The Courier - May 2022

The

COURIER

Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary May 31

May 2022

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

'You Are Worth It'

Bishop Quinn Offers Wisdom, Encouragement at Baccalaureate Mass

Marsha Stenzel to Retire

The following letter was sent from BISHOP JOHN M. QUINN to diocesan staff on April 6, 2022.

�ear Co-workers in the Pastoral Center,

Bishop John M. Quinn delivers a homily to graduates of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's four Catholic high schools at the diocesan Baccalaureate Mass, celebrated April 27 at St. Augustine Church in Austin.

AUSTIN - On Wednesday, April 27, graduating seniors from the Diocese of Winona Rochester's four Catholic high schools - Loyola in Mankato, Pacelli in Austin, Lourdes in Rochester and Cotter in Winona - met at St. Augustine

Church in Austin for a Baccalaureate Mass celebrated by Bishop John M. Quinn, and concelebrated by pastors from the school communities.

Baccalaureate, cont'd on pg. 4

It is with mixed emotions, that I formally announce that Marsha Stenzel, Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, will be retiring effective July 1, 2022. Marsha began her role with the Diocese on July 1, 2011, after serving St. Felix Catholic School in Wabasha for 30 years, first as a teacher and eventually as School Administrator. In addition to earning both a Masters and Specialist degrees in education while at St. Felix, she also had many accomplishments during her 11 years as Superintendent. These included, namely, leading the review and upgrading of our curriculum for all our diocesan Catholic schools, integrating consistent standards for our various school boards and committees, and helping all our schools weather the many challenges brought about by the on-going pandemic. All students, teachers, administrators

Marsha Stenzel, cont'd on pg. 16

INSIDE this issue

Awakening Thirst for God page 7

Worthington Deanery Youth page 10

Preventing Financial Exploitation

page 13

Articles of Interest

'Final Battle'_______________________________5

2

Two Types of Adoration_____________________5 'A Gift from the Holy Spirit'________________6

The Courier Insider

Awakening Thirst for God___________________7 Catholic Schools Updates__________________8 Matching Grant Met_______________________9 Worthington Deanery Youth________________10 Pope Francis speaks during a meeting with members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors at the Vatican April 29, 2022. Also pictured is Sister Arina Gonslaves, vice-provincial of the Religious of Jesus and Mary, and Boston Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley, commission president. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Pope Wants Annual Audit of Church's Safeguarding Measures Worldwide

By CAROL GLATZ, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Pope Francis asked his safeguarding commission to provide an annual audit of what the church is doing to protect minors and what needs to change, as well as to urge bishops' conferences to set up special "centers" where victims can be heard and find accompaniment toward "healing and justice."

The annual audit "report will be a factor of transparency and accountability and - I hope - will provide a clear audit of our progress in this effort," he told members of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors April 29.

"Without that progress, the faithful will continue to lose trust in their pastors, and preaching and witnessing to the Gospel will become increasingly difficult," he said.

The pope addressed the commission's plenary assembly, which focused on how to best continue assisting the pope and the local churches in promoting best practices in safeguarding strategies, implementing guidelines and accompanying survivors.

Commission members also were looking at how they will work within the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, according to Pope Francis' reform of the Roman Curia, a change that goes into effect June 5.

As outlined in the apostolic constitution, "Praedicate Evangelium" ("Preach the Gospel"),

the commission's task remains providing the pope "with advice and consultancy and to propose the most appropriate initiatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable people."

When the document was published in March, Cardinal Seán P. O'Malley of Boston, president of the commission and a member of the Council of Cardinals that drafted the constitution, said that linking the commission more closely to the doctrinal office "has made safeguarding and the protection of minors a fundamental part of the structure of the church's central government" and would "lead to a stronger culture of safeguarding throughout the Curia and the entire church."

Speaking to the commission members, the pope addressed a concern that the body would lose its independence now that it was within a larger dicastery.

"Someone might think that this could put at risk your freedom of thought and action or even take away importance from the issue with which you deal," the pope said. "That is not my intention nor is it my expectation. And I invite you to be watchful that this does not happen."

He said he did not want the commission to be like a "'satellite commission,' circling around but unattached to the organization chart" any longer, which had been an ongoing concern of members.

The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 113 - 5

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

(ISSN 0744-5490)

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Audit, cont'd on pg. 16

Bailey O'Hare for Laboure__________________11 World Youth Day Information_______________12 Preventing Financial Exploitation____________13 Inside the Capitol_________________________14 Diocesan

Headlines____________________15

The Holy Father's Intention for

May 2022 Faith-Filled Young People We pray for all young people, called to live life to the fullest; may they see in Mary's life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage that faith generates, and the dedication to service.

Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of Winona-Rochester, announces the following: CCW Rev. Gregory Leif: appointed Austin Area Spiritual Advisor for the Council of Catholic Women, effective March 14, 2022.

Presbyteral Council Rev. Martin Schaefer: reappointed to a three-year term on the Presbyteral Council of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, effective April 1, 2022.

Child Abuse Policy Information The Diocese of Winona-Rochester will provide a prompt, appropriate and compassionate response to reporters of sexual abuse of a child by any diocesan agent (employees, volunteers, vendors, religious or clergy). Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should call the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 507-454-2270, Extension 255. A caller will be asked to provide his or her name and telephone number. Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is committed to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries. The diocesan policy is available on the diocesan web site at www.dow.org under the Safe Environment Program. If you have any questions about the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Mary Hamann at 507-858-1244, or mhamann@dowr.org.

Civil Corporation Mr. Tim McManimon: reappointed to a two-year term on the Diocese of WinonaRochester Civil Corporation Board of Directors, effective March 15, 2022.

Catholic Charities Rev. James Starasinich: appointed to a three-year term on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, effective April 1, 2022.

Where to Find The Courier

•

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

•

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

Congratulations, Graduates!

Candidates for Holy Orders

Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn

�ear Friends in Christ, Graduation

As we reach the end of the school year, many of our young people are graduating and moving on to the next stage of their life. At the end of April I celebrated the annual Baccalaureate Mass for the seniors of our four Catholic high schools, and on May 7 I will take part in the commencement ceremony at St. Mary’s University in Winona. It is always a joy and privilege to be with our young people as they celebrate the accomplishment of their hard work, and the devotion of their families and teachers.

As we send our young people out into the world, we ask God to bless and guide them. We pray that this year’s graduates may hold fast to the faith they have received, and have the courage to go against the tide, even, and especially, when it is not easy. The world will pressure them to conform and fit in, to abandon their faith and live according to whatever they feel, or the world tells them, is right. To be a Christian these

On April 9, I celebrated the Rite of Candidacy for two of our diocesan seminarians, during a special Mass at Pax Christi Parish in Rochester.

Riley Becher and Cullen Gallagher were both installed as candidates for ordination and will begin their theological stage next fall.

The Rite of Candidacy marks a significant step in their formation, as they embark upon the second half of their formation which will more thoroughly prepare them for the priesthood.

All of our seminarians will soon be embarking on their summer assignments, whether at a parish, diocesan internship, or some other form of service or study.

Please pray for them as they continue in their formation, and pray that many more men will respond to our Triune God’s call to serve the Lord as His priests.

May - the Month of Mary

The month of May is devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and provides us with the opportunity to deepen our devotion to Christ’s mother and our mother. When Jesus was on the cross, He gave His Blessed Mother to His Beloved Disciple John. The Church has always seen this action as symbolizing Mary being given to the whole Church and every single believer as a spiritual mother.

All of us have experienced

the fragility and brokenness of human relationships, and we know that even those who love us most will sometimes let us down. Some of us may even have lost, be estranged from, or have been abandoned by those closest to us. Mary, however, will never leave or abandon us, and we can always turn to her and count on her assistance. More than any earthly mother, she truly knows what is best for us and for our salvation, and she will always help us to grow closer to her Son, Jesus Christ.

How do we cultivate a relationship with someone who is in heaven? In addition to the treasury of prayers addressed to our Blessed Mother, there are also concrete practices that can remind us of Mary’s love and presence, to help us to turn to her in our time of need. Families, parishes, and schools often hold May crownings, where Marian hymns are sung as a statue of Mary is crowned with a wreath of flowers. The rosary, prayed individually or as a family, is a powerful way to grow in devotion to our Blessed Mother, as is the practice of consecrating oneself to Mary. These have been an indispensable part of many saints’ spiritual lives.

This May, I encourage you to draw close to our spiritual mother, and come to know her love for you more deeply.

The Most Holy Eucharist

In the Gospel of John, chapter six, Jesus tells His followers that they are to eat His Body and drink His Blood. Many of Christ’s disciples found these words too difficult, and they stopped following Him. However, Jesus continued to reiterate that He is the Bread of Life and those who do not eat His Flesh or drink His Blood would not have life within them. Later, at the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the

Eucharist. After blessing the bread and wine, it became His Body and Blood. Jesus shared the Eucharist with His disciples and commanded them to “do this in memory of Me.” The Sacrament of the Eucharist, the true Bread from Heaven, was foreshadowed by another instance of the Lord providing bread from heaven to sustain His people. When the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, the Lord gave them manna until they reached the Promised Land. So too, we who are wandering on our earthly pilgrimage toward heaven, are given food to sustain us. Unlike the manna in the desert, however, which only nourished the Israelites physically, the Eucharist strengthens us spiritually.

This is why the Church has always taught that attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation is of the utmost importance.

It is in the Eucharist that we encounter Christ Himself, and are renewed with the grace that comes from His sacrifice on the cross, made present on the altar at every Mass. There is no prayer as powerful as the Mass, or food as life-giving as the Holy Eucharist.

Eucharistic Revival

On June 19, the Feast of Corpus Christi, the Body and Blood of Christ, we will begin a three-year national Eucharistic Revival in the United States. This initiative is a graced opportunity to better appreciate, understand, and love the great gift of Jesus Christ present in the Eucharist. The revival will initially focus on the diocese as a whole, and then transition to parish initiatives. It will culminate with a national Eucharistic congress in 2024, to equip

3

Catholics from across the country to be Eucharistic missionaries in their home dioceses, and to continue the work of building up faith and devotion to our Lord truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

Our local kick-off event will be our annual Ministry Days, a two-day conference for clergy and laity from throughout our diocese, held TuesdayWednesday, June 14-15, at St. Mary’s University in Winona. We will hear from keynote presenters on how to build up the Eucharistic faith in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, pray with the celebration of Mass and Eucharistic Adoration and a Eucharistic procession, and share ideas in both large and small groups for deepening Eucharistic devotion in our local Church. I encourage not only parish staff, but all who are interested in helping our diocese become more on fire for the Eucharist, to attend. More information can be found at the diocesan website, dowr.org, under the Office of Lay Formation and RCIA, or by contacting Todd Graff (tgraff@dowr.org or 507-858-1270) or Susan Windley-Daoust (swindley@ dowr.org or 507-858-1277).

Please pray for a deepening of belief in the Eucharist among Catholics, so that we may better witness to Christ’s love to the entire world. Blessed are you!

From the Bishop

days is countercultural, and it takes strength and conviction to stand up for Jesus Christ and His truth. May today’s graduates be faithful to encountering our Triune God in prayer, and may they never be afraid to live their faith and be disciples for Christ’s kingdom.

Sincerely in Christ,

+ John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona-Rochester

The Bishop's Calendar is on Page 4.

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Baccalaureate,

4

cont'd from pg. 1

In his homily, Bishop Quinn recalled a recent flight he took, after which a woman struggled against a long rush of impatient fellow passengers to recover a cell phone and rosary she had forgotten on the plane.

He told the graduates, "Throughout our lives, we've got to ask the question that that woman asked herself: is it worth it? If we think we have something valuable, is it worth it to push against the crowd ... to find what we lost or to hold on to what we believe is important, even willing to, at times, take some insult for the truth?"

He went on to remind the graduates that they themselves are "worth it."

"As far away as we could get from God," he said, "God came on a rescue mission. We’re that valuable.

We’re like what that woman left on the plane. And it says in the New Testament that Jesus Christ was sent

and became one of us, became incarnate, took on our human flesh, because he loved us that much. He was even willing to put up with all that our human nature brings, even to the point of taking our sin. That’s how much he loved us. ... God wants us in heaven.

He wants us one day to enjoy eternal life with him."

At the end of Mass, Bishop Quinn blessed baskets of olive wood crucifixes, which were presented to the students by their pastors.

"We thought, 'What a fitting gift to give each of our graduates!'" said Bishop Quinn in his homily, "that, as you complete your time with us at our Catholic schools and you move on to other places of education or to the military or into the business world, you go with Jesus Christ, so that you know you’re worth every drop of his blood, you were worth every insult he took ... Hang it in a prominent place. Let it be a sign of hope, but also of love, that you’re that valuable, that God died for you so that the gates of heaven would be opened wide."

After Mass, the school administrators presented Bishop Quinn with a clock, in recognition of his dedication to Catholic education.

A recording of the Mass can be viewed on St. Augustine and St. Edward's Facebook page: facebook.com/sasecatholic/

Bishop's Calendar May 1, Sunday 2 p.m. - Confirmation - Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester 7-9 p.m. - Final Exams - St. Mary’s University, Winona May 2, Monday 12-3 p.m. - Final Exams - St. Mary’s University, Winona 7 p.m. - Confirmation - Crucifixion Church, La Crescent; with St. Patrick, Brownsville May 3, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Deans Meeting - Virtual Meeting 2:30 p.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee Meeting May 4, Wednesday 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Mary Church, Caledonia; with St. Olaf, Mabel May 5, Thursday 9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour 10:30 a.m. - College of Consultors Meeting 4:30 p.m. - Year-End Social - Toner Center, St. Mary's University, Winona May 6, Friday 6 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Joseph the Worker Church, Mankato; with Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato; Holy Family, Lake Crystal; and Immaculate Conception, St. Clair; and All Saints, Madison Lake May 7, Saturday 11 a.m. - St. Mary’s University Commencement Ceremony - Winona May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

May 8, Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Confirmation - St. Finbarr Church, Grand Meadow; with St. Ignatius, Spring Valley; and St. Patrick, Leroy May 10, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Holy Hour and Presbyteral Council Meeting - Pax Christi Church, Rochester 6 p.m. - 2nd Scrutiny for the Neocatechumenal Way - Queen of Angels Church, Austin May 11, Wednesday 1:10 p.m. - Real Presence Radio Telephone Interview - Spring Live Drive Event 1:30 p.m. - Prayer and DOW-R Finance Council Meeting 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Charles Borromeo Church, St. Charles; with Holy Redeemer, Eyota May 12, Thursday 11 a.m. - Mass at IHM Seminary Formation Week 3:30 p.m. - Zoom Conference with MN Bishops and Jason Adkins from MCC 7 p.m. - Confirmation - Sacred Heart Church, Adams; with St. John, Johnsburg; Queen of Peace, Lyle; and St. Peter, Rose Creek May 13, Friday 7 p.m. - Confirmation - Pax Christi Church, Rochester; with Ss. Peter & Paul, Mazeppa May 14, Saturday 11 a.m. - Confirmation - St. Augustine Church, Austin; with St. Edward, Austin; and Queen of Angels, Austin

May 15, Sunday 2 p.m. - Confirmation - Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Winona; with Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona; St. Casimir, Winona; St. Mary, Winona; St. John Nepomucene, Winona; St. Rose of Lima, Lewiston; Holy Trinity, Rollingstone; St. Paul, Minnesota City; and St. Mary, Minneiska May 16, Monday 6 p.m. - Premier Banks Golf Tournament Dinner for Clergy - Owatonna Country Club, Owatonna May 17, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Mass and Dinner with Hermits of St. Mary of Carmel - Houston Hermitage May 18, Wednesday 11:15 a.m. - Mass for DOW-R Priest Retreat - IHM Seminary, Winona 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Felix Church, Wabasha; with St. Agnes, Kellogg May 19, Thursday 11 a.m. - School Mass and Bishop’s Medal - Sacred Heart Church, Waseca 7 p.m. - Ministerial Standards Review Board - Virtual Meeting May 21, Saturday 5:15 p.m. - Confirmation - Sacred Heart Church, Waseca May 22, Sunday 10 a.m. - Confirmation - St. Ann Church, Janesville; with All Saints, New Richland; and St. Joseph, Waldorf

May 24, Tuesday 2:30 p.m. - Mass, Blessing of Peace Garden and Dinner - St. Marys Hospital Convent, Rochester May 25, Wednesday 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Joachim Church, Plainview; with Immaculate Conception, Kellogg May 26, Thursday 12:30 p.m. - Holy Hour and Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting 3:30 p.m. - Zoom Conference with MN Bishops May 27, Friday 6 p.m. - Graduation Ceremony - Cotter Schools, Winona June 1, Wednesday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. - MN Catholic Conference Board Meeting 7 p.m. - Confirmation - St. Francis Xavier Church, Windom; with Sacred Heart, Brewster; and Sacred Heart, Heron Lake June 4, Saturday 6 p.m. - Confirmation - St. James Church, St. James; with St. Mary, Madelia June 5, Sunday 7 p.m. - Confirmation - Christ the King Church, Byron; with Holy Family, Kasson; and St. John Baptist de la Salle, Dodge Center

Fatima Visionary Predicted 'Final Battle' Would Be Over Marriage, Family Director of Life, Marriage & Family and Communications pmartin@dowr.org

In this month dedicated to Mary, I thought it would be opportune for us to recognize how important it is to ask for Mary’s intercession not only to assist and protect our own family, but to comfort and encourage those who work to strengthen marriages and families in our day and age. The following article was originally published by Catholic News Agency on July 8, 2016.

By CNA STAFF

MEXICO CITY, Oct. 13, 2021 - Sister Lucia dos Santos, one of the three children who witnessed the Marian apparitions at Fatima, died in 2005. But before her death, she predicted that the final battle between Christ and Satan would be over marriage and the family.

So says Cardinal Carlo Caffarra, who reports that the visionary sent him a letter with this prediction when he was Archbishop of Bologna, Italy.

This reported statement by Sister Lucia, expressed during the pontificate of Saint John Paul II, was revisited in 2016 by the Desde la Fe (From the Faith) weekly of the Archdiocese of Mexico, in the midst of the debate generated by President Enrique Pena Nieto, who announced his intention to promote same-sex marriage in this country.

The Mexican weekly recalled the statements that Cardinal Caffarra made to the Italian press in 2008, three years after the death of Sister Lucia.

“And I am moved when I read the best biographies of Padre Pio,” the cardinal concluded, “about how this man was so attentive to the sanctity of marriage and the holiness of the spouses, even with justifiable rigor at times.”

Life, Marriage & Family

Peter Martin

On Feb. 16, 2008, the Italian cardinal had celebrated a Mass at the tomb of Padre Pio, after which he gave an interview with Tele Radio Padre Pio. He was asked about the prophecy of Sister Lucia dos Santos that speaks about “the final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan.”

Cardinal Caffarra explained that Saint John Paul II had commissioned him to plan and establish the Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family. At the beginning of this work, the cardinal wrote a letter to Sister Lucia of Fatima through her bishop, since he could not do it directly.

“Inexplicably, since I did not expect a reply, seeing as I had only asked for her prayers, I received a long letter with her signature, which is now in the archives of the Institute,” the Italian cardinal said.

“In that letter we find written: ‘The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about Marriage and the Family.’ Don't be afraid, she added, because whoever works for the sanctity of Marriage and the Family will always be fought against and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. Then she concluded: ‘nevertheless, Our Lady has already crushed his head’.”

Cardinal Caffarra added that “speaking again with John Paul II, you could feel that the family was the core, since it has to do with the supporting pillar of creation, the truth of the relationship between man and woman, between the generations. If the foundational pillar is damaged, the entire building collapses and we're seeing this now, because we are right at this point and we know it.”

5

Two Types of Adoration

Understanding the Differences

By FR. PATRICK ARENS

�e recently concluded our annual celebration of the Lord’s

suffering, death, and resurrection. In the span of three days, we journeyed with our Lord from the Last Supper table to the cross and the tomb, and then witnessed His glorious resurrection. If you were able to participate in the liturgies of these three days, the days of the Sacred Triduum, you may have noticed a number of unique liturgical ceremonies that were conducted.

One liturgical ceremony that took place during those days was adoration. The liturgy actually calls for adoration to take place twice during these days. The first type of adoration is adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the place of reservation after the Mass on Holy Thursday. The second, adoration of the Cross on Good Friday.

You might be very familiar with the concept of adoration, especially if you regularly attend adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at your parish or at one nearby. But the practices of adoration for the Triduum are different and sometimes can raise some questions.

The adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday is Eucharistic Adoration as we might be familiar with it. But according to ancient custom in the Church, this adoration

Adoration, cont'd on pg. 15

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Lay Formation & RCIA

6

'A Gift from the Holy Spirit...

A Gift to the Church and to the World' The laity, by their vocation, seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs, and by ordering them according to the plan of God. -Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, #31

As sharers in the role of Christ the Priest, the Prophet and the King, the laity have an active part to play in the life and activity of the Church.

-Second Vatican Council, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, #10

�reetings of Peace. “Christ is risen! Alleluia!”

The members of our diocesan Institute of Lay Formation’s Class of 2022 were recently recognized and blessed at a Closing Mass and Commissioning celebrated by Fr. Will Thompson, diocesan Vicar General.

The Institute of Lay Formation is a program and process of prayer, study, and reflection on the Catholic Faith, on the life of discipleship and witness in the world, and on service and ministry within the Church. During their three years of formation, Institute students study the Scriptures and the Church’s history and tradition, as well as church teaching on the Creed, the sacraments, moral theology, and prayer. They spend time together in prayer, reflection, and faith sharing, and seek to grow in their response to the work and grace of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

The Institute has three aspects of its formation: • •

•

•

The Laity's call to holiness is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Their response is a gift to the Church and to the world.

-U.S. Catholic Bishops, Called and Gifted for the Third Millennium

•

received through their participation in the Institute.

The commissioning expresses the Diocese’s expectation that they will use the fruits of this formation process for active service as lay leaders giving witness to Christ in the broader community and ministering within the Church.

Institute of Lay Formation students are active in a variety of ministries and activities such as:

Catechesis (seeking to deepen our knowledge of Christ, and of our Catholic Faith)

Discipleship (seeking to deepen our lived witness to Christ and to our faith) Prayer and Reflection (seeking to deepen our love for and communion with God).

During each of its three formation years, the Institute program consists of ten Saturday sessions held from September through April, and a weekend retreat at the conclusion of the year. Each Saturday session is devoted to prayer, instruction, reflection, and discussion. The retreat offers a time for students to grow more deeply in different aspects of their spiritual lives (e.g., prayer, discernment, witness, etc.). Students have the option of completing one, two, or all three years of the formation process.

After successfully completing their formation process, Institute students are commissioned for lay leadership in service to the people of God in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. This commissioning is a recognition of the students’ work in the Institute and an affirmation of the knowledge and skills for discipleship and ministry they have

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

•

• •

•

•

•

•

Faith Formation / Youth Ministry / RCIA (“catechist” / “faith formation director” / “adult faith formation” / “Vacation Bible School” / “Theology of the Body” / “Abstinence Education” / “speaker on Catholic teaching on the dignity of life”)

Liturgical Ministry (“Eucharistic minister” / “usher” / “greeter” / “sacristan” / “choir” / “cantor” / “music ministry” / “reader” / “hospitality” / “schedule coordinator” / “Eucharistic Revival Team”) Pastoral Care (“outreach activities for the homebound” / “Rosary at our local nursing home” / “assist with the Communion Service” / “Ministry of Care” / “marriage prep” / “PreCana team” / “host marriage enrichment evenings”)

Church Organizations (“Catholic Daughters of the Americas” / “Knights of Columbus” / “Council of Catholic Women”) Community-building / Faith Sharing / Evangelization (“Discipleship Quads” / “Synod facilitator” / “Women’s Bible Study Leader” / St. Paul Street Evangelization” / “1:1 Discipleship” / “Bible Studies” / “Servants of Christ Our Hope”)

Social Ministry (“volunteer at Birthright” / “volunteer at The Landing” [supporting homeless persons] / “prison advocate” / “helping with a foodshelf” / “community volunteer” / “Stephen Minister” / “St. Vincent de Paul” / “Family Promise Coordinator” [assisting families at risk of or experiencing homelessness] / “Social Justice Committee”) Prayer and Adoration (“Moms in Prayer” / “Rosary leader” / “Adoration Coordinator” / “prayer group” / “Unbound Ministry” / “Eucharistic Adoration” / “Seven Sisters Apostolate” / “healing prayer”)

Parish Administration/Leadership (“Parish Council” / “garden upkeep” / “Stewardship Committee” / “parish trustee” / “Liturgical Commission” / “Finance Council” / “Worship Space Restoration Task Force”/ “parish secretary”) Other (“writing fiction about faith” / “ongoing witness through various forms of storytelling” / “wherever the Spirit leads”).

Members of the class have described their experiences in the Institute in various ways…

•

I will be so sad to see this experience end. I wish we could be perpetual students! I have loved every minute! Thank you.

Gift, cont'd on pg. 10

Todd Graff

Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org

Commissioned Members of the

ILF Class of 2022

Barb Ahlman - St. Ann, Janesville Laurie Archbold - Holy Spirit, Rochester Roxanne Borkowski - Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona Larry Brand - St. Casimir, Wells Charlotte F. Bruining - Resurrection, Rochester Marcie Cowan - St. Ann, Slayton / St. Mary, Lake Wilson / St. Columba, Iona Micki Payne Croat - St. Adrian, Adrian / St. Anthony, Lismore / Our Lady of Good Counsel, Wilmont Amy Crowley - Pax Christi, Rochester Anne Cuccio - Resurrection, Rochester LouAnn Ellringer - Holy Redeemer, Eyota Aaron Franta - St. Peter, Hokah Dale Ralph Gathje - St. Charles Borromeo, St. Charles Chris Handevidt - Good Shepherd, Jackson Rebecca Jensen - St. Columbanus, Blooming Prairie Kelly Kalmes - St. Rose of Lima, Lewiston Sheila Kirkvold - St. Mary, Winona Diane Marie Larson - St. John Vianney, Fairmont Michael Logeais - St. John the Baptist, Mankato Kathleen Mallmann - Pax Christi, Rochester Larry Mihm - Pax Christi, Rochester Joseph Mytych - Holy Spirit, Rochester Theresa Peters - Holy Family, Kasson Edward Rydell - Crucifixion, LaCresent Angela Schultz - St. John Vianney, Fairmont Deb Wobschall - Sacred Heart, Waseca

Other Participating Class Members:

Monica Anderson - Holy Trinity, Litomysl (Commissioned with ILF Class of 2017) Mairin Bierer - St. John the Baptist, Mankato Miranda Camery - St. Columbanus, Blooming Prairie Tom Camery - St. Columbanus, Blooming Prairie Mary Christensen - St. Adrian, Adrian Madonna Fohrman - St. Charles Borromeo, St. Charles Ashley Gossen - St. Rose of Lima, Lewiston Timothy Gossman - St. Mary, Chatfield (Commissioned with ILF Class of 2017) Michael Hill - St. Theodore, Albert Lea Kelly Huber - St. John the Baptist, Mankato Jaci James - St. John the Baptist, Mankato Heidi Miksanek - Resurrection, Rochester Beverly Miller - Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato Kristy Minear - St. Theodore, Albert Lea Lisa M. Rothschild - Holy Spirit, Rochester Kendra Schettler - St. Adrian, Adrian Thomas Speltz - St. Rose of Lima, Lewiston Erica Stiller - Resurrection, Rochester Becky Storey Hunder - St. Charles Borromeo, St. Charles

Awakening Thirst for God

Missionary Discipleship

Susan Windley-Daoust

Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org

�appy Easter to all! ‘Tis the season of the good

news that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and his life, death, and resurrection saves, heals, and transforms our lives. Because he is our friend and our Lord, we each have specific divine plans for our lives, and each one is good. Despite our sinfulness and brokenness, he wills the good for each of us.

That’s not just good news, that is outstanding!

And yet…we have a lot of people who don’t know that. An increasing number of people in our country identify as “nones”--that is, none of the above on the religious affiliation survey check box. This is affecting every religion and denomination in the USA. It is a cultural sweep, especially among our younger generations.

More than one person has asked me how you share the good news, or propose a life of faith, to people who have decided they simply don’t care. And this is a different mission question than we have had in many ages. It’s one thing to ask people who care about who is God and divine existence to consider the good news of Christ in his Church. It’s another thing to try to convince people they should care at all. So I’d like to discuss the challenge of “awakening thirst.”

The Thirst Is There

The thing is, every human being does care about God. We are wired for God because we are body and soul composites–think ensouled bodies or embodied souls. We were created good “out of dust” and our souls are created by God and joined to our tiny bodies at our conception. Because we are inherently spiritual, we are created in a special way for God. Even living with some of the effects of original sin, that longed-for connection with God is not completely severed. And the soul within us knows this. Because of this creation for God, we long for meaning. We find meaning, or make it, when we’re in chaos. We long for intimate connection in healthy

Registration Starts May 15

The Witness of the Eucharist:

a retreat for all Catholics wanting to deepen and share their love of the Eucharist

August 5 (7 p.m.) - August 7 (noon) Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, Winona Co-led by Fr. Jonathan Fasnacht and Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust More information available at:

dow.org/offices/missionary-discipleship/retreats.html

7

and often unhealthy ways. We long to be known as only God can know us. There is a lot of spiritual thirst built into being human.

But so many of us (“nones” or not) have convinced ourselves that we’re not that spiritually thirsty. Everything is fine, or, if it isn’t fine, it’s manageable. I have meditation practices and calming apps and really I’m just too busy to think about this anyway.

Recognizing the importance of spiritual thirst is a good place for us to start. And honestly, it is a lot like physical thirst: Physical thirst is most easily recognized when a person is properly hydrated. That is, if you know what being sated feels like, you recognize thirst. If you have not been spiritually active or alive, you may not easily feel what thirst feels like–or you may confuse it for something else.

Physical thirst sneaks up on you. Being busy, active, etc. can deplete your hydration…and you’re so busy you don’t notice until it is very late (and then you confuse it for something else, see #1 again).

Physical thirst can be temporarily sated with inadequate hydration. Your body wants water, you give it pop. Think of the spiritual equivalent here.

The end result of physical thirst is you could die of it. Your body needs water. The end result of spiritual thirst is you could die of it. You need God. Awakening Thirst

The problem is that thirst must be awakened after it has been dulled to non-recognition. The thirst is there, and people are temporarily “solving” thirst in ways other than God, but it must be woken up. The challenge is: how? Because it is rarely as easy as saying to someone right off the bat “I see a thirst for God in you.” (Maybe very far into the conversation….)

The soul will recognize God even when the mind does not, so sharing the faith with others is important. You don’t need to give lectures, but you do need to live the faith and witness to it when it is appropriate. This is one reason Christians can’t and shouldn’t just hang around comfortably with their own. You are meant to be a city on a hill! That means talking about your faith, especially about Jesus Christ!

What may be helpful to people nervous about this evangelization language is that you are not trying to convince people of anything–awakening thirst rarely involves debate straightaway. You are simply

sharing who you are in a more deliberate way. Bring faith into the conversation when it is warranted.

Drop notes that you are a practicing Catholic (when someone asks what you are doing this weekend, tell them going to Mass!). Ask forgiveness when you need to. Be generous. Be kind. Living the fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:1-2) and letting people know in natural ways you are a practicing Catholic is a life that awakens thirst in others.

Another option is to create opportunities for connecting with God that do not involve Mass. If someone has become convinced that they are nonaffiliated, walking into Mass simply won’t be an attractive move. But faith-communicating options that people can “drop into” may awaken thirst.

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, in my opinion, awakens thirst. And you don’t have to be Catholic to do it! A faith-based music concert–be it sacred music or praise and worship or in between–can awaken thirst. A faith-based art exhibit can awaken thirst. Even coordinated humble service with other faithful people can awaken thirst. These options do not require commitment beyond one event, but they inspire in a way that encourages return…and a recognition of thirst.

Finally, hospitality and first proclamation offerings like Alpha and ChristLife can awaken thirst.

These “all are welcome” opportunities to meals, good conversation, and big questions with Christian answers can awaken thirst in a safe and no expectations environment. If interested, the diocese is hosting a Run Alpha Conference on August 27 in Fairmont–contact me for more information.

Good Enough for Mother Teresa

Some of you may know that St. Teresa of Calcutta and her Missionaries of Charity begin their day serving the poor and dying with one hour of prayer in a chapel with the Eucharistic Lord, a Crucifix, and the words “I thirst” on the wall. Of course, we recall Jesus uttered these words on the cross. But they are a powerful reminder that in order to serve those who thirst (physically and spiritually) we need to tend to our thirst (physically and spiritually). And if our thirst is not perfectly quenched–because that doesn’t come until heaven itself–we stand with Jesus and recognize it, and offer our thirst to be joined with his.

Holy Spirit, awaken our thirst for you! Amen.

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Catholic Schools

8

Connecting and Reconnecting at Cotter Schools, Winona

Marsha Stenzel

Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org

Connecting with Our Community Through Volunteering

Submitted by JANA KORDER

�

otter Schools has had a busy school year. Connecting and reconnecting have become familiar actions for so many. It’s been a long two years. Events were canceled, milestones couldn’t be celebrated with the ones we loved and traditions were paused.

However, this year, we have found ways to connect with others and reconnect with those who have been in our hearts.

7th & 8th Graders Connect at Eagle Bluff

In February, Cotter students in grades 7 & 8 resumed the annual overnight experience of spending time at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro. They had the opportunity to learn and grow in the great outdoors. Students participated in outdoor adventures like Pioneer Life, a high ropes

Sacred Heart Robotics Team Does Well in Competition

By CRYSTAL VANDEVENDER

The following article first appeared in Mower County Independent. It is reprinted here with permission.

�acred Heart’s [Adams] Robotics team has a bright

and promising future in the world of robotics competition. The 2022/2023 Robotics Team is composed of almost all new kids to the team ranging from grades 4 through 6. Sacred Heart has dedicated a room for the team and they practice twice per week to improve their skills and troubleshoot challenges. “The members have learned quickly and have built exceptional robots that are doing very well in competition” states Coach Laura Waksdahl. So far this year, the Sacred Heart teams have competed in two regular tournaments. Team A was awarded the excellence award at one tournament and the design award at the other tournament. Team C earned the

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

course, outdoor group challenges, and spending quality time with their classmates supporting one another. It was a great opportunity for students to connect with one another as well as connect with their teachers.

During Catholic Schools Week, Cotter students in grades 7-12 collected items and monetary support for the Warming Center and Day Center in Winona.

Patrick Michener, Cotter grad from the class of 2017, accepted the donations and a check on behalf of Catholic Charities. Cotter students feel connected to the broader Winona community when they can help meet needs by offering their gifts of time, talent and treasure.

Connecting, cont'd on next page

Reconnecting with Alumni

In the fall of 2021, Cotter Schools held its first annual Friendsgiving. It was nice to welcome back alumni, reconnect with them and give them an opportunity to tour the newly renovated St. Joseph Hall (previously Roger Bacon). Along with starting Friendsgiving as a way of reconnecting, Cotter began publishing a quarterly online newsletter for Cotter Alumni & Friends. “We are committed to strengthening our relationship with our alumni and friends,” stated Cotter President Mary Eileen Fitch. If you would like to receive Cotter’s online newsletter, please email Cotter’s director of communications, Jana Korder (jkorder@cotterschools.org).

design award. All of the teams worked diligently building exceptional robots. One of the high level skills that robotics teaches students is how to make modifications and to use critical thinking skills on how to recognize design issues and find solutions to those problems. All of the teams made changes to their robots throughout the year and continued to improve their skills and rankings throughout the competitions. All three teams qualified and competed at State in early March. At State, all teams made it to finals. The scoring for elementary robotics is similar to that of the secondary teams. Excellence Award: Highest Award: requires an excellent engineering notebook, a quality interview with the judges, along with considering their rankings in qualification and skills matches. Design Award: requires an excellent engineering notebook and quality interview.

Sportsmanship: is voted on by the teams at the event: team show courtesy, helpfulness, teamwork and communication skills.

Sacred Heart has another exceptional team, The Frogbots. They are three brothers, grades 2, 6 and 8 and are coached by their dad, Michael Waksdahl.

They also competed in two regular tournaments this year (one in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin).

They earned the Excellence Award and Teamwork Champion at one tournament; they earned the Design Award and Teamwork Champion at the other tournament. At State they earned the Design Award, Teamwork Champion and Sportsmanship awards.

They have qualified for Worlds, which is May 8-10.

Frogbots

Grades 4-6

Sacred Heart is taking a combined team, composed of members from each team, to the US Open the week of April 4. Coach Laura Waksdahl is impressed with how far these students have progressed since the beginning of the year.

Crystal Vandevender writes for Mower County Independent.

Challenge Grant Met Monica Herman

�

he Diocese of Winona-Rochester Office of Catholic Schools and the Catholic Foundation of Southern Minnesota are pleased to announce the successful completion of a significant matching challenge grant from the Schulze Family Foundation advancing the work of Catholic education. The challenge grant raised over $63,000 from a wide array of benefactors, including DOW-R parishioners and Catholic institutions, for a grand total of more than $88,500 in support of our Catholic elementary schools. The challenge grant, which began during the spring of 2022, will support

next generation of Catholics, ensuring excellence in their education and formation, as we depend on our Catholic schools to proclaim the message of salvation to a world searching for the hope and meaning which can only be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church.

We wish to thank the members of the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for their support of and dedication to Catholic education, and to everyone who contributed to make this matching challenge grant process such a great success.

Catholic Foundation

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

each school with an opportunity to provide professional development on assessments for both students and teachers.

The matching challenge grant will be offered to each individual Catholic elementary school supplying the necessary training for teachers to remain current on new resources and tools for educational improvement. The monies will also be geared toward student assessment and the data it provides to drive curriculum, directly impacting approximately 4,438 children attending Catholic elementary schools across the DOW-R. Catholic education in the Diocese of WinonaRochester is a ministry of the Church which is integral to our faith in Christ, the teacher par excellence, who instructs us all along the path to an abundant life. Catholic schools are an expression of this faith, an invaluable gift to all those attending, and a pledge of future stability for our faith communities. May we continue to support our

9

Congratulations!

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

All Saints New Richland

Immaculate Conception St. Clair

St. Patrick LeRoy

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Winona

St. Finbarr Grand Meadow

St. Rose of Lima Lewiston

St. Ignatius Spring Valley

Connecting, cont'd from pg. 8 Cotter Rock Stars Earlier this year, Cotter students in grades K-6 painted kindness rocks with Cotter art teacher, Jody Berhow. Decorating the rocks connected Cotter students to the wider Winona community by lifting others up through the sharing of friendly faces and inspirational messages. Students will be leaving these rocks around the community for others to find. You never know where you will find one in the future!

Reconnecting with Friends, Families, Alumni and Benefactors at the Cotter Auction

After a two-year hiatus, the annual Cotter Auction returned on Saturday, April 23. Highlighting the newly renovated St. Joseph Hall on the St. Teresa’s Campus (main classroom building for grades 9-12), auction attendees toured the building while enjoy-

ing the cultures and flavors of five countries! Cotter Schools is immensely grateful for our many generous benefactors, community partners, and donors.

It was good to gather in-person, celebrating and reconnecting with our supportive community at the largest (and most impactful!) fundraising event of the year.

Jana Korder is the director of communications for Cotter Schools in Winona.

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

10

Worthington Deanery Youth Dana Petricka

Youth Ministry & Faith Formation

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

�ack in February, I had the privilege of emcee-

ing the Worthington Deanery Youth Event called “Living Our Faith in Love.” Led and hosted by the

Gift, cont'd from pg. 6 •

I love ILF. It is an honor and privilege to be here and learn and grow in faith.

•

It has been amazing to hear The Truth of the The Word and how all the lessons encourage us to spiritual growth! I am Blessed beyond my greatest hope. Jesus is the Center of My Life and this gift of ILF is a great Blessing. Thank you, Jesus!

•

My heart yearns for the Lord and being present with Him is the only place I am fully satisfied. At times it is so strong it is like a hunger. I attribute this spiritual growth to being continually fed through the Lay Institute.

This is the seventh class of the Institute, which began in the diocese in 1998. Including May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Worthington Deanery Social Concerns Roundtable in partnership with the Faith Formation and Youth Ministry Coordinators of the Worthington Deanery, this retreat experience and service day impacted over 180 high schoolers from the area. The Scripture verse for the event was Isaiah 1:17, “[L]earn to do good; make justice your aim; redress the wronged, hear the orphan’s plea, defend the widow,” and multiple community members joined us to discuss serving others and challenged us to pray about our personal calling as disciples of Jesus Christ.

One highlight was a young adult named Angel Lopez Ortiz who came to the United States as an unaccompanied minor eight years ago to find a better life. His beautiful witness of perseverance, faith, and hope hearkened to the difficulties the Holy Family must have faced while fleeing their home for a better life. Angel has since become an accomplished artist and recently won an award for a painting of Mother Teresa, and he is an active member of St. Leo’s in Pipestone.

Another highlight was the number of teens who attended the Sacrament of Confession. Almost every priest from the Worthington Deanery was present at this event (thank you, priests!) to hear confessions, and every priest was busy for the majority of the hour of Adoration and Confession. Our youth truly desire to be in right relationship with the Lord Jesus,

this class, over 300 lay people have participated in the Institute’s formation process, representing 70+ parishes and four church institutions of the diocese. In addition to these lay leaders, 25 of the deacons of our diocese participated in the Institute before entering diaconate formation.

To close on a personal note… I would add that it is the greatest privilege and blessing to work with and get to know our lay formation students who are people of such deep Catholic faith who love Christ and desire sincerely to be of service to His people.

This most recent class has had the unique experience of having to endure the hardships and challenges posed by the COVID pandemic. This has meant an interruption in the formation process with an “interim” period of strictly online learning, changing session schedules and varying modes of virtual and in person instruction, masking for many sessions, etc.

and thank you to our Worthington Deanery Youth Ministry and Faith Formation staff and volunteers who have helped form our young people to desire the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

And, through all of it they have kept a positive and faith-filled spirit, dedicated to growing in their faith and in supporting one another in the journey to deeper discipleship. I have been profoundly blessed to work, pray, learn, reflect, and share faith with them over these past four years! May God continue to bless and be with each of them as disciples of Christ and as lay leaders of our Church – Deo Gratias!

Faith is God’s gift and … it grows thanks to the faith and charity of evangelizers who witness to Christ.

As they travel through the streets of the world, the disciples of Jesus need to have a love without limits, the same measure of love that our Lord has for all people. We proclaim the most beautiful and greatest gifts that He has given us: His life and His love.

-Pope Francis, Message for World Mission Sunday 2016

Rev. Jason Kern Director of Vocations jkern@dowr.org

The content reprinted on this page was created by the Laboure Society, an organization that helps relieve the student loan debt that prevents many from pursuing vocations to consecrated religious life. Featured here is Bailey O'Hare, an aspirant to the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI, who has been a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in Rushford and Pax Christi Parish in Rochester. She is happy to meet with anyone seeking more information regarding Laboure or her own vocation story. Contact her at bailey@rescuevocations.org

11

Vocations May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Young Adults

12

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Professionals Preventing 13 Michael Hanratty

Guardian & Conservator Program Director Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota

�

atholic Charities’ Guardian/Conservator program provides conservatorship services to nearly 50 individuals across the diocese. A conservator is appointed by the court when there is clear evidence that an individual is unable to make their own financial decisions. This is different than a guardianship because it’s specific purview is the financial aspects for a person. Prior to appointment, the court must confirm that less restrictive options such as a Power of Attorney or Living Trust were either ineffective or inappropriate, because conservatorships are the most restrictive option and should only be used if absolutely necessary to manage the financial needs of an individual.

Once established as a conservator, Catholic Charities collects an individual’s assets and moves them into a bank account. This allows the program to pay bills on behalf of the individual in order to ensure that their individual needs are met in a way that maximizes the self-worth and self‐determination of the person subject to conservatorship. The main duty of the conservator is to pay bills, but other duties may include investing assets, selling real estate, selling other personal property, and estate planning.

After being appointed by the court, a conservator has 60 days to inventory the individual’s estate, including any real estate, mortgages, furniture, vehicles, investments, and any other personal property.

This inventory is submitted to the individual, interested parties, and to the court for approval. After the inventory is approved, on an annual basis the conservator must submit an annual accounting of the person’s estate to the individual, interested parties, and the court for approval.

Not only does the court need to approve the annual accounting, there are also two different auditing programs within Minnesota’s court system.

The Conservator Account Auditing Program (CAAP) provides a full audit after the first annual accounting of every individual subject to conservatorship in the state. The CAAP completes a full audit for all individuals whose assets are over $10,000 every four years. The Conservator Account Review Program (CARP) does not do a full audit but rather a thorough account review of the annual accountings for those individuals who are not subject to CAAP’s audits.

CARP reports its findings to the court and, if necessary, recommends a full audit from CAAP. Professional guardians and conservators are held to a very high standard by the court. As members of the National Guardian Association, the Guardian/ Conservator program follows all its professional standards. For conservatorships this includes managing financial affairs in a way that maximizes the dignity of a person, gives priorities to the goals of the individual, weighs the cost and benefits to the person, and encourages the person to act on their own behalf and participate in decisions.

Catholic Charities

Financial Exploitation

Conservators must also keep accurate records of all transactions and follow all program procedures for dispensing funds, including obtaining court approval if necessary. It is very important for the Conservator to exercise the authority necessary to manage the financial business only, and to not exceed that authority.

Financial exploitation can be a serious problem for elderly individuals and vulnerable adults. Occasionally, our program staff have had to intervene to protect the money of the individuals we serve. For example, an individual in our care was convinced by someone on Facebook, who was posing as a celebrity, to send that person money for charity purposes. Catholic Charities intervened and prevented that individual from losing $3,000 to a known scammer. Another example includes Catholic Charities staff discovering that prior to the conservatorship appointment, a family member told the individual they were paying bills on their behalf but was potentially stealing the money and bills were not being paid. Catholic Charities staff gathered evidence, completed an adult protection report, and handed the case over to law enforcement for them to investigate.

Another concern was the use of cash by the individuals we serve. Staff identified concerns with clients being persuaded to give cash to people who should not be receiving money. At the beginning of this year, the Guardian/Conservator program implemented a debit card vender that allows individuals to have better access to their money while allowing staff to monitor the personal needs expenditures.

Since that time, there have been several instances when staff needed to intervene to prevent the people we serve from giving money to unauthorized individuals. These examples demonstrate the important need for conservatorships for our most vulnerable.

If you are aware of someone in need of financial protection the staff of Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota Guardian and Conservatorship Program are here to help. If you have any questions or would like more information, please address them to the program director of the G/C program, Michael Hanratty, at (507) 454-2270 ext. 233 or mhanratty@ccsomn.org.

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Inside the Capitol

14

Minnesota Catholic Conference

Inside the Capitol April 1 & 22, 2022

4-1-2022 Bishops Meet with State Leaders to Advocate for Families, the Poor and Vulnerable, and the Common Good

Each spring, the bishops from Minnesota’s six dioceses who comprise the Minnesota Catholic Conference convene in St. Paul to meet with the Governor and key state legislators. The annual day of meetings, which typically occurs around the mid-point of the legislative session, helps give momentum to the advocacy of MCC staff, who are tasked with bringing the bishops’ legislative concerns to the attention of lawmakers.

This year, the bishops focused their conversations with Governor Tim Walz, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman, Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller, and other key legislative leaders, on strengthening family economic security by creating a Minnesota Child Tax Credit, combating homelessness by assisting the work of emergency shelters, providing equitable funding to nonpublic pupil aid programs, and opposing the legalization of online sports gambling.

As always, these conversations showcase an excellent model of faithful citizenship. Even during points of disagreement, the bishops and legislative leaders engaged in civil dialogue as all recognize that these are difficult issues with myriad considerations. The Church’s advocacy is principled, not partisan, thereby allowing Catholics to work collaboratively across the political spectrum.

The policy advocacy of our bishops offers a credible witness to the Gospel and is an expression of their pastoral care for all people in the community, especially the poor and vulnerable. By modeling principled advocacy, our Bishops help our elected officials come to view the Church as a home for people to know, love, and serve the Lord.

MCC Joins Effort to Stop Anytime, Anywhere Sports Gambling Platforms from Entering Minnesota

Minnesota’s Catholic Bishops joined a coalition of faith leaders from Minnesota’s Jewish, Muslim, and Protestant communities to express their opposition to the legalization of commercial sports gambling via a letter delivered to the Governor and every member of Minnesota House and Senate.

The letter—which was spearheaded by our partner organization, the Joint Religious

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

Legislative Coalition (JRLC)—lays out concerns, not only from a moral perspective, but addresses the very real costs of gambling and the damage that would be created by normalizing mobile gambling.

The fact that the letter was signed by diverse array of nearly two dozen faith leaders ranging from rabbis in Duluth, to outstate Protestant leaders, to Muslim imams in the Twin Cities, highlights the underreported reality that the push by sports gambling companies to enter Minnesota is not as widely embraced as lawmakers may have been led to believe.

You can go to www.mncatholic.org/gambling to find and read the full letter.

4-22-2022

Politics—the great conversation about how we order our life together—should focus first on meeting the needs of the most vulnerable among us (cf. Matthew 25). Thousands of well-meaning proposals have been introduced by legislators.

Limitations on time and resources mean priorities must be set. As House and Senate committees held hearings to decide those priorities, Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) advocated for two important proposals that would show a “preferential option for the poor and vulnerable.”

Expanding MinnesotaCare for Children of Undocumented Immigrants

Like any basic element of life, health care sustains us, is necessary for development, and should be accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, undocumented immigrants in Minnesota are unable to obtain any health insurance, including MinnesotaCare, a state-subsidized health plan designed for low-income people above the poverty line. MCC offered testimony in support of legislation (H.F 4307/S.F. 4013) that would make eligibility for MinnesotaCare available to undocumented, noncitizen children under the age of 19.

Among other reasons, expanding MinnesotaCare to this population makes practical sense as a matter of prudent stewardship of resources. Currently, the undocumented population is only able to receive care in emergency rooms, where it is legally required—the most expensive settings of our health care system. This eligibility expansion would allow undocumented children to receive care in a less costly primary care setting, as well as access preventative health care.

Action Alert Lawmakers are attempting to make Minnesota the land of anytime, anywhere gambling by allowing sports betting to be available through mobile apps. We must not unleash a new source of addiction and deprivation just so a privileged few can have a bit more fun watching a ballgame.

Call your state legislators and ask them to oppose H.F. 778/S.F. 574, the sports betting bill. You can also visit our Action Center to find ways to get engaged on this important issue: www.mncatholic.org/actioncenter Supporting the Catholic Tradition of Ministry to the Homeless Minnesota’s Emergency Services Grant Program helps shelter providers to better respond to the homelessness crisis. The grants assist those serving the homeless, such as Catholic Charities, as they guide their clients to the services they need to overcome chronic homelessness, such as employment counseling, medical care, substance abuse and psychological help, and transitional housing.

State funding of the program was minimal in the past, so that even with the significant investments made last year, the need is still far greater than the available resources. Therefore, MCC is advocating for a supplemental appropriation for the program (H.F. 3294/S.F. 3143).

In many instances, those who suffer from chronic homelessness find themselves in that situation because of a nexus with substance abuse, mental health, and a lack of connection with friends or family—not to mention unstable employment.

Shelters, nonprofits, and charitable organizations cannot meet the financial need only through their philanthropic resources. They must be assisted by state dollars to continue their efforts to find creative ways to combat chronic homelessness.

Ongoing homelessness in a state with such fiscal abundance remains a scandal.

Happy Mother's Day from the W-RDCCW!

By ELEANORE JONES

�appy Mother’s Day to all mothers living and dead.

Obituaries

Sister M. René Lorentz, SSND, 101, professed in 1940, died April 2, 2022, at Our Lady of Good Counsel, Mankato.

M a r y Catherine Lorentz was born in 1920 in Mankato and attended Ss. Peter & Paul Elementary School and Good Counsel Academy.

She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame following her high school graduation in 1937. At her reception into the novitiate she was given the name Sister M. René. Her college courses prepared her to be a secondary social studies/history teacher, and she earned both an M.A. and PhD in history. The latter degree enabled her to teach young sisters in the teacher preparation college (a branch of Mount Mary College, Milwaukee) located on Good Counsel Hill. She had a variety of teaching experiences ranging from high school to college and finally to teaching fifth and sixth graders at All Saints in Madison Lake (1996-2005). She also taught one year at Good Counsel Academy (1959-60). In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she served as dean of the Good Counsel campus college and as coordinator of apostolate on the SSND Provincial Council. During her years in Mankato, she also was a member of the Winona Diocesan Pastoral Council.

Sister René’s funeral was held April 20, with Father Joe Fogal presiding. Sister René is survived by a nephew and several cousins and the members of her religious community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Elizabeth (Leonard) Lorentz; a sister, Betty Carroll; and a brother who died in infancy.

Adoration, cont'd from pg. 5

takes place in the tabernacle, and not the usual monstrance.

The practice of adoring the Lord in the tabernacle is much older than adoration in the monstrance. During the Sacred Triduum, many of the oldest customs of the Church are followed, and out of respect for this custom, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place in this way.

This adoration takes place after the Eucharistic procession to the Altar of Reposition. This procession symbolizes the disciples accompanying the Lord to pray with Him in the garden of Gethsemane and remaining with Him on the eve of His sacrifice. It was on this night that the Lord asked His disciples, “would you not keep watch one hour with me?” During the procession, the beautiful and ancient hymn Pange Lingua composed by St. Thomas Aquinas is sung.

Holy Thursday is indeed a night for Eucharistic Adoration and prayer with the Lord. Most parishes have times of adoration at the Altar of Reposition that continue late in the evening, some even going until midnight.

On Good Friday, adoration again takes place, but the adoration on this day is unique. The Good Friday adoration is adoration of the Cross. At first glance, this may seem strange, since the Cross of our Lord is not our Lord Himself, and we might think it inappropriate. But the adoration of the cross takes place in a very mystical sense.

This ceremony of adoration began in Jerusalem after the remains of the True Cross of our Lord were discovered by St. Helena. Each year on Good Friday these relics of our Lord’s Cross were offered for adoration to the faithful, who gave

Heart of Mary to petition me to ask for this small act of reparation. And, out of regard for her, to move my mercy to pardon those souls who have had the misfortune to offend her. As for you, seek endlessly, with your prayers and sacrifices, to move me to mercy in regard to these poor souls. Saturday evening Mass will count for a First Saturday Mass.

W-RDCCW puts out a quarterly e-news, “Connecting Catholic Women.” It contains information on what CCW is doing. If you would like to receive it, contact Barb Hussong at sbhussong@gmail.com.

Eleanore Jones is the president of the Winona-Rochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

15 In the Diocese

Honor Mary this month with a special place in your home. She raised Jesus, and she will also help us raise our children. Pray the rosary daily! A daily rosary was always said in my home when I was growing up. When I was ten, my parents took me to a Rosary Rally given by Father Patrick Payton, at the fairgrounds in a neighboring town. Remember: “the family that prays together stays together!” The rosary has been our stronghold through raising our children. We always said the rosary daily, and Bill and I continue to do so.

Pope Francis and bishops have consecrated Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. We as Catholics are asked to do our part as requested by Our Lady to make Five Consecutive First Saturdays.

We are asked to go to Confession, receive Holy Communion, say five decades of the Rosary, and keep Mary company for a quarter of an hour, meditating on the mysteries of the Rosary. The Blessed Mother explained the Five First Saturdays to Lucia on Dec. 10, 1925, and in a 1930 locution from Jesus to Sister Lucia. The Five Saturdays devotion is in response to the five kinds of offenses and blasphemies spoken against the Immaculate Heart of Mary: first, blasphemies against the Immaculate Conception; second, against her perpetual virginity; third, against the Divine Maternity, refusing, at the same time, to receive her as the Mother of mankind; fourth, those who seek publicity to implant, in the hearts of children, indifference, disrespect and even hatred for this Immaculate Mother; fifth, those who revile her directly in her sacred images. Jesus told Lucia: Here, dear daughter, is the motive that led the Immaculate

solemn worship to God during this ceremony.

As the custom spread throughout the world, there were certainly not enough pieces of the cross to be possessed by every parish, so the adoration of the cross took place with the cross that was used on the altar for Mass.

While we do not adore a piece of wood, in the Adoration of the Cross, we adore God’s love that is present in His sacrifice of the Cross. In adoring His love, we adore Christ Himself. And so our humble act of adoration on Good Friday is an act that adores the love of Christ which was manifested to its fulness when He ascended the cross. This act of adoration during the Good Friday liturgy may take place in a procession where each person has a chance to adore individually, or, if numbers are large, the adoration may take place collectively, where everyone is invited to adore together.

There is no formal ending to the Good Friday service, so that the cross may remain after the liturgy, surrounded by candles, and people may continue to adore our Lord in an atmosphere of quiet prayer.

The three days of the Sacred Triduum of the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ are days that have unique liturgical ceremonies and customs. The times of adoration allow us to show our love for Christ and His sacrifice. During this adoration, we speak from the heart to Jesus and draw very near to Him. May our lives be filled with adoration of the Lord, and may these times prepare us for the day when we will see the Lord face to face, and adore His beautiful image forever in heaven.

Fr. Patrick Arens is the director of divine worship for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. He is also the rector of the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka and the pastor of St. John Nepomucene parish in Winona.

Rite of Candidacy

Congratulations to Cullen Gallagher (2nd from L) and Riley Becher (2nd from R), seminarians for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, who received the Rite of Candidacy at Pax Christi Church in Rochester on Saturday, April 9. Through this rite, the two seminarians publicly expressed their intention to receive holy orders. They are pictured here with Diocese of WinonaRochester's Director of Vocations Fr. Jason Kern and Bishop John M. Quinn.

May 2022 w The Courier w dowr.org

May 2022

•

The Courier

Ideology Obstructs Beauty The Televised Mass Is Offered Every Sunday of Family, Pope Says

By JUNNO AROCHO ESTEVES, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Families play an important role in a society's development when ideologies are not imposed upon them, Pope Francis said.

The family is the "primary planter of the tree of gratuitousness," and when civilization "uproots" that gift, "its decline becomes unstoppable," the pope said April 29.

"I believe that there are certain conditions for rediscovering the beauty of the family. The first is to remove from the mind's eye the 'cataract' of ideologies that prevent us from seeing reality," he said.

Pope Francis addressed members of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, who were holding a plenary meeting April 27-29 at the Vatican on the role of the family and "the challenge of love."

The family is "almost always at the top of the scale of values" for people around the world, the pope said, because "it is inscribed in the very nature of woman and man."

For this reason, marriage and the family are not "purely human institutions despite the many changes they have undergone over the centuries and the cultural and spiritual differences between peoples," he said.

But, he said, families can become "isolated and fragmented in the context of society" when they are viewed "in an individualistic and private way, as is somewhat the case in the West."

When that happens, the pope said, "the social functions that the family exercises among individ-

Audit,

uals and in the community are lost, especially in relation to the weakest, such as children, persons with disabilities and the elderly."

Instead, families must continue to be "a place of welcome," especially "where there are fragile or disabled members," the pope said. In that way, they become an example of "love and patient endurance in life's difficulties."

Society, he added, also benefits from the example of adoptive and foster families.

"As we know, the family is the principal antidote to poverty, both material and spiritual, just as it is to the problem of demographic decline and irresponsible motherhood and fatherhood," he said.

Departing from his prepared remarks, the pope highlighted the "serious" nature of declining birthrates as well as "irresponsible" parenting, which he did not define.

"These two things are worth noting. The demographic winter is a serious matter," he said.

"Here in Italy it is serious compared to other countries in Europe. It cannot be left aside, it is serious. And the irresponsibility of motherhood and fatherhood is another serious thing that must be addressed to help prevent it from happening."

Pope Francis said that through the help of other people and institutions, the family can become "a bond of perfection and a relational good the more it allows its own nature to flourish."

"A 'family-friendly' society is possible because society is born and evolves with the family," he said.

cont'd from pg. 2 While the commission will be part of the dicastery that deals with the sexual abuse of minors by members of the clergy, the pope said, the president will be independent and appointed by the pope. "I have made your leadership and personnel distinct, and you will continue to relate directly with me through your president delegate," who has been Cardinal O'Malley since 2014. The cardinal has also been a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 2017.

The pope told the commission that he still wants them to provide "a proactive and prospective vision of the best practices and procedures that can be implemented in the entire church" and to "propose better methods to enable the church to protect minors and vulnerable persons and to assist the healing of survivors, in the recognition that justice and prevention are complementary."

While many "important seeds" have been planted, "much remains to be done," he said, and the reform "marks a new beginning."

The pope told commission members it will be their responsibility "to expand the scope of this mission in such a way that the protection and care of those who have experienced abuse may become normative in every sector of the church's life."

This will require close collaboration with the doctrinal dicastery and all the other dicasteries of the Roman Curia for the commission's own benefit and so "your work can enrich in turn that of the Curia and the local churches."

Cases of the abuse of minors by clergy have been decreasing for several years, he said, at least in places where reliable data and sources are available.

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

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

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

Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 NEYC at 9:30 a.m.

Digital Channel 7 (DirecTV) or Channel 11 (DISH) KMNF at 9 a.m.

Rochester/Austin/Mason City KIMT Channel 3 at 7:30 a.m.

MyTV 3.2 at 9 a.m.

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

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

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

The data is essential, the pope told the commission, so "I would like you, on an annual basis, to prepare for me a report on the church's initiatives for the protection of minors and vulnerable adults."

The aim, he said, is "to furnish a reliable account on what is presently being done and what needs to change, so that the competent authorities can act."

He also encouraged them to help meet other "more immediate needs," such as "the welfare and pastoral care of persons who have experienced abuse."

He praised the commission for providing many opportunities to meet with and listen to survivors, saying they have been "of great help in my pastoral mission to all those who have turned to me following their painful experiences."

"For this reason, I urge you to assist conferences of bishops in establishing suitable centers where individuals who have experienced abuse, and their family members, can find acceptance and an attentive hearing, and be accompanied in a process of healing and justice," as indicated in "Vos Estis Lux Mundi," which established procedures for reporting allegations of sexual abuse and for holding accountable bishops and religious superiors who protect abusers.

He reiterated that the presidents of bishops' conferences are supposed to "establish commissions and the means needed to implement processes of care for persons who have been abused, with all the methods (of best practices) that you have, and for punishing abusers. And you must oversee this. I encourage you, please."

"Abuse in any form is unacceptable," Pope Francis said, and "the sexual abuse of children is particularly grave, as an offense against a life that is just beginning to flower."

"Instead of flourishing, one who is abused is deeply injured, at times permanently," he said.

Marsha Stenzel,

cont'd from pg. 1 and parents in the Diocese have been affected by Marsha’s love and commitment to education, compassion and kindness toward all, strong work ethic and positive leadership style. She has set the standard for future diocesan leaders in Catholic education.

Looking forward, the Diocese will begin the process of filling the Superintendent role in the next week or so. It is the goal to bring a new person on board by July 1, 2022. I am most grateful that Marsha has agreed to stay on in a limited capacity once a new person is hired, in order to have as smooth of a transition as possible.

Congratulations to Marsha on her well-deserved retirement. May God bless her and her family (especially Larry) as she begins a new chapter in her life.

Sincerely in Christ,

+John M. Quinn