The Courier - July 2022

The

COURIER

St. James the Apostle July 25

July 2022

'Nourish That Heart'

Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org

Rev. Michael Churchill Ordained

a

Priest

for the

Diocese

of

Winona-Rochester

Rev. Michael Churchill stands with his parents, Steve and Marie Churchill, after his ordination to priesthood at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona on June 24, 2022.

WINONA - On Friday, June 24, 2022, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, Bishop John M. Quinn ordained Michael Churchill a priest for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Fr. Churchill's first assignment will be at Pax Christi Church in Rochester and Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Mazeppa.

In his homily, Bishop Quinn told soon-to-be-Father Churchill, "Today is the beginning of a lifetime of preaching and teaching and being formed. The seminary gets us to ordination. But God’s people continue to form us.

Heart, cont'd on pg. 5

INSIDE this issue

Meet Father Churchill page 5

Program in Catholic School Leadership page 6

Ablaze Confirmation Testimony

page 10

2

MN Bishops Respond to

Dobbs v. Jackson

The Courier Insider

The Catholic Bishops of Minnesota released the following statement on June 24, 2022.

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long with women and men across our nation who respect the inherent dignity of each human life, the Catholic bishops of Minnesota give thanks to God on this historic day as the Supreme Court ends the injustice of the Roe v. Wade decision. We are grateful that the Supreme Court has returned to state Legislatures and federal officials the ability to protect preborn children and save mothers and fathers from the untold pain of abortion.

For almost 50 years, Roe grievously denied one of America’s founding principles: that all men and women—irrespective of their stage of development—are created equal, with God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Forgetting this selfevident truth has resulted in the death of over 60 million preborn children and the wounding of millions of mothers and fathers.

Welcomed in Life

As a Church, we have been committed to providing help to every mother and father dealing with a crisis pregnancy, so they are not forced to

Corrections

A notice on page 20 of The Courier's June 2022 issue invites readers to contact Fr. Kurt Farrell for information on a pilgrimage he will lead to the Holy Land from "March 13-14, 2022." In fact, the pilgrimage will take place March 13-24, 2023. Please contact Fr. Farrell at kpf@sttheo.org if you are interested.

choose abortion. We are proud that many of our Catholic faithful work in crisis pregnancy centers that create nonjudgmental networks of support for women. These centers offer shelter, housing assistance, free diapers and clothing, pregnancy and parenting classes, community referrals, childcare, and other charitable assistance. Through our continued efforts to respect the well-being of both the mother and the child, we have been honored to accompany countless women and men tempted to choose abortion. We have been privileged as well, through post-abortion healing retreats, to help parents who have chosen abortion to work through the pain they so often suffer.

To further support our work, the Catholic bishops of the United States have launched a nationwide initiative, Walking with Moms in Need (walkingwithmoms.com), to create additional avenues of support for mothers in our communities by way of Catholic parishes, ministries, and crisis pregnancy centers. We also pledge that our Catholic churches will be a sanctuary for women in crisis pregnancies. Any woman in a crisis pregnancy who comes to the door of a Catholic church in the state of Minnesota seeking assistance will be supported and, at a minimum, referred to resources where she can get help.

The Church’s contribution to public life walks with the two feet of justice and charity. Our direct assistance to women in crisis pregnancies through charitable and philanthropic efforts is

Dobbs v. Jackson, cont'd on pg. 4

in Brownsville, and Canonical Administrator of St. Peter School in Hokah; resigns as Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Brownsville and appointed Pastor of St. Peter Parish in Hokah, effe tive July 1, 2022.

Pastor

Rev. Edward McGrath: currently Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Chatfield, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Canton, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Harmony, St. Patrick Parish in Lanesboro, and St. Columban Parish in Preston; in addition to his current assig ments, appointed Pastor of St. Olaf Parish in Mabel, effective July 1, 2022.

Rev. John Evans: currently Pastor of Crucifixion Parish in La Crescent, St. Patrick Parish

Rev. Chinnappa Pothireddy: currently Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Rollingstone, St. Mary

Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, announces the following:

The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 113 - 7

Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Publisher Nick Reller, Associate Editor Telephone: 507-858-1257 Fax:507-454-8106 E-mail: nreller@dowr.org Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the 10th of the month prior.

(ISSN 0744-5490)

July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Parish in Minneiska, and St. Paul Parish in Minnesota City; in addition to his current assignments, appointed Pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Lewiston, effective May 18, 2022; and appointed Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Rushford, effe tive July 1, 2022.

Rev. Matthew Wagner: currently Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Caledonia and St. Olaf Parish in Mabel; resigns as Pastor of St. Olaf Parish in Mabel and appoin ed Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Brownsville, effective July 1, 2022.

Parochial Administrator Rev. Prince Raja: appointed Parochial Administrator of St. Felix Parish in Wabasha and St. Agnes Parish in Kellogg, effective June 1, 2022.

Articles of Interest

National NFP Awareness Week____________4 Meet Father Churchill_____________________5 Program in Catholic School Leadership____6 Our Children's Right to Be Safe_________6 Seeds of Faith____________________________7 Back on the Road to Emmaus_____________8 Ministry Days 2022_______________________9 Ablaze Confirmation Testimony_____________10 Hope for the Future____________________11 Diocesan Headlines______________________12

The Holy Father's Intention for

July 2022 Elderly We pray for the elderly, who represent the roots and memory of a people; may their experience and wisdom help young people look toward the future with hope and responsibility.

Chaplain Rev. Jason Kern: appointed FOCUS Team Chaplain at Winona State University, effective August 1, 2022.

Diaconal Ministry Deacon Terrence Smith: currently assigned to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish in Chatfield, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Canton, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Harmony, St. Patrick Parish in Lanesboro, and St. Columban Parish in Preston; in addition to his current assignments, appoin ed to diaconal ministry at St. Olaf Parish in Mabel, effective July 1, 2022.

Deacon Robert Yerhot: currently assigned to diaconal ministry at Crucifixion Parish in La Crescent and St. Patrick Parish

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 Mary Hamann at 507-858-1244, or mhamann@dowr.org.

in Brownsville; resigns from diaconal ministry at Crucifixion Parish in La Crescent and appointed to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish in Caledonia, effective July 1, 2022.

Deacon John Hust: currently Director of the Permanent Diaconate for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Parish Administrator for St. Felix Parish in Wabasha and St. Agnes Parish in Kellogg, and assigned to diaconal ministry at the same parishes; resigned as Parish Administrator effective May 25, 2022.

Where to Find The Courier

•

An online version may be viewed at www.dowr.org/offices/ courier/index.html

•

To be added to the home delivery list free of charge, readers should send their names and addresses to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 55 W Sanborn St. Winona, MN 55987 or nreller@dowr.org

Welcome, Bishop Barron!

Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn

Photo Credit: Bryan Rodriguez, Ark. Agency

Q and A

With Bishop Robert Barron The following is excerpted from a press conference held at the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Rochester on June 2, 2022, to announce the appointment of the MOST REV. ROBERT BARRON as the ninth bishop of Winona-Rochester.

One thing that seems to distinguish you is your use of social media. You have hundreds of thousands of followers on various platforms.

Sometimes people regard Twitter as a sinkhole, but you seem to make use of it for your ministry.

How and why do you do that?

Bishop's Calendar July 11, Monday 5 p.m. - Rochester Serra Club Priest Golf Event - Social Hour and Dinner - Willow Creek Golf Course, Rochester July 13, Wednesday 9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour and College of Consultors Meeting

to serving God’s people with the heart of the Good Shepherd have been answered, and I know Bishop Barron will be a generous spiritual father to the people of our diocese. I am confident that the Diocese of Winona-Rochester will be in good hands as Bishop Barron acquaints himself with southern Minnesota and continues the work of forming missionary disciples. I know that the faithful in southern Minnesota will welcome the gifts our new bishop will bring, and that together, under his watchful care, the Diocese of WinonaRochester will go forward as a Church truly on mission for Jesus Christ.

As I prepare to take leave of the diocese and return to my hometown of Detroit for my retirement, I am grateful for the past 13 years as your bishop.

My Word on Fire ministry is largely using social media, and I'm well aware of all the negativity about social media. I experience it all the time. [...] My years using Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and so on - I think it's worth it. There's a lot of negativity. It does stir up animosity. But it's a way of reaching people we would never otherwise reach.

Some years ago, I was a delegate at the youth synod over in Rome. They were talking about how to reach young people, and there was a lot of talk at that synod about parish programs and diocesan programs, and so on, and I finally got up and said, "Brothers, I think that's all fine. But the young people we're trying to reach are not coming to our parish programs. They're not coming to our diocesan programs. We have to find a way to reach them, to get into their world."

So that's what inspired my ministry years ago, Word on Fire, is to use the social media, which, I think, in divine providence, precisely in the time when it's most needed, the Church can use to move into the space where young people live. They live online. On balance, it's a good tool, and the Church would be derelict if we didn't use it.

What do you see as the fundamental challenges you face leading a diocese?

When I became a bishop out in Los Angeles, I said I think the biggest problem facing the Church is the massive disaffiliation of our own people. If you look at the statistics, we're hemorrhaging young people in the Church. And I've been saying that to the bishops for years, kind of ringing the alarm bell.

I don't know the particulars [in this diocese], but I think, generally speaking, that's the number one concern of the Church. We have to get [back], especially, our young people who are disaffiliating.

I do think the best means for that probably are the social media, but also education. Like Bishop Quinn,

July 14, Thursday 8:30 a.m. - Staff Mass at Diocesan Pastoral Center - Winona July 17, Sunday 10:15 a.m. - Closing Mass for Steubenville North Youth Conference - Mayo Civic Center, Rochester

You have made me a better priest and a better bishop, and I am grateful for your prayers and patience. You have showed me your love and care in many ways, and I will always hold you in my heart.

I ask you to keep me in your prayers, and to pray for Bishop Barron and the Diocese of Winona-Rochester during this time of transition. Blessed are you!

3 From the Bishop

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t is with a heart full of joy and gratitude that I welcome the new Bishop of WinonaRochester and bid farewell to the faithful of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. As you know, on June 2 the Holy Father announced the appointment of Bishop Robert Barron as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. We are now in the planning stages of preparing for his installation on July 29, which is when he will officially become the Bishop of Winona-Rochester. Bishop Barron made a brief visit to southern Minnesota at the beginning of June, during which he was able to meet diocesan staff and visit both our Cathedral in Winona and Co-Cathedral in Rochester. He is now back in Los Angeles for the remainder of his time as auxiliary bishop there,

as he wraps up loose ends and prepares to move to Minnesota at the end of the month.

Bishop Barron is a wellknown evangelizer, who has dedicated his life and ministry to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to our increasingly secular world, especially by reaching out to the younger generations through many forms of media. In both his teaching and his preaching, he strives to help others know and encounter Jesus Christ, the only One who can save, redeem, and heal us. As Bishop of WinonaRochester, he will continue his work with Word on Fire, the non-profit he started 20 years ago that serves to draw people to the Catholic faith through the sharing of the Gospel through the media.

Our prayers for a faithful and holy bishop who is dedicated

Sincerely in Christ, + John M. Quinn

Apostolic Administrator Diocese of Winona-Rochester

I am very passionate about Catholic education. I love the fact that we have so many colleges and universities here. I love the fact that this cathedral is almost literally in the heart of the Mayo Clinic. The dialogue between religion and science is a major reason why young people are disaffiliating. [...] So I savor the opportunity within the university and collegiate world here, within this world of Mayo Clinic, to engage those conversations.

Coming from L.A. to what some might consider to be a backwater, it's going to be different. Is that a challenge?

I'm a Chicagoan, so in terms of the locale and the winter and all that, no way. California was a lovely hiatus for me those six years, but I'm used to the midwestern weather and all that. That doesn't bother me at all.

When I became a priest, I put my hands in the hands of Joseph Bernardin, and I said, "I promise obedience to you and your successors." So my whole priesthood I've done what my superiors have asked me to do, at every stage, until finally it was the pope asking me to become a bishop, and then when the nuncio called me and said, "The Holy Father has appointed you to Winona-Rochester," I said, "Okay, great! Thank you."

I don't think of this as a backwater. One of the first things [the nuncio] said to me was, "You know, the Mayo Clinic is in Rochester." I said, "Oh, I know about that."

My attitude is I go where the Church sends me.

Period. And I sense the Holy Spirit behind that, so I'm happy to go where the Holy Spirit sends me.

I'm excited about being the ordinary of a diocese.

I'm excited about having that kind of leadership position. L.A. is wonderful, and living in Santa Barbara, but as an auxiliary you wouldn't have the same kind of authority to implement a vision, and I look forward to that very much here.

July 20-22, Wednesday - Friday University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education Missioning Mass Notre Dame, IN July 24, Saturday 8 a.m. - Mass - St. Mary Church, Chatfield

July 25, Monday 7:15 p.m. - Mass - Camp Summit, Lanesboro July 29, Friday 10:30 a.m. - Installation of the Most Rev. Robert Barron - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

National NFP Awareness Week

Life, Marriage & Family

4

July 25-31, 2022, Is

Peter Martin

Director of Life, Marriage & Family and Communications pmartin@dowr.org

�

" alled to the Joy of Love, Natural Family Planning, Supporting God’s gifts of love and life in marriage” is the theme of this year’s national Natural Family

Planning Awareness Week (July 25–31, 2021), an educational campaign of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to celebrate

Dobbs vs. Jackson, fundamental in our endeavor to build an authentic culture of life. But we also commit to working in our state Legislature to ensure that every child is welcomed in life and respected by the law.

Respected in Law

Unfortunately, the landscape in Minnesota is shaped by our own version of Roe v. Wade. The 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision of the Minnesota Supreme Court characterized the state right to an abortion as a “broader protection” than Roe, including the right of low-income women to a taxpayer-funded abortion. Sadly, Gomez is unlikely to be overturned without a change in federal law or a state constitutional amendment.

Despite Minnesota’s legal landscape, we should continue to find ways to place reasonable limits on the availability of abortions, especially after viability (Minnesota is one of the few states without limitations on post-viability abortions). We should also put in July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

cont'd from pg. 2

place, and keep in place, measures to help protect women from further serious injury arising from the risks already involved with an abortion. Such protections include, among other things, licensing abortion clinics and requiring that chemical abortions be procured only through a physician.

To limit the demand for abortion, the state should also commit its resources to ensuring that women have the support they need to choose life. Some pregnancy centers are supported in part by the state’s Positive Alternatives Grant Program, which promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes and assists pregnant and parenting women develop and maintain family stability and self-sufficiency. In a budget that will reach $60 billion by 2024, our state allocates only $3.375 million for these services, even though the need is much greater.

The most recent round of funding requests totaled roughly $6.5 million.

The prospect of Roe being overturned has already sharpened partisan division on the abortion question.

God’s design for married love and the gift of life and to raise awareness of Natural Family Planning (NFP) methods. “NFP,” as the U.S. bishops have written, is supportive of Catholic beliefs about married love because it “respects the God-given power to love a new human life into being” (see, U.S. Bishops, Married Love and the Gift of Life at usccb.org in the Issues and Action section > Topics > Marriage and Family).

The dates of Natural Family Planning Awareness Week highlight the anniversary of Humanae vitae (July 25) as well as the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.

In addition, the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne has been designated by Pope Francis as World Grandparents Day! A fitting commemoration that happens during NFP Week!

Resources (e.g., poster, homily notes, bulletin inserts, web banners, social media files, etc.) and ideas for celebrating and promoting NFP Awareness Week in your area can be found on the USCCB’s NFP Program website at usccb.org/nfp. For more information, contact nfp@usccb.org.

As bishops, however, we have no interest in engaging as partisans, and we will continue to work to build common ground rooted in the principles articulated above. This is a matter of prenatal justice—giving to both mother and child that which is their due, namely, support and protection.

But make no mistake: we will rigorously oppose efforts to expand the abortion license in Minnesota and we will work with people on both sides of the aisle to prevent Minnesota from becoming an abortion sanctuary state.

Abortion advocates want people to believe that abortion promises liberation, but instead, it leads to sadness, pain, and the death of a human being. To quote one pro-life leader, “Abortion says ‘I sacrifice your life for my convenience.’ But Love says, ‘I sacrifice my convenience for your life.’ Only love will lead to fulfillment.”

Let us be a credible witness to the Gospel of Life by sacrificing ourselves for the sake of others, both born and unborn.

We ask all Minnesotans to join our efforts to combat a throwaway culture, foster prenatal justice, and create a state where love prevails.

Meet Father Churchill Rev. Jason Kern Director of Vocations jkern@dowr.org

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raised be Jesus Christ! After seven years of seminary formation, I am officially the newest priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. I thought it might be nice for all of you, the faithful of our diocese, to get to know the new guy! I am now Fr. Michael Churchill and I grew up a little ways off Interstate 90 in the country outside of Dexter. It is there that I was raised with my nine siblings and grew in our Catholic faith. After high school, I entered Viterbo University, a Catholic university in La Crosse, WI, where I began to pursue a degree in nursing.

It was here, surrounded by strong and faithful Catholic friends, that I began to make the faith my own. I got involved with Campus Ministry and different prayer opportunities, and I frequently went to daily Mass and started to go more regularly to the Sacrament of Reconciliation (what an incredible gift!). It was on a retreat my freshman year that

Heart,

you, from the depths of my heart, for your prayers, faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for our seminarians and for the young men of our diocese, that they may respond with joyful and generous hearts to the call to follow Jesus Christ in the priesthood.

For my first assignment, I have been sent to the good people of Pax Christi Church in Rochester, Ss. Peter & Paul Church in Mazeppa and to the young men and women at Lourdes Catholic High School. I am very excited to see how the Lord will use me as His little instrument!

I humbly ask you to continue to hold me in your prayers as I begin priestly ministry and as I experience many learning curves in these first years of priesthood. There are many things that the seminary cannot teach us! Please know of my prayers for all of you and I hope someday I will get to meet many more of you readers in my different pastoral assignments.

Vocations

By FR. MICHAEL CHURCHILL

I was asked if I had given serious thought to the priesthood, and thus began a journey of discernment over my four years at Viterbo. I slowly came to peace with this call over these four years through the grace of the Sacraments and a more intentional prayer life, especially in Adoration in the Sisters' Perpetual Adoration Chapel. I also received a lot of help and encouragement from the priest at Viterbo and my close Catholic friends. Through all of this, I began to fall deeply in love with our Lord and with the priesthood.

As my time at Viterbo came to a close, the Lord opened the door to the seminary. Over the last seven years, I have been in the seminary formation process, first in Winona and then Detroit. Over these seven years, through a life of prayer and study, I have continued to grow in my faith and love for Jesus. I have also come to a much deeper knowledge that the Lord is granting me such a beautiful gift to share in His priesthood: to love, serve and intercede for His people with His own heart.

I am well aware that I have been ordained by the grace of God and that it is by the help of so many who have prayed for and supported me. There are many faithful Catholics in our diocese whom I have yet to meet, who have prayed for vocations to the priesthood and have prayed for seminarians. I have been supported and encouraged by so many. Thank

5

Fr. Michael Churchill was ordained on June 24, 2022.

cont'd from pg. 1 The Lord has blessed me with 50 years of priesthood, but I’m still being formed by every penitent, by every parish and person I meet, by those that I meet in hospitals, and the sick and the poor.

"The Lord wants more, wants holiness, and wants our lives rooted in the Triune God." Bishop Quinn went on to note the significance of the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the important role the Sacred Heart will play in Fr. Churchill's priesthood.

"Stay within and be surrounded by the Sacred Heart. Let that Heart move you even when you’re tired. Let that Sacred Heart be the image that impels you to be on fire when you’d rather have another hour of sleep. And, most of all, nourish that Heart by doing priestly work and living for your people.

"The Gospel today is all about being the shepherd, and the shepherd with a heart who cares for his people. I love that story, because it says even if one sheep is missing, you go and find that sheep.

That’s how much God’s in love with us. He doesn’t see us as a big group in a stadium and say 'that bunch of people.' He knows us by name. And we are to know each other and to care for one another with that same love, especially, as Pope Francis reminds us, on the peripheries. Whoever is out there - the poor, the sick, the uneducated, those who have been alienated, those who no longer participate, the prisoners, the sinners, the dying there’s many out there. And they await the ministry of the Church. Be generous in finding those sheep."

July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota and the Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Partner on a New Graduate Program in

Catholic School Leadership

Catholic Schools

6

Marsha Stenzel

Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org

Rev. James P. Burns (L) and Most Rev. John M. Quinn (R)

Submitted by DEB NAHRGANG

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eginning in fall 2022, Saint Mary’s University is launching a 15-credit graduate certificate in Catholic school leadership through its new Christ the Teacher program — a joint initiative between the university and the Diocese of Winona-Rochester to support Catholic school teachers in the diocese who are interested in furthering their education.

The Graduate Certificate in Catholic School Leadership is an innovative, cohort-based program to be delivered both online and in person from Saint Mary’s Minneapolis Campus. It is designed for fulltime educators who aspire to serve as future leaders in Catholic education. With formative courses and ongoing mentorship, students gain a foundation from which to imagine how the commitments of the Catholic faith are lived in the context of Catholic education.

Students will consider the most crucial issues facing educators today from a Catholic perspective to better engage their students, colleagues, families, and community. Over the course of the program, students develop a long-term project that integrates theory and practice.

A distinctive aspect of this program is that students are paired with an experienced Catholic school leader who serves as a mentor. The mentor assists the learner in their exploration of theory, theology, and practice through application and experience.

Faculty members for the graduate program will include leaders in Catholic education from across the country.

This certificate is appropriate for both current and aspiring teachers, leaders, and administrators as a credential on top of previous graduate work or a means to explore pathways for future graduate

Minnesota Catholic Conference

Inside the Capitol

Protecting Our Children's Right to Be Safe at School

�uns are claiming the lives of U.S. children at

alarming rates. It is the second leading cause of death for our kids. We’re just halfway through 2022 and already firearms have claimed the lives of over 700 children under age 19, including the 19 who were recently killed by an 18-year-old in a mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas.

The Church takes an all-of-the-above approach to combating gun violence, as there is no ultimate solution to the complex problem, so long as evil persists in the human heart and guns are readily available as they will be in the U.S. due to our constitutionally protected right to own guns. But because rights come with responsibilities there

July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

are common-sense safety reforms that need to be part of the solution.

At the state level, there are various gun safety proposals which the Minnesota Catholic Conference supports, such as red flag laws, but there is no political will to find common ground to pass them.

Therefore, to take steps to protect students now, MCC has urged Governor Walz to call a special session and pass Safe Schools legislation. This need is urgent! There were 22 shooting incidents in K-12 schools so far in 2022 and 119 since 2018.

We need to act now before one more child gets on their bus uncertain whether they will return home.

education or credentials. For students seeking to earn a master’s degree, all 15 credits of the graduate certificate program can be applied to the M.A. in Education (30 credits), allowing students to earn their degree in as little as two years.

Scholarships may be available to teachers from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. For more information and details on how to apply, go to https:// www.smumn.edu/academics/graduate/education/ catholic-school-leadership-certificate “Catholic dioceses need quality teacher preparation, as they play such a crucial role,” said the Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. “Saint John Baptist de La Salle founded the Brothers to be teachers, and Saint Mary’s continues this tradition of preparing faith-based educational leaders today.”

“We believe that launching a program dedicated to the formation of Catholic school leaders is essential for the future vitality of Catholic schools in the state and beyond,” said Father James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D., Saint Mary’s president. “This program is aligned with our mission as a Lasallian Catholic university and our reputation for educational leader preparation in our school of education. We intend this program to be relevant to the needs of today’s school leaders as well as infused with the best treasures of Catholic education.

Deb Nahrgang is the senior director of external relations at St. Mary's University of Minnesota in Winona.

The Safe Schools legislation, H.F. 4005/S.F. 3380, has bipartisan support. It creates a funding stream for all schools that can be used for security personnel, building enhancement, violence prevention programs, and mental health initiatives.

Passing such legislation would be a concrete step toward protecting our children’s right to be safe from gun violence at least in the classroom.

While it is true that virtuous people need fewer laws, our reality is a permissive society that has become an incubator for alienation, mental illness, spiritual poverty, and other pathologies. It breeds nihilistic killers.

Undoubtedly, we must minister to people before they reach such a dark place! So, in conjunction with the long-term project of creating a virtuous society in which families and thereby individuals flourish, we need more immediate safety reforms such as Safe Schools legislation.

Go to MNCatholic.org/ActionCenter today to tell your legislators we must pass Safe Schools legislation before even one more child is injured.

Seeds of Faith

7

Tuition Assistance Grants to Be Awarded for 2022-2023 School Year Monica Herman

Executive Director Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota mherman@catholicfsmn.org

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atholic education realizes a threefold purpose of proclaiming God’s message of love, building community, and providing service. The Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment, established in 2004 and stewarded by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota, was created to aid families who seek a Catholic education for their children and who demonstrate a financial need.

An endowed fund is a way of giving that creates a permanent, continuous source of income for a ministry or mission, as designated by donors. The Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment was established with a $2 million allotment from the extensive Seeds of Faith Campaign, which the Foundation prudently invests by following Catholic Responsible Investing principles. From investment earnings, more than $1.14 million has been granted to families with financial need since 2012. The endowment will continue to grow, and with investment earnings each year, available funds for tuition assistance grants are expected to grow from year to year.

The distribution of funds for the 2022-2023 school year will follow the Seeds of Faith Campaign case statement. It promised that “…we will establish a $2,000,000 endowment fund designated to provide tuition assistance to parents who seek a Catholic education for their children and who demonstrate a financial need. This endowment also will

respond to a special need to provide tuition funding for the newly arrived immigrants in our diocese.”

Last year, 184 families received tuition assistance totaling $137,000. This year, 217 families have applied for assistance and those eligible will share in $139,800 in Seeds of Faith-Tuition Assistance funds.

Funds are also available specifically for Hispanic families who demonstrate financial need through the Foundation’s Rothwell endowments. This year’s earnings will allow us to distribute $16,600. The application process is the same for both the Seeds of Faith – Tuition Assistance funds and Rothwell funds.

It is important to note that the funds “...will supplement, not replace, local efforts in providing parents with financial assistance. The Foundation will distribute annual earnings from this endowment in grants as assistance in tuition payments” (Seeds of Faith Case Statement). The intention of the Seeds of Faith Endowment is that “...no family shall be denied access to Catholic education because of the inability to pay.”

Each year, the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota receives letters from families who wish to pass along their thanks to those who contributed to the Seeds of Faith Campaign. To those who generously contributed to the Seeds of Faith Campaign over a decade ago, thank you for touching the lives of others in this unique and much-needed way.

The Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota is committed to maintaining and preserving the endowment for generations of Catholic students to come.

The Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment is stewarded by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota (EIN: 41-11691198), an independent Minnesota non-profit corporation that is tax exempt

under the Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3).

Contributions are used only for the benefit of designated purposes identified in the endowment statement of purpose and for no other purposes. To learn more about the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota, visit www.catholicfsmn.org.

Congratulations!

Since our kick-off, the following parishes have met their goals for the 2022 Catholic Ministries Appeal: All Saints New Richland

Immaculate Conception St. Clair

St. Ignatius Spring Valley

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Winona

Sacred Heart Owatonna

St. Joseph Lakefield

Holy Family Kasson

St. Adrian Adrian

St. Mary Lake Wilson

Holy Spirit Rochester

St. Ann Slayton

St. Patrick LeRoy

Immaculate Conception Kellogg

St. Bernard Stewartville

St. Rose of Lima Lewiston

St. Columba Iona St. Columban Preston St. Finbarr Grand Meadow St. Francis of Assisi Rochester July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Lay Formation & RCIA

8

Back on the Road to Emmaus There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different foms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.

To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.

-1 Corinthians 12:4-7

�reetings of Peace!

In the midst of these summer days, I

wanted to share some information about an upcoming lay formation initiative taking place this coming fall, and to offer some reflections on a couple of other events relating to my work in the diocese.

“Called & Gifted” Discernment Process

We have just concluded the formation process for the seventh class of our diocesan INSTITUTE OF LAY FORMATION. We anticipate beginning a new class of the Institute, and three-year formation process, in the fall of 2023. In the year between classes, the Institute offers a program of continuing formation and renewal for our alumni and other lay leaders serving in the diocese. It is called “Emmaus,” and provides lay leaders with opportunities for growth in the four core areas of formation: intellectual, human, spiritual, and pastoral.

For the fall semester of the 2022-2023 Emmaus year, we will partner with the Catherine of Siena Institute to provide formation through the “Called & Gifted” Discernment Process. The Called & Gifted process “is designed to help Christians discern the presence of charisms, or spiritual gifts, in their lives, which are special abilities given to all Christians by the Holy Spirit to give them power both to represent Christ and to be a channel of God's goodness for people” [from the web site of the Catherine of Siena Institute: https://siena.org/called-gifted].

The program and calendar for the fall is:

Part One: Go through the Called & Gifted introductory workshop.

• September 16-17, 2022 (Alverna Center, Winona)

Part Two: After going through the introductory workshop, the second step is to have a one-hour personal gifts interview.

July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Part Three: “Discernment in Depth” ~ “You will pick one charism to ‘experiment with’ and see what God does!”

• October 15 (Saturday session [Parish site]): Kick-off to Discernment in Depth • November 5 (Saturday session [via Zoom]): Check-in on progress • December 2-3 (Alverna Center, Winona): Wrap-up & Debrief

You can find more information online at the Institute’s web page: (https://www.dowr.org/offices/ lay-formation/Institute.html). Registration for the fall semester of Emmaus is now open, and you can register online at the web page or by downloading an application form.

Ministry Days Reflection

After a COVID-caused hiatus the past couple of years, we returned this year in mid-June to the beautiful campus of Saint Mary’s University for our diocesan Ministry Days 2022. The theme for this year’s gathering was, “‘My Flesh for the Life of the World:’ Encountering Jesus Anew.” Our focus was in response to the National Eucharistic Revival initiated by the U.S. Catholic Bishops – “a three-year grassroots revival of devotion and belief in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.”

Our gathering was a truly powerful experience!

Our speakers were dynamic and inspiring. Our times of prayer and worship – Morning Prayer each day, two celebrations of the Eucharist, and a Holy Hour and Eucharistic Procession – were beautiful and gracefilled. And, the opportunity for us as clergy and lay leaders to be together for formation, conversation, sharing, etc. drew us closer in communion with one another as ministers and co-workers for our diocesan Church.

This was an especially significant event for me as it marked my final year of serving as the lead staff person for Ministry Days. I began in this role back in 2001, and each of these annual gatherings has been special and eventful in its own way. The planning and preparation involved have always been demanding and even sometimes exhausting, but the time to gather with friends and colleagues from across the diocese for these days has been even more joyful, enriching, and hope-filled. Ministry Days is also a great reminder to me, as I spend time with those participating, of how many people’s spiritual journeys and paths of ministry I have been privileged to be part of over these years.

I am truly grateful to my dedicated diocesan colleagues who help to design and prepare for these days. We have a planning team, and it is a wonderful work of collaboration on the part of our staff. I offer a hearty “Thank you!” to everyone who has been part of my experience of Ministry Days over these past 20 years. And, I wish my very talented and faith-filled colleague, Susan Windley-Daoust, all the best as she takes on the leadership of this event!

Todd Graff

Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org

Farewell to a Wonderful Colleague In the spring of 2017, our diocesan Moderator of the Curia, Msgr. Tom Melvin, asked me to consider serving as diocesan Director of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), in addition to my other responsibilities. After a time of discernment and prayer, I accepted with one condition – that my diocesan colleague, Camille Withrow, would continue to work in RCIA ministry as she’d done for the previous few years.

I felt that having her experience going forward was essential. He agreed.

And so began five years of grace-filled and fruitful ministry and service together in our diocese – in RCIA ministry, in lay formation, and in planning and leading diocesan events such as Ministry Days, our diocesan Pentecost Celebration (in 2019), etc. We worked hard to honor the Church’s vision for the RCIA and to build strong relationships with our parish RCIA leaders, and to support them in this challenging but wonderful ministry. And, we took time in our planning and before each of our meetings, events, etc. to pray together and to ask the Spirit to guide us.

Camille will be leaving her position with the diocese this fall. I am deeply grateful for her dedication and truly wonderful service to this local Church. Her love for the RCIA is profound, and her passion for this ministry inspired me and many others across our diocese. She is exceptionally talented and creative, and her work with us will be truly missed. I wish her, and her family, God’s grace and blessings in what lies ahead. Thank you, Camille!

May you find time for rest and renewal in these summer days - Deo Gratias!

The most beautiful experience, however, is discovering how many different charisms there are, and with how many gifts of the Spirit the Father fills His Church.

This must not be regarded as a cause for confusion or unease: they are all gifts that God gives to the Christian community, so that it might grow harmoniously, in faith and in His love, like one body, the body of Christ.

The same Spirit that grants this diversity of charisms also constructs the unity of the Church.

-Pope Francis General Audience, October 1, 2014

We Gather Together Susan Windley-Daoust

Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org

150+

priests, deacons, and laity gathered at Saint Mary’s University in Winona this past June 14-15 for our annual - but long postponed - inperson Ministry Days gathering. This year’s topic introduced the National Eucharistic Revival, which began on June 19, The Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

Keynote speakers Fr. Tom Margevičius (Director of Worship for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis) and Kristin Bird (Executive Director of the parish renewal apostolate Burning Hearts Disciples) led people more deeply into the gift of our Lord in the Eucharist. Fr. Tom led those gathered into reflection on our engagement and participation in the Liturgy of the Eucharist and daily challenge of lex orandi, lex credendi, lex viviendi (the law of prayer is law of belief is the law of living). Kristin led us in reflecting on how we understand the Eucharist in the movements of missionary discipleship: encountering the Lord in the Eucharist, accompanying each other to and through the Eucharist, communion in the Eucharist, and sending for mission from the Eucharist.

After midday Mass and a meal with a keynote panel, we broke into further talks with discussions as laity (on how to share the goodness of the Lord through story) and clergy (on how to best preach mystagogically). The day ended with a Holy Hour before the Blessed Sacrament, followed by dinner and a thank-you to Bishop John Quinn for his 13 years of service to our diocese.

The next day, we listened to the rain pound the roof–and more importantly, listened to our local brothers and sisters share how God has been moving in this diocese through different devotions to

the Eucharistic Lord. We heard from Fr. Jim Callahan and Sandra Piñeros Mendoza of St. Mary’s Church, Worthington, on their pandemic eucharistic procession and eucharistic contemplation for social service; from Dr. Deb McManimon of St. Joseph’s Church, Owatonna, on the eucharistic spirituality of St. Vincent de Paul Society; from Tom and Angie Osten on 20 years of perpetual eucharistic adoration at the Church of the Resurrection, Rochester; from Lourdes High School student Greta Deick of the Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on her experience of eucharistic adoration at Camp Summit; and from Beverly Miller at Ss. Peter and Paul Church, Mankato, on how that community was led to offer eucharistic adoration in their faith formation and youth ministry processes. Every person there mentioned how deeply moving that morning of diverse witness on the power of the Eucharistic Lord to console and transform hearts was! People then broke into groups by deaneries to discuss what they had heard and other ways the Lord is prompting them to share his life in the Eucharist to more and more people in their region.

Missionary Discipleship

Ministry Days 2022

9

After lunch and diocesan announcements, we closed a fruitful and renewing two days with a solemn Mass followed by a Eucharistic procession– due to forecast severe weather and heavy rain, in the St. Thomas More Chapel. What a blessed time to remember that God dwells among us, the best of Church life is to come, and we have an incredible God to share! The diocesan year of the three-year national Eucharistic Revival begins!

See you next year, June 13-14, at Saint Mary’s University! Dr. Tim O’Malley of the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame will be a keynote speaker and we will go deeper and deeper into this life of Eucharistic renewal!

We thank Todd Graff, Director of Lay Formation and RCIA, for faithfully and ably leading Ministry Days these past 20 years.

Kristin Bird and Fr. Tom Margevičius July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Ablaze

Youth Ministry & Faith Formation

10

Confirmation Testimony

By ASHLYN RIGDON

�y experience leading up to receiving

the Sacrament of Confirmation was a beautiful thing. I learned so much about myself and about my relationship with God. As a group, my fellow candidates and I were given various opportunities to help the church community and pray for each other. Some of these included serving parishioners at our Agape Gala Fundraiser, helping at our parish chili cook-off, and serving in various ministries at our monthly youth Masses. Through all of these opportunities I was able to see joy in every person while doing God's work.

Along with those, our Wednesday group meetings and youth group were very fun and educational

Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Mankato

All Saints Parish, Madison Lake

St. Mary Parish, Winona July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

too. I always looked forward to seeing kids my age being just as passionate about Jesus as I am. I was also extremely blessed to have my older sister be able to guide me in my preparation as a Peer Ministry Leader for our class.

At the time when I “picked" my Saint I had felt an immediate connection, though I didn't know much about her at the time. My Saint, Margaret Mary Alacoque, had visions of Jesus from a young age, and later in her life was shown the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Margaret Mary also happened to be the name of my great-great-grandmother. My Confirmation sponsor, who is actually my grandma, is such an important person in my life, and she's always encouraging me to learn more about God and the Bible.

Adoration was also a very special part in my journey. I was able to be in silence with the Lord, and to share, pray, and listen to Him. My entire family and everyone at church has been so supportive

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Parish, Winona

St Catherine Parish, Luverne

Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Winona

Dana Petricka

Director of Youth Ministry and Faith Formation dpetricka@dowr.org

and I'm extremely grateful for all their prayers. All the lessons I've learned over the past several months have and will continue to help me carry out God's work. And of course, daily prayer has been an essential part of keeping me close to Him, too. This past year has taught me a lot, and I plan to use what I've learned to help disciple others to grow closer to God, too. I will continue to have faith and keep everyone in my thoughts and prayere!

Ashlyn Rigdon is a parishioner of Ss. Peter & Paul in Mankato and was Confirmed on May 6, 2022.

St. Mary Parish, Caledonia

Immaculate Conception Parish, St. Clair

St. Augustine, St. Edward and Queen of Angels Parishes, Austin

Hope for the Future Sarah Vetter, LISW

�

s Catholic Charities’ Onward and Upward program completes its sixth school year empowering single parent families as they graduate with a healthcare degree, we are looking forward to the future. Just as the single mothers we work with are growing their skills, education, and ability to provide for their families, Onward and Upward hopes to grow our reach and support more families in the coming years.

There are three components to the Onward and Upward program: mentoring, scholarships, and emergency financial assistance. Single parents who are accepted into the Onward and Upward program are paired with a Catholic Charities social worker to receive mentoring. These twice-monthly meetings are based on the needs of each student, but cover topics such as resources, goal setting, budgeting, time management, self care, and identifying the student’s learning styles. Students also receive a monthly scholarship to help with non-academic needs, and may apply for emergency financial assistance as needed for unexpected expenses.

Emergency financial assistance is most often used for car repairs, utilities, textbooks, and medical bills.

Hilary graduated with her nursing degree in December and is now working full-time as a nurse.

She wrote this note for us to share: Thank you to everyone who has donated as well as the staff members of this program. Because of your help I have successfully completed the RN program at RCTC. Going back to school with a 5 and 2 year old (now! At the time they were 3 and not yet 1) was a major decision. I chose not to

Technical College (RCTC) and initially provided emergency financial assistance and mentoring. The addition of monthly scholarship checks in 2018 transformed the program and made a huge difference for the families we served. Catholic Charities intends to expand our program to offer the same services in more areas to support additional single parents.

Over the past four years, 82% of Another student writes: Onward and Upward participants Words alone cannot express my immense gratihave graduated with their degree, tude towards the financial support I’ve received and 78% of those who graduated and am still receiving from this organization. began to earn a living wage within Your support has helped me to focus six months of graduation. more on school work and tremen- Our graduates Comparatively, 56.9% of dously reduced my stress level, espe- are licensed RCTC's Nursing students cially with paying my bills and takcomplete the nursing proing care of my minor kids. Thank practical nurses, gram (https://www.rctc. you very much for being my des- registered nurses, edu/program/nurs/outcomes/). tiny helper…I pray that God in His Onward and Upward provides the infinite mercies rewards and con- dental hygienists, support to help single parents stay in tinually blesses every pocket that is and dental school when life gets challenging. It responsible for this huge support; I helps move families out of poverty and will never take it for granted. I am assistants who are into self-sufficiency, building the worksincerely grateful. now providing for force by adding to the qualified healthcare field. Our graduates are licensed Onward and Upward has generally their families practical nurses, registered nurses, denaccepted 10-12 families on a rolling tal hygienists, and dental assistants who basis and each family continues to receive serare now providing for their families. vices six months after graduation. The program We are currently accepting applications from started in collaborastudents who will be starting a one to two-year tion with Rochester healthcare degree in the fall. Students may apply Community and online at www.ccsomn.org/onwardandupward/ or call 507-287-2047 for more information.

Catholic Charities

Director Pregnancy, Parenting & Adoption Catholic Charities of Southern MInnesota

work, but focus on school and my kids. [Onward and Upward] provided me with funds to help pay rent, put gas in my car, pay bills and more. Most important, I felt a sense of community. I learned valuable skills such as how to budget. I had an extra thing I had to hold myself accountable to and a reminder that it was not just me invested in my completion. This program was extremely helpful for me and my children. Thank you so much!

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July 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

July 2022

•

The Courier

The Televised Mass Is Offered Every Sunday Sioux Falls - KTTW 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")

W-RDCCW Plans Summer Events

By ELEANORE JONES

�

hank you, Bishop John Quinn, for shepherding our diocese for so many years, and we hope that you will have a blessed retirement back in Detroit. Welcome Bishop Robert Barron to shepherding the WinonaRochester Diocese! The Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (W-RDCCW) looks forward to collaborating with you in leading the women of the diocese in Spirituality, Leadership and Service.

On July 4, we celebrate our Independence Day. Now, let us reflect on this event. What cost was paid by people for our independence? Let us thank God for the freedoms we enjoy.

The month of July is the month of the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. What a price Jesus Christ paid for us so we could receive the eternal joy of being able to see the Beatific Vision of God for all eternity.

As the Church Militant, we need to help

the souls in purgatory by having Masses said for them; also, fast and pray so they will be able to obtain heaven. Are you aware that in helping these souls get into heaven they will help us to gain heaven, if we but ask them?

St. John Baptist de la Salle Catholic Church in Dodge Center will host the W-RDCCW quarterly Board Meeting on July 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Respect Life and Family/Community Commission will be the in-depth reports. All women are welcome to attend.

“A Spiritual Day of Grace for Women” sponsored by the W-RDCCW will be on Saturday, August 13, 2022, at the Church of the Holy Trinity in Litomysl. We invite all women to attend and to be filled with knowledge that you will be able to take back to your parishes and communities to evangelize and share God’s love.

November 2-6, 2022, are the dates for the National Council of Catholic

Women (NCCW) Convention in Minneapolis. This is NCCW’s 102nd year of existence.

In the words of Patrick Norton: "By the grace of God a first-class relic of Saint Mother Teresa came to the Catholic Church of Minnesota." It was brought here by Sister Mary Prema Pierick, M.C., who is the Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity since 2016. Patrick will have this relic at our "Spiritual Day of Grace for Women." He will be giving out Miraculous Medals that have been touched to her relic.

Eleanore Jones is the president of the WinonaRochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.