The Courier - July, 2016

Special Insert:

Jubilee Year of Mercy

The

COURIER

Feast of St. Mary Magdalene July 22nd

July 2016

Meet

www.dowcourier.org

Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona, MN

the

Missionaries

D i v i d e d Supreme Court Deals Setback to Immigration Advocates

By MATT HADRO

for “totally yours,” Totus Tuus is a summer youth program offered throughout the Diocese of Winona, centered on forming minds and hearts for Jesus Christ and His Church.

As the young adults arrive at training, a mix of

WASHINGTON D.C., June 23 (CNA/ EWTN News)--A divided Supreme Court allowed a hold on the Obama administration’s immigration policy to continue, disappointing Catholic advocates of immigration reform.

The Court’s decision “shatters the hopes of millions of immigrants who might otherwise have obtained temporary relief from immigration enforcement under two Obama administration programs,” the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC) stated on Thursday.

With a 4-4 tie vote, the Supreme Court let stand the lower courts’ decisions in United States v. Texas.

In 2015 the district court had allowed a temporary block on the Obama administration’s executive actions on immigration. This was

Missionaries, cont'd on pg. 9

Supreme Court, cont'd on pg. 4

Members of the Diocese of Winona's 2016 Totus Tuus teams support Fr. Andrew Beerman, a member of the diocese's original Totus Tuus team, on a ropes course during training at St. Mary's University in Winona.

By BEN FROST WINONA--Each year, in the first week of June, young adults from five Midwest dioceses come to Winona for a week of training and preparation for a summer of Totus Tuus. Latin

INSIDE this issue

Why Not Make a Pilgrimage?

page 5

Everyone Is Called to Be a Witness

page 13

Not Just Wandering

page 14

Pope Francis Watch

Articles of Interest

Why Not Make a Pilgrimage?______page 5

2

Richness of Church Teaching_____page 6 Catholic Schools Updates________page 7

The Courier Insider

Planting Seeds of Faith__________page 8 Jubilee Insert______________after page 8 Barnyard Roundup!____________page 9 Choosing Silence_______________page 10 ...On Our Jubilee of Mercy Days__page 11 Mastering the Art of Aging_______page 12 Everyone is Called...____________page 13 Not Just Wandering_____________page 14 Diocesan Headlines_____________page 15

Pope on Death Penalty: There Is No Excuse for It VATICAN CITY, June 22, 2016 (CNA/EWTN News) - In a video message sent to a gathering of advocates for abolition of the death penalty, Pope Francis welcomed their efforts as a way to promote the right to life of all persons.

“Nowadays the death penalty is unacceptable, however grave the crime of the convicted person,” the Pope said in his June 22 message to the Sixth World Congress against the Death Penalty, which was held in Oslo that week. More than 1,000 people were in attendance from governments, international organizations, and society.

Capital punishment “is an offense to the inviolability of life and to the dignity of the human person,” Pope Francis continued. “It likewise contradicts God’s plan for individuals and society, and his merciful justice.”

He expressed his “personal appreciation” to the participants for their “commitment to

a world free of the death penalty.”

That “public opinion is manifesting a growing opposition to the death penalty, even as a means of legitimate social defense,” he called a “sign of hope.”

In addition to being offensive to the inviolability of human life, Pope Francis said that the death penalty is not “consonant with any just purpose of punishment.”

“It does not render justice to victims, but instead fosters vengeance. The commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty.”

Recalling the Jubilee of Mercy being celebrated currently, the Roman Pontiff said the year is “an auspicious occasion for promoting worldwide ever more evolved forms of respect for the life and dignity of each person.”

Child Abuse Policy Information

Death Penalty, cont'd on pg. 4

Diocese of Winona - Child Sexual Abuse Policy Information The Diocese of Winona 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 507-4542270, 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 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’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Peter Martin, at 507-858-1264, or pmartin@dow.org.

The Courier is the Official Publication of the Diocese of Winona 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 107 - 07

Most Reverend John M. Quinn, Publisher Nick Reller, Associate Editor Telephone: 507-858-1257 Fax:507-454-8106 E-mail: nreller@dow.org Subscription Rates: $5 per year in the U.S. Parishioners in the Winona Diocese subscribe through their parish. Periodicals postage paid at Madelia, MN Postmaster.

Publishing Schedule: Monthly - Deadline for advertising & articles is the 10th of the month prior.

(ISSN 0744-5490)

July, 2016 w The Courier

Diocesan Calendar______________page 16 Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of the Diocese of Winona, announces the following appointments:

1, 2016. This is in addition to his assignment as Assistant Vicar for Clergy.

Parish Apointments

Rev. William Kulas, formerly Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Rollingstone, St. Mary Parish in Minneiska, and St. Paul Parish in Minnesota City; granted Senior Priest status, effective July 1, 2016.

Rev. Kevin Connolly, formerly Pastor of Resurrection Parish in Rochester; appointed Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Owatonna, Christ the King Parish in Medford, and Corpus Christi Parish in Deerfield, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2016.

Rev. Shawn Haremza, formerly Parochial Vicar at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Rochester; appointed Parochial Vicar at Resurrection Parish in Rochester, effective July 1, 2016.

Rev. Joseph Hennen, currently Parochial Administrator of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Harmony, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish in Canton, and St. Olaf Parish in Mabel; appointed Parochial Administrator of the same parishes through June 2017.

Rev. Edward McGrath, formerly Parochial Administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Owatonna, Christ the King Parish in Medford, and Corpus Christi Parish in Deerfield; appointed Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Chatfield, St. Patrick Parish in Lanesboro, and St. Columban Parish in Preston, for a six-year term, effective July 1, 2016.

Rev. Peter Schuster, formerly Pastor of St. John Vianney Parish in Fairmont and Holy Family Parish in East Chain; appointed Pastor of Resurrection Parish in Rochester, for a six-year term, effective July

Senior Priest Status

Diocesan Appointments Rev. Msgr. Donald P. Schmitz, appointed Vicar General and Chancellor of the Diocese of Winona on an interim basis, effective June 6, 2016.

Rev. William Thompson, formerly Parochial Administrator of St. Mary Parish in Chatfield, St. Patrick Parish in Lanesboro, and St. Columban Parish in Preston, in addition to being Director of Vocations; will resume full-time ministry in the Office of Vocations, effective July 1, 2016.

Committee Appointments Mr. James Anderson, appointed to the Diocese of Winona Finance Council for a fourth five-year term, effective July 1, 2016.

Very Rev. Mark McNea, appointed to a second five-year term on the College of Consultors, effective July 1, 2016.

Ms. Margaret Michaletz, appointed to the Diocese of Winona Finance Council for a third fiveyear term, effective July 1, 2016.

Mr. Robert Wooden, appointed to the Diocese of Winona Finance Council for a third five-year term, effective July 1, 2016.

Keep Christ in Your Vacation �ear Friends in Christ,

Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn Bishop's Calendar

Fortnight for Freedom Thank you to all who participated in the Fortnight for Freedom. If we sit quietly, then we are giving the impression of consent.

The Church has a unique identity, which comes from Jesus Christ, and it must be free to proclaim its identity without interference from the government. Religious liberty is the first and most cherished of our freedoms.

Keep praying that the Lord will give us the courage to defend religious liberty for all the generations yet to come. We are proud to be Americans, proud to be Catholics, and proud to make our voices heard in the public square and by our elected government officials.

This year's theme was “Witness to Freedom,” affirming that “(t)he martyrs give voice to what we already feel and they declare what we would like to have the strength to express” (Fides et Ratio).

In each of these witnesses, we also see service. It is important not only that we

July 7, Thursday 9 am – The Order of Celebrating Matrimony Regional Workshop – Rochester 6 pm – Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem Knights & Ladies Dinner Rochester July 10, Sunday 10:30 am – Mass and Acolyte Installation for DOW Seminarians Thé Hoang and Brian Mulligan – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona July 12, Tuesday 6 pm – Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre Jerusalem Newly Invested Dinner - Rochester

have rights, but that we exercise them responsibly and out of love for others.

This service can take many forms. In every situation, we are called to be missionary disciples, people who follow Christ and serve the world.

And if following that call means that we are occasionally at odds with the government or the ambient culture, we can be assured that the power of the Holy Spirit will buoy us in times of trouble.

By taking time during the Fortnight for Freedom to ponder the lives of these exemplary Christian witnesses, we have learned much of what it means to follow Jesus Christ in today’s challenging world.

We pray that the grace of God has helped us to grow in wisdom, courage, and love, that we too might be faithful witnesses to freedom as we move forward in our walk with God. Natural Family Planning Awareness Week, July 24 – 30 Every year in July, we celebrate Natural Family Planning Awareness Week.

The dates of this week mark the anniversary of the papal encyclical Humanae Vitae

(July 25), which articulates Catholic beliefs about human sexuality, conjugal love and responsible parenthood. The week also contains the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne (July 26), the parents of the Blessed Mother.

Natural Family Planning (NFP) is the general title for the scientific, natural and moral methods of family planning that can help married couples either achieve or postpone pregnancies. NFP methods are based on the observation of the naturally occurring signs and symptoms of the fertile and infertile phases of a woman's menstrual cycle. No drugs, devices, or surgical procedures are used to avoid pregnancy. Where contraception destroys God’s design by separating the unitive and procreative acts of the marital union, the methods of NFP respect the love-giving (unitive) and life-giving (procreative) nature of the conjugal act, and support God's design for married love. I encourage you to learn more about this proven method.

I pray your summer is full of family, love and joy. Please continue to keep me and our priests in your prayers.

May God bless you!

Sincerely in Christ,

Jubilee of Mercy Days In June, priests, deacons, religious and laity came together to celebrate

July 14, Thursday 1 pm – Holy Hour 2 pm – Catholic Foundation of Southern MN Board Meeting – Winona

July 18, Monday 5 pm – Dinner – Rochester Serra Club Golf Outing for Priests – Rochester

July 16, Saturday 11:30 am – Mass – Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel – Annunciation Hermitage, Austin Evening – Confessions at Steubenville North Youth Conference – Mayo Civic Center, Rochester

July 20 – August 2 Pilgrimage to Poland for World Youth Day

July 17, Sunday 10:30 am – Mass – Steubenville North Youth Conference – Mayo Civic Center, Rochester 5 pm – First Scrutiny – Neocatechumenal Way – St. Thomas More Chapel, SMU Campus, Winona

the Jubilee of Mercy Days.

Celebrations were held at regional sites across the diocese.

The days were blessed and included spiritual enrichment, “Works of Mercy” related activities, p r a y e r s , and evening performances.

I thank Todd Graff, our Director of the Office of Lay Formation, for orchestrating the event and all those who so willingly gave of their time and energy, especially the staff at the Diocesan Pastoral Center.

From the Bishop

May the grace and peace of Jesus be always in your hearts.

The month of July brings family time of vacation for many. Whether the vacation is local or several states away, I hope that attendance at Mass will be a priority. With technology, you can access Mass times at all parishes, and most young people can operate that technology easily. Mass is a priority every weekend, even during vacation. My parents, no matter where we went on vacation, never missed Mass, because the

Lord was more important than sleeping in or getting an early start to the day.

Keep Christ the center of your vacation.

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August 4, Thursday 1 pm – Holy Hour 2 pm – Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting 7 pm – Diocesan Ministerial Standards Board Meeting Rochester

Most Rev. John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona

August 6, Saturday 5:15 pm – Mass and Celebration of Candidacy for DOW Seminarian David Kruse – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona August 7, Sunday 10:30 am – Mass and Celebration of Lector for DOW Seminarian Matthew Wagner – Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona August 8, Monday 7 pm – Mass – Camp Summit – Lanesboro July, 2016 w The Courier

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Death Penalty, cont'd from pg. 2

“It must not be forgotten that the inviolable and Godgiven right to life also belongs to the criminal,” he exhorted.

In addition to calling for an end to capital punishment, Pope Francis called on the participants to work for the improvement of prison conditions “so that they fully respect the human dignity of those incarcerated.”

He reiterated that rendering justice “does not mean seeking punishment for its own sake, but ensuring that the basic purpose of all punishment is the rehabilitation of the offender.”

The question of justice should be answered “within the larger framework of a system of penal justice open to the possibility of the guilty party’s reinsertion in society,” he said.

“There is no fitting punishment without hope!

Punishment for its own sake, without room for hope, is a form of torture, not of punishment.”

Pope Francis' video mes-

July, 2016 w The Courier

sage echoed earlier calls he has made for an end to the use of the death penalty.

His immediate predecessors, Benedict XVI and St. John Paul II, also spoke out against its use in modern society.

In a March 2015 letter to the president of the International Commission against the Death Penalty, Francis went so far as to say that “life imprisonment, as well as those sentences which, due to their duration, render it impossible for the condemned to plan a future in freedom, may be considered hidden death sentences, because with them the guilty party is not only deprived of his/her freedom, but insidiously deprived of hope."

The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty may be used “if this is the only possible way of effectively defending human lives against the unjust aggressor.” However, it adds, such cases today “are very rare, if not practically nonexistent.”

Supreme Court, cont'd from pg. 1

upheld by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court.

The executive actions initially came in the form of a 2012 program entitled Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

The program would allow children of undocumented immigrants – children who were born in the U.S. and had met certain conditions – to stay for up to two years without deportation.

In November of 2014, the administration expanded that program and created the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents, or DAPA. Under the new program, certain undocumented immigrants – parents of children born in the U.S. and who met certain conditions – could stay in the U.S. for up to three years without deportation. To be eligible they had to have lived in the U.S. for at least

five years, passed a background check, and would have to pay taxes.

“An estimated 5 million people could have potentially benefited from the two programs,” CLINIC stated.

Twenty-six states, led

by Texas, asked that the 2014 actions – the creation of DAPA and the expansion of DACA – be checked from going into effect until the matter was decided in court. A district court granted the stay in 2015.

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling.

The administration then appealed to the Supreme Court to overrule the lower courts’ decisions.

In an amicus brief submitted to the Supreme Court in March, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops argued that the administration’s immigration action keeps families together and prevents immigrants from living in the shadows to avoid deportation. “Family unification is an integral consideration in the application of immigration law,” the brief stated.

However, since the Supreme Court was divided in a 4-4 vote, it stated that the lower courts’ “judgment” was “affirmed by an equally divided Court.”

Jeanne Atkinson, executive director of CLINIC, said the organization was “extremely disappointed” over the court’s decision.

“The tied vote means millions of long-term U.S. residents continue to be blocked from the chance to live with their families without fear of deportation, while working legally and attaining a college education,” she stated.

These people are living

“in fear of law enforcement and at risk of mistreatment in the workplace, by landlords and from abusers due to threats of deportation,” she continued.

Congress should work to pass long-term immigration reform to provide a lasting solution to the problem, she added, “ensuring that millions of families have a path to legal residency and eventually citizenship in their adopted country.”

Catholic bishops from Texas and New Mexico also expressed their disappointment over the Court’s vote.

“Our nation's immigration policies are broken,” stated the Texas Catholic bishops, adding that this ruling serves to keep many of our youngest and most vulnerable brothers and sisters “living in the shadows.”

President Obama’s executive actions came from “years of painstaking work and committed efforts by migrant advocates, grassroots organizations, some legislators and the faith community,” stated Bishop Oscar Cantu of Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso, Texas.

“The scandal of a broken system that criminalizes and scapegoats immigrants who fight for a better life for their children and families that contribute every day to our economy and communities is laid bare once again by the decision of the Supreme Court,” they added.

Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston criticized Congress’ “piecemeal” attempts to pass “even the most basic of reforms” of the immigration system. “Respect for human life and dignity demands that our national leaders put people, especially children and youth, before politics,” he stated.

Why Not Make a Pilgrimage?

5

Sr. Paul Mary Rittgers, R.S.M.

Faith Formation

Director faithformation@dow.org

�

ummer is here, and this is the season when many people make time to enjoy a vacation. I would like to present to you a different option, one with rewards beyond the beautiful pictures and popular attractions: consider taking a pilgrimage instead, or adding a pilgrimage site to a vacation you are already planning!

Throughout my life, my family almost always took a vacation over the summer. We would often travel to Florida or the Smoky Mountains to enjoy some family time and visit the ocean or some attraction offered by the city we were visiting. It was not until the summer before I entered the convent that my brother and I made our first pilgrimage. Together we embarked on a journey to the holy places throughout Rome, Florence, Venice, and Assisi, led by one of the holiest priests I’ve ever known. I was able to pray before the tomb of now St. John Paul II, look upon the chains of St. Paul (long before I was given his name), and behold the magnificent beauty of the Sistine Chapel. It was through this experience of pilgrimage, which I am so grateful to the Lord that I was able to experience with my brother, that my vocation was confirmed.

What Others Have to Say About Pilgrimages When I spoke with Fr. Jason Kern about the pilgrimages he recently made with a group of students from the Newman Center in Mankato to various holy sites in Italy, he said, “Making a Pilgrimage is an opportunity to offer ourselves to God who comes to us and breaks through the routine of life as we journey to Him. …I always find that, when I go on pilgrimage, God helps me to see that life is a journey and even an adventure, where the path unfolds before me and I am not always in control. The pilgrimage, then, becomes an analogy to life; all my life can be this offering to God on a journey to dwell with Him one day forever.”

Fr. Kern also noted, “Our trip to Rome allowed us to journey closer to God spiritually and to come together as a community dependent on one another for support. It was a time of growth and overcoming our self-reliance to trust in the presence of God.” Fr. Glenn Frerichs, who has recently taken local pilgrimages with his parish cluster, said, “It is important to go in faith and to have an intention in mind for your pilgrimage. God often comes to us in the most unexpected ways if we only open ourselves up to the graces He desires to bestow on us.”

Pope Benedict XVI said, “To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history…To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where He has revealed Himself,

St. Peter's Square, Vatican City

where His grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe.”

Pope Francis has also emphasized the important role of the pilgrimage, particularly during this Year of Mercy.

He noted, “The practice of pilgrimage has a special place in the Holy Year, because it represents the journey each of us makes in this life. Life itself is a pilgrimage, and the human being is a viator, a pilgrim travelling along the road, making his way to the desired destination…Similarly, to reach the Holy Door in Rome or in any other place in the world, everyone, each according to his or her ability, will have to make a pilgrimage…

May pilgrimage be an impetus to conversion.”

Trinity in New Ulm. With children and grandchildren out of school for the summer, now is a wonderful time to introduce them to the idea of a pilgrimage. You could even find a local church which bears the name of their patron Saint and make a day out of learning about their Saint and praying for the Saint’s intercession in their life.

Regardless of how long or short it might be, and regardless of how far you travel, open yourself to the graces the Lord longs to give you on pilgrimage. As Pope Francis said, “Always remember this: life is a journey. It is a path, a journey to meet Jesus.”

What Are You Waiting For? During this Holy Year, I invite you to consider making a pilgrimage or adding a pilgrimage site to a vacation you already have planned.

It does not have to be to Rome or the Holy Land; every deanery in our Diocese contains a designated Holy Door to which you could make a pilgrimage and receive an indulgence.

Are you taking a trip to the Cities?

Consider spending some time at the Cathedral of St. Paul (which is also the National Shrine of the Apostle Paul). Driving out West? Spend some time at the gorgeous St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls. Some other local places of pilgrimage could be (and this list is anything but exhaustive!): the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, Wisconsin (the location of the only Marian apparition approved by the Catholic Church in the US), or the Cathedral of the Holy

Student parishioners from the Newman Center in Mankato kneel at the Cross of St. Francis in Assisi, Italy. Photo courtesy of Fr. Jason Kern.

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The Richness of Church Teaching

Life, Marriage & Family

By JANET E. SMITH

�is not he Church’s teaching on contraception just a doctrine that states what not

to do. Many people would benefit from knowing that it is a doctrine that explains how extraordinarily important is the act of having children. One reason that modern culture has trouble understanding the truth of Humanae Vitae is that it [modern culture] fails to appreciate what a profound good children are. It is true that most parents love their children beyond belief and frequently even acknowledge that they are great gifts from God. Many parents will testify that when they held their babies for the first time, they experienced a rush of love matched by little else.

But they do not always realize that in having children they are “co-creators” with God. This is not a term used by Humanae Vitae; it is a term used by John Paul II in his writing. Humanae Vitae does speak of the “extremely important mission of transmitting human life” that God has entrusted to spouses. A human life is of inestimable value; a human soul is destined to share a blissful eternity with God, the angels and saints. Only God can create a new human soul but he needs the help of human beings to bring forth a new person.

When engaging in sexual intercourse, spouses are inviting God to perform his creative act of bringing a new human soul into existence: they supply the sperm and egg; God provides the soul. He then entrusts that soul to the parents to guide and educate and ultimately to help get them to heaven.

Our culture does not really focus on helping people to realize that some day they will likely be parents and how tremendously important a task that

Peter Martin, STL Director pmartin@dow.org

is. We do not often think that we should be spending much of our youth preparing for the responsibilities of being parents. Contraception enables us to think of sexual intercourse as a casual and to some extent as an insignificant act rather than an act that can change the universe – for the coming to be of a new human being truly changes the universe. Someone who did not exist before comes into existence and will remain in existence forever.

If people were conscious of the extreme significance of the sexual act, they could not possibly be as cavalier about it as they now are. They would choose their spouses very, very carefully – and use as a foremost criterion the suitability of that person to be a parent. Those who succeed in marrying someone who will be a good parent – someone who is patient, generous, responsible, kind, other-directed, and reliable-also are nearly guaranteed to get a terrific spouse; for who wouldn’t want a spouse with those virtues? Our sexually out-of-control culture and divorce culture has led 68% of children born in the U.S. to being born out of wedlock or born into households that will frag-

S a v e

t h e

ment through divorce. One out of four pregnancies is aborted.

Those who understand the Church’s teaching on sexuality know that, to a great extent, it is shaped by a concern for the well-being of any children who may result from acts of sexual intercourse. Children born into families where their parents are sexually selfcontrolled, where they are faithful, stable, and desirous of children, are predictably much better off than those born to single parents, to the unfaithful, to those divorced or open to divorce. The Church’s teaching is also shaped by a knowledge that those who become parents generally become much better people; they need to develop quite a set of virtues in order to be good parents. Those virtues also help them be good spouses, good co-workers, good citizens. Those who use natural family planning to plan their family size develop the virtues needed to be good parents; they develop sexual self-control and patience and generosity – and they almost never divorce.

Catholics who have not heard a defense of the Church’s teaching on contraception might be surprised how rich and full of common sense it is.

Janet E. Smith, PhD, is a nationally-known speaker and author who teaches at Sacred Heart Seminary in the Archdiocese of Detroit.

This article was originally produced for California Association of NFP’s newsletter, CANFP NEWS. It is reprinted here with permission from CANFP Association.

D a t e !

Forcing Abortion Marriage Anniversary Mass

By TOM GRENCHIK

�

illions of Americans are deeply concerned about abortion. And tens of thousands of health care professionals do not want to be forced to participate in abortion in any way. Yet everywhere you look, great pressure is being exerted on individuals and institutions to cooperate in abortion.

It would seem that our current Administration is anything but "pro-choice" on abortion. It's not enough that abortion is sometimes funded with our taxes. It's not enough to insist on forcing coverage of abortifacient drugs and devices in health plans, even for the Little Sisters of the Poor. They want every health care provider and every institution, Catholic or otherwise, to perform or refer for abortions.

So while Americans, especially young people, are growing more and more in respect for unborn children, the Administration wants to force even the most unwilling "accomplices" to violate their consciences.

Federal laws protecting conscientious objection to abortion have been approved for decades by legislators and presidents of both major political parties. But current laws are legally vulnerable, have loopholes limiting their effectiveness, and, in this Administration, are seldom enforced.

Take the case of Cathy Cenzon-DeCarlo, R.N., who was forced by her employer to participate in a late-term abortion against her deeply-held beliefs.

July, 2016 w The Courier

Sunday, September 25, 2016 - 2 p.m.

Church of St. Felix, Wabasha Threatened with losing her job and even her nursing license, she had to be present for the bloody dismemberment of an unborn child and then account for all the body parts. That was a major violation of her conscience rights. She then found she had no right to go to court to keep this from happening to others. Watch her story, "Stand with Cathy for Conscience Rights," on YouTube and share it with your friends and social networks.

For years, the Catholic Bishops have asked Congress to reform federal laws on conscience rights, especially to protect individual and institutional health care providers who object to abortion - good citizens like Cathy Cerzon-DeCarlo.

Like Cathy, most medical professionals want nothing to do with abortion. They need Congress to pass sensible legislation like the Conscience Protection Act of 2016 (H.R. 4828/S. 2927). Over two dozen prolife and medical organizations have already joined the bishops in urging Congress to do so. We need as many pro-life people as possible from across the country to send e-mail messages to their elected representatives, urging them to support the Conscience

Protection Act. Nurses like Cathy need your support. To help out, please: 1. Watch & share the video "Stand with Cathy for Conscience Rights."

2. Take action! Send your message to Congress today!

The Conscience Protection Act would be an enormous step forward in assuring that Americans who serve the sick and needy can do so without being forced by government to violate their most deeply held convictions on respect for innocent human life.

For more information about the need to protect conscience rights, visit www.usccb.org/conscience.

Let us pray that Congress will have the courage to move this sensible legislation forward.

Tom Grenchik is Executive Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Visit www.usccb.org/conscience to learn more about the bishops' efforts to protect conscience rights.

A Year of Service

By CHRIS SMITH

�t

to assisted living residents, and create door hangers and decorations for assisted living facilities.

Students learned to plan their project, including securing the necessary resources and materials, to contact their partner organization, to recruit volunteers, to promote their event, and to facilitate the service night. Parents and students at St. Mary's School and in the greater community were invited to attend the service nights and participate in living out the gospel message that is central to the mission of St. Mary's School.

Nose Day represents--raising awareness about childhood poverty. All of Mrs. Fasbender's students are members of Sacred Heart's juggling team, so they decid-

ed to record themselves juggling with their red noses and share the video on the Internet as their way of raising awareness about childhood poverty.

Catholic Schools

St. Mary's School in Owatonna, all 7th grade students have the opportunity to create, plan, and facilitate a service project to meet a need they see in our community or in our world. St. Mary's students and families are invited to participate in these service projects at Service Nights throughout the year.

During the 201516 school year, students planned and facilitated projects to provide blankets for the Women's Resource Center, provide candy Hugs & Kisses treat bags at the Thanksgiving and Christmas Community Dinners, build duck houses for Ducks Unlimited, donate materials and supplies for Sole Hope

to provide shoes for children in Africa, write caring cards for patients at KODA and Hospice House, design placemats for Meals on Wheels, package Christmas gifts for children at the Lily Sparrow House, fill Socks of Love with personal care items for residents at Lily Sparrow House, pack sack lunches for Lily Sparrow House, construct dog and cat toys for the Humane Society, create Valentine Cards for Veterans, sponsor a toy and book drive for kids, build bird houses, decorate cookies for Lily Sparrow House, make bird feeders for assisted living facilities, record audio books for children, donate personal care items and write letters to orphans in Mexico, design flower pots to give

7

Chris Smith teaches religion at St. Mary's School in Owatonna.

Students Juggle Noses for Poverty Awareness ADAMS--Near the end of the school year, Mrs. Fasbender's 4th grade class at Sacred Heart School learned about Walgreens' Red Nose Day. The kids embarked on a scavenger hunt where they found red noses hidden throughout the school. Upon finding the red noses, the students sat and discussed what the Red

Marsha Stenzel Superintendent mstenzel@dow.org

Congratulations to Catholic school teachers, students and families across the diocese as we close the book on another successful academic year!

Pictured here are graduating kindergarteners from St. John the Evangelist and St. Pius X schools in Rochester (left), graduating fifth-graders at St. Theodore School in Albert Lea (upper right), and a graduating senior at Lourdes High School in Rochester (lower right).

Photo Credit: Josh Banks Photography July, 2016 w The Courier

Catholic Foundation

8

Planting Seeds of Faith Through Catholic Education The following is an updated version of a 2015 statement released by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota.

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" e approach our future full of hope because God loves us. As the people of the Diocese of Winona let us work together, by the grace of God, to secure the future of our parishes and the diocese.” As we recall the words of the people who lovingly established the Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment, a $2,000,000 portion of the extensive Seeds of Faith Campaign, we witness how their love continues to touch the lives of others year after year.

Catholic education realizes a threefold purpose to proclaim God’s message of love, build community and render 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 demonstrate financial need. This particular fund was not set up to award academic scholarships to students. It was developed specifically to give families the opportunity to access a Catholic education so that such an education never be denied because of inability to pay.

“These children represent a treasure we must guard with great diligence,” stated Bishop John Quinn. “I am so grateful to the people of the diocese for making Catholic education available to so many families that otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford this choice.”

An endowed fund is a way of giving that creates a permanent, continuous source of income for a Roman Catholic ministry or mission as

July, 2016 w The Courier

designated by donors. The Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment continues to grow each year as the Foundation prudently invests the fund following Catholic Responsible Investing principles. From investment earnings, more than $600,000 has been granted to families in greatest need over the past years, including $120,000 via 116 awards for the 2015-2016 school year.

The committee to review applications recently met and plan to award approximately $128,000 to over 150 applicants for the 2016-2017 school year. The endowment will continue to grow, and with investment earnings each year, the total dollars available for tuition assistance grants will increase from year to year.

“We are so grateful that this Seeds of Faith money was there for us when the company downsized, and my husband found himself looking for work. This grant helped our son to stay at the Catholic school.” This is just one testimony from the hundreds of families who have received grants. 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.

Our Purpose “…To assist in these local efforts, the diocese 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 financial need. This endowment also will respond to a special need to provide tuition funding for the newly arrived immigrants in our diocese. This endowment will grow in perpetuity through gifts, deferred giving instruments, wills, and bequests so assurances can continue that Catholic education will

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

be affordable for those of limited and moderate means. Increased enrollment resulting from supplementary tuition assistance may provide some schools with additional tuition revenues to care for other local school needs. This endowment will supplement, not replace, local efforts in providing parents with financial assistance. The foundation will distribute annual earnings from this endowment in grants.”

Our Approach Using a tuition grant application completed by each applivcant, including comments from the household’s respective pastor, the endowment committee assigns three scores to each application: financial need, parish support, and particular circumstances. Opportunities for potential conflicts of interest, (e.g. a committee member knowing an applicant personally), are accounted and planned for prior to review.

The Seeds of Faith Tuition Assistance Endowment is stewarded by the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota (EIN: 41-11691198), an independent Minnesota nonprofit 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.

Jubilee Year

of

M e rc y

The Heart of the Priest The following text is excerpted from Pope Francis' homily delivered at Saint Peter's Square on June 3, the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, to priests gathered in Rome to celebrate the Jubilee of Mercy for Priests.

Special Insert - July, 2016

Inside...

Jubilee of Mercy Days in Pictures

Tof the his celebration of the Jubilee for Priests on the Solemnity Sacred Heart of Jesus invites us all to turn to the

heart, the deepest root and foundation of every person, the focus of our affective life and, in a word, his or her very core. Today we contemplate two hearts: the Heart of the Good Shepherd and our own heart as priests….

The great riches of the Heart of Jesus are two: the Father and ourselves. His days were divided between prayer to the Father and encountering people. Not distance, but encounter. So too the heart of Christ’s priests knows only two directions: the Lord and his people. The heart of the priest is a heart pierced by the love of the Lord. For this reason, he no longer looks to himself, or should look to himself, but is instead turned towards God and his brothers and sisters.

It is no longer “a fluttering heart”, allured by momentary whims, shunning disagreements and seeking petty satisfactions. Rather, it is a heart rooted firmly in the Lord, warmed by the Holy Spirit, open and available to our brothers and sisters. That is where our sins are resolved.

To help our hearts burn with the charity of Jesus the Good Shepherd, we can train ourselves to do three things suggested to us by today’s readings: seek out, include and rejoice.

Seek out. The prophet Ezekiel reminds us that God himself goes out in search of his sheep (Ez 34:11, 16). As the Gospel says, he “goes out in search of the one who is lost” (Lk 15:4), without fear of the risks. Without delaying, he leaves the pasture and his regular workday. He doesn’t demand overtime. He does not put off the search. He does not think: “I have done enough for today; perhaps I’ll worry about it tomorrow.”

Instead, he immediately sets to it; his heart is anxious until he finds that one lost sheep. Having found it, he forgets his weariness and puts the sheep on his shoulders, fully content. Sometimes he has to go and seek it out, to speak, to persuade; at other times he must remain in prayer before the tabernacle, struggling with the Lord for that sheep.

Such is a heart that seeks out. A heart that does not set aside times and spaces as private. Woe to those shepherds to privatize their ministry! It is not jealous of its legitimate quiet time, even that, and never demands that it be left alone. A shepherd after the heart of God does not protect

Let Us Open Our Eyes Each month, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes Moments of Mercy, offering a brief reflection on mercy and concrete suggestions for living out the mercy that God offers us all. These are perfect for busy days because they help us to slow down for just a few minutes and think about the gifts God has blessed us with and how we can share them.

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hat is the opposite of indifference? Reading through Pope Francis’ Misericordiae Vultus, we see that being compassionate is the opposite of indifference. Pope Francis

read more on page 2

Events for the Year of Mercy his own comfort zone. He is not worried about protecting his good name, but will be slandered as Jesus was.

Unafraid of criticism, he is disposed to take risks in seeking to imitate his Lord….

Include. Christ loves and knows his sheep. He gives his life for them, and no one is a stranger to him (cf. Jn 10:11-14).

His flock is his family and his life. He is not a boss to be feared by his flock, but a shepherd who walks alongside them and calls them by name (cf. Jn 10:3-4). He wants to gather the sheep that are not yet of his fold (cf. Jn 10:16).

So it is also with the priest of Christ. He is anointed for his people, not to choose his own projects but to be close to the real men and women whom God has entrusted to him.

No one is excluded from his heart, his prayers or his smile.

With a father’s loving gaze and heart, he welcomes and includes everyone, and if at times he has to correct, it is to draw people closer. He stands apart from no one, but is always ready to dirty his hands. The Good Shepherd does not wear gloves.

As a minister of the communion that he celebrates and lives, he does not await greetings and compliments from others, but is the first to reach out, rejecting gossip, judgments and malice. He listens patiently to the problems of his people and accompanies them, sowing God’s forgiveness with generous compassion. He does not scold those who wander off or lose their way, but is always ready to bring them back and to resolve difficulties and disagreements. He knows how to include.

Rejoice. God is “full of joy” (cf. Lk 15:5). His joy is born of forgiveness, of life risen and renewed, of prodigal children

who breathe once more the sweet air of home. The joy of Jesus the Good Shepherd is not a joy for himself alone, but a joy for read more on page 4 others and with others, the true joy of love. This is also the joy of the priest. He is changed by the mercy that he freely gives.

In prayer he discovers God’s consolation and realizes that nothing is more powerful than his love. He thus experiences inner peace, and is happy to be a channel of mercy, to bring men and women closer to the Heart of God. Sadness for him is not the norm, but only a step along the way; harshness is foreign to him, because he is a shepherd after the meek Heart of God. Dear priests, in the Eucharistic celebration we rediscover each day our identity as shepherds. In every Mass, may we truly make our own Christ’s words: “This is my body, which is given up for you.” This is the meaning of our life; with these words, in a real way we can daily renew the promises we made at our priestly ordination. I thank all of you for saying “yes,” and also for all those many times you secretly say “yes” each day, things that only the Lord knows about.

I thank you for saying “yes” to giving your life in union with Jesus: for in this is found the pure source of our joy.

encourages us not to “fall into humiliating indifference or a monotonous routine that prevents us from discovering what is new! Let us ward off destructive cynicism! Let us open our eyes and see the misery of the world, the wounds of our brothers and sisters who are denied their dignity, and let us recognize that we are compelled to heed their cry for help!” (MV, #15).

How easy it is in today's society to ignore the cries of those in need and to become cynical about the state of the world around us. We might feel that our small acts of mercy cannot really change anything. But the indifference of the world will not change until we become more involved in our communities and start showing the compassionate love and mercy of God to everyone we meet.

community, see if there are particular organizations that your parish is involved in, and join with others in supporting your community.

Reprinted with permission from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: usccb.org.

Dare to be compassionate! Read the local paper or watch the local news. Recognize where there is a need in your community, and pray for those who are in need and for those caring for them.

Volunteer at a local charity organization this month. If there is a need that you have come to recognize in your July, 2016 w The Courier

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Jubilee

of

...in Pictures

r e y a r P ing

Morn

Mercy Days Stephen

A Chat with Stephen J. Binz

Following Mr. Binz's Rochester presentation on the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy, Courier staff sat down with the biblical scholar to gather further insight on the roles these works play in our lives.

J. Binz

Staff: Is there any Work of Mercy that you view as particularly important to remember, or maybe as too easily forgotten, in our current world?

SJB: We need to take a better look at Sheltering the Homeless. We need to put that Work of Mercy into a global context and notice the immigrants, migrants and refugees who've been forced from their own homes.

Staff: Which of these Works do you find the most difficult to carry out today?

SJB: Admonishing the Sinner, and doing that in the context of mercy. So many are searching for meaning. So when you find a person who is off the path and needs to be invited back on, the challenge is doing that in a way that encourages and welcomes - a way that increases freedom and self-esteem.

Staff: What is the most surprising thing you can share with our readers about the Works of Mercy?

SJB: It is all centered in the heart. The heart is a deep biblical symbol for the center of the person, and to show mercy to others, we must allow our hearts to be transformed. Remember that the movement of the Year of Mercy is first an inward movement.

Staff: Any last thoughts for our diocese?

SJB: Make reading of scripture a regular part of your lives. Catholics are beginning to realize that scripture is an important part of Catholic life, but many don't know how to start. That's my ministry.

Learn More about Stephen J. Binz's Bridge-Building Opportunities at www.Bridge-B.com!

h t i W s Mas n n i u Q p o h s i B

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y c r e M f o s k Wor m a r g o r P

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Holy Ho

ur

" d o G y B d e t

"Haun

A Chat with Lisa Wagner-Carollo Courier Staff caught Lisa Wagner-Carollo before her third and final evening performance of "Haunted by God: the Life of Dorothy Day" at Jubilee of Mercy Days in Rochester. She was kind enough to discuss her play, her life and her ministry.

Staff: Tell me about this play.

LWC: I cowrote "Haunted by God" and have been performing it for 25 years. It was the first play performed by Still Point Theatre Collective.

Staff: And what is that?

LWC: I've wanted to act since I was five years old. When I was 15, I had a deep experience at a church retreat that got me thinking about ministry for the first time. And the third piece of the puzzle came to me in college, where my interests moved to social justice. So after college, I had these three influences that combined to create Still Point Theatre Collective. We use theatre in outreach programs for various groups - incarcerated women, adults with developmental disabilities. Our oldest actress is 101 years old.

Staff: Where did the name come from?

In 1993, when the collective was formed, I had heard a priest talk about the still point in each person, where God dwells, that cannot be violated. It's tough to keep a life balance in theatre and not burn out, so that idea has always stuck with me.

Staff: Why is this the right play to perform at Jubilee of Mercy Days?

LWC: This play is about Dorothy living the Works of Mercy, and I want the audience to feel encouraged to do the same. There is a quote I carry with me, something I once heard Jean Vanier (founder of L'Arche Communities for the developmentally disabled) say: he said "If Christians really believed Matthew 25, can you imagine how different the world would be?" My mission is to make people consider that. That's what I want to do with this play and with Still Point.

Learn more about Still Point Theatre Collective at www.stillpointtheatrecollective.org!

July, 2016 w The Courier

Jubilee Year of Mercy

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Year of Mercy Calendar of Events In 2016...

September 2 (or another Friday) Diocesan Holy Hour - 3 pm - Sacred Heart Mercy Healthcare Center, Jackson

September 25 Catechetical Sunday

October 7 (or another Friday) Diocesan Holy Hour - 3 pm - Site TBD

In July & August...

Date TBD

November 4

Women’s Conference (Marian Jubilee)

(or another Friday) Diocesan Holy Hour - 3 pm - site TBD

October 18 White Mass (Jubilee for all Catholic Medical Personnel) - 5:30pm - St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester

October 30 Diocesan Jubilee for Hispanic Catholic Community - Verizon Wireless Center, Mankato

In Rome and the Universal Church…

Tuesday, July 26 - Sunday, July 31 World Youth Day - Krakow, Poland

"Dear young people, at the Shrine in Krakow dedicated to the merciful Jesus, where he is depicted in the image venerated by the people of God, Jesus is waiting for you. He has confidence in you and is counting on you!

He has so many things to say to each of you... Come to Him and do not be afraid! Come to Him and say from the depths of your hearts: 'Jesus, I trust in You!' Let yourselves be touched by his boundless mercy, so that in turn you may become apostles of mercy by your actions, words and prayers in our world, wounded by selfishness, hatred and so much despair. Carry with you the flame of Christ's merciful love - as St. John Paul II said - in every sphere of your daily life and to the very ends of the earth."

-Pope Francis, Message for World Youth Day 2016

In the Diocese…

Friday, July 1 Diocesan Holy Hour - 3pm, Sacred Heart Church, Adams

November 6 Jubilee for Prisoners

November 13 Closing Mass - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona Closing of the Holy Doors - Sacred Heart Sites Across the Diocese

The Sacred Heart Mercy Healthcare Center, Jackson, and Sacred Heart Church, Adams, also hold Holy Hours on the first Friday of each month at 11:30 am and 3:00 pm, respectively.

Wednesday, July 20 - Monday, August 1 Poland Pilgrimage A diocesan delegation will travel to Poland for World Youth Day.

Friday, August 5 Diocesan Holy Hour - 3pm, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona The Sacred Heart Mercy Healthcare Center, Jackson, and Sacred Heart Church, Adams, also hold Holy Hours on the first Friday of each month at 11:30 am and 3:00 pm, respectively.

Monday, August 29 Diocesan Catechetical Day - 8:30am 3:30pm, Lourdes High School, Rochester For all catechists serving as teachers, DREs, faith formation teachers, RCIA, home schooling, or for any interested laity. Please join us this Catechetical Day as we learn more about Love and Mercy.

Jubilee Web Page and Contacts The diocesan web page for the Jubilee includes information about the meaning of the Jubilee Year and about our diocesan celebration of the year. The address for the diocesan Jubilee web page is: www.dow.org/mercy.

If you have any questions about our diocesan plans for the Jubilee, please contact Fr. John Sauer in the Office of Divine Worship (jsauer@dow.org / 507-451-1588), Sister Paul Mary Rittgers, RSM in the Office of Faith Formation (faithformation@dow.org / 507-858-1273), or Todd Graff in the Office of Lay Formation (tgraff@dow.org / 507-858-1270).

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Holy Doors and Pilgrimage Sites in the Diocese of Winona "With these sentiments of gratitude for everything the Church has received, and with a sense of responsibility for the task that lies ahead, we shall cross the threshold of the Holy Door fully confident that the strength of the Risen Lord, who constantly supports us on our pilgrim way, will sustain us. May the Holy Spirit, who guides the steps of believers in cooperating with the work of salvation wrought by Christ, lead the way and support the People of God so that they may contemplate the face of mercy."

-Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus #4

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart – Winona 360 Main St.--Winona, MN 55987 507-452-4770 info@cathedralwinona.org www.cascwinona.org

Sacred Heart Church – Adams

412 W Main St./P.O. Box 352--Adams, MN 55909 507-582-3120 office@sacredheartadams.org www.sacredheartcluster.org

Sacred Heart Church – Brewster

(served by St. Francis Xavier Parish, Windom) 516 10th St./P.O. Box 187--Brewster, MN 56119 507-842-5584 sacreds@centurytel.net www.sfxwindom.org

Sacred Heart Church – Hayfield

(served by St. Columbanus Parish, Blooming Prairie) 150 NE 2nd St./P.O. Box 27--Hayfield, MN 55940 507-477-2256 sacredhearthayfield@gofast.am www.stcolumbanuschurch.com

Sacred Heart Church – Heron Lake

(served by St. Francis Xavier Parish, Windom) 321 9th St./P.O. Box 377--Heron Lake, MN 56137 507-793-2357 sacredheart1@gmail.com www.sacredheartheronlake.org

Sacred Heart Church – Owatonna

810 S Cedar Ave--Owatonna, MN 55060 507-451-1588 info@sacredheartowatonna.org www.sacredheartowatonna.org

Sacred Heart Church – Waseca

111 4th St. NW--Waseca, MN 56093 507-835-1222 sacredheart@hickorytech.net www.sacredheartwaseca.org

Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel (Assisi Heights) – Rochester 1001 14th Street NW, Ste 100--Rochester, MN 55901 507-282-7441 info@rochesterfranciscan.org www.rochersterfranciscan.org

Sacred Heart Mercy Health Care Center Chapel – Jackson 803 4th St.--Jackson, MN 56143 507-847-3571 paradism@sacredheartmercy.net

Generally, information on Mass times and contact information for each of the parishes is available online at the diocesan web site (www. dow.org) and at the individual parish websites.

A group planning a pilgrimage to one of these sites is asked to first contact the pilgrimage parish/institution regarding its plans and the arrangements needed.

Barnyard Roundup!

9 Youth and Young Adults

Ben Frost Director bfrost@dow.org

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acation Bible School was a "Barnyard Roundup" for St. John Vianney Parish in Fairmont this year.

From June 13th to 17th, 33 kindergarten-throughsixth-grade participants took part in a daily schedule of "Gather Round" prayers, "Udderly" Cool Crafts, "Bountiful Blessings" (snacks), "Barn Raising" Bible stories, "Bales of Fun" games and "Creation Station" science projects.

Special guests included Alison Wagner and her barnyard friends; Leon Dulas and his tractor; Bob Petrowiak, the Cowboy Crooner; and Roger March, the Science Guy - all St. John Vianney parishioners.

Thanks to everyone who made this Barnyard Roundup possible!

Missionaries, cont'd from pg. 1 emotions becomes noticeable. Many are returning team members from previous years, and their excitement level is high. Some are new college students who have little understanding of what they are about to embark on. Regardless of emotion, this week of training is one of the most formative weeks in the lives of these young adults.

The week starts with community-building and retreat themes to help the missionaries grow in faith. There is time for daily Mass, adoration, confession, liturgy of the hours and engaging talks. This formation is the foundation of what will come for the rest of the summer when the teams engage the children in parishes.

The old saying, “You can’t give what you don’t have,” is very true with Totus Tuus. The teams are immersed in prayer during training, so that they can go out and share the love of God within our diocesan communities.

As the training week progresses, much effort goes into learning the Totus Tuus program, from silly songs, to crazy skits, and, most importantly, lesson plans for catechesis. Catechesis is a pillar of Totus Tuus. Any parent who has sent a child

to the program can attest to how effective it is at helping children learn the Catholic faith.

Totus Tuus features a rotating cycle of lessons ranging from prayer to sacraments to morality, and there is also a rosary component each year, which exposes the youth to the various mysteries. The program is a wonderful balance of fun and faith.

As the training week for Totus Tuus missionaries concludes, there is much encouragement in the area of relational ministry. On a weekly basis, these fine young men and women come into contact with our parish communities, and it’s a great opportunity to share the love of God through relationship.

In every child, parish worker and host family is an opportunity to share Jesus. It is in these relationships that the words of catechesis are lived out. In the end, the children who attend Totus Tuus hopefully remember some of the teaching from their experience, but what usually sticks with them is the witness of missionaries living for Jesus.

Please pray for our Totus Tuus missionaries.

They are a shining light among us this summer.

Totus Tuus Team 1

Totus Tuus Team 2 Toni Schlangen, Adam Worm, Maggie Ogram, Brian Klein

Shawn Pohlman, Christina Roche, Catie Deysach, Spencer Kubista

d l So ! t Ou

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10

Choosing Silence �hortly before I started thinking about

Vocations

the priesthood, I worked at Best Buy. I normally worked in the television section, but was asked to assist during a lunch break in audio. I didn't know my stuff, but knew I was hired to sell products.

So when a gentleman came in looking at headphones, I struck up a conversation with him by explaining all the benefits of a particular pair of headphones (at least what little I knew!). One argument I used was that it was great to have headphones while out for a run so you don't have to be distracted by all the noises that an urban setting provides.

His response changed the course of my life. He said, "I actually enjoy listening to nature when I'm outside." When he said this, I realized I do too! I had been filling my ears and my life with noise and was not able to listen as I once had.

The ability to listen is a prerequisite for discernment. The more we fill our lives with noise and activities, the less we are able to pay attention to the movements of the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure that our world is noisier today than ever, but we certainly have more options. Making a decision to limit exterior noise will help us on the path of prayer, discernment and commitment.

Practical decisions can include a media fast, going for a walk and, of course, prayer. A media fast does not need to be absolute. Even deciding to stay

July, 2016 w The Courier

off your phone and the Internet one day a week or an hour a day can do wonders. When we make a conscious decision not to use media in any form, we may be surprised to realize how much we fill the silence in our lives with mindless and meaningless searching.

Going for a walk, spending time outside, simply unplugging for a while can be a great benefit to our vocations. Paying attention to creation is a great way to grow closer to the Creator. While computers and

The more we fill our lives with noise and activities, the less we are able to pay attention to the movements of the Holy Spirit.

Rev. Will Thompson Director wthompson@dow.org

phones can expand our reach for information and connection to others, it can only open us to God as wide as the screen we look at. When viewing creation, our openness to God can expand as we begin to understand our place in this world more deeply.

Finally, in prayer we take time to focus on our relationship with God. Prayer takes a great deal of practice and patience. Prayer is not like Googling God, where we are able to get an immediate response.

Prayer is more akin to Michaelangelo looking at a block of marble and slowly seeing and revealing the shape hidden inside. Prayer will become all the more effective as silence is introduced into our lives.

After my encounter with the gentleman at Best Buy, I decided it was time to reintroduce silence to my life. It only took a few weeks before I started sensing that God was calling me to the priesthood.

While that will not happen for everyone, silence can open us to God's presence and His desire to be with us always. We don't have to fill every moment of our lives. If we do, we will inevitably drive God out. If we choose silence, we will find a great void that God has already filled.

Reflections on Our Jubilee of Mercy Days Todd Graff Director tgraff@dow.org

--Pope Francis, Address at Jubilee for Priests, 6/2/2016

�

n June 8, 9 and 10, our diocesan Church – laity, religious, and clergy – gathered at three sites across southern Minnesota to celebrate this Jubilee Year of Mercy.

In total, close to 300 people came together during these days: for prayer and worship (with Morning Prayer, Mass, and a Holy Hour each day); for reflection on God’s mercy (led by Stephen Binz); for education and dialogue (on immigration, the environment, and human trafficking); for pilgrimage (to three of our

Being Attentive to God's Love and Mercy

By LEISA ANSLINGER

�e have reached the halfway point in this Jubilee

Year of Mercy. Be honest with yourself: has this year made an impact on the ways in which you recognize or share God’s mercy? Like the air we breathe and the passing of days, nights, weeks and months, God’s mercy is always with us. In order for this to change us, we must be attentive to God’s love and mercy in our daily lives.

Being attentive is not always easy, is it? We have

Stephen Binz was inspiring and eloquent as he opened up the Church’s scriptures and her devotional traditions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Divine Mercy in a way that speaks powerfully today to the spiritual needs of God’s people, and to our call as disciples to be the merciful heart of Christ in a suffering world.

Bishop Quinn invited us, in his homilies, to open our hearts to the profound grace and gift of God’s forgiveness in our lives which will allow us, then, to be the bearers of His mercy to others we encounter along the way.

Lisa Wagner-Carollo shared the powerful story of Dorothy Day, who found her way to God and to the Church amidst great trials and suffering in her life. And who devoted herself, through the Catholic Worker movement, to living with and caring for our sisters and brothers living on the streets and on the margins.

Deacon Chris Walchuk, with Catholic Charities and our diocesan Social Concerns Committee, organized three sessions focusing on issues facing our diocese which call us to “works of mercy.” To responsibilities we must fulfill, people who need us, so many things that surround us and vie for our attention.

Being attentive to God and God’s action in our lives may feel like another “thing” that has to be done, even while we know that doing so is good for our spiritual well-being. Let us consider small ways in which we may grow in attentiveness, becoming conscious of God’s love throughout our days.

Morning: Begin the day with a time of prayer. If only for five minutes, take time to be mindful of God’s love and mercy. Invite the Holy Spirit to give you an open mind and heart throughout the day, in order to perceive God’s grace in your life and to respond to it freely and generously.

Midday: Just before or during lunch, pause to thank God for the blessings of the morning. Make a note of any special moments, experiences, or gifts received – a kind interaction with a co-worker, a task completed, a complicated situation that was resolved. Just being alive is a gift! Look ahead to

welcome the stranger, to care for creation, and to protect the vulnerable from abuse and exploitation are contemporary ways we are challenged to give witness to our God whose “name is mercy.”

I am deeply grateful to all who gathered for these days, and to all who helped to plan and organize them – to my diocesan colleagues, to the host parishes and their staffs, and to the presenters, presiders, musicians, etc. May we continue ever more deeply to give witness to, and to faithfully live out, the gospel of God’s Mercy. Deo Gratias!

11

Lay Formation

[E]veryone can appreciate what it means to be merciful, to feel compassion for those who suffer, sympathy for those in need, visceral indignation in the face of patent injustice and a desire to respond with loving respect by attempting to set things right. If we reflect on this natural feeling of mercy, we begin to see how God himself can be understood in terms of this defining attribute by which Jesus wished to reveal him to us.

God’s name is mercy.

Sacred Heart churches); for a dramatic performance (on the life of Dorothy Day); and for communion and connection as the Body of Christ.

There were many highlights from the days:

Mercy joins a human need to the heart of God, and this leads to immediate action. We cannot meditate on mercy without it turning into action.

--Pope Francis, Address at Jubilee for Priests, 6/2/2016 the afternoon, and ask God to give you the grace to live as a disciple in the hours that come.

Dinnertime: If you live with others, take a moment at dinnertime to hear about each person’s day. Pray a prayer of blessing over the meal you will share and the time you have together. Ask God to be with those who lack food, shelter, or companionship, and consider ways you may help to meet their needs in the future. If you dine alone, talk with God while you eat, as a friend would converse with a friend, sharing silence and your inmost thoughts.

Night: Before you go to bed, thank God for the day that is passing. Make note of the grace of the day, mercy received and given. Resolve to grow in attentiveness to God’s love and in willingness to be a bearer of God’s mercy in the days to come.

Leisa Anslinger is co-director of the Catholic Life and Faith group. This article is reprinted with permission from Mercy Now, a Catholic Life and Faith publication and free resource for parish and diocesan leaders.

July, 2016 w The Courier

Mastering the Art of Aging

Catholic Charities

12

�atholic Charities of the Diocese of Winona has

launched a program to encourage and support individuals as they master the art of aging.

The Aging Mastery Program® is an approach to living that celebrates the gift of longevity. The 10-week program combines goal-setting, daily practices, and peer support to help participants make meaningful changes in their lives. Central to the AMP philosophy is the belief that modest lifestyle changes can produce big results and that people can be empowered and supported to cultivate health and longevity. This program is made possible by a generous grant awarded to Catholic Charities by the National Council on Aging.

Our goal is to change societal expectations about the roles and responsibilities of baby boomers and older adults and to create fun and easy-to-follow pathways for getting more out of life.

Equally important, the program encourages "mastery" — developing sustainable behaviors that will lead to improved health, stronger financial security, and increased connectedness

to communities. Each level of mastery is based on consistency and duration, allowing participants to set individual goals. In addition, a reward system encourages ongoing participation.

We are living longer. Are we living better?

Life expectancy has increased dramatically over the past 50 years, yet societal expectations of older adults have changed little. Moreover, people are generally unprepared for this increased longevity. AMP offers an innovative approach to guide individuals through this phase of life.

The program incorporates evidence-informed materials, expert speakers, group discussion, peer support, and small rewards to give participants the skills and tools they need to achieve measurable improvements in managing their health, remaining economically secure, and contributing actively in society. All program materials and resources align with the goal of helping people enjoy selfsufficient lives.

Our primary goal in offering the AMP is to build on the successful results thus far showing that older adults in the program significantly increased their: social connectedness, physical activity levels, healthy eating habits, use of advanced planning, participation in evidence-based programs, and

"This program was very uplifting. I learned that the aging process can be done gracefully. I am working on a plan for the future to share with my family."

-AMP Participant

adoption of several other healthy behaviors.

Diane Rud, Catholic Charities’ Senior Health Promotions Coordinator, facilitates the AMP in La Crescent.

“After I retired, I missed having purpose, as well as the social and intellectual stimulation that work provided for me. I want to keep my brain stimulated and I love learning with peers.

Facilitating this program meets those needs and challenges me to do the things I need to do to stay healthy,” said Rud. La Crescent AMP participants strongly encourage others to enroll in the program, stating the program strengths to include, “Great program materials and speakers;" "nice diversity of people enrolled in the program;" "other participants are very engaged, interested and willing to share;" and "we are increasing our social interaction and forming friendships.”

Catholic Charities has offered the program to 50 older adults in three communities, with an additional five communities scheduled to benefit from the program in the fall of 2016. For more information or to find a class near you, visit the Catholic Charities website at www.ccwinona.org/ programs/aging-mastery-program/. To request that the AMP be offered in your community, contact Jennifer Halberg, Director of Senior Services, at jhalberg@ccwinona.org or (507)4542270.

Masses of Reparation for Sins in the Diocese Many parishes throughout the diocese are committed to offer consolation to the Heart of Christ through a Mass of Reparation.

Please go online to visit dowcourier. org

to see the complete Mass list.

July, 2016 w The Courier

Everyone Is Called to Be a Witness

Faith in the Public Arena

Jason Adkins Executive Director Minnesota Catholic Conference

�he Church in the United States [has once

again observed] the Fortnight for Freedom from June 21–July 4. This two-week period is an opportunity for the whole Church to pray, study, and reflect upon the great gift of religious freedom—our first, most cherished liberty.

The theme of this year’s Fortnight for Freedom is “Witnesses to Freedom.” Each of us is called to be a witness in our own time. But how does one serve as a witness to religious freedom? And who are our models?

St.

The Freedom to Serve First, we need to be clear about our terms.

Religious liberty is the freedom necessary for people of faith to fully live out their beliefs in society. It is both the freedom from being coerced into beliefs or actions that violate one’s convictions, and it is also the freedom to respond to the call of the Creator in word and deed—both as individuals and corporately as a church.

Unfortunately, in the United States today, hostility to religion by the state and in the culture is growing. Religion generally, and Christianity in particular, is seen less and less as a benevolent, humanitarian presence in our community, and more as a harmful element in the lives of individuals and society.

When tempted to despair about the state of religious freedom in the United States, we must remember that the Church has seen and withstood many worse challenges than what we face today. Unlike Catholics in some countries who are suffering direct and immediate persecution, and who cannot even worship freely, American Catholics are not in any immediate danger of being thrown to the lions by the state.

But the Greek word for witness is “martyr,” and a different kind of martyrdom—expulsion from a profession, loss of a job, having to close one’s business or ministry, penalization by the government, enduring social scorn and ridicule for standing up for what is right—is very real and is becoming more and more prevalent.

Witnesses of Holiness, Witnesses of Freedom As we prayerfully consider the challenges we face as a society and as a Church, we can look to the witness of the communion of saints

13

We never know when that moment will come, the moment encountered by so many saints, where we must offer true witness to the Gospel. It may come in small things, or it may be a very public challenge to our faith and livelihood. and draw strength from their example and graces from their intercession.

We never know when that moment will come, the moment encountered by so many saints, where we must offer true witness to the Gospel. It may come in small things, or it may be a very public challenge to our faith and livelihood. We must all pray and look to the saints as models and intercessors that we, too, may stand firm and persevere.

But most importantly, we must imitate the saints, and forge our own paths to holiness in the little things of life, and in the concrete circumstances in which we have been called.

Each of us is called to be a missionary disciple, and no matter who we are or where we live, our task as disciples is to foster an encounter

Igna

of tius

ioch

Ant

between all persons and Jesus Christ. The best way to do so is by living the beauty of holiness.

The humble, yet zealous practice of the faith, and going forth into society as witnesses of charity, prayer, and service will not only lead people closer to Christ, but will also be the best witness to freedom.

Remember, religion and religious believers are increasingly seen as a threat to the community. We must dispel that perception by offering a compelling witness of the beauty of the faith in our own lives.

Not everyone is called to be a martyr, but everyone is called to be a witness.

Jason Adkins is executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.

Faith in the Public Arena is a regular column by the MCC.

July, 2016 w The Courier

14

Not Just Wandering The Story of a FOCUS Missionary

In the Diocese

By SHANE CARLSON

�would J Garcia didn’t grow up dreaming he spread the Gospel to college stu-

dents for a living. He envisioned himself using his kinesiology degree to be a gym teacher and football coach. Yet spreading the Gospel to college students is what Garcia has done for the last five years.

The Waukesha, WI, native joined the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) in the 2010-11 academic year, fresh from graduate school at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU).

FOCUS is a campus ministry that strives to help college students grow into a relationship with Jesus Christ and the Catholic faith. Garcia’s decision to join FOCUS was a long process, and there were many ups and downs along the way.

He says of his undergrad experience at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC): “I was just nominally Catholic ... I wore it like a jersey, and took it off after games, or, in this case, church.”

At the same time as Garcia was half-heartedly invested in his faith, he was on the losing end of a battle against alcohol.

“I would often be leading the charge on Friday and Saturday nights ... not only drinking, but drinking with the intent of blacking out.”

Garcia tried repeatedly to change course by faithbased means, but his frequent involvement with various campus ministries left him frustrated more often than not. He recalls one Bible study that left him particularly skeptical: “I went to a Bible study, an all-girls Bible study, and was shocked to see them pray at the end of it … they were praying out loud and holding hands, something I had never been exposed to. I was uncomfortable with it and I was looking around, like, ‘is this a joke? What are they doing?’ I was really questioning the authenticity of their prayer, and doubting that someone could actually talk to God like that,” he said.

When Garcia’s senior year rolled around, he took another chance by going on a mission trip to Sabinas, Mexico, where he would help lay the foundation for a church. Prior to the trip, he heard that 80 percent of people who go on missions make resolutions to change the way they live, only to fall back into the lives they’d been previously living.

“I prayed every day that I wouldn’t be one of the 80 percent,” he said.

But despite his prayers, after the mission trip, Garcia fell short yet again. And his successes—graduation from UWEC, enrollment in a graduate program at MSU where he would serve as a hall director and football coach— were all undermined by his drinking.

“In October, I started to drive after drinking, which was very stupid … It was a huge wakeup call … Here I am, leading two lives. Which man am I going to be?” Garcia asked.

He vowed to make a change that would alter the course of his life: upon arriving in Mankato, he committed, for the first time in his life, to attending Mass every single Sunday.

“I needed to more fully give my life to Jesus Christ. I was hearing a lot about that, and I didn’t know what it meant, but I knew that I had been trying to control things on my own, to heal myself of my struggle with alcohol. I July, 2016 w The Courier

had streaks of sobriety, but I needed something more. I needed to rely on someone other than myself. It was a Sunday in October, 2008, in a moment of looking up at the crucifix on my wall, just asking God to help me overcome this struggle with alcohol,” Garcia said.

He went two years without drinking and has since overcome his struggle with alcohol.

During this two-year period of renewal, Garcia gained a truer understanding of himself, his relationship with Jesus, and the Catholic Church.

All the while, an urge to serve the Church became more irresistable.

AJ Garcia (left) and Shane Carlson (right) “God gave me the desire to want to share my story with others,” Garcia said. friendship rooted in faith. Lohff has since converted to In his final year at Mankato, he met the campus’s Catholicism.

FOCUS missionaries. In December of 2009, he inter“We have a discipleship relationship, which means viewed to join them and was offered a position, which that he is working with me as a young Catholic Christian. he accepted.

He is mentoring me and building me up in the faith so “When you accept a position with FOCUS, you’re say- that I can be sent out and be a disciple for other people,” ing yes to [several] things: one, that you will go onto a said Lohff. college campus and proclaim the Gospel; two, that you Garcia has set an example not only for college stuare willing to go anywhere in the country; three, that dents, but for other FOCUS missionaries. you will raise 100 percent of your salary; and four, that Conner Mattern, 23, is the newest FOCUS missionary you will fast from a romantic relationship your first year to WSU. on staff.

“AJ has just been phenomenal ... He embodies what a Upon accepting the position, Garcia was sent to Seton leader needs to be. He is not afraid to get his hands dirty.

Hall University in New Jersey, where he struggled to make He’s not afraid to take up tasks and allow himself to grow a living. Each missionary relies on supporters who believe constantly," Mattern said. “He’s a brother. I’ve never in the mission and are willing to help provide monthly really had a superior who has taken a personal interest in earnings, which can be a challenge amid the frequent my life like AJ has.” opposition a missionary faces from the young people he A lot has changed since Garcia first became a FOCUS hopes to evangelize. Upon moving to Winona State in the missionary. He is now the oldest missionary of the four fall of 2013, Garcia faced challenges similar to those he'd at WSU, and finds himself in a larger leadership role. found at Seton Hall. His own family, though not unsup- Perhaps the biggest change is becoming a husband and portive, were not outright in their support of his mission. father.

“To not feel supported was really hard, especially Garcia married his wife, Janet, in 2013. They have two when you have such a strong conviction about some- children who have stayed home with Janet during the day thing,” Garcia said. “A fellow missionary told me, ‘That’s while AJ has worked on campus. what it is to be a missionary, to be rejected for the “Having a family gives you a different perspective on Gospel,’ which is hard because it’s a prideful thing, and things,” he said. you don’t want to be rejected.”

Garcia decided not to renew his contract with FOCUS For Garcia, however, the good far outweighs the bad. when it expired at the end of May. He says that working with athletes on campus is one of “I’ll still be a missionary the rest of my life, whether the things he has enjoyed most about his mission. “Seeing that’s my actual title or not,” Garcia said. college-age men, athletes who are given privileges, stay He wants to make sure one thing is clear: “We’re faithful and pursue Jesus Christ is so rewarding in a cul- not just wandering around. We are intentional with the ture that says ‘that’s foolish,’” he said. “To see them do way we spend our time and conversations we have with it authentically, and do it with an openness to grow and people to encourage them to imitate Jesus Christ. The learn and to ... change everything about them[selves] to role of the Church is not to be left only to the priests or try and live in a way that honors and glorifies God. To wit- the sisters. It is the role of every baptized Christian to ness ... grown men weeping as they read the scriptures participate in what they or their parents committed them ... [T]o see someone that I’ve worked with abandon their to at their baptism." own desires for what Jesus Christ wants is what I love As for his own legacy: most about what I do,” Garcia said.

“I hope to be a saint, that I was a faithful man to Jesus Dan Lohff is among those Garcia has worked with Christ. The love that I have for Jesus Christ, my faith, over the past three years. Lohff, a fifth-year senior pitcher would be something that inspires others to consider for the Warriors, has decided to follow in Garcia’s footJesus Christ and the Catholic Church differently in their steps and answer the call to be a FOCUS missionary. own lives.”

Upon entering college, Lohff went to church on Sundays with regularity and practiced as a Lutheran, but did little to grow in his faith during the week, he said. Shane Carlson is a recent graduate of the Mass When he met Garcia at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Communications/Journalism department at Winona meeting one Wednesday night, it spurred a dynamic State University. Learn more about FOCUS at focus.org.

Obituaries Sr. Alverna O'Laughlin, 84, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Monday, May 30.

He was born on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, September 29, 1928. Elmer (Casey) and Margaret Egan welcomed their fourth child and first son into their farm family located on the Iowa-Minnesota line in Lyon County, IA. His parents had a family of six with three daughters older than Father Gene and two younger sons. They were devoted members of St. Mary’s Parish in Ellsworth. Father Gene graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1946 and began his education at the seminary in Loras College, Dubuque, IA. He completed his seminary training at the Theological College (Catholic University) in Washington, D.C. He was ordained a Catholic Priest on June 6, 1954, by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona. He said his First Mass shortly thereafter at St. Mary’s in Ellsworth. For the next 11 years he served in three parishes: Sacred Heart, Waseca; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Currie; and St. Felix, Wabasha.

His many talents were tapped as he began directing the school band, coaching basketball and football, teaching religion and Latin, and serving as a guidance counselor.

In 1965, with encouragement from Bishop Fitzgerald, Father Gene became a Chaplain in the US Army. During his 20 years of military service, he was assigned duty in Korea; Fort Leonard Wood, MO; Vietnam; Germany (2 tours); Fort Sill, OK; William Beaumont Medical Center, TX; and Fitzsimmons Medical Center, CO. He was a member of local VFW and American Legion Clubs in the area where he served as 2nd District Chaplin from 1998 to 1999. During his service, he earned a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling.

He was awarded the three Meritorious Service medals and an Army Commendation medal for his outstanding performance, and the Bronze Star for bravery in combat (Vietnam). While serving in Germany, he was introduced to the Worldwide

Marriage Encounter Weekend and thrived as a Presenting Priest for 31 years, an endeavor he found most rewarding.

He retired from the Army on September 30, 1985. Upon his return to the Winona Diocese, he served as pastor of St. Martin’s, Woodstock/St. Mary’s, Lake Wilson; St. Catherine’s, Luverne/St. Joseph’s, Jasper; and St. Gabriel’s, Fulda/St. Columba, Iona. He was named “Monsignor” on December 5, 1997. He joined the ranks of senior priests in June, 2000, and resided in the family home in Ellsworth. He continued to assist as a substitute priest throughout the southwest region of the Diocese, where he was well known and loved for his devoted ministry.

He celebrated his Golden Jubilee in 2004 with family and parishioners and was honored by the naming of the St. Mary’s Bell Tower after him. In March, 2013, he left his home in Ellsworth for health reasons and took up residence at the Minnesota Veteran’s Home in Luverne, where he continued to live under the tender care of their professional staff.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Elmer and Margaret; his sisters Mary Clare Fischenich and Ruth McCarville; and his brother Ray. He is survived by his sister, Patricia Lopez, Camarillo, CA; brother, Gerry (Joan) Egan, Port Orchard, WA; and many nephews/nieces, grandnephews/ nieces and great grandnephews/ nieces.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Ellsworth. Burial with full military honors was in the St. Mary Cemetery in Ellsworth.

Memorials can be made to Sacred Heart, Waseca; St. Jarioth, Iasco; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Currie; St. Felix, Wabasha; St. Martin’s, Woodstock; St. Mary’s, Lake Wilson; St. Catherine’s,

Luverne; St. Joseph’s, Jasper; St. Gabriel’s, Fulda; St. Columba, Iona; St. Mary’s, Ellsworth; or World-Wide Marriage Encounter.

God gave us all a great gift in the life of Eugene E. Egan. May God rest his Soul.

Fr. Paul E. Nelson, 81, of Rochester, passed away peacefully at his home on June 25.

A Mass of Christian burial was held at St. Pius X Catholic Church with Most Reverend Bishop John Quinn officiating. Fr. Charlie Collins co-officiated, and

brother priests concelebrated.

Paul Edward Nelson was born in Rochester on May 24, 1935, the oldest son of Claude and Lenora (O’Connell) Nelson.

He grew up in rural Rochester, attending country elementary schools through sixth grade.

From seventh through twelfth grades he attended Lourdes High School in Rochester.

He attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary’s University in Winona, graduating with a B.A. in Philosophy. He attended St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul and was ordained in 1961 as a priest for the Diocese of Winona.

He was assigned as an Assistant Pastor for St. Augustine Parish in Austin, and as a teacher of religion at Pacelli High School.

He was re-assigned to Winona to be Assistant Diocesan Religious

WDCCW Excited About July

By KATHY WILMES

�he month of July is going to be an exciting

one for the Winona Diocese Council of Catholic Women.

Eleanore Jones and I will be representing this council at the National Symposium, “Hope, Help, and Healing: A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence and Abuse,” being held July 7-8 in Washington, D.C. Domestic violence was addressed last year at a WDCCW meeting; this conference expands on the topic by featuring 50 speakers who will broaden our knowledge of this important issue. Our thanks go out to WDCCW for providing the funds for our travel and to the National Council of Catholic Women

Education D i r e c t o r, Assistant Pastor at St. John’s Parish, and parttime Religion Teacher at Cotter High School. In Winona, he attended St. Mary’s University and received an M.A. in Educational Administration in 1965.

From there, he served as Principal at multiple schools including, Cotter High School in Winona, Loyola High School in Mankato, and Pacelli High School in Austin, as well as Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Winona.

In his 55 years of priesthood, he served as Pastor at Queen of Angels Parish in Austin, Rector of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona, Pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Owatonna and St. Augustine Parish in Austin, and, most recently, as Assistant Pastor at St. Pius X Parish in Rochester.

Father Paul is survived by his brothers Bernard Nelson of Byron and Richard Nelson of Chatfield, and his beloved dog, Salley. He is also survived by seven nieces and nephews, nine grand-nieces and nephews, and six great-grand nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Claude and Lenora Nelson; brother, James Nelson; and sister-in-law, Linda Nelson.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been set up in his name at Sterling State Bank, Apache Mall, to distribute to multiple charities.

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In the Diocese

Patricia Ann O’Laughlin was born February 1, 1932, in Winona to Frank and Minnie (Range) O’Laughlin. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1950 from St. Thomas Parish in Winona. Sister Alverna made first vows in 1953 and perpetual vows in 1956. She took nursing classes at Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Portsmouth, OH, in 1955 and for ten years served as a Nursing Assistant at St. James Hospital in St. James and Assisi Heights in Rochester. In 1965, she established an activities program for the retired Sisters at Assisi Heights, and was director of the program until 1973.

On completing a Clinical Pastoral Education program, Sister Alverna served as a Chaplain at Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park (1975-82). She was also an avid ham radio operator, which led her to help found the Handi-Ham System of Minnesota, an organization that helps handicapped people get ham radio licenses and equipment. From 1982-94, she was the education services coordinator of Handi-Hams at Courage Center in Robbinsdale, Golden Valley and Crystal. She volunteered at Assisi Heights from 1993-97 and at St. Lawrence Parish in Ironton, OH, until 2004. She retired to Assisi Heights in 2007.

Sister Alverna is survived by her Franciscan Congregation, with whom she shared life for 66 years, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Francis, Raymond and James; and a sister, Ruth Wood.

A Funeral Mass was held in the Chapel of Our Lady of Lourdes at Assisi Heights. Burial was at Calvary Cemetery, Rochester.

Memorials are suggested to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Development, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Suite 100, Rochester, MN 55901.

Msgr. Eugene Elmer Egan, “Father Gene,” passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 25, at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Luverne.

for providing the grant that includes our registration and lodging costs. I was honored to be asked to attend and am excited to bring back some news to share with members at our summer meeting.

The meeting is scheduled for July 13 at St. Francis Xavier Church in Windom. Registration is at 8:30 a.m., and our gathering begins at 9. At 10 a.m., Ann Full will speak on the topic of modesty (all ages encouraged to attend!). Mass is at 11 a.m., followed by lunch at noon. At 1 p.m., we will gather to hear a speaker on international affairs, and Eleanore and I will have a chance to share what we learned at the Symposium the previous week. We will adjourn at 3 p.m.

Please come and join us for a fun, informative time! I encourage any newcomers with questions about our council to call me at 507696-2942!

Kathy Wilmes is secretary of the Winona Diocese Council of Catholic Women.

July, 2016 w The Courier

July, 2016

SUBMISSION to the calendar

• The Courier

Please note: submission deadline is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication. All submissions must be sent electronically on our website: www.dowcourier.org or by emailing: Courier@dow.org and by the deadline in order to assure receipt and possible inclusion in the Events Calendar.

We thank you for understanding that due to space limitations, not all events nor story submissions will fit; however, we strive to include as many as possible. Thank you! - Courier Staff

Action with Prayer St. Mary’s Church, Winona offers a Mass for Life and Marriage on the first Thursday of the month, at 5:15 p.m.

Holy Hour of Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty The monthly Holy Hour of Prayer for Life, Marriage, and Religious Liberty will be held on the first Saturday of the month from 8:30 am to 9:30 am (after the 8:00 am Mass) at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 360 Main Street, Winona. The Blessed Sacrament will be exposed and a beautiful rosary will be offered, along with prayer and reflection. Gather in the Adoration Chapel. Everyone is welcome.

Prayer Vigil & Public Witness Against Abortion Semcac Clinic is a delegate of Planned Parenthood. Please consider joining to pray from 3-4 p.m. each Tuesday in front of Semcac at 62 E 3rd Street in Winona. Contact: Patti Woodworth (507) 429-4636

Other Events St. John's Church, Johnsburg July 10, Sunday Johnsburg Jamboree and Polka Mass 11am-7pm. Family-friendly event.

Food, beverages, games for all ages.

Johnsburg is 7 miles SW of Adams. For more information: 641-220-1445

Traditional Latin Mass Chatfield, St. Mary's, 1st & 3rd Sun. 1 pm Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul, 1st Sat. 9 am Wabasha, St. Felix, every Sat. 8 am

The Televised Mass

St. Vincent de Paul Church, West Concord July 23, Saturday Annual Chicken BBQ 5-7pm under the Big Tent on Main Street during West Concord Survival Days. $10 for half chicken dinner with baked beans, potato salad, bun & beverage. Note new date and location of this event.

Resurrection Church, Rochester July 24, Sunday Travel with us to visit the grave of Sr. Annella Zervas at the Convent Cemetery of St. Benedict's College for intercessory prayer and an inspirational presentation by Patrick Norton. We will share a potluck dinner in Patrick's home before returning to Rochester.

Bus departs from Resurrection Church parking lot at 10am and returns home at 8pm. $20. Space is limited. For information & to reserve a bus seat, call Jane at 507-990-7864.

Holy Trinity Church, Litomysl July 31, Sunday 45th annual Summer Festival. Polka Mass at 10am. Festivities at 11am. Food in church basement & outside. Games for children & adults - thousands of prizes. Silent auction, produce, plants, baked goods, live music. Something for everyone! Litomysl is 8 miles south of Owatonna on Co. Rd. 45, then 2 miles east on Co. Rd. 4 (SE 98th St.) to 9946 24th Ave. SE, Owatonna. For more information: 507-451-6616 or www. litomysl.webs.com.

Assisi Heights, Rochester August 2, Tuesday Join the Sisters of St. Francis in a Jubilee Year of Mercy celebration on the 800th anniversary of the Franciscan Feast of the Portiuncula Pardon*. Participants will gather in the Inner Court at Assisi Heights at 7p.m. before processing through the Sacred Holy Year Doors of Mercy into Lourdes Chapel. Join us for this evening of music, stories and prayer to celebrate the legacy of St. Francis, whose insight for forgiveness

and peacemaking continues to resound around the globe. More info at 507529-3523. *St. Francis of Assisi persuaded Pope Honorius III to grant [an] indulgence to all those who visited the Portiuncula on August 2 and confessed their sins.

The Portiuncula, or Little Portion, is the cradle of the Franciscan Order, established as its headquarters by St. Francis himself (from St. Anthony Messenger).

Twin Cities Area August 5-7, Friday-Sunday Rachel's Vineyard Twin Cities Retreat.

If you or a loved one is grieving the loss of a child or children to abortion, come experience the healing mercy of Jesus on our weekend retreat. Open to women, men, grandparents, siblings, health care professionals, etc. For information, email Nancy at rachels@ rvineyardmn.org, call 763-250-9313, or visit www.rvineyardmn.org.

St. Mary's Church, Minneiska October 9th, Sunday Texas-Style French Toast Breakfast served from 9:30am-Noon. French toast, sausage, apple sauce & coffee, milk or juice. Adults $7, Children 6 & under $3.50. There will also be a bake sale. Event follows 8:30 morning Mass.

Information: 651-564-0476.

Offered as a service for the homebound and elderly every Sunday on TV Mass Update the following stations: KTTC, Channel 10 (Rochester) at 9 a.m. KEYC, Channel 12 (Mankato) at 7:30 a.m & KEYC-DT2, Digital Channel 12.2 or On July 17 and the first 3 Sundays Charter Channel 19 (Mankato) at 9:30 a.m. in August, KTTC will air TV Mass Donations for the continuation of this program may be sent to: TV Mass, on its sister station, the CW. PO Box 588, Winona MN 55987.

Hispanic Priests / Sacerdotes Hispanos

Padre Luis Alfonso Vargas: Capellán del Decanato de Worthington. lukiponcho@yahoo.es Tel. 507-341-0403 Padre José Morales: Capellán del Decanato de Rochester. jloralesr2008@yahoo.es Tel. 507-329-2931

Padre Mariano Varela IVE: Párroco de “SS. Peter and Paul” en Mankato. mvarela@hickorytech.net Tel. 507-388-2995 ext 103 Padre Raul Silva: Pastor de "Queen of Angels" en Austin, "Our Lady of Loretto" en Brownsdale, “All Saints” en New Richland, “St. Aidan” en Ellendale, “St. Mary” en Geneva. fatherraul@queenofangels.church

Spanish Mass Schedule Albert Lea, St. Theodore 11 a.m. Sundays Austin, Queen of Angels 11 a.m & 5 p.m. Sundays Lake City, St. Mary 6:30 p.m. every third Saturday July, 2016 w The Courier

Madelia, St. Mary 10 a.m. Sundays Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul 1 p.m. Sundays Owatonna, Sacred Heart 1 p.m. Sundays Pipestone, St. Leo 2:30 p.m. Sundays

Rochester, St. Francis of Assisi 12 p.m. Sundays & 7 p.m.

Thursdays St. Charles, St. Charles Borromeo 11:30 a.m. Sundays St. James, St. James 12 p.m. Sundays

Waseca, Sacred Heart 11:30 a.m. Sundays Windom, St. Francis Xavier 12 p.m. Sundays Worthington, St. Mary 7 p.m. Saturdays & 11 a.m.

Sundays

Employment St. Mary's, Winona

St. Francis, Rochester

St. Mary's Parish seeks a Director of Liturgy and Music (up to 0.85 FTE) to help lead our vibrant faith community in prayer and worship. 12 or 9 mo. contract negotiable.

Duties are:

St. Francis of Assisi Parish seeks FT (Sept-May) Faith Formation Coordinator.

Duties are:

-liturgy and music preparation -piano accompaniment -liturgical minister recruitment and formation Bachelor's / advanced degree in liturgy, music or related field required.

Send resume to: 1303 W. Broadway Winona, MN 55987 or stmarys@wacs1.org Search remains open until position is filled.

For more information, call: 507-452-5656

-coordinate grades 1-5 faith formation program -support RCIA and sacrament prep -build and work with teams of volunteers toward parish faith formation goals Ideal candidate...

-holds bachelor's degree/ higher in theology or related field/equivalent certification in faith formation -is comfortable speaking publicly -is fluent in Spanish -understands the Catholic Church Send letter of interest and resume to: Sarah Kinsman-Welch St. Francis of Assisi Parish 114 3rd St. SE Rochester, MN 55904 ParishAdmin@StFrancischurch.org

St.

Thomas More, Brookings, SD

St. Thomas More Parish (Brookings, SD) seeks a Youth Ministry Coordinator. Duties are: -Middle School formation -6th-12th grade retreats -service trips -discipleship ministry for grades 6-12 Salary & benefits DOEE. Bachelor's degree preferred. Open until filled.

Info: Rachel Wagner Mark stmbrookings@gmail.com

Sacred Heart School, Adams Sacred Heart School seeks FT middle school Social Studies Teacher beginning 2016-17 school year.

Needs MN teaching license (elementary or secondary).

Send cover letter, resume, letters of recommendation and transcripts to: Sacred Heart School Attn: Darlene Boe PO Box 249 Adams, MN 55909 Info: 507-582-3120 dboe@sacredheartadams.org