to the Church and its people.

-Nick Filzen, Winona State University Junior

Going into SEEK25 I had a really bad outlook on life. I was letting anger and anxiety control my life from built up wounds that I had. Although I was excited for SEEK, I did not think that it could be exactly what I needed. I learned so much through the talks I could not possibly choose a favorite, but through them Jesus was able to enter my heart and start healing wounds that I have dealt with for so long. Despite there being hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people in each talk, I felt like the speakers were speaking directly to me. I came back from SEEK with a new desire to know Jesus, and have forgiven so many people who have hurt me throughout

Despite there being hundreds, sometimes thousands, of people in each talk, I felt like the speakers were speaking directly to me.

my life. There was also something so powerful about being in a room with 17,000 other young Catholic people. I think that this has made a huge impact on me because I am in OCIA and I was able to see all of the people my age living out their faith. I also feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to make friends who shared the same values as me and will hold me accountable in my faith. I feel like I have a new outlook on life and I am so excited to attend SEEK26. - Meridith Holmen, Minnesota State University, Mankato Freshman

Attendees from Minnesota State University, Mankato

Mass Attendance,

much, it equates to a decrease of more than 13,000 Catholics attending Mass every Sunday. There is a similar story with parishes and priests. Since 2009, the number of parishes has dropped from 116 to 90, a decrease of about 22.4%. In 2009, the Diocese of Winona had 79 active priests serving in parishes and our other institutions, and that number dropped to 69 in 2024. However, while in 2024 we saw the number of priests fall, the number of seminarians in formation for the priesthood has risen from 7 to 27.

Often, when faced with the reality of such trends, we ask, “What can we do?” When I have spoken to Serra Clubs - a group that fosters and prays for vocations to consecrated life and holy orders - I

Godly Love, cont'd from pg. 13

into prostitution – and follows one police unit that is committed to rooting out sexual exploitation.

According to one official who deals with these “unimaginable stories,” the “recruitment is happening online, and on apps, and on social media, where all the kids are…”

The evil inherent in “the volume of trafficking that is going on in America” can certainly seem overwhelming to an ordinary person of faith.

Trust and Surrender, cont'd from pg. 1

The Lord continues to strengthen her faith and has called her to witness in surprising ways, all of which share the good news of the gospel and help others come to know the love of God.

Upon meeting Laurie, it is immediately evident that she is a daughter of God, and her actions strive to align with the Lord’s will. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, her life continues to grow and bear fruit - not through her own efforts, but by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit within her. Throughout the entire interview with Laurie, she humbly accepted no credit for herself, attributing everything to

Letter to the Governor, cont'd from pg. 1

There are no benefits that will accrue to the state from legalization, especially online platforms. Tax revenue is paltry, especially in bills like those proposed in Minnesota where most of the revenue goes back into various forms of gambling or addressing problems created by gambling.

ask them to do three things: “Pray. Pray. And pray.” We have seen the number of our seminarians rise in large part due to those prayers. Pray, also, for a return of the faithful to the celebration of the sacraments and practice of the faith. Prayer works.

So, to recap, between 2009-2024, the number of people attending Mass decreased by 36.1%, the number of parishes decreased by 22.4%, and the number of priests decreased by 12.7%. However, whereas in 2009 we had 7 seminarians in our diocese, we had 27 seminarians at the beginning of 2024 - an increase of 385%! Keep praying; prayer works.

Of course, we are also practical; we want projects and goals. To that end, Bishop Barron has called for a Diocesan Synod on Vocations and Evangelization. This Synod will consist of two preparatory phases prior to the synod: 1) look for a survey to be distributed in Lent to learn of your experience of the Mass, evangelization and vocations, 2) during the Easter

The problem is so big! But as statesman Edmund Burke wrote during the 1700’s, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Fortunately, today there are many good men and women who are doing a great deal to combat the evils of sexual trafficking in America and other parts of the world. A simple Internet search for information about the various responses by these people of faith produces a list of organizations dedicated to those efforts.

Please go to the website (religiousalliance.org/ post/you-are-worth-something) to read the rest of the blog post.

the Holy Spirit. I even witnessed her gift of tears as she recounted experiences and the profound impact bringing her closer to the Lord. This blessing from the Holy Spirit became a clear expression of her calling. Through her tears, Laurie draws others into the stories she shares, bringing them closer to Christ.

Laurie has always considered herself a storyteller at heart and has been blessed to share impactful stories throughout her professional journey. She recognizes God’s hand in all things and, through his grace, has had the opportunity to work across diverse environments locally and across the world.

By uniting public, private, nonprofit, and faith-based communities, the Holy Spirit has given her the opportunity to shine a light of hope and work toward the common good.

season, regional conversations will be convened for deeper conversation on the themes of evangelization and vocations, and 3) later this summer, delegates and appointed individuals from all around the diocese will gather to discuss concrete ways to promote vocations and build up evangelization in our diocese.

Seeing fewer people in the pews and the graying of the priests can be difficult, even sad. However, it also provides an impetus to do what we should have been doing all along: spreading the good news that Jesus Christ is Lord, has saved you from your sins, and has called you into a relationship with him in the Church. We don’t do a great job of evangelizing. Let’s change that.

Father William Thompson is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

I encourage you to pray about how you can personally make a difference and become Christ to one who is hurting due to any of these issues.

Finally, the Winona-Rochester Council of Catholic Women is sponsoring a free Lenten retreat with two options - east and west. Please see the flyer earlier in this article (page 12) for details!

Shelly Holt is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women. She may be reached at shellyholttotalwellness@gmail.com or 507-381-2842.

Yet, the Holy Spirit granted me the privilege of telling her story. Although she is accustomed to directing the spotlight onto others, she now finds herself in an unexpected spotlight, using her own faith story to draw others closer to the Lord. Laurie concluded the interview with a powerful reminder: to fully embrace the Lord’s plan for our lives, we must step outside our comfort zones and surrender ourselves with trust and abandonment to his will. Kat Larson is an administrative assistant to the Office of Evangelization in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

If you know a person in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester who is living out the Catholic Faith in a distinctive way, and who might agree to be featured in The Courier, please email Nick Reller at nreller@dowr.org.

Nor will consumers enjoy greater protection as a result of legalization. A study from Massachusetts shows that legalization of online platforms does not mean the offshore sites go away; instead, they just become a complement for active sports bettors who want to use multiple platforms.

We are not against games of chance per se, and we would not spend energy opposing a bill that limited sports gambling to a few on-site venues, such as tribal casinos.

Our contention is that the potential harms of

the legislation that we have seen move through the committee process in prior years outweigh any potential social benefit. Basically, legalizing sports betting does nothing other than make available more hedonistic benefits to the few privileged people who can absorb the losses, all the while imposing costs on their families, communities, and the state as a whole. We encourage you to connect with our MCC staff with any questions about the matter. We are grateful for your consideration and hope this letter serves as a resource to you.

Laurie Archbold (left) with Bishop Barron and St. Paul Street Evangelists evangelizing in Rochester in August of 2023

Laurie Archbold with the other 2022 graduates of the diocesan Institute of Lay Formation

Archbold covered stories such as Honduran school kitchens for Cargill's 150th anniversary.