The Courier - September 2023

The COURIER

Going Out Through the Door Into the SwelterIng heat

By DEB MCMANIMON

�hen I talk to groups about evangelization, I always share this quote from Pope Francis: "We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities when so many people are waiting for the Gospel! ... It's not enough simply to open the door in welcome, but we must go out through that door to seek and meet the people."

Each time our St. Paul Street Evangelization teams go out, we are doing just what our Holy Father has urged us to do. We are also following the call of our own shepherd, Bishop Barron, who reminds us of the urgency of the mission of evangelization. Sometimes we talk to and pray for those who know nothing about God, and we can talk about why we believe in Him. Sometimes we talk to and pray for those who have a Protestant faith background, and we can share why we are Catholic or just plant a seed for the Lord to nurture. Sometimes we talk to and pray for those who have left the Church, and we can invite them to come home. Sometimes we talk to and pray for those who are faithful Catholics, and we can witness to the call we all have to share our faith with others. Oftentimes we encounter all of these in our time on the street. Today (August 22, 2023) was one of those days.

Today when we went out, I think it was the hottest day of the summer so far this year (it got to 97 with a heat index in the triple digits). We went out a little earlier than usual to try to beat the worst of the heat and because Bishop Barron was going to join us on the Peace Plaza in downtown Rochester. As usual, we prayed before we went to the Plaza for those we would meet and for all of our evangelists. Before the Bishop joined us, we set up our prayer stations and began talking to and praying with people.

A man who worked at a nearby restaurant walked by, and we asked if he would like a blessed medal or prayer. He stopped to talk and told us he used to be Catholic. I said, “Tell me what happened.” He told us that there were many things, but the tipping point was when he got hollered at during Confession. He said after that, he just left. His mom told him later, that she had a dream that he would have a problem during Confession. I apologized for that happening, and we prayed for him. He wanted to pray for the priest, so we also named him and prayed for him. The man had to leave, so we told him that we would continue to pray for him in our adoration chapel.

Our evangelist Laurie recognized a young man who was working on filming some people who were part of PossAbilities - a group that works with those with disabilities. Several of the young adults in the group came over to look at our medals and talk to our evangelist.

Sweltering Heat, cont'd on pg. 16

The Native American Girls'

School in Avoca:

Reaching Through Time, History, Faith and Culture in Southwestern Minnesota

By LISA KREMER, OFS

� was blessed to grow up in the little village of Avoca in southwestern Minnesota. It was a place where everyone knew everyone, and we all knew something about our past. When I was very young, my aunt, who loved to make up stories for us, would take us for walks along Lime Lake in Avoca on the “Indian Path.” There was a path there to follow, but I don’t know if it was a yarn that my aunt wove to entertain us, or if there was truth in that identity of the path. I suspect the former, but now realize that in the process of the story my aunt was teaching us that it was the land of the Sioux long before our people (mainly the German, Irish and Scandinavians) arrived in Avoca. Before many whites came to the region, the Sioux were driven out to the reservations, making way for a great

Girls' School, cont'd on pg. 10

Bishop Barron with St. Paul Street Evangelists in Rochester on August 22.

Pope Francis: 'Rigidity Is Bad, but Firmness Is Good'

By CINDY WOODEN, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - Christians must stand firm in their faith but that is not the same as being rigid and unwilling to bend out of compassion for another, Pope Francis said.

God is love and "the one who loves does not remain rigid. Yes, they stand firm, but not rigid; they do not remain rigid in their own positions, but allow themselves to be moved and touched," the pope said Aug. 20 before reciting the midday Angelus prayer with an estimated 10,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square.

Among the crowd were 29 seminarians who had just arrived to begin their studies at the Pontifical North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome. Pope Francis gave them a shoutout and wished them "a good formation journey."

Officials

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

Faculties

Deacon Sean Costello: granted diaconal faculties in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, effective August 3, 2023.

Parochial Vicar

Rev. Dharmendra Pasala: currently Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart Parish in Owatonna, St.

In his main talk, Pope Francis commented on the day's Gospel reading, Mt 15:21-28, which tells the story of the Canaanite woman who asked Jesus to heal her daughter. At first, Jesus brushes her off since she is not Jewish. But he sees her persistent faith and grants her request.

"Later," the pope said, "the Holy Spirit would push the church to the ends of the world," but at that point Jesus was preaching to the Jews.

"Faced with her concrete case, he becomes even more sympathetic and compassionate," the pope said. "This is what God is like: he is love, and the one who loves does not remain rigid."

"Love is creative," he said. "And we Christians who want to imitate Christ, we are invited to be open to change."

Rigidity, cont'd on pg. 10

We pray for those persons living on the margins of society, in inhumane life conditions; may they not be overlooked by institutions and never considered of lesser importance.

Joseph Parish in Owatonna, and Christ the King Parish in Medford; appointed Parochial Vicar of St. Ann Parish in Slayton, St. Columba Parish in Iona, St. Mary Parish in Lake Wilson, St. Gabriel Parish in Fulda, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Currie, and St. Anthony Parish in Westbrook, effective August 1, 2023.

Clergy Personnel Committee

Very Rev. Jeffrey Dobbs: appointed to the Clergy Personnel Committee, effective July 26, 2023, and for the remainder of the time he is Dean.

507-454-8106

nreller@dowr.org

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

Very Rev. Peter Schuster: appointed to the Clergy Personnel Committee, effective July 26, 2023, and for the remainder of the time he is Dean.

Ministerial Standards Board

Deacon Sean Costello: appointed to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Ministerial Standards Board, effective July 26, 2023, and for the remainder of time he is Superintendent of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.

Minnesota Catholic Conference

Deacon Sean Costello: appointed to a three-year term on the Minnesota Catholic Conference Education Committee, effective July 26, 2023.

Senior Status

Rev. James Callahan: currently Pastor of St. Mary Parish in Worthington; granted Senior Priest status, effective September 11, 2023.

Deacon Vernon Behrends: currently assigned to diaconal ministry at St. Mary Parish in Worthington; granted Senior Deacon status, effective July 26, 2023.

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.

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Pope Francis greets visitors in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus Aug. 20, 2023. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)

Some Thoughts on World Youth Day in Lisbon

resolving the potential tension between those identities. And as always before, this one centered around the presence of the successor St. Peter, the visible sign of the Church’s unity. Though Pope Francis is, by any measure, an old man, he, by virtue of his office and his personal charisma, drew young people to him like a magnet. By some estimates a million and a half people showed up for the closing Mass.

when I was a student in their country. And I urged them not to cave into the fashionable secularism of our age, an ideology that effectively kills the spirit.

�’ve just returned from World Youth Day in Lisbon, my fourth experience of this unique gathering. I had attended the celebrations in Madrid (2011), Krakow (2016) and Panama (2019), but in many ways this one was, for me, the most memorable. First, a few general remarks. I believe that World Youth Day is one of Pope John Paul II’s greatest gifts to the Catholic Church, its appeal continuing unabated some forty years after it was launched. Though naysayers have consistently predicted, or even called for, its demise, this international confab of young Catholics shows no signs of running out of steam. As is always the case, this WYD in Lisbon featured armies of kids from practically every nation on earth, simultaneously celebrating their nationalities and their common Catholic affiliation, effortlessly

Bishop's Calendar

*indicates all are welcome to attend

September 2, Saturday

3:30 p.m. - Blessing of Our Lady of Guadalupe Free ClinicWorthington

*5 p.m. - Mass -St. Mary Parish, Worthington

September 3, Sunday

*10 a.m. - Mass and Installation of Pastor - St. Matthew Parish, Vernon Center

I had the privilege of speaking on five separate occasions in Lisbon. My first engagement was with a huge crowd of young people from France. Because I had studied in Paris for my doctorate and hence had some facility in the language, the French bishops had asked me to address this group. When I arrived at the venue - an expansive area near the Tagus river - the French kids were dancing to and singing with a very energetic band onstage. Then they were regaled by a video presentation from a very popular French footballer, who evidently lives his Catholic faith with enthusiasm. Judging from their boisterous reaction, I gathered that they were delighted that this sports hero was on their own spiritual team. Next, I came out, clutching my prepared text more than a little nervously, since I hadn’t spoken French in public for nearly thirty years. But the kids seemed able to tolerate my American accent. I spoke to them of their own marvelous spiritual heritage, expressed so richly in the great cathedrals of Amiens, Reims, Notre Dame de Paris, and Chartres, buildings that had sung so powerfully to me

September 7, Thursday

11 a.m. - Holy Hour & Deans Meeting - Resurrection, Rochester

2 p.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee - Resurrection, Rochester

September 8, Friday

*6 p.m. - Ordination of Seminarian Joshua Miller to the Transitional Diaconate - Sacred Heart Parish, Waseca

September 9, Saturday

*10 a.m. - Marriage Anniversary Mass - St. John the Baptist Parish, Minnesota Lake

My next talk took place the following day in a charming auditorium at the University of Lisbon. At the invitation of the Vatican Dicastery for Culture and Education, I had been asked to address a group of teachers, professors, and administrators on the topic of Catholic education. Taking my cues from St. Bonaventure and St. John Henry Newman, I argued that Christ the Logos must stand at the heart of the circle of university disciplines and that he does so non-competitively, not compromising the integrity of the other subjects, but rather making them more luminous and beautiful. I was particularly moved by the eagerness and enthusiasm of the young scholars and aspiring teachers who listened to me that afternoon.

Then that evening, I gave an extended homily at the Benediction service offered to over 12,000 young Americans who had assembled in a large park in the northern section of Lisbon. The weather was perfect, the mood was festive and yet prayerful, and when the Eucharist was brought forth, a very moving silence fell over the massive throng. I spoke to the young people about proclaiming the real Christ and not a watered-down simulacrum. When the real Jesus is declared, I said, hearts are set on fire. I concluded my remarks that night with the reminder that, though our culture is obsessed with safety, a religion that places before

September 11-13, MondayWednesday

USCCB Committee MeetingsWashington, D.C.

September 16-18, SaturdayMonday

Speaker - The Harvard Catholic Forum, Cambridge, MA

September 19, Tuesday

11:30 a.m. - Holy Half Hour and Presbyteral Council - Pax Christi Parish, Rochester

our eyes on a regular basis the image of a man nailed to a cross is not a religion that puts a high premium on safety! The Church is not interested so much in keeping us safe as preparing us for spiritual adventure and the embrace of our mission.

My fourth presentation was the next day at a gorgeous church in downtown Lisbon. Five hundred or so young people were packed into that space for one of the official dialogue-catecheses. This year Pope Francis wanted the bishops not simply to speak to the youth but to enter into conversation with them. My formal discourse was on the true nature of freedom. In the presence of an eerily life-like statue of John Paul II perched against the side-wall, I told the crowd that authentic freedom is not doing what one pleases, but instead the disciplining of desire so as to make the achievement of the good first possible and then effortless. As obvious examples, I laid out the process whereby one becomes a free speaker of a foreign language or a free player of the piano or free golfer. In all of those cases, freedom is tantamount to the interiorization of the relevant disciplines, laws, and practices - and most certainly not to mere liberty or license. I very much enjoyed the subsequent discussion I had with a panel of young people. Our topic was social media, and I was not altogether surprised to hear that their assessment was decidedly more negative than positive.

The fifth and final talk was a session with a large group of well over a thousand. At the Pope’s request, this gathering

September 20, Wednesday

7 p.m. - Confirmation MassSt. Bernard Parish, Stewartville; with St. Bridget, Simpson

September 21, Thursday

9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour and College of Consultors Meeting

- Winona

September 23, Saturday

*5 p.m. - Confirmation MassSt. Mary Parish, Worthington

was to be more contemplative than instructional. Thus, there was a Eucharistic procession and Benediction and afterwards I spoke on the nature of prayer. I emphasized that prayer is best construed as a conversation between friends, involving both talking and listening, both words and silence.

From the Bishop

I made the practical recommendations that they should take up the rosary and the Jesus prayer and should make a daily holy hour before the Blessed Sacrament a priority.

In the midst of my pilgrimage, I made a visit to the Shrine at Fatima, located about an hour and a half outside of Lisbon. I found it to be one of those curiously radioactive places - like Lourdes, like Chartres, like Jerusalem - a spot where heaven and earth seemed to meet. Particularly moving to me were the tombs of the two shepherd children - Jacinta and Francisco - that are located in the basilica, not far from the little grove of trees where the Mother of God spoke to them in 1917. I will admit that the week was a tad grueling: lots of speeches, lots of walking, enormous crowds of people everywhere. But it was exhilarating as well and full of grace.

-Most Rev. Robert Barron, Bishop of Winona-Rochester

September 24, Sunday

*10:30 a.m. - Confirmation Mass - Good Shepherd Parish, Jackson; with St. Luke, Sherburn; and St. Joseph, Lakefield

September 24-27, SundayWednesday

Presbyteral Days - Okoboji, IA

September 28 - October 30, Thursday-Monday

Synod on Synodality - Vatican City

Non Nisi Te Domine

Bishop Robert Barron

Lifeguarding and Why We Can't Wade In

�t’s late summer and people are swimming. What better time to offer a parable for becoming an evangelizing parish?

Once there �as a person �alk�ng by the sea, and he saw a man swimming, but in trouble. It wasn’t abundantly obvious, but it was clear once this person watched for a moment. One also saw and decided to ignore him, saying “he made his own choices.” Another pointed to him and said to others, see, this is what happens when you don’t practice water safety (and then he posted this on social media). Another pretended he didn’t see that person. Another decided this was a real shame, and she should create a committee to make sure people are more educated on water safety. Another decided to look for a lifeguard, and finding none, wrung his hands and shook his head, walking away. Another decided to shout instructions to the panicked man, which he couldn’t hear. Finally, another saw there was a life preserver on a line, and decided to throw it to the drowning man, and pulled him in. He stayed with him until it was clear he was okay, and offered him a ride to the hospital in case he inhaled water, etc.

Which one did the will of his Heavenly Father?

“The person who threw the life preserver line.”

And Jesus said go and do likewise….

Now, honestly, I have been on that literal shoreline, and when people realize that a person is drowning, almost everyone snaps into action. If there is a lifeguard, he or she moves immediately. People stop to focus, pray, support, and call 911 or recruit someone who knows CPR. People hold hands with the family looking on in a panic. People snap to action to save and protect physical life.

The thing is, in a post-Christian world, there are a lot of people spiritually drowning. They are lonely, depressed, anxious, trapped in sinful behaviors, and confused about who they are. They are addicted to solutions that are not God, and they fail that person. These people have not heard the good news that Jesus Christ is for them, not against them, and has come to save. They do not know that God loves them as they are and too much to keep them where they are. And yet, we have baptized lay people who don’t recognize they have been called and empowered by God to be a lifeguard for this person.

Let’s go back to the parable. Imagine there was a person wading in the water, telling that drowning person he needs to get used to the water, learn how to swim, and he’ll be there when he’s ready. And he begins with dipping his toe in. Right…that person doesn’t exist. Because the person drowning needs help immediately. If the person can’t swim, he throws a preserver from shore, or gets a lifeguard.

How often in a parish context do we “dip our toe” into becoming an evangelizing parish? Training people for evangelization and accompaniment, investing in radical hospitality, and just getting out there and sharing the life-preserver good news that Jesus Christ is present here and now to save you?

The situation is indeed that serious, and we should not be afraid. God is in favor of good evangelization, trust me. But the lesson of this parable is you need to commit to helping the spiritually drowning.

Some discussion questions for you, and your brothers and sisters in the faith:

1. Do we really believe that people around us are spiritually drowning?

2. What does it look like to be spiritually drowning?

3. And what do we do? If we don’t know what to do, how do we rectify that?

4. Are we guilty of “wading in”?

5. What is the difference between prudential judgment and the courage of mission?

Susan Windley-Daoust Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org

Catholic in Recovery, Southern Minnesota YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

We �elcome all Cathol�cs who are interested in recovery from addiction and deepening their relationship with Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.

To learn more, reach out to the leaders below, or go to https://catholicinrecovery.com/

Contact Susan Windley-Daoust (swindley@ dowr.org) if you want to learn how to start a new group.

Rochester Catholic in Recovery (General Recovery Group)

Holy Spirit Church, Rochester. St. Joseph Room

Sundays at 7:30 p.m.

Contact: Peter at flies.pete@gmail.com or 507-696-7437

Austin Catholic in Recovery (General Recovery Group)

Queen of Angels Church, Austin, St. Francis Room (basement)

Thursdays at 7:00 p.m.

Contact: Jane at 218-429-1522, or Paul at 218-429-1662 or paulonrabbit@yahoo.com

Wheat, Weeds, and the Fields of Our Lives

Todd Graff Director of Lay Formation &

Jesus proposed another parable to the crowds, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off. When the crop grew and bore fruit, the weeds appeared as well….

His slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull [the weeds] up?’

He replied, ‘No, if you pull up the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. Let them grow together until harvest.’”

-Matthew 13:24-26, 28b-30a

greetings of Peace in these summer days!

This summer, as we moved on Sundays through the Gospel of Matthew, we heard a series of parables about the “kingdom of heaven” from the middle of the gospel. As we know, Jesus often used references from the natural world in his teaching and parables. Such was the case on the Sixteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time when we heard what is often called, “The Parable of the Weeds and the Wheat” [Matthew 13:24-30].

In his Angelus Address that afternoon in Saint Peter’s Square, Pope Francis offered a beautiful and challenging reflection on this gospel which I believe merits our prayerful attention and discernment. I would like to share some of this address with you.

Pope Francis reflects on this text by seeing “the field” in the parable as representing three different kinds of “fields” in our human experience.

The Field of Our World

First, Jesus’ reference to the farmer’s field can be seen to represent the world we live in. In this field, as in our world, God sows good things (the “wheat”) and the evil one sows bad (the “weeds”). Both the wheat and the weeds, the good and the bad, grow up together in the field, our world. And, our Holy Father says that this is the reality that we see “in the news, in society, and even in the family and the Church.” The good and the bad are present together.

So, the question is how to deal with the evil that is around us. The temptation for us, he says, is to want to tear out the bad weeds immediately and to make a “clean sweep” in order to protect the good wheat. But, Pope Francis says that Jesus warns us against this approach in the parable: “one cannot create a perfect world, and one cannot do good by hastily destroying what is bad, because this results in even worse effects.”

The Field of Our Heart

Pope Francis does believe that there is a “field where we can clean up: it is the field of our heart.” In this field as well, there are wheat and weeds, good and bad, and it is from these personal fields of our hearts that the good and bad moves out and expands into the larger field of our world. Within the field of our heart, we have the freedom “to cultivate it properly” – to protect and nurture “the delicate shoots of goodness,” and “to identify and uproot the weeds, at the right time.”

We have an excellent spiritual tool to guide us in this process. It is called an examination of conscience. The Pope describes this as “seeing what happened today in my life, what struck my heart and which decisions I made. And this is precisely to verify, in the light of God, where the bad weeds and the good seed are.” (An Ignatian prayer practice called the examen, which incorporates such daily discernment, is a most helpful spiritual practice. You can learn more about the examen at the Loyola Press website, “Try the Daily Examen.”)

An essential piece to this, for me, is the virtue of humility. I am able to know in this field of my heart, like Pope Francis, that "I am a sinner." And, from this place of humility and spiritual vulnerability, I can open myself to pray for the grace of conversion and for God’s mercy to bring healing and forgiveness.

The Neighbor's Field

The third “field” Pope Francis offers for our spiritual reflection is “the neighbor’s field.” In this field are “the people we associate with every day, and whom we often judge.” As he notes, it is very easy for us to identify the “weeds” present in our neighbors’ lives and actions. But, he encourages us to take a different approach by seeing “the good grain that is growing!”

This is, I believe, the path of Christian discipleship. We seek to bring the love and compassion of Christ to others, and to see in them the face (and goodness)

of Jesus. Saint Teresa of Calcutta is a model for us in this as she was able to recognize Jesus in his “most distressing disguise.” For her, this was his presence in the poor. For us, it may also be his presence in our family members, our co-workers, our neighbors, and even and especially in those who may hurt us and who stand against us. Even then we are to look for “the good grain that is growing.”

In an article which also reflects on this same Angelus Address, Malcolm Schluenderfritz offers a challenging way to read this parable in light of our current ecclesial context, and I will close with his wisdom:

It is easy to get swept away by the factions and divisions in the Church and adopt a ‘weedy’ outlook. Blinded by tribalism and a struggle for power, we come to see those who don’t agree with us as so many weeds. Naturally, they return the favor, and both sides set about ‘weeding’. If we keep this up, there won’t be a green thing left in the vineyard of the Lord! But as St. John Paul II said, we are an ‘Easter People.’ We are called to believe in God’s redeeming love and to imitate his forgiveness and renewal in our own lives. If we trust in God, we can be confident that he’ll bring good out of the evil of our turbulent times. We can let him take care of any weeding that has to be done, and instead focus on our job: showing the love of Christ to those around us. (“The Dangers of Weeding” / https://wherepeteris.com/thedangers-of-weeding/)

Deo Gratias!

Let us remember, though, that if we want to cultivate the fields of life, it is important to seek first and foremost the work of God: to learn to see the beauty of what the Lord has sown, the sun-kissed wheat with its golden ears, in others, in the world and in ourselves. Brothers and sisters, let us ask for the grace to be able to see it in ourselves, but also in others, starting from those who are close to us. It is not a naïve perspective; it is the perspective of one who believes, because God, the farmer of the great field of the world, loves to see goodness and to make it grow to make the harvest a feast.

-Pope Francis, Angelus Address, July 23, 2023

RCIA tgraff@dowr.org

We Are the Amazement of God!

By DEACON ROBERT YERHOT, MSW

�magine a sailing ship on an open, stormy sea. The waves are high and the ship is being tossed to and fro. Difficult going, yet the wind is in its sail and it is moving toward a port of safety. I suggest that this image portrays our lives and the three theological virtues given to us at baptism: Faith, Hope, and Charity. Life is the stormy sea. It repeatedly challenges us and threatens us. Faith is the ship, giving us shape and buoyancy; as long as we have faith, we won’t sink. Hope is the driving force, the wind in our sails, propelling us through the rough waters and deep seas of life. Charity is our destination, the port of safety for which we long, the harbor where the storms of life will be no more.

Does this image make sense? Can you identify with it? I suspect most of us can who have lived long enough!

Pope Blessed John Paul I (the pope who reigned only for 33 days in 1978) once wrote that we are the amazement of God because of our hope. Because of the wind in our sails, we are amazing to God! Blessed John Paul I mused that perhaps God is not all that amazed by our faith, for indeed he has left so many signs of his presence and working in the world, in history, and indeed even in our own lives, that any reasonable person would believe in him and his presence among us. He further suggested that maybe God is not all that amazed by our charity, because he created us out of love, and for love, and has given us hearts of flesh, not stone, so we cannot help but love. But, Blessed John Paul I thought, God may very well be amazed by our hope! God is amazed by our hope. What a beautiful thought!

The medieval poet Dante wrote that hope is a waiting with the certitude of faith. Hope is waiting, forward-looking, rooted in love for God in the certitude of a future glory that will be ours when we reach our destination.

Any of us who have lived for a length of time have seen the face of death. We have seen the Cross in our lives and in the lives of others. We have had our bumps, bruises, and injuries. We know that, at times, life can be ugly. Suffering comes with the territory. Hope, grounded in faith, is what drives us through the storms, the setbacks, the sufferings, and the ugliness of life. Such hope is sustained by the certitude of love. Have you ever wondered what the difference was between Peter and Judas Iscariot? Both were apostles. Both were chosen. Both were friends of Jesus. Both sinned horribly against our Lord. What was the difference? I think it was this: Peter had hope; Judas despaired; Peter chose to live, reconciled with Jesus and renewed in faith and love for him; Judas chose to die.

Let us be like Peter. Let us live in hope, not despair. Let us choose life, not death. Let us never become discouraged, never! Always remain hopeful. Whenever we inevitably fall, sin, are sinned against by others, or suffer, let us turn to faith, hope, and love. Let us immediately renew our faith and love for God, pick ourselves up, seek reconciliation, and never lose hope, never give in to discouragement !

When life gets tough, cling to hope.

When you struggle, live on in hope, grounded in your faith and love of God.

When looking at the Cross in your life, see in it your hope of future glory.

Jesus knew there was no detour around the Cross – for him or for us. He knew the Cross was the only route to the harbor of safety, and the love of God for all eternity.

Hope drives us across the sea of life toward the embrace of God’s love in heaven. Never lose hope! Never be discouraged! Indeed, you are the amazement of God when you hope.

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

Deacon John Hust Director of the Permanent Diaconate jhust@dowr.org

New Cohort Diaconate Formation

I am pleased to announce that we are beginning a new group of men who will begin the formation and discernment process for the Permanent Diaconate for the Winona-Rochester Diocese. When Bishop Barron was appointed our Ordinary, he asked us to move forward with recruitment and begin the application process for a new class. The Diaconate program is five years in length with the first two years called Aspirancy and the last three years Candidacy. Entrance into a diaconate program does not ensure Ordination. It is a discernment process for the aspirant himself, his wife if married, his family, his pastor and the Church.

Members of the diaconate formation team are Fr. Andy Beerman (Director of Formation), Fr. Andy Vogel (Director of Spiritual Formation), Deacon John Kluzny (Director of Pastoral Formation), Deacon Scott Schwalbe (Assistant Director of Diaconate) and me (Director of Diaconate). The formation process involves one weekend a month beginning Friday evening and goes on till late Saturday afternoon. The sessions are typically September through June. The wives of the Aspirants are highly encouraged to attend the weekend with their husbands.

The following men have been recommended by Bishop Barron for beginning the formation process:

Justin Carlin (St. Pius, Rochester)

Tim Clements (St. John Vianney, Fairmont)

Arlo Drees (Queen of Angels, Austin)

Mark Engesser (Sacred Heart, Adams)

Tim Gossman (St. Mary’s, Chatfield)

Joe Mytych (Holy Spirit, Rochester)

Brian Zogg (St. Theodores, Albert Lea)

We have two additional men who are finishing up the application and interview process who may be accepted to formation also.

Please keep these men and their families in your prayers as they and the Church discern their call to a diaconate vocation.

In Christ Jesus, Deacon John Hust

Praised Be God for the Blessing of Catholic School Teachers!

Deacon Sean Costello Superintendent of Catholic Schools scostello@dowr.org

n the rhythm of life, we come again to that time of year when we start saying goodbye to summer and we settle into another academic year. With the purchase of school supplies and the start of athletic programs, there is an excitement in the air. Kids are excited to be back with friends and to have the opportunity to learn, and parents are excited to get their kids out of the house and back into their normal, daily routines. However, it is with our teachers that I find some of the greatest excitement.

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Congratulat�ons to Marsha Stenzel, who, at a gathering on July 20 to celebrate her recent retirement, was awarded the Bishop's Medal by the Most Reverend Robert Barron, in recognition of her service, both to St. Felix School in Wabasha, where, for 30 years, she served as a teacher and then administrator, and to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, where she served as superintendent of Catholic Schools since 2011.

When I enter our Catholic schools, I am amazed by the teachers who are so excited to begin anew their great and noble task of helping form our next generation. These men and women are committed not only to ensuring that our students are meeting their potential in reading, writing, and arithmetic but also helping them to identify the cross that our Lord has prepared for them to carry for their good and the good of this world. Our Catholic schools are remarkable at preparing our students for success in this life and in eternity.

Year after year, our Catholic schools have proven that our students are achieving at the highest level, many surpassing their own grade level in success. The test data is clear. This is due, in large part, because of the creativity, tenacity, and care that our teachers continuously bring to their ministry day after day. Our teachers create a culture of excellence in the classroom, and ensure students use their gifts to help others and for the glory of God.

For many of our teachers, their commitment to Catholic education comes with a tremendous sacrifice. Because our Catholic schools do not receive the financial support from the state and federal government that our public schools enjoy, we are forced to provide this great ministry of education with substantially less resources. This means that we must do more with less, and that means our teachers do not receive the full financial compensation that we would like to provide for their ministry in our Catholic schools.

7 Catholic Schools

Because of this reality, I ask you to prayerfully consider supporting our Catholic schools. If you are able to provide financial assistance, please consider doing so. Your generous gift will help ensure that this ministry continues to thrive in our diocese for many years to come. If you cannot offer financial assistance, please consider offering prayers daily for our teachers and the work they do. We know that our Lord will never be outdone in generosity, and our prayer and gifts for schools will certainly be met with an abundance of his grace. Also, if you know any of our Catholic school teachers, please reach out and thank them for all they do, and for being the child of God that they are. Their work and example help ensure that the next generation of the faithful will be prepared to take the light of the Gospel out into our world and make it brighter.

Our Catholic schools are the responsibility of all the faithful, and their success depends on us. We cannot just rely on the great work of the teachers in the classroom. We must do our part in scaffolding their work, ensuring they have the resources they need, and helping them know our full support for the great ministry they provide. St. Anne, Mother of Mary, patroness of teachers, intercede for all our teachers as they serve this year and bless our diocese with many more faithful teachers.

On Fr�day, August 18, Catholic school teachers and administrators, catechists, and more from around the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, gathered at Lourdes High School in Rochester for the diocesan Catechetical Day.

A Student's Perspective on the Steubenville Youth Conference

Youth Ministry & Young Adult Ministry

By ISAIAH LOCKWOOD

a teen’s relationship with Christ can be complicated in the most pivotal identity-seeking time of his or her life. This is why it is so important for a spiritual presence in the lives of the youth, because more and more teens are losing the identity they own as a child of God in a world that demands so much that is not in His plan for us.

Steubenville Youth Conferences helped me directly find my identity in Christ in such a way that I will look back upon it for the rest of my life.

The conferences are designed to provide a spiritual retreat experience for Catholic teenagers and young adults, focusing on faith, worship, and personal transformation. Steubenville emphasizes the sense of community that is beyond what could ever

Miracle at Fátima?

WYD Pilgrim Regains Sight After Communion

By ALMUDENA MARTINEZ-BORDIU

AUG. 7, 2023 (ACI PRENSA) - “I opened my eyes and I could see perfectly,” said Jimena, a 16-yearold Spanish World Youth Day pilgrim who said she miraculously recovered her sight after receiving the Eucharist at Fátima, Portugal, during a Mass there.

This possible miracle has moved hearts and filled with hope all those who have been following the events at WYD, which brought together more than a million young people in the Portuguese capital last week.

Jimena traveled to Lisbon from Madrid with a group from Opus Dei. During the days prior, relatives and acquaintances of the young woman organized a novena to pray to Our Lady of the Snows, whose feast day is commemorated Aug. 5, the same day she recovered her sight.

For two and a half years, Jimena has suffered a loss of sight due to a myopia problem that left her with a 95% vision loss. On the morning of Aug. 5, when the Holy Father was also praying the rosary at the Fátima shrine, Jimena received what she herself describes as a “great gift” from the Virgin Mary.

Not long after having recovered her sight, Jimena told the Spanish radio station COPE that she woke up that morning “as I have been getting up for two and a half years, seeing super blurry, very badly.”

be expected from everyday experiences. Thousands of youth gather together in a room to celebrate a collective purpose, to find their identity in Christ’s love. The conferences often feature well-known Catholic speakers, priests, and other religious figures who relate on a personal level with their insights and teachings on topics relevant to the lives of teens, such as faith, relationships, morality, and purpose.

The most incredible aspect of the conferences is their dedication to adoration and to the Eucharist. Eucharistic adoration at Steubenville is the most spiritually enriching experience that I have ever had in my life. That moment in which all the youth from all different areas of the Midwest praised and sang together in worship to the God that has truly set us free has permanently changed my life to be more centered around God and has helped me to

She explained that she had gone to Mass with her friends “because we are at WYD and after receiving Communion I began to cry a lot, because it was the last day of the novena and I wanted to be cured and I had very much asked God please [cure me].”

“When I opened my eyes, I could see perfectly,” the young woman continued, “it was overwhelming; very many thanks must be given for the miracle, because I saw the altar, the tabernacle, my girlfriends were there, and I could see them perfectly.”

In addition, she said that she was able to read the novena prayer that she was praying and that she still reads “quite well” — she hadn’t forgotten at all how to read.

The young woman said she is “super happy” and thanked all those who were part of the prayer group. “This has been a test of faith; the Virgin has given me a great gift that I will not forget,” she said.

In an Aug. 6 statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Cardinal Juan José Omella, the archbishop of Barcelona and president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, referred to the possible miracle as “a grace from God” during the press conference at the end of WYD held at Eduardo VII park in Lisbon.

The cardinal said he was able to speak with Jimena on a video call and that she explained what happened in a natural and unaffected manner. “The girl was very excited; she had been blind for a while and she had been learning the Braille method for two or three years,” he said.

The prelate also noted that Jimena “had to read

be willing to let Him speak to me through prayer. I have gotten to know so many people solely through this conference and I strongly encourage anyone in the Church, interested or not, to attend one of these events.

Steubenville is also beyond just the worship and community in the auditorium! The retreat features a fantastic band for concerts, incredible food, outdoor activities, and a wide representation of different vendors in an ever-growing marketplace for free time. You can meet so many different people and make so many new friends that the experience is worth eternally more than the cost of going.

Steubenville also isn’t just for teens, either! Any parent, youth minister, or even anyone remotely interested in being a chaperone is more than welcome to talk to their local parish about attending. I have heard so many stories of adults who have had the most eye-opening experiences, despite being much older than the youth who attend.

I cannot encourage these conferences enough, as it has changed my life and the lives of so many people around me. God is truly present and standing so close to us there, and I know that it is in His plan for you to be there so close to Him.

the prayer of thanksgiving at Mass that day with the Madrid group” and that, after receiving Communion, she was able to read it without any problem.

The young woman also told the cardinal that they had been praying for “nine days asking the Virgin for her healing.”

Omella encouraged the faithful to “give thanks to God” and explained that “this doesn’t lead to the cause of beatification for anyone, because the Virgin is already a saint, but it is indeed a grace from God.”

He pointed out that “then the doctors will have to assess it, what it was like, if it existed, if it could be cured or not. But for now for the girl that has been a major event. Let’s say a miracle. She didn’t see and now she sees. Now the doctors will be able to say the rest, but she has gone home seeing. Well, she sees, blessed be God.”

Omella said he was “really struck” by other testimonies that took place during WYD from young people who “have also recovered their interior vision.” This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Isaiah Lockwood is a parishioner of St. John Vianney Parish in Fairmont.

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

Steubenville Youth Conference participants from the Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Aaron Lofy Director of Young Adult Ministry alofy@dowr.org

Midwest EnCourage Retreat

for Family and Friends of Those Who Experience Same Sex Attraction or Gender Identity Discordance - Friday Sept. 29 - Saturday, Oct. 1, 2023

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

do you have loved ones who identify as LGBTQ+? Are you striving to maintain a loving relationship with them while continuing to uphold the wisdom and truth found in the teachings of the Church?

We invite you to join us on our EnCourage Fall retreat: a special weekend of prayer and reflection exclusively for family and friends of people who experience same-sex attractions or gender identity discordance.

Together, we’ll seek God’s guidance in cultivating peace of heart, mind, and spirit as we share our journeys with one another and grow closer to the One who created us all.

Deadline for registration is September 18. Information about signing up can be found at the Courage website:

https://couragerc.org/event/encourage-fallretreat-save-the-date

Girls' School, cont'd from pg. 1

influx of pioneer settlers. My great-grandparents who came in the late 1880s were among them.

However, the connection to Native Americans didn’t end with the expulsion of the Indigenous people because in the 1880s there was a school for Native American girls established in Avoca by Bishop Ireland, who had a special fondness for the village of Avoca. Bishop Ireland founded and named the town; Avoca is Irish for “the meeting of the waters.” It seems that he had a place in his heart for the Avocas, both in Ireland and in Minnesota.

Bishop Ireland originally established the school for the children of local settlers. He requested that the Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus, who’s Motherhouse was (and still is) located in Pennsylvania, come to

Rigidity, cont'd from pg. 2

In the life of faith and in relationships with others, the pope said, people need to pay attention and to be willing "to soften up in the name of compassion and the good of others, like Jesus did with the Canaanite woman."

Of course, he said, another aspect of the story is the woman's strong and insistent faith that Jesus could heal her daughter.

The woman "probably had little or no awareness

start the school. Prairie life was extreme and difficult, but the sisters who came were determined and served joyfully. Starting a school for the local children proved to be more of a challenge than the Bishop had anticipated. Few children lived in close enough proximity to the school to make it feasible for them to attend and most of what tuition was paid came in eggs, produce and maybe an occasional chicken, making it very difficult for the school to remain financially solvent. Then the Bishop came up with another plan. At the time, the US government was paying $85 a year per child for the education of Native children. Bishop Ireland contracted with the government to have 50 Indian girls at the school, and a well-known priest of the Dakotas, Fr. Francis Craft, began sending young women to study at Avoca. Fr. Craft had a specific motive; it was his desire to begin a Religious Order for Indian women on the reservations of South Dakota, and those potential postulates needed to be educated. Later, young women from the Chippewa tribes joined the Sioux girls.

We know that there were incredible mistreatment of the Native children who were sent to boarding schools during this time period and well into the next century. The popular idea at that time was to completely enculturate and the phrase that is often quoted for this idea was “Kill the Indian, Save the Man” (attributed to Henry Pratt). It was

of the laws and religious precepts" of Judaism, but she draws near to Jesus, prostrates herself and has a "frank dialogue" with him, the pope said.

"This is the concreteness of faith, which is not a religious label but is a personal relationship with the Lord," he said.

Pope Francis asked people to consider whether they show the compassion and flexibility of Jesus and the bold faith of the Canaanite woman.

"Do I know how to be understanding and do I know how to be compassionate, or do I remain rigid in my position?" he suggested they ask. "Is there some rigidity in my heart, which is not firmness? Rigidity is bad, but firmness is good."

"Do I know how to dialogue with the Lord? Do I know how to insist with him? Or am I content to

a horrible sin in history that this was inflicted on the children and families of the Native peoples of North America. However, it does seem that Avoca may have been a little different. The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus believed in teaching with positive reinforcement rather than punishment, which went against the popular educational paradigms of the time. It is reported that they developed loving relationships with their students. We learn this from the meticulous journals written by the Sisters at the school, which are still kept at their motherhouse in Pennsylvania.

In 2018, when local historians began researching the school and gave a presentation locally about St. Rose Academy, the Slayton Catholic Daughters discovered that six native girls died of disease while at the school, and were buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Avoca. There were no grave markers for them, so the Catholic Daughters took up the project of raising money for a memorial stone, and when it was installed at the graves, there was a memorial service that included local people, SHCJ Sisters from Pennsylvania and some Native Americans.

This sparked more interest in the history of the school. Because it was the only Church-run Native American Boarding School within the boundaries of our Diocese, there was concern that there might be a need for healing and reconciliation and more research is being done with the encouragement of the Diocesan Curia. The Diocesan Social Concerns committee also became interested, and decided that the school in Avoca would be a good topic for our Fall Social Concerns Day for 2023.

One thing that promises to make this a very special day is that families of the girls who are buried in Avoca and others who attended the school are being located and will be invited to that day. There is a subcommittee of us who are doing the local planning for the event. We will have a presentation by Janet Timmerman and Anita Gaul who have done extensive research on the school and plan to publish their findings. Sisters from the SHCJ will be visiting and, in addition, we will include Lakota prayer and other traditions, Mass together, and lunch will be traditional Sioux food.

Please plan to join us when we bring our cultures together and pray with our brothers and sisters on Oct. 7 at St. Ann Church in Slayton. Contact Isaac Landsteiner at ilandsteiner@ccsomn.org 507848-8303 for more information or to register for this event. Space is limited, so advanced registration is required.”

recite beautiful formulas?" he continued.

Pope Francis also drew attention to the ongoing conflict in Niger where a military coup overthrew the president in late July and where the bishops have opposed the idea of other countries in the region using their military to restore democracy.

"I join the bishops' appeal in favor of peace in the country and for stability in the Sahel region," the pope said. "I accompany with my prayers the efforts of the international community to find a peaceful solution as soon as possible for everyone's benefit."

"Let us pray for the dear people of Niger and let us also pray for peace for all populations wounded by war and violence," he said. "Let us especially pray for Ukraine, which has been suffering for some time."

Lisa Kremer is the Parish Social Ministry Coordinator of the Worthington Deanery for Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota.

Photo courtesy of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus.

Photo courtesy of the Society of the Murray County Historical Society.

Events

September 10, Sunday

Holy Trinity Parish, Rollingstone, will hold its 40th Annual Church Festival at the Community Center in Rollingstone. Mass at 10 a.m., followed by chicken dinner curbside pickup 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., or until it's gone. 1/2 chicken, coleslaw, baked beans, bun, cookie and milk for $12. Big Ticket with over $4,000 in cash and prizes for $5 each, drawing at 2 p.m.

Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Currie, will hold its Annual Fall Dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes & gravy, vegetable, salad, desserts. St. Mary's of the Lake Parish, Lake City, will hold its annual Fall Festival from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Parish Center. Famous Grilled Chicken Dinner with Homemade Pie, Silent Auction & Bucket Raffle, Fresh Produce Stand, KC Raffle, Bake Shoppe and games & kids' activities.

September 17, Sunday

St. John Baptist de la Salle Parish, Dodge Center, will hold its 30th annual Turkey Dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. 20 2nd St. NE in Dodge Center. Tickets sold at the door. $15 adults. $6 kids 6-10. Under 6 eat free. Take-outs available. $2 raffle tickets; Bingo; tent sale with baked goods, produce, bucket drawing.

Ss. Peter & Paul Parish, Mazeppa, will hold its Fall Bazaar from 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Ham & Turkey Dinner $13/person. Raffle and Country Store also!

September 23, Saturday

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Rochester will host the 10th Annual Friends of the Poor® Walk/Run & Pancake Breakfast. 100% of free-will donations benefit those in need. 5k walk/run begins at 9 a.m. at the Church of the Resurrection, 1600 11th Ave SE. Registration at 8:30. Pancakes start at 9 for non-walkers. Info: svdp-rochmn.org/fop-walk-2023 or info@svdp-rochmn.org.

October 8, Sunday

The Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester, will host the annual benefit dinner for Seeds of Wisdom in South Sudan, a non-profit based at the Co-Cathedral. Established in 2011, Seeds of Wisdom provides Catholic education to more than 300 South Sudanese students currently living in refugee camps in Uganda due to strife in their homeland. This fundraiser will feature silent and live auctions, guest speakers, and musical performances. Ticket info: info@sowsouthsudan.org or 507-288-7372.

St. Columban Parish, Preston, will hold its annual Fall Dinner & Raffle from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Drive-thru/ carry-outs only. Natural pork loin, real mashed potatoes, dressing, corn, coleslaw, applesauce, dinner roll and pie. $15/person. Raffle tickets available. Drawing after dinner. 408 Preston St. NW in Preston.

St. Patrick Parish, West Albany, will host its Fall Chicken BBQ Dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Also featured will be the Bell Tower Boutique, offering a variety of handmade gifts and decorating items for purchase. Please join us for fellowship, food and this unique little shop. Proceeds will go toward restoration of the church's bell tower. St. Patrick's Church, West Albany, is located at 30932 Hwy 60, Millville, MN 55957.

October 22, Sunday

St. John Nepomucene Parish, Winona, will hold its annual Fall Festival from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka Church Hall at 603 East 4th St. in Winona. Lunch available, along with the Big Ticket, gift card raffle, quilt/cash raffle, silent auction and kids' games. Big Ticket winners drawn at 3. Public welcome.

November 11, Saturday

Christ the King Parish, Byron, will hold its 13th Annual Fall Expo from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Arts-Crafts & Home-Based Businesses. Baked goods, beverages and Arby’s lunch available. Get a jump start on your holiday shopping. 202 4th St NW in Byron.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary

By ELEANORE JONES

the month of September is the month in which we honor the Seven Sorrows of Mary. Aside from Jesus, no human being has suffered more than our Blessed Mother in perfect obedience to the will of God. She consented to her Son’s torture, humiliation, and brutal execution for our salvation. As any parent knows, watching one’s child suffer is the greatest suffering of all. She still bears the sufferings of the Divine Son in her heart.

At Fatima, our Blessed Mother requested that we make the Five Consecutive First Saturdays Devotion of the month in reparation to the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary and these are the requirements needed to do so: Go to confession (Confession may be during the eight days preceding or following the first Saturday), receive Holy Communion, say the rosary, five decades recited sometime during the day and meditate for 15 minutes on the Mysteries of the Rosary (one or more). On December 10, 1925, Sister Lucia, one of the visionaries at Fatima, saw Our Lady appear together with the Child Jesus, who spoke to her: “Have compassion on the Heart of your Most Holy Mother, covered with thorns which ungrateful men place therein at every moment, while there is no one who does an act of reparation to withdraw them for her.”

Our Lord explained the five Saturdays was because there are five kinds of offenses and blasphemies against the Immaculate Heart of Mary, namely: blasphemies against her Immaculate Conception; against her perpetual virginity; against the divine,

refusing, at the same time, to receive her as the Mother of mankind; for those who seek publicly to implant, in the hearts of children, indifference, disrespect, and even hate for this Immaculate Mother; and for those who revile her directly in her sacred images.

The promises attached to the Five First Saturdays Devotion are: salvation of our own souls, salvation of sin ners and peace in the world.

Many people have forgotten this devotion, but it is still relevant today – wars are still going on! It is asked of everyone who loves Mary to start making the Five First Saturdays a regular part of their prayer life. You may make them more than once.

Everyone is welcome to attend our W-RDCCW Convention on October 7 at Queen of Angels in Austin Eleanore Jones is the president of the WinonaRochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

Obituaries

Sister Valerie Usher, OSF, 78, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Saturday, July 22, 2023.

Valerie Marie Usher was born on November 12, 1944, in Watertown, WI, to John and Dorothy (Jaeger) Usher. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1963, received the name of Sister Jeanne, and made perpetual vows in 1969. She received her Master's in Christian Spirituality from Creighton University, Omaha, NE, in 1980.

During her years of ministry, Sister Valerie served as a teacher in junior high education at St. Augustine School in Austin (1967-68) and as a French teacher at Lourdes High School in Rochester (1968-72). She then worked as a religious educator and pastoral associate at St. Ann Parish in Slayton (1972-78). She served on the Sisters of St. Francis Incorporation Team (1978-85). Sister Valerie also served in secondary religious education and on the pastoral team for Colegio Santa Francisca Romana in Bogotá, Colombia (1985-88).

From 1988-94, Sister Valerie was a full-time councilor/vice president for the Sisters of St. Francis in Rochester as part of the Congregational Leadership Team. She then became the president of the congregation from 1994-2000. During her years as president, she served on the Council of the International Franciscan Conference (Rome, Italy). Following her years in congregational leadership, she returned to Bogotá where Sister Valerie continued her work in the pastoral department/catequesis department for the Colegio Santa Francisca Romana in Bogotá, Colombia, from 2001-06, where she also served as mission coordinator until 2019.

Survivors of Sister Valerie Usher include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 60 years; four sisters, Lauren (Duren) Wilson, Mary Maureen (Kevin) Smith, Jeanne (the late Buddy) Schoch, and Peg (Rob) McGonigal; six nieces and nephews and ten great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents.

A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on August 25, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery. Suggested memorials are to Sisters of St. Francis/ CASFA, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.

Sister Lauren Weinandt, OSF, 101, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died on Monday, July 31, 2023.

Magdalen Teresa Weinandt was born on August 2, 1921, in Brewster to Anthony and Alice (McCall) Weinandt. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1954, received the name of Sister Lauren, and made perpetual vows in 1959. She studied business at the Oshkosh Business College, Oshkosh, WI, in 1940.

For a remarkable 67 years, Sister Lauren dedicated herself to serving Saint

Marys Hospital in Rochester. During her tenure from 1956 to 2023, she fulfilled various roles, including serving as Executive Secretary to two administrators at Saint Marys Hospital: Sister Mary Brigh Cassidy, from 1956-70; and Sister Generose Gervais, from 1970-80. She also served as a receptionist in administration from 1980-85, before taking on the archivist/development assistant role, which she held until the time of her death. In addition, Sister Lauren had been the Convent Coordinator intermittently for over 25 years.

Survivors of Sister Lauren Weinandt include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 69 years, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; five brothers, Clement, Lawrence, John, Francis, and Bernard Weinandt; and three sisters, Mary Alice Sachinski, Rose Clare Kohler, and Margaret Genevieve Resch.

A private Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on August 12, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.

If you want to donate in Sister Lauren's memory, consider contributing to the Poverello Fund with the following link: https://philanthropy.mayoclinic.org/Poverello . This fund assists Saint Mary’s Hospital patients in managing their medical expenses. Alternatively, you may choose to donate to a charity of your choice.

Sister Helen Haag, OSF, 91, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Saturday, August 12, 2023.

Helen Cecelia Haag was born on June 24, 1932, in Waseca to Charles and Frances (Harguth) Haag. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1951, received the name of Sister Damiano, and made perpetual vows in 1957. She received her Master’s in Religious Education from St. Mary’s University, Winona, in 1994.

For more than 20 years, Sister Helen dedicated herself to teaching elementary education, choir, and playing the organ. Between 1954 and 1978, she served at various schools, such as: St. Mary School in Owatonna; St. Adrian School in Adrian; Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Currie; St. Mary School in Las Animas, CO; and St. John Vianney School in Fairmont. Sister Helen taught junior and senior high school students and volunteered as a parish worker at Holly Public School in Holly, CO, from 1978-89. She also taught as a teacher of junior high students at St. Anthony School in Sterling, CO, from 1989-92, and was the director of religious education at St. Anthony School from 199298. Sister Helen also served as a substitute and GED teacher from 1998 to 2000 in Sterling, CO, and then from 2001-03, she served as a GED and junior high school teacher at Northeastern Junior College and St. Anthony School in Sterling, CO. Sister Helen continued to serve as a substitute teacher from 2003-08 in Rochester and Minnesota Lake. She then volunteered as a parish worker in Minnesota Lake from 2008-11 before retiring to Assisi Heights in December 2011.

Survivors of Sister Helen Haag include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 72 years, and many nieces and nephews. She was

preceded in death by her parents, brothers William and Bernard Haag, and sisters Joan Higgins and Sr. Barbara Haag.

A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on August 17, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery. Suggested memorials are to the Sisters of St. Francis, Office of Mission Advancement, Assisi Heights, 1001 14th St. NW, Rochester, MN 55901.

Sister Mary Patricia Smith, OSF, 83, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.

Mary Patricia Smith was born on March 27, 1940, in Rochester to Irwin and Mary (Julian) Smith. She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1958, received the name of Sister Donall, and made perpetual vows in 1964. She received her Master’s in Ministry from Seattle University, Seattle, WA, in 1989.

A dedicated educator, Sister Mary Pat spent 26 years teaching primary education in various schools. Her teaching experience included: St. John Vianney School in Fairmont (196162, 1976-79); St. Francis School in Rochester (196266); St. Edward School in Austin (1966-67); Holy Redeemer School in Portsmouth, OH (1967-69); Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Currie (196971); St. Mary's School in Winona (1971-76); and St. Pius X School in Rochester (1979-87). Following this, she served in Pastoral Ministry at St. Ann Parish, Slayton, from 1987-91 before taking a sabbatical. Sister Mary Pat then worked as the activity director at Assisi Heights in Rochester from 1992-97, as the assistant to the computer director and administrative office clerk from 1997-2009, and as the benefactors relations office assistant from 2004-07, before serving in the Assisi Heights ministries.

Survivors of Sister Mary Patricia Smith include her Franciscan Sisters, with whom she shared life for 65 years; brother Gary Smith; sister Helen Murschel; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Donald Smith.

A Resurrection Liturgy was held at Assisi Heights on August 18, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery.

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

Father Michael J. Cronin, IVDei, JCL, 57, a priest of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and former staffer for the United States Congress, died of complications post heart bypass surgery, on August 16, 2023, at 3:57 a.m.

Born December 7, 1965, to Paul R. and Ann Marie (Puchner) in Rochester, he attended St. Pius X Grade School and Lourdes High School. He then attended St. John’s University in Collegeville and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in political science in 1988. Having interned in the Washington, D.C., congressional office of former U.S. Representative Timothy J. Penny in 1986, he was hired as a permanent staff member in that office upon his graduation, serving first as a staff assistant and then as assistant office manager.

Granted a leave of absence from the congressional office in 1990, he began seminary studies at Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona and continued at the St. Paul Seminary at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, graduating with a Master of Divinity degree in 1994. He was ordained a deacon on December 7, 1994, in Winona, by Bishop John G. Vlazny and was ordained a priest on June 13, 1995, at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona.

From 1995-98, he served as Parochial Vicar at St. Pius X in Rochester and was a chaplain and instructor at Lourdes High School. He then served as Parochial Vicar at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona, and Immaculate Conception, Wilson, and was the Newman Center chaplain at Winona State University from 1998-2000.

In 2000, he briefly served as Parochial Administrator in Mankato and Lake Crystal prior to beginning studies in Canon Law in Washington, D.C., at the Catholic University of America, where he received the degree J.C.L. in 2002.

In 2002, he returned to Winona as Chancellor of the Diocese of Winona and Pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Rollingstone and St. Mary’s Parish in Minneiska, while also serving in a number of other diocesan administrative capacities, including Director of Diocesan Cemeteries, Director of Vocations, Director of Continuing Education, Director of the Incardination Board, the Diocesan Review Committee, Defender of the Bond on the Marriage Tribunal, and Corporate Secretary for the Diocese of Winona.

In 2005, following two heart attacks, he began a medical leave of absence and decided to take some time away from active ministry and was again employed by the U.S. House of Representatives until October of 2010, first as Office Director for the House Historian and then as Administrative Director of the Office of Inspector General, both under the auspices of the Speaker of the House.

In the spring of 2011, he returned to active ministry and was assigned as Parochial Vicar at the

Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and St. Casimir Parish and once again as the chaplain at the Winona State University Newman Center.

In 2012, he began service at Sacred Heart in Owatonna and Holy Trinity in Litomysl. During that time, he also served as Vice President of the Presbyteral Council and was a volunteer chaplain for the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Faribault and the Owatonna Police Department. He was later assigned as Pastor to St. Ann’s in Janesville, St. Joseph in Waldorf and All Saints in New Richland prior to serving in his current assignment as Pastor of St. Mary’s Parish in Winona since 2019, along with more recent appointments as Judicial Vicar, Chancellor, Ecumenical Affairs Officer of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and serving on the College of Consultors.

During his professional career, he was a member of the Canon Law Society of America, the National Organization of Continuing Education of Roman Catholic Clergy, the Society of American Archivists, and the Academy of Certified Archivists. In addition, he was a member of the Institute Voluntas Dei, a clerical institute of pontifical right, based in Canada with members in 21 countries. He was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

During his life he had the opportunity to travel to Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Germany, Italy, France, Hungary, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Israel, Egypt, Canada, and Haiti. In addition to his travels, he enjoyed family and friends, music, photography, the outdoors, and was enrolled in a variety of research protocols at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester as well as the NIH in Bethesda, MD.

Fr. Cronin is survived by his brother, Mark Cronin of Savage; five sisters: Maureen (Mark) Earp of Bloomington, Mary Jo Paulson of Minnetonka, Marcie (Joe) Becker of Hayward, WI, Monica Cronin of Inver Grove Heights, and Maggie (Tim) McWilliams of Prior Lake; many

nieces and nephews; as well as many friends, associates, and colleagues over the years. He was preceded in death by his father, Paul, in 1972, his mother, Ann Marie Cronin Bock of Rochester, as well as his fraternal and maternal grandparents, John and Grace Cronin of Rochester and William and Teckla Puchner of New Ulm. He was loved by his two golden retrievers, Gracie and Finn.

The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated August 21 at St. Pius X Church in Rochester, with the Most Reverend Robert E. Barron as principal celebrant along with principal concelebrants the Very Rev. James P. Burns and Rev. Timothy E. Biren, as well as priests of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester and other priest friends as concelebrants. A private burial will take place with the family at a later date at Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Priest Pension Fund, the Mayo Clinic Poverello Fund, Mayo Clinic for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, or depression research, or the Voluntas Dei Institute/USA District for seminary education and formation.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Cronin family; to share a special memory or condolence, please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com.

The Televised Mass Is Offered

Every Sunday

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

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

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

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

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

Rochester/Austin/Mason City

KIMT Channel 3 at 7:30 a.m.

MyTV 3.2 at 9 a.m.

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

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

Winona/La Crosse/Eau Claire - WLAX/WEUX Channel 25/48 at 7:30 a.m.

and on our website, dowr.org (click "Weekly Mass")

Sweltering Heat, cont'd from pg. 1

One of the young men with disabilities wanted a medal to keep in his pocket, and so we let him pick out the one he liked. He told us he was very depressed, and we asked if we could pray for him. He said yes, but he didn’t want to do it by the others in the group. We moved to a more private spot and prayed. He was very thankful.

Another young man in the group also wanted a medal, and he asked if he could take a pamphlet about The Existence of God. We were able to talk to him about God, and he had a beautiful, childlike innocence in his belief in God.

The first man we prayed with came back and asked if we could pray for four miracles. We said sure and asked what they were, and he said the four miracles would be for his father, his mother, his grandmother, and his sister to stop smoking.

Another young man asked for prayers for his roommate who had died and that he would be able to find a new roommate.

Several women walked by and didn’t want to stop to talk to us but called over that we could pray for Bill who was going through treatment.

A man, John, was walking by, and we asked if he would like prayer for anything. He said he didn’t have time to talk, but then stopped and talked to us for quite a while. He asked for prayer for prostate surgery that he was going to be having tomorrow. He told us that it wasn’t cancerous and that two of his brothers had just recently had the same surgery – one's was cancerous and the other's wasn’t. He shared that he was Presbyterian but thought well of Catholics. We talked about our beliefs and then prayed for him and his surgery. While we were praying, Bishop Barron joined us and was able to give John a blessing. They talked about how they both enjoyed reading about the history of different faith traditions, including Calvin. Bishop Barron told John that he taught a course on this period when he was teaching at the seminary.

The man who left the church who we had talked to earlier stopped by again to talk and tell us that his life was really good outside the Church – we asked some probing questions, and he shared some more – our evangelist Angie followed him as he was leaving and invited him back to church. He said he would come. Praise God!

A woman stopped and asked for prayers for her husband who was at the clinic for problems with his eyes. We prayed for him and gave her a miraculous medal.

A young couple stopped by our prayer station, and the wife had just had thyroid cancer surgery and now was told that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes. She told us she felt that God had put us there for her today. Tom prayed for her comfort and peace and to remember that Jesus is walking with her. He also prayed for healing for her cancer. We shared with them both the story of the miraculous medal and how many people have experienced miracles through Mary’s intercession. Bishop Barron gave both of them his blessing.

Another couple stopped when we asked if they needed prayer. The husband was having surgery for a brain tumor and then for his knee. They were Protestant but were interested in what the Catholic Church taught and believed, so we talked about that. They recognized the Bishop’s name and asked about him. We shared the Word on Fire site with them, and the wife pulled it up on her phone while we were standing there so she would remember to look it over. Bishop Barron prayed for the man’s health conditions and for his wife and gave them his blessing.

While we were praying for the couple, the women who had passed by earlier came back. They told us they didn’t stop at first because they thought we were from Jehovah’s Witness. They had never seen Catholics out on the street sharing their faith and praying for those in need. The three women were the sisters of Bill, who was being treated for a brain tumor. The tumor was affecting his language and memory and they were hoping for good scans today. Our evangelist Angie was able to share her experiences of healing from a similar cancer, which was also a blessing to them. We were able to pray for them and also for Bill and gave them some blessed medals to give to Bill and his wife.

Another couple recognized Bishop Barron right away, and we talked with her while he was finishing praying with someone else. The young woman’s face just lit up when she saw the Bishop. She told us she had a non-cancerous tumor on her spine that she needed surgery for, and she was very anxious about it. When the Bishop came over, she and her husband shared with him how much they love his talks and sermons – she said she had just finished listening to him on Hallow before they walked outside and just couldn’t believe he was there in person. We prayed for her, and the Bishop blessed her. She turned and gave me a big hug and said, “You just don’t even know how much this means to me.” She also shared that it was her birthday. What a blessing it was to pray for her.

Our evangelists Tom and Angie were celebrating their anniversary today. (What a gift to give back to the Lord for all their blessings!) Bishop Barron blessed them on their special day. He also blessed our evangelist Jenny, who is leaving for a year. We will miss her very much!

As we were packing up to leave, we asked a very nice man walking by if he would take a picture of our team. He kindly agreed! Before we split up to head our separate ways, we praised the Lord for his goodness in bringing so many people to us so we could share God’s love and mercy with them. We were especially thankful for Bishop Barron’s being able to evangelize with us today. God is so good!

Additional prayer requests:

• Woman with breast cancer

• Abbie- prayers for 5 girls

• Repose of Ginny’s soul

• Andrea and Jackie healing

• Christina

• Linda- surgery

• Darla – throat

• Mackenzie- prayers for 3 children

• Gina- guidance with work discernment

• Chuck – lymphoma

Deb McManimon is a midwest regional missionary for St. Paul Street Evangelization.