St. Joseph, Pray for Us

8 St. Joseph, Pray for Us!

appy Easter season to all of you! He is risen, Alleluia! What joy we have as Our Lord is with us in His resurrected body. We all know that this Easter will be one to remember, but I hope and pray that the reason is not the COVID19 pandemic but that the Lord has revealed to you amazing things in your spiritual life.

One thing that Jesus has been talking to me about is His earthly father, St. Joseph. I had friends of

mine do a 33-day consecration to St. Joseph during Lent and they have raved about it. My lovely wife, as a birthday present for me, got me the new book Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father by Donald H. Calloway, MIC. After reading the introduction, my wife and I started the consecration on April 11 (Holy Saturday) and will be ending on the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima (May 13). So far, this book has been very inspiring to me. Below are a few quotes that have stuck out to me. • Knowing by experience St. Joseph’s astonishing influence with God, I would wish to persuade everyone to honor him with particular devotion. I have always seen those who honored him in a special manner make progress in virtue, for this heavenly protector favors in a striking manner the spiritual advancement of souls who commend themselves to him. - St. Teresa of Avila

• Our heavenly Father has had only one saint to represent him on earth. Hence he bestowed everything he could on that favored saint, and equipped him with all that he needed to be his worthy representative. - St. Peter Julian Eymard

• Joseph carried Jesus Christ first to Egypt, then to Judea, and so traced for us the path of the apostles who preached his name to the Jews and to the Gentiles. -St. Hilary of Poitiers

For the youth and young adults in our diocese, St. Joseph is a saint we need to know and understand in times like these. St. Joseph’s life turned upside down when he realized that

Mary had conceived by the

Holy Spirit. God encouraged Joseph to not be afraid, to trust what He was doing and listen for directions on what to do next. St. Joseph, pray for us!

Aaron Lofy Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org

Catholic Mavs Continue to Engage Students through Digital Platforms

By MARY ROMINGER, KEYC-TV/Gray Media Group

MANKATO (KEYC) April 1, 2020 — Under the conditions of Stay at Home orders in different states, U.S. catholic dioceses have suspended public masses.

It’s the Catholic Mavs’ reach of over 600 students per week that makes continuous engagement throughout the coronavirus pandemic so important.

“Community is a really big part of what we do. We are very active, we serve the campus population,” said Joe Bakken, director of development and campus ministry at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

It begins with drive-thru confessions with Father Vogel for MSU students.

“I wanted to give them that opportunity, especially during this time of Lent. Usually, Lent is kind of a penitential period anyways and, as we look forward to Easter and the resurrection, to be in some ways clean and ready to celebrate,” Father Andrew Vogel explained, chaplain of St. Thomas More Catholic Newman Center.

Catholic Mavs has also utilized digital mediums, like YouTube and other social media platforms, to engage with students for Q&A’s with Father Vogel, Sunday masses, daily videos of encouragement and more.

“Really, what we are trying to do with all of these different things is to try to keep people connected, but give them hope too. Because, I know, a lot of people are scared during this time, it’s an unknown. Life as we know it is very different and nobody expected to live through times like this,” Bakken added.

All in efforts to carry on as much tradition as possible, during a nontraditional time.

To stay up to date with the newest content and engagements from Catholic Mavs, visit the organization’s website: catholicmavs.org