New April 2019 | Vol. 40 | No. 4
Earth The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Fargo
Visiting the prisoner
Jail ministry a call directly from Christ
PLUS
From Bishop Folda: The healing power of Holy Week and Easter
Ask a priest: Why do Catholics encourage devotion to Mary?
Chris Stefanick brings joy of Christ’s story to Grafton
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ON THE COVER: Cass County Jail, Fargo. (Paul Braun | New Earth) (ISSN# 10676406)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Our mission is to serve Catholic parishes in Eastern N.D. as the official monthly publication of the Diocese of Fargo.
Publisher
Most Rev. John T. Folda Bishop of Fargo
Editor Paul Braun Assistant editor Kristina Lahr
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Designer Stephanie Drietz - Drietz Designs Subscriptions
FROM BISHOP FOLDA 4 The healing power of Holy Week and Easter
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ASK A PRIEST 7 Why do Catholics encourage devotion to Mary?
AROUND THE DIOCESE 14 Chris Stefanick brings joy of Christ’s story to Grafton
COVER STORY 16 Jail ministry a call directly from Christ
NEXT GEN 21 Confirmation and First Eucharist in Casselton
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FAITH AND CULTURE 22 Catholic Culture in the Home The joys of being a grandparent
US/WORLD NEWS 33 Nebraskans’ faith, community spirit stronger after floods, priest says
SIDEWALK STORIES 35 Reroute ends in witnessing God’s pure grace
Parish contributions make it possible for each registered Catholic household in the diocese to receive 11 issues per year. For those living outside the Diocese wanting a subscription, an annual $9/year rate is requested.
Postmaster
Send address changes or subscription requests to: New Earth 5201 Bishops Blvd S., Suite A Fargo, ND 58104
Contact Information
Use the following contact information to contact the New Earth staff: news@fargodiocese.org (701) 356-7900 Deadline to submit articles, story ideas, advertisements and announcements for the May issue is April 17, 2019. All submissions are subject to editing and placement. New Earth is published by the Catholic Diocese of Fargo, a nonprofit North Dakota corporation, 5201 Bishops Blvd. S, Suite A Fargo, ND 58104. (701) 356-7900. Periodical Postage Paid at Fargo, ND and at additional mailing offices.
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FROM BISHOP FOLDA
The healing power of Holy Week and Easter
“S
ave us, Savior of the world, for by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free.” This acclamation from the sacred liturgy sums up the grace and mystery of Holy Week and Easter. By his suffering and death on the cross, Jesus saves us from the power of sin. And by his glorious resurrection, he conquers death forever. He truly is the Savior of the world! We are about to enter the holiest days of the Church year, days that invite us into the paschal mystery of our Lord’s death and resurrection. Jesus experienced abandonment in the Garden of Gethsemane, the rejection of Jerusalem, the scourging and crowing with thorns, the weight of the cross, and the pain of nails pounded into his body. But most of all, Jesus felt the weight of our sins, the sins of all humanity bearing down upon him, who was guiltless and knew no sin. There is a somberness to Holy Week, a sense of sorrow at the realization that Jesus suffered so much, all for love of us. There is also a quiet exultation in Holy Week, because we realize once again that Christ’s love has overcome the power of sin and death. His sacrifice manifests the infinite love of God for his people, and opens for us the way to heaven. We are exalted, lifted up by the sacrifice of Christ, and we know that there is no power on earth that can undo what Jesus has done. And finally, the quiet but necessary sorrow of Holy Week will give way to the joyful exultation of Easter. As we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection, we discover once again that Christ is risen, and he lives forever. As his disciples, we are assured that the penalty of sin has been paid, and the gates of heaven have been thrown open to those who join their lives to Christ. The Lenten days of fasting and penance are good for our souls, and we experience our own dying to self and sin. But the joy of Easter is just as important, because our faith rests not only on the cross of Good Friday but also on the empty tomb of Easter Sunday. For all of us, the image of the Risen Christ is a cause for hope. When we suffer from illness or despair, we know that Christ lives and lifts us up from our suffering. When we see sadness and sin all around us, we know that Jesus forgives sins and lightens our burdens. When we confront our own sinfulness, we know that Christ is merciful, and he invites us to new life in his risen glory. These days of reflection and prayer are especially important for the Church right now. For the last nine months, the Church 4
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has suffered from the scandal of sexual abuse, and from the sins of those who were entrusted with the care of Christ’s flock. We have faced once again the sinfulness of those who took advantage of minors and who caused deep wounds to them and to the entire Body of Christ. Members of the clergy have abused their positions of authority, and one could almost say that Christ is crucified all over again as a result of these sins. There is a profound need for repentance, and the Church is working to restore trust among the faithful. Part of that effort is a commitment to accountability and transparency. A number of dioceses in this country have released the names of those clergy and Church personnel who have abused minors in an effort to bring healing to victims and to the entire Church. The Diocese of Fargo has also been touched by these sins of abuse, and we have reported the allegations of abuse that have come to our attention. I intend to also provide a full disclosure of those priests and deacons in this diocese who have, with substantiation, been accused of abuse of minors, and hopefully to experience a purification of our own diocesan family and history. The review of records has been underway for several months, and the release of this information will happen in the near future as soon as this review is complete. – Bishop John Folda The sin of sexual abuse against a minor is deeply offensive, and it brings sorrow and shame to us all. It is especially damaging to the victim, and a simple release of names cannot undo all the harm that has been done. But hopefully the release of this information will bring some measure of healing to victims and open the way for God’s healing grace to touch all the members of our diocese. We can pray that from the death of this experience will come a resurrection, a renewed life of grace for God’s Church in the Diocese of Fargo. If we learn anything from the celebrations of Holy Week and Easter, it is that God is merciful, and he brings healing to a sinful world through the death and resurrection of Jesus, his Son. When Jesus appeared to his followers on Easter Sunday, he said to them, “Peace be with you,” and he says the same to us even now. He offers his gift of peace, and he banishes fear from the hearts of his followers. In the midst of these difficult times, Jesus offers the gift of his healing and peace. By his wounds we are healed, and by his resurrection, we are given new life. I pray that all of you will have a most blessed Holy Week and Easter, and that we will receive the healing that only Christ can give.
“In the midst of these difficult times, Jesus offers the gift of his healing and peace. By his wounds we are healed, and by his resurrection, we are given new life.”
Bishop Folda’s Calendar Apr. 12
| 6 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Philip, Hankinson
| 1 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, New Rockford
Apr. 13
Apr. 29–30
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Anthony, Fargo
Apr. 14
| 10 a.m. Palm Sunday Mass, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
Apr. 28
Spring Education Days, Carrington
May 1
| 8:45 a.m. Mass for May Crowning, St. Michael School, Grand Forks
| 9 a.m. Apr. 16 | 11 a.m. Diocesan Principals and Pastors Meeting, Chrism Mass, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo Pastoral Center | 7 p.m. Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
May 2
Apr. 18
| 12 noon Mass for Catholic Daughter’s State Convention, Devils Lake
Apr. 19
6 p.m.
| 10 a.m. Stations of the Cross at Red River Women’s Clinic, Fargo
May 3
Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Francis Xavier, Anamoose
3 p.m.
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Mark, Bottineau
| 8:30 p.m. Easter Vigil in the Holy Night, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
7 p.m.
Good Friday Service, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
Apr. 20
Apr. 21
| 10 a.m. Easter Sunday Mass, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
Apr. 26
| 4 p.m. Memorial Mass, Knights of Columbus State Convention, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
May 4
Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Ann, Belcourt
May 5
| 1:30 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Alphonsus, Langdon
May 10
| 7 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Philip Neri, Napoleon
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Holy Rosary, LaMoure
5 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
Apr. 27
Shanley Deacon Dinner Auction, Holiday Inn, Fargo
May 11
Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. John, Wahpeton NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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Prayer Intention of Pope Francis
Prayer for priests
April
Doctors and their Collaborators in War Torn Areas
For doctors and their humanitarian collaborators in war torn areas, who risk their lives to save the lives of others.
Diocese of Fargo Official Appointments/ Announcements April 2018 Most Rev. John T. Folda, Bishop of Fargo, has made the following appointments, announcements, and/or decrees: Rev. Phillip J. Ackerman is appointed administrator of St. Brigid’s Church, Cavalier and St. Patrick’s Church, Crystal, effective January 16, 2019, and continuing ad nutum episcopi. Rev. Gary Luiten and Rev. Raymond Courtright are each appointed to a term as an at-large member of the Presbyteral Council, effective March 5, 2019. Rev. James Ermer, Rev. Msgr. Joseph Goering, Rev. Kurtis Gunwall, Rev. Gary Luiten, Rev. Christopher Markman, Rev. Luke Meyer, and Rev. Msgr. Jeffrey Wald are appointed as members of the College of Consultors for a five-year term effective March 5, 2019. Rev. Robert J. Pecotte has resigned as pastor of St. Brigid’s, Cavalier and St. Patrick’s, Crystal and requested a leave of absence from active ministry for personal reasons. Bishop John Folda has granted that request, effective January 16, 2019. Until Rev. Pecotte returns to active ministry, he will not exercise the faculties of a priest of the Diocese of Fargo. His status is at his request, it is not punitive, and it involves no allegations of misconduct of any kind.
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Dear Lord, we pray that the Blessed Mother wrap her mantle around your priests and through her intercession strengthen them for their ministry. We pray that Mary will guide your priests to follow her own words, “Do whatever He tells you” (Jn 2:5). May your priests have the heart of St. Joseph, Mary’s most chaste spouse. May the Blessed Mother’s own pierced heart inspire them to embrace all who suffer at the foot of the cross. May your priests be holy, filled with the fire of your love seeking nothing but your greater glory and the salvation of souls. Amen. St. John Vianney, pray for us.
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Why do Catholics encourage devotion to Mary?
round 1997, I was divorced with a minor child. While practicing my faith with a new-found fervor after a disastrous marriage, I still had not come back to the sacrament of confession. This is when our heavenly mother made a reappearance in my life. A love and devotion I had for her as a young child was all but lost to the world but returned swiftly upon hearing her call. My life changed dramatically as God became first in my thoughts and actions. One confirmation to this new found life was a song that I heard played repeatedly over the next few years. Many times it would be the first song on the radio as my alarm went off or the first song played on the car radio. It was “Let it Be” by the Beatles:
When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me speaking words of wisdom, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
giving courage to the men of Israel and calling on them not to surrender while she puts her life on Ask A Priest the line in a daring plan that will Father Patrick Parks require her to cut off the head of the Assyrian general Holofernes. Another heroine, Jael, drives a tent peg through the head of Sisera, the Canaanites general while in battle against the Israelites. Esther, Tamar, Rahab, Naomi, Ruth, and Bathsheba are all strong women who fulfill the will of God for the salvation of his people through heroic acts, some of which, like King David, crush the head of the serpent. All these women prefigured Mary, the woman first revealed in Genesis, who makes her appearance in the Gospel of Luke at the Annunciation where she gives her “fiat,” her free will assent to God’s plan to bring our savior into the world. She thereby crushes the head of the serpent, not physically like the heroes and heroines of old but spiritually for the salvation of all people. The hatred between the woman and Satan, between her seed and his, has begun. Who is her seed? We are, according to my past spiritual director and Mariologist, Father Frederick Miller. He says Mary has joined with Christ in solidarity on Calvary, sharing in his suffering and assenting to his sacrifice. From the cross, Jesus tells us and Mary that she is not dying with him. Rather, the excruciating pain that she feels are the labor pains of her giving birth to the new Israel, the new people of God. By her faith at the foot of the cross, Mary has become the mother of every person redeemed by her son. Since she is our heavenly mother, spiritually speaking, she is the Mother par excellence, and like the strong women of the Old Testament, will be the solid defense of her children and protector of the covenant sealed in the blood of her son. Go to her. She will always obtain from her son what is spiritually beneficial for her children. She is fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army in battle array. And when the broken hearted people Living in the world agree There will be an answer, let it be.
The capstone to this life changing “call” was my first Mass as a priest in June 2016. The Gospel passage was “The Widow of Nain,” where Jesus, out of compassion for the mother who has lost her son, reaches out and says, “Young man, I say to you, rise.” For me, devotion comes easy since I know who is responsible for my conversion and my vocation. For many it is not, so let us take a look at the “why” of devotion to Mary. In the Old Testament, we hear of a beautiful and luminous woman who has the might of a fearsome army ready for war. In Song of Songs 6:10 we read: “Who is she that comes forth as the morning rising, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army set in battle array?” Who is this woman? We meet her first in the book of Genesis, where God promises us a woman who will be the mortal enemy of Satan: “I will put hatred between you, Satan, and the woman, between your seed and hers. You will strike at his heel and he (the seed of the woman) will crush your head” (Gen 3:15). Typology is a tool that we use to explain the plan of God that lies hidden in the Old Testament. Persons and events prefigure or foreshadow greater persons and events that are yet to be in the New Testament. Jesus is foreshadowed in all the great men of salvation history—the patriarchs, the great kings and the prophets. King David prefigures Jesus when he slays Goliath on the battlefield, which foreshadows Our Savior Jesus Christ Father Parks serves as the parochial vicar of St. James Basilica, Jamestown; St. crushing the head of the serpent on Calvary. Margaret Mary, Buchanan; St. Michael’s, Pingree; and St. Mathias, Windsor. Likewise, typology can be used to show that the great women of the Old Testament foreshadows Our Lady. In the book of Judges, Editor’s Note: If you would like to submit a question for consideration we see Deborah, a prophetess and judge of Israel rousing the in a future column, please send to news@fargodiocese.org or mail courage of her people to fight against the Canaanite domination to New Earth, 5201 Bishops Blvd. S, Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104. oppressing their freedom to worship God. Later we see Judith
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The Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel By Father James Goodwin
experience the loving and motherly presence of Mary in their daily commitment to be clothed in Jesus Christ and to manifest him in their life for the good of the Church and the whole of humanity. “Therefore two truths are evoked by the sign of the Scapular: on the one hand, the constant protection of the Blessed Virgin, not only on life’s journey, but also at the moment of passing into the fullness of eternal glory; on the other, the awareness that devotion to her cannot be limited to prayers and tributes in her honor on certain occasions, but must become a ‘habit,’ that is, a permanent orientation of one’s own Christian conduct, woven of prayer and interior life, through frequent reception of the sacraments and the concrete practice of the spiritual and corporal works of mercy. In this way the Scapular becomes a sign of the ‘covenant’ and reciprocal communion between Mary Men are seen wearing scapulars during a Mass July 16, 2018 marking and the faithful...” the feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the Pontifical Shrine of It is interesting that St. John Paul II uses the word “covenant.” Our Lady of Mount Carmel in East Harlem, N.Y. (Gregory A. Shemitz A covenant in Jewish belief was an act that creates a family | Catholic News Service) bond between two parties. Therefore, the scapular is a sign that n July 16, 1251 the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to St. Mary is now our mother and that we are dedicated to her. It is Simon Stock, a Carmelite Friar, in Aylesford, England. a symbol of a special relationship with the Mother of God. She told him, “Receive, my beloved son, this scapular The scapular is a sign that we are under the protection of Mary of thy Order; it is the special sign of my favor, which I have and that she will intercede for us in life and at death. It is not a obtained for thee and for thy children of Mount Carmel. He magical charm or guarantee of eternal salvation. Our salvation who dies clothed with this habit shall be preserved from eternal is found in Jesus Christ alone. For us the scapular is a symbol fire. It is the badge of salvation, a shield in time of danger, and that we intend to follow Jesus as Mary did by being open to God, a pledge of special peace and protection.” listening to him, and living in obedience to his commandments. A scapular is two pieces of cloth connected over the shoulders It also gives a spiritual affiliation to the Carmelite order and by strings or cords. Religious often wear a long one as part of share in its good works. St. Paul wrote that we should pray their habit. Lay people soon began to desire to share in the bless- always and wearing the scapular is an expression of continual ing that Our Lady gave to the Carmelites and wore a smaller prayer asking for Mary’s intercession. As the Carmelite Order scapular under their clothing. There are eight different Marian has said, “The scapular is a sign of the love of Mary, icon of the scapulars, but the brown scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel goodness and mercy of the Most Blessed Trinity.” is the most popular and best known. It is a sacramental of Anyone may wear the scapular, but it is best to be enrolled the Church. by a priest or deacon. This special blessing gains for us the full According to canon 1166 in the code of canon law, “sacramentals graces and benefits of the scapular. It was commonly done at first are sacred signs which in a sense imitate the sacraments. They communion. This is a wonderful custom. Sacramentals, such as signify certain effects, especially spiritual ones, and they achieve the scapular, are a forgotten treasure. They call into mind our these effects through the intercession of the Church.” In the faith and integrate it into our daily life. The scapular serves as Directory of Popular Piety 205 it says, “The Scapular is an a constant reminder of the presence of Jesus and the prayers external sign of the filial relationship established between the of his Mother. Some find it difficult to wear. That can often be Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and solved by purchasing a good quality scapular. I got my own the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection, who from Mantle of Mary (www.etsy.com/shop/mantleofmary). have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of However, the best scapular is the one you will wear. It will become for you a practical sign that you belong to Jesus Christ. the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer.” St. John Paul II on the 750th anniversary of the scapular Sacramentals are not Catholic kitsch. They are a way to wrote: “The sign of the Scapular points to an effective synthesis of bring our faith into our daily lives and express it in a material Marian spirituality, which nourishes the devotion of believers way. They are a witness to our Catholic faith. The scapular is a and makes them sensitive to the Virgin Mother’s loving presence wonderful gift from Mary not just to the Carmelites but to all in their lives. The Scapular is essentially a ‘habit.’ Those who of us. receive it are associated closely with the Order of Carmel Father James Goodwin is pastor of St. Maurice Church in Kindred and dedicate themselves to the service of Our Lady for the and Judicial Vicar for the Marriage Tribunal. good of the whole Church. Those who wear the Scapular…
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God’s name and the present moment
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n the Old Testament God communicated in various ways— sometimes directly, sometimes through intermediaries (angels), and sometimes through prophets. Arguably the most profound communication occurred when God spoke with Moses on Mount Horeb (Exod. 3:1–22). God informed Moses, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” God told Moses he had observed the plight of the Israelites and heard their cry for help. God instructed Moses to go to Pharaoh and lead the Israelites out of Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey. Moses questioned God by saying, “If I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your ancestors has sent me to you, and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ What do I tell them?” In reply, God said to Moses “I am who I am. This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” By two small words, “I AM,” God reveals his name to Moses and to us. For the Jewish people, the name of God was so sacred that even just pronouncing it was considered blasphemy. When arrested by the Pharisees and again when interrogated by the Sanhedrin, in response to questions of who he was, Jesus responded “I AM.” On that basis alone, the Jewish authorities and the High Priest were convinced that Jesus had committed blasphemy and should be put to death. What should God’s name reveal to us? Most of us spend a great deal of time concerned either with the past or future. We worry about the things we have done or failed to do. Even though we might have made amends with people we’ve wronged, we seem unable to forget the harm we’ve caused, and it impairs the relationships we have. Conversely, when others have harmed us, even though we have forgiven them, we still may carry resentment over past events that blocks the path to complete reconciliation. This is especially true for friends and family members. It doesn’t take much to rub the proverbial scab off the emotional wounds and cause them to bleed anew. We also worry about what the future might bring. We analyze the signs of the times to determine what is in store for the future. During the workweek, we think to what we are going to do during the weekend. When the weekend comes, while we try to relax and enjoy the time off from work, we know that Monday is just around the corner. How does all this relate to God’s name? God is, always has been, and always will be. God is always in the present moment. With respect to his relationship his creation, God is outside of time, always in the here and now. For God, there was no yesterday and there will be no tomorrow. For him, there is a constant present moment, hence, “I AM.” In that name, God is revealing to us not only who he is but how we should be, as we are created in his image and likeness. Two Bible passages illustrate well Jesus teaching us to live in the present moment. In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus uses the birds of the air and the flowers of the field as examples for his disciples not to worry about what they are to eat and drink, or what clothes to wear. Jesus tells his disciples that God provides for the least of his creatures, so he most certainly will provide
By Ronald F. Fischer
for us. Jesus concludes that discourse by saying, “Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” If we are needlessly dwelling on the past, or worried about the future, our mind is drawn away from the present. That makes it much easier for the devil to attack and lead us astray. Hence, Jesus’ statement, “Sufficient for a day is its own evil.” We must stay focused on the present so we, through God’s grace, can ward off those attacks. The second Bible passage that speaks clearly about living in the present moment concerns Jesus advising his disciples about the upcoming persecutions they will face for believing in him. Jesus says in Mark 13:11, “When they lead you away and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say. But say whatever will be given to you at that hour. For it will not be you who are speaking but the Holy Spirit.” Jesus also said that only the childlike will enter the kingdom of Heaven. Children are the best example of living in the present moment. Their attention is fully focused on what is going on around them. When they interact with adults and each other, all of their attention is focused on that moment. In order to conform ourselves to God’s will, we must live in the here and now. We must be fully conscious of, and focused upon, whatever the present moment brings. By being “I AM” God is always there for us in that present moment, giving us the grace we need to carry out his will and resist the temptations of the devil. Let’s remember “I AM” when our mind needlessly wanders into the past or future. Fischer is a parishioner of Holy Family Church in Grand Forks and is one of the founders of the St. Thomas More Society of North Dakota.
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“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me” are words of evangelization By Patrick McGuire
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o you read your Bible? By its nature, Scripture speaks to us and asks us this question: “Will you spread the good news?” Scripture is ever spiraling around our lives, waiting to catch us at the right moment to inspire us and send us onward to proclaim the good news. It requires a response from us, an active participation in the evangelization and life of the Church. Music is often a helpful lens through which we can view scripture. While researching music for the upcoming Chrism Mass on April 16, I came upon Edward Elgar’s Oratorio, “The Apostles.” The first movement of this oratorio is titled, “The Spirit of the Lord is Upon Me.” It reads: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. To give unto them that mourn a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations, as the earth bringeth forth her bud.” I started drawing connections between this text and the Chrism Mass liturgy. Jesus begins his ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth by reading this passage from Isaiah 61, the origin of the text. He reveals himself to those gathered, “Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18-21). The priest shares in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. In the liturgy of the Chrism Mass, the priests renew their vows and are sent forth again to minister to their congregations. This text is quite fitting for the occasion. In fact, the first reading for the Chrism Mass is from Isaiah 61, the gospel acclamation verse is, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for He hath sent me to bring
glad tidings to the poor,” and the Gospel is that passage from Luke 4. This Mass reminds us of the origin of the priesthood, with Christ and his apostles. From Isaiah’s prophecy to it’s fulfillment in Christ, there is a “spiral” nature to these passages. It would be of little benefit to read through the Bible once as if it were a textbook for a class. These connections are all over the place, the discovery of which takes time, meditation, and study. We “spiral” along moving closer towards God, while still circling around and revisiting the Word to be enriched with the Word again and again, leading us to spread the “good news.” Pope Paul VI saw this message quite clearly. He references Isaiah 61 in his Apostolic Exhortation, ‘Evangelii Nuntiandi.’ He exhorts the faithful to become bold evangelizers in the world. He saw the importance of Christ beginning his ministry with the words of Isaiah, for within his statement begins the fulfillment of his mission coming to earth. Paul VI tells us we must share in Christ’s mission in our world today. We are not simply called to be inspired; we are all called to transform. To do this, we ought to look in Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians. He tells us the various gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the ministries to which all are called (1 Corinthians 12:1-31). Preaching the good news does not mean we need to shout the gospel on street corners. Let the Word inform and instruct your life, so that you will live it. As you live the Word, your gifts from the Holy Spirit will bless you and those around you. As I teach the Elgar piece to our students at Shanley High School, I pray they will learn not only the notes and rhythms of the piece but will connect to the words, experience the message, and offer it to our priests when we gather on April 16. If we can connect and give life to this piece, the spiral of renewal and fulfillment, present in scripture, will reach and inspire us and send us on. Patrick McGuire is the Director of Choral Activities at Shanley High School and Sullivan Middle School in Fargo.
The Shanley High School choir sings at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis on March 17. They were the guest choir at the 7:30 a.m. Mass. (submitted photo)
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Trust in God’s Divine Mercy By Kathleen Eischens
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of My Mercy” (Diary, 699). With Easter and the Feast of Divine Mercy just around the corner, the following are some ways to experience the depths of God’s mercy: • Meditate on the image of Divine Mercy • Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet • Pray the novena to Divine Mercy • Pray during the hour of great mercy • Celebrate the Feast of Mercy on Divine Mercy Sunday The image of the Divine Mercy is available and explained in a beautiful booklet at www.lighthousecatholicmedia.org/store/ title/the-divine-mercy-image-explained-booklet. Instructions for how to pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the prayer given to St. Faustina by our Lord, are at www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/year-of-faith/howto-pray-the-chaplet-of-divine-mercy.cfm. The novena to Divine Mercy begins on Good Friday and culminates on Divine Mercy Sunday. The celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy is celebrated at many Catholic churches on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 28. Although St. Faustina’s revelations about receiving God’s mercy are relatively new in terms of salvation history, they remind us of God’s timeless message of merciful love. As Jesus told St. Faustina: “My Heart overflows with great mercy for souls, and especially for poor sinners… it is for them that the Blood and Water flowed from My Heart as from a fount overflowing with mercy. For them I dwell in the tabernacle as King of Mercy” (Diary, 367). For more information and a beautiful, historically fascinating, and illuminating DVD series on Divine Mercy, check out Divine Mercy in The Second Greatest Story Ever Told featuring Father Michael Gaitley, MIC, available at www.augustineinstitute.org/ divinemercy/.
magine you are part of a college tennis team. You are scheduled to play doubles in a meet with your main rival. Unfortunately, the week before the meet, you skip one of the five scheduled practices and totally blow your plan to eat healthily. Match day arrives. Your partner is in top form and plays well. However, your serve is embarrassing, your return is out-of-bounds several times, and you completely miss what should have been an easy backhand. You and your partner only take two of the eight games in the match. You feel responsible. You throw yourself at your partner’s mercy, apologize, and vow to attend all practices, eat well, and work out before the next match. You can ask for your partner’s mercy because you trust your partner to forgive you, and give you another chance. Infinitely more than the human mercy offered by your doubles partner is God’s love and mercy! In Exodus 34:6, God declared to Moses that he is, “Merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Father Michael Gaitley, director of Evangelization for the Marian Fathers of Kathleen Eischens is a photographer and writer living in Waconia, the Immaculate Conception and director of Formation for the Minn. with her husband and two children. She attends St. Hubert’s Marian Missionaries of Divine Mercy, in his book, The Second Catholic Community in Chanhassen, Minn. Greatest Story Ever Told, writes, “All of salvation history can be summarized as… God’s great effort of trying to get us skittish, fearful creatures to give up our fear of him and to trust in his love and goodness.” Jesus’ “sign language”: St. Faustina, whose visions and revelations from Jesus brought Are you going MY WAY? into today’s world the message of Divine Mercy, wrote of Divine What direction is your life taking? Check Mercy in her diary: “On one occasion, I heard these words: My out the vocation map that is already daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I written in your heart. desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and shelter for all souls, Mary did just that with her FIAT. and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of my tender mercy are open. I pour out a whole ocean of graces CARMEL OF MARY upon those souls who approach the fount of My mercy. The 17765 78TH ST. S.E., WAHPETON, ND 58075 soul that will go to Confession (the Church says within 20 days 701-642-2360 of Divine Mercy Sunday) and receive Holy Communion shall CARMELOFMARY@GMAIL.COM obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment… It is My desire that it be solemnly celebrated on the first Sunday after Easter. Mankind will not have peace until it turns to the Fount NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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AROUND THE DIOCESE
Father Julian Kupisz passes away at his home in Poland
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ev. Julian Kupisz, 77, passed away March 16 in Tarnow, Poland. His funeral was held March 20 in Tarnow. Father Julian was born on Nov. 16, 1941 in the Polish city of Pierszyce, one of six children. He attended seminary in Poland and was ordained a priest of the Order of Discalced Carmelites in Warsaw on June 21, 1974. Father Julian came to the United States and the Fargo Diocese in 1985 and served as parochial vicar in Knox and Rugby. From 1986–89 he was the pastor of parishes in Bisbee, Rock Lake, and Hansboro. From 1989–98, Father Julian served as pastor of the parishes in Hurdsfield and Sykeston, adding the parish in McClusky
to his cluster in 1992. While serving these parishes, he was incardinated to the Fargo Diocese in 1993 by Bishop Sullivan. He was the pastor in Marion, Dickey, and LaMoure from 1998–2002 and was appointed administrator briefly for parishes in Oakes and Verona in 2002. His last assignment as a pastor for the diocese was from 2002–10 at parishes in Maddock and Esmond, adding the parish in Balta in 2004. He retired June 30, 2010 and returned to his home country of Poland, where he lived out his remaining years at a parish in Tarnow. Father Julian is survived by a sister, who lovingly cared for him in his retirement, and two brothers. He was proceeded in death by his parents and a sister and brother.
One-step closer
Catechumens and candidates declare their desire for full communion in the Catholic Church
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he beginning of Lent brings with it a renewed purpose of reconciliation among the faithful, but it also signifies the final process for many desiring to be received in full communion in the Catholic faith. Those in the Diocese of Fargo who are participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), gathered for the Rite of Election celebration March 10 at the Cathedral of St. Mary in Fargo. The celebration includes two rites. The first is the Rite of Election for the unbaptized, called catechumens, who will receive Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil on April 20. In this rite, on the basis of the testimony of godparents and catechists and the catechumens’ reaffirmation of their intention, the Church judges their state of readiness and decides on their advancement toward the sacraments of initiation. Bishop John Folda declared the catechumens to be “members of the elect, to be initiated into the sacred mysteries at the next Easter Vigil.” The second rite is the Rite of the Call to Continuing Conversion. Those participating are called candidates. They have already been baptized and are preparing for Confirmation and/or First Eucharist at the Easter Vigil. In this rite, according to Bishop John Folda, “the Church recognizes their desire to be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit and to have a place at Christ’s Eucharistic table. Join with us this Lent in a spirit of repentance. Hear the Lord’s call to conversion and be faithful to your baptismal covenant.”
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Catechumens and candidates for reception into the Catholic faith gather with Bishop John Folda at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo. (Paul Braun | New Earth)
A young catechumen signs her name as part of the Rite of Election ceremony at St. Mary’s Cathedral. (Paul Braun | New Earth)
AROUND THE DIOOCESE
Agnes Harrington receives Catholic Charities Caritas Award Agnes Harrington of Fargo accepts the Catholic Charities Caritas Award at Sts. Anne and Joachim Church in Fargo. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
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By Kristina Lahr
ongratulations to Agnes Harrington on receiving the Catholic Charities North Dakota Caritas Award for her service in healthcare and education! The award luncheon was held on March 12 at Sts. Anne and Joachim Church in Fargo. Over the years, Agnes has volunteered at her parish, Nativity Church in Fargo, as a proclaimer, parish council member, chair of the school board, and parish nurse. She also served as a committee or board member for the Mary’s Coordinating Council for Youth, the Junior League of Fargo-Moorhead, the United Way of Cass Clay, the Native American Coalition, the Shanley GROW Board, the Vocational Training Center, and Catholic Charities North Dakota. She is also Vice President of the Board of ShareHouse, and serves on committees offering help to licensed professionals struggling with an addiction. The Caritas Award is given annually to persons or organizations in recognition of outstanding service and love for humanity. Its purpose is to recognize the individual or organization who has, by example and deed, served persons in need and advocated for justice and convened other persons of good will to do the same in a manner consistent with Catholic Social Teaching.
St. Patrick made a visit to Sacred Heart Church in Rolette after Mass on Monday, March 18 during monthly coffee and rolls. He gave everyone a shamrock sticker to remind them that he used the three-leafed clover to teach the Irish people about the Trinity—one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He also gave everyone a picture card of St. Patrick with an Irish blessing prayer. Here St. Patrick (Jorgen Knutson) is with Father Paulraj Thondappa and Eva Tastad and Adie Strong who helped pass out treats. St. Patrick also made a visit to the Rolette Community Care Center. (submitted photo)
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AROUND THE DIOCESE
Chris Stefanick brings joy of Christ’s story to Grafton By Kristina Lahr
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outh and adults filled St. John the Evangelist Church in Grafton for REBOOT, an event on March 20 featuring international speaker, author, and TV host Chris Stefanick. In a two-part series of talks, Stefanick reminded all in attendance of the great story of Jesus Christ’s undying love for us, and that we are an integral part of that story. “Jesus said, ‘I came so that they might have life and have it to the full,’” said Stefanick. “He didn’t say, ‘I came to make them boring, add holy ‘to do’s’ to their already busy lives with which they’ll constantly feel guilty about not fulfilling, and to give them rules and regulations.’ He said, ‘I have told you these things so my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.’ He came to give us life—real life.” Stefanick told the stories of three saints to highlight that it isn’t money, fame, or power that gives us joy and purpose but Jesus Christ himself. Even in immense suffering, these saints were joyful because they knew who they were and whose they were. The pain they suffered was only a page in the greater story. “The death of his family wasn’t St. John Paul II’s story,” said Stefanick. “Cancer wasn’t the story for Blessed Chiara Badano, being kidnapped and abused wasn’t the story for St. Josephine Bakhita. There’s a bigger story. See the love that created space and time, the love that we were born to find. Let’s not buy into the delusion that Jesus is any closer to the saints than he is to you right now. He’s giving everything to you right now, and he’s asking you to give everything back. Let’s stop complicating the equation that is Christianity.” Deacon Michael Grzadzielewski of St. John the Evangelist Church said bringing Stefanick to the parish was a way to excite and recharge the faithful for the greater mission Christ has given us.
“We’re trying to get our people to more deeply understand the relationship with Jesus that we all long to have. I think that’s been missed by a lot of people. Chris is really good about bringing forth that relationship aspect. I’ve been using Chris’s program Chosen with the kids I’m teaching, and they really seem to gravitate toward the sessions. If you talk to young people today and ask them a question, they will typically respond with, ‘I feel that...’ Everything is about emotion. He’s able to tap into that and opens the door for discussing morality and dogma.” In his second talk, Stefanick presented five habits to practice in order to live the life Jesus offers. The first being to love yourself with your words and actions. “The words you speak to yourself shape your self-perception. Self-perception shapes your actions. Actions shape your life.” The other four habits are to pray, share the faith, seek real friendship, and REBOOT, meaning to begin anew each day and to never let our past sins or experiences define us. The message was simple at its core, but its importance couldn’t be overstated. “How many generations does it take for the flame of faith to go out? One,” said Stefanick. “It’s in our hands now. I don’t care how hard the world pushes back on the most amazing gift humanity has ever received. In this town, in our families, we hold onto that flame and pass it down. “I can’t promise you that if you follow Jesus in your everyday life that all your problems will go away—kids will stop doing drugs, your marriage will instantly heal, your cancer will clear up—but God can do anything, so you should ask big. Here’s what I can promise you with absolute surety. When you get closer to Jesus, in your everyday life, guess what changes? You.”
International evangelist Chris Stefanick speaks at St. John the Evangelist Church in Grafton on March 20. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
Youth gather around Chris Stefanick for a photo. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
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Deacon Stu Longtin, St. Anthony’s of Padua in Fargo, leads a Sunday prayer service for inmates at the Cass County Jail in Fargo. (Paul Braun | New Earth)
Visiting the prisoner Jail ministry a call directly from Christ By Paul Braun
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or I was... in prison and you visited me. Amen, I say unto you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25: 36 and 40). Ministering to those in need has been a mainstay of Christians since Christ called us to do so in the Gospels. That call includes ministering to those imprisoned. In fact, in Acts 16:25 it states that, “Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” Jail ministry in North Dakota has been ongoing n various locations since before the founding of the Fargo Diocese in 1889. Although living conditions for prisoners has greatly improved over the past century, their spiritual needs today are just as great as they were more than 100 years ago, maybe even more so. Many parishes across the diocese have taken it upon themselves to offer spiritual services to those serving time in city and county jails (the state penitentiary is in the Bismarck Diocese). These prisoners do not have access to services, and are entirely dependent on the faith community in the area surrounding their jail. The problem is even greater for Catholic prisoners. Ministry 16
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is limited to prayer services and group discussions, and it’s rare when a Mass or Sacrament of Reconciliation is offered. Deacon Stu Longtin of St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fargo has been involved in prison ministry at the Cass County Jail since his formation days 19 years ago. He says that from the beginning, every time he walks out of the jail after a session he thanks God for placing him there. “There are a lot of broken people in jail,” said Deacon Longtin, “but we’re all broken, and we need time to be fixed. It’s the job of a jail minister to be in the repair business.” A typical session for Deacon Longtin is a Sunday afternoon visit with about a dozen inmates in the prison gathering room. He has the inmates read the Mass readings of the day, gives the inmates a short reflection explaining the meaning of what they just heard, and leads a discussion before giving them a final blessing. He tries to arrange for a priest to come periodically to hear confessions, so that the inmates have an opportunity to receive communion. “Inmates themselves, due to their circumstances and the lives
COVER STORY they’ve lived, have a different understanding about God,” said Deacon Longtin. “Most of them have a fifth or sixth-grade kind of education in the faith and it stopped there. Many have gone through things in their life that have caused abject fear, and who do they come back to? God, in some fashion or another. We’re here to guide their way back.” Ken Schaan from Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Balta, has been involved with jail ministry at Heart of America Correctional and Treatment Center in Rugby for over 10 years. He takes the time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament before he heads to the jail in order to be prepared to, in his words, “introduce Jesus Christ to each of them in as personal a way as possible, for a lifelong personal relationship. Also, to calm them from anxiety, anger, or fear.” “Most of the time they are searching and appreciate our presence,” said Schaan. “Occasionally one may be rebellious and very challenging to our comments. Almost always when that happens, if they return the next week or two, they apologize and say they had a bad attitude. They will also comment about
past sessions and the prayers they have offered for others, or even us, and our situations which we have shared.” Jail ministry in city and county jails is different from the state penitentiary in Bismarck. There, inmates are incarcerated for years, sometimes for life. City and County jails house inmates that are serving much shorter sentences. “We don’t often see the same inmates more than a couple of times,” said Alice Hoffert of St. Michael’s Church in Grand Forks. “Some are only there for short sentences, some are waiting for sentencing and transport to prison, and the most an inmate can be held at this jail is one year. Therefore, we aren’t able to make any long-term assessments of change.” Alice answered the call to prison ministry about seven years ago after seeing an announcement in her church bulletin. She serves the Grand Forks County Correctional and Treatment center with jail ministers from her home parish, along with those from St. Mary’s and Holy Family in Grand Forks and Sacred Heart in East Grand Forks, Minn. Their official ministry statement
Heart of America Correctional and Treatment Center, Rugby (ICON Architects)
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is, “Jesus challenges us to visit the imprisoned, and so it is our Christian calling to share God’s love through our presence with those who are struggling with their imprisonment.” “During the time I have had the privilege of being part of this ministry, I have always been treated with respect and appreciation by the inmates I encountered,” said Hoffert. “There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is working with us and through us as we minister to the men and women who join us. Speaking for myself, there is such a feeling of peace and joy each time I leave the jail.” Ken Schaan agrees. “I would say I have witnessed many times the Holy Spirit moving through each of us in our prayerful discussion of his love and concern for each of us, equally and mercifully, and some day meeting in heaven despite all our brokenness.”
handle it. He told me ‘God put me here for a reason. I’m happy here.’ He died in prison, and a correctional officer told me he did a lot of good while he was an inmate. That’s Divine Mercy to me.” Jail ministry can be difficult. Deacon Longtin says there can be disappointment, like when an inmate lies to you and challenges your trust in human nature. However, he says it can also be a blessing to himself, and that’s what keeps him going back each Sunday. “Many times when I walk out I feel they’ve given me more than I’ve given them,” said Deacon Longtin. “I get the opportunity to see the seedy part of life, but also the great part of life of people actually awakening in their head and really realizing that God’s in control and they aren’t. I’ve had others in jail ministry tell me the same thing, that they benefit as much as, if not more than, the people they minister to.” JAIL MINISTRY AND DIVINE MERCY “One year a young man approached me in a motel in a Sunday, April 28 is Divine Mercy Sunday. Celebrated in the neighboring city and said he had a job there. He saw me and Catholic Church yearly the Sunday following Easter, it is an just stopped to thank me for giving him a new start in his life,” opportunity for the faithful to reflect on the theme of how God’s said Ken Schaan. “He said he hoped he would not be back in mercy can overcome sin. Divine Mercy means hope, especially that situation again. I didn’t really remember him, but it was for the imprisoned. a very uplifting moment for both of us none-the-less.” “Jail ministry is an attempt by an imperfect human being Just as there will always be the poor among us, so will there to imitate the Divine Son, to extend with a human face and always be prison inmates in need of comfort, redemption, and heart the mercy of the Savior,” said Father Thomas Graner of hope. Jail ministry is not for everyone, but it can be the right St. Therese the Little Flower Church in Rugby. “Jail ministry calling for the right person. pushes me beyond my own strict sense of justice, right, and “I see jail ministry as making an impact for those whose wrong, just punishment, retribution, and vengeance to a sense crimes are especially gut-wrenching—often sex crimes or doof mercy, reconciliation, and realizing I’m not perfect—I just mestic violence,” said Father Graner. “In spite of the inhumane don’t happen to be in jail. Jesus is Divine Mercy; I’m working things they’ve done, they need to be received as humanely as at imitating him.” possible and to be heard, prayed with, and prayed for. They “How I saw Divine Mercy in jail was in a 75 year old man, thank us for coming when few of their family or friends do, for born and raised Catholic from a large family,” recalled Deacon listening when almost no one other than their attorney does, Longtin. “He got kind of a raw deal from a business partner and for praying with them for the loved ones they care about and was now paying for it as an inmate convicted of fraud. He and for their own needs.” would lead a group of prisoners in morning prayer. He never If jail ministry interests you, contact your local pastor on how tried to correct the wrong done to him, and was letting God you may be of service answering Christ’s call in the Gospel. Grand Forks County Correctional and Treatment Center, Grand Forks (ICON Architects)
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Bishop Folda anoints the forehead of a confirmant at St. Leo’s Church in Casselton on March 23. Thirty-three children from St. Thomas, Buffalo; St. Maurice, Kindred; St. Benedict, Wild Rice; and St. Leo’s, Casselton received the Sacraments of Confirmation and First Eucharist. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
Diocesan policy: Reporting child abuse
The Diocese of Fargo is committed to the protection of youth. Please report any incidents or suspected incidents of child abuse, including sexual abuse, to civil authorities. If the situation involves a member of the clergy or a religious order, a seminarian or anemployee of a Catholic school, parish, the diocesan offices or other Catholic entity within the diocese, we ask that you also report the incident or suspected incident to Monsignor Joseph P. Goering at (701) 356-7945 or Larry Bernhardt at (701) 356-7965 or VictimAssistance@ fargodiocese.org. For additional information about victim assistance, visit www.fargodiocese.org/victimassistance.
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Catholic Culture e m o H e h in t
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The joys of being a grandparent By Sharon Eversvik
y husband Jim and I will be married for 36 years this coming summer. Our three grown children are all married and have blessed us with nine grandchildren. God’s blessings in our married life together have been abundant. Raising our children in the Catholic Church was very important to us as a couple, and now having the opportunity to be active in the faith life of our grandchildren is something we treasure. As grandparents we are able to “slow down and smell the roses.” It is wonderful to have more time to spend with the grandkids without having to worry about the daily routine of parenting responsibilities. Spending one-on-one time on trips with our grandkids has become a tradition with Jim and me. The grandkids eagerly wait to see where grandma and grandpa are going this time and whose turn it is to come with us. It doesn’t matter if it’s just a day trip to the ND State Fair or Winter Show, a weekend wedding in Montana, or a whole week in Colorado visiting Uncle Jon and Aunt Heather, and their new cousin Elizabeth. These excursions are wonderful bonding opportunities, memory makers, and faith builders for all of us. The expectations and planning of an upcoming road trip are fun to share with each other. I enjoy teaching my grandkids that being Catholic is a way of life, not just something we do on Sundays. There are many teachable moments as we travel together. We start the day with prayer, offering our day to God. If we will be in the vehicle for an extended period, there’s time to pray the rosary and Divine Mercy chaplet. It’s always interesting praying our meal blessing at a local restaurant. Planning our Sunday around finding a church and attending Mass is an important part of our journey. And of course, saying our prayers before we go to bed for the night. Don’t get me wrong, everything isn’t perfect. There are always the reminders that we are in a vehicle with young children for a long time. What could go wrong? “He’s looking at me! She touched me! It’s my turn!” You get the drift. There are plenty of occasions to practice our grandparenting skills. Another tradition I started with our grandkids that live next door is blessing them. Some mornings when their parents need to be to work early, I’ll watch them until the school bus comes. After everyone is ready with their backpacks and coats, we have time for morning prayer. They each pray for a special intention
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along with their morning prayers. Then I bless them with holy water and tell them that I love them and that Jesus loves them too. The grandkids seem to enjoy this as much as I do. Sharing our Catholic faith with our grandchildren and being a part of their lives fill us with such joy! We pray that our influence will help our grandchildren grow closer to Jesus and have that personal relationship with him throughout their lives. Sharon Eversvik is a grandmother and the Office Manager and DRE at St. John’s Church in New Rockford.
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FAITH AND CULTURE
Inspiring little ones to sainthood By Sonia Mullally, Dakota Catholic Action editor
November. During that time, I suddenly had a great desire to write a children’s book about Mary. And, a great urgency to do it.” The concepts and words came easy for the books, but the artwork was different. “I didn’t know how to do the illustrations. Then my husband said, ‘Hire an illustrator!’ I thought of a lady who I met a few years back at a Thirst Conference. I loved her painting and remembered thinking, ‘If I could paint, that’s how I would want my paintings to look.’ I sent a message to her Etsy shop, thinking that she wasn’t even going to respond. She ended up loving my ideas and had been praying with her husband for many years about turning her paintings into children’s books.” Her six books currently available are titled: Girl Saints for Little Ones, Consecration to Mary for Little Ones, Guided Prayer for Little Ones, Examination of Conscience for Little Ones, Receiving Jesus for Little Ones, and Boy Saints for Little Ones. Her first book, Girls Saints for Little Ones and the counterpart, Boy Saints for Little Ones, feature biographies of 12 saints, along Kimberly and her husband with a vibrant illustration, quote from the saint, and explanation James and their three children. of a Catholic symbol on each painting. The book is meant to Kimberly has released six chilinspire children, ages 4–12, to form relationships with these dren’s books on teaching the saints and desire to become saints themselves. Catholic faith to children. Consecration to Mary for Little Ones follows the traditional (submitted photo) 33-day preparation of Marian Consecration, for ages 4–12. The book covers information about Mary’s life, how to pray with her, and why having a relationship with her will bring us closer to ocal author Kimberly Fries has released six children’s Jesus. Each day also includes a quote from the bible, a Marian books in the last couple months with more in the works. saint, or a Marian apparition, and a short prayer. “Since I was young I have loved to write,” Kimberly ex- Guided Prayer for Little Ones is designed to guide children plained. “I have also loved to learn about the Catholic faith and through the steps of prayer, including recognizing God’s presence, praying for themselves and others, and speaking to God and to teach it to children.” It was during college when Kimberly realized she could turn the Blessed Mother. There are traditional prayers included that love of her faith into something for others. “When I was in throughout the book, as well. college in Valley City studying elementary education, we had Examination of Conscience for Little Ones leads children to to write and design our own children’s book. I had so much recognize their sins and prepare to make a fruitful confession. fun creating a little rosary book with Latin prayers. When I was Receiving Jesus for Little Ones focuses on the joy of the Eucharist. laminating it at the student center, the worker there asked if I Her motivation and drive to offer these books always comes would be willing to make more to sell because she wanted to back to the love of her Catholic faith and, in turn, help other parents to educate their children on matters of the faith. buy one. She wasn’t even Catholic!” “I want to provide parents with tools that will make them Kimberly and her family moved to Center N.D. from Linton comfortable introducing beautiful, traditional devotions into N.D. last fall. After marriage and a family took center stage in their homes at a very young age. My deepest desire is to inspire her life, she shifted her focus to using her writing to inspire young children, including my own, to want to become saints,” parents and children, but to also earn a little money. The books Kimberly explained. “Children can have big hearts for God and evolved from much thought and prayer. even a deep prayer life; many times, they just need exposure to “Soon after college, I got married and suffered three very a zeal for the faith.” difficult pregnancies. After my last pregnancy, my husband and I discerned how I could make a side income from home. We Kimberly’s books are available on Amazon.com and at Mayo thought of my writing skills and decided to start a blog called, Pharmacy and Ferguson Books in Bismarck. She can be reached My Little Nazareth. A lot of people enjoyed my writing. We prayed at mylittlenazareth@gmail.com. more about it when we renewed our Consecration to Mary in
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STORIES OF FAITH
By Beth Kensok
was pulled from the crowd to help Jesus to lighten his load. I had a friend come with me to get x-rays done on my arm to make sure I didn’t break anything. She was my Simon.
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus. Similar to meeting his
mother, Veronica does whatever she can to try to take any pain from Jesus. Because I was put in a sling, I started to chafe near the neck. A friend put aloe on it for me to alleviate the pain. She was my Veronica.
Jesus falls the second time. The cross Jesus was bearing
became heavier and heavier. This time, I fell emotionally because the vision of Jesus dragging the cross came to mind, and I realized that it was burdensome because of our sins. We must walk daily with a contrite heart.
Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem. Even though Jesus
is weak, he still stops to greet people and encourage them. When someone saw me in a sling they would want to do everything for me. Instead, I just asked them to pray for me.
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Jesus falls a third time.
hroughout this Lent, we have been utilizing this season Here, we truly begin to see just for prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. As we now enter into how hard it was for Jesus to carry his cross. I began to reflect Holy Week, we are reminded of what Jesus went through on where in my spiritual life I have fallen. during the Passion. The soldiers strip his clothes During Lent in 2018, I was able to physically and emotionally to reveal his wounds. It was revealed to me how blessed I am experience aspects of Jesus’ sufferings. This helped me grow to usually have two working arms because I needed others to closer to Jesus and to appreciate what he did for us on a deeper help me put on my coat without putting myself in pain. level. The initial event that helped me realize this was experiThe soldiers nail Jesus’ hands encing loneliness through prayer. I was then able to relate to and feet to the cross. One night as I was trying to fall asleep, each of the Stations of the Cross. the palms of my hands were tingling, and I had a cramp in my Nobody stood up for Jesus. foot. I was feeling, in some fashion, the pain of the nails being He probably received great loneliness from this, especially when driven into Jesus’ hands and feet. To this day I have a mark in he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. After receiving loneliness one of my feet where a nail would have been driven in if I were through prayer, I felt no one around me would stand up for me. to be put on the cross. Jesus accepted his cross and knew As we near the end of Lent and that it wasn’t going to be easy. When I discovered God wanted prepare ourselves for Holy Week, let us reflect and be grateful me to walk the path of his son, I accepted that burden. for what Jesus did for us: all the pain, suffering, and emotional
Jesus’ clothes are taken away. Jesus is nailed to the cross.
Jesus is condemned to death. Jesus carries his cross.
Jesus dies on the cross.
sorrows. Through this experience, I was able to grow closer to Jesus and be happy in the midst of suffering. As you meditate on the Passion, look through the eyes of Jesus. What other king would Jesus found it hard to find a loving send his son to die for us and our salvation? How humble is person in the crowd until he sees his mother. She can’t heal him, God to send his son to come down to earth so that he may be but suffers with him, showing that she cares. Throughout this one of us? We have so much to be thankful for as we prepare experience, I found it hard to find someone who genuinely ourselves for the Easter season. cared for me, so I called my mom and talked to her. She knew she couldn’t fix my pain but suffered alongside me. Beth Kensok is a student at the University of Mary in Bismarck. Her
Jesus falls the first time. Jesus falls while carrying the heavy cross, and no one helps him. I fell while walking on a sidewalk; I slipped on a patch of ice and severely injured my elbow.
Jesus meets his mother.
Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross. A man
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hometown parish is St. Leo’s in Casselton.
OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
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s I reflect on my life as a Religious Woman, as a Sister of Mary of the Presentation for 48 years, I see that my life has been filled with tremendous blessings and opportunities for growth spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically. God has been my “walking companion” leading me in amazing ways.
“In ministering to the elderly, I experience daily God’s love and how one’s life can change in the blink of an eye. ” –Sister Debra Berry
A basket full of blessings
to take some courses that interested me (Spiritual Direction, Liturgy, etc.) and to discern where God Sister’s was leading me. Perspective With another leap of faith and the bless- Sister Debra Berry ing of my Religious Community, I went to Fosston, Minn. where I was the pastoral associate for two small parishes for 12 years. Here I was stretched and challenged to become more of an extrovert as I took on the various roles of leadership in the parishes. My time of ministry in these parishes were some of the most treasured years of my life. God then had a venture for me in Bismarck as a Spiritual Care Director at St. Gabriel’s Community, an assisted living, basic care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation facility sponsored by the Benedictine Sisters of Duluth, Minn. In ministering to the elderly, I experience daily God’s love and how one’s life can change in the blink of an eye. I witness to their seeking to grow closer to God and how God is actively working in their lives. It is a gift to be able to minister to and with them. At this time in my life, I know that this is where God wants me to be. What God has in store for me as I continue my journey of faith, is in his hands. With a joyful and thankful heart, I entrust the days and years ahead to God who continually calls me to follow him. My life has been and is a “basket full of blessings!”
I entered Religious Life after one year of college and right after Vatican II, a time of many changes in the Church and Religious Life. I was very fortunate and blessed to have a Sister as my formation director who was kind, compassionate, and loving. She was a tremendous influence in my life and later became my closest friend. She saw potential within me and encouraged me to be my best self, the person God created me to be. I am forever grateful for her presence in my life. After I made my First Profession, I continued my education and received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Education with an Early Childhood concentration. My dream was to begin and teach Kindergarten as we did not have any in which our Religious Congregation presently taught. A generous donor allowed this dream to become a reality, and I started the first Kindergarten at St. Catherine’s School in Valley City, where I had been teaching second grade. Five years later, I was asked to move to Illinois where I taught first grade in my hometown. I taught first grade in the same room I had been a first grader. Sister Debra Berry is a Sister of the Mary of the Presentation. She Many of my students’ parents were my classmates. The Community, seeing potential in me, encouraged me lives in Bismarck. to further my education. I went to Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. to earn a Master ’s degree in Theological Studies. This opened up many new experiences in my ministry as a Woman Religious. After three years of teaching in my hometown, my journey took me back to North Dakota where I become the vocation director for our Religious Community. I went to Grand Forks where I did campus ministry at the University of North Dakota for ten years. Going from teaching God’s precious little ones to college students was a real leap of faith. These years were grace-filled and a growing experience for me. Being open to God’s plan opened up many new and fascinating opportunities. After campus ministry, God had another surprise for me, which led me back to Valley City to assume the responsibilities on our leadership team as the assistant provincial for five years. I then sensed God calling me to move on, so I went to St. Louis
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
Striving to surrender to God’s will
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eflecting on and so on. He truly does take care of everything. We just need my first year to let him. of seminary, O Lord, my heart is not lifted up, I am humbled by Seminarian the gifts that God my eyes are not raised too high; has given me. I I do not occupy myself with things Life have grown pro- too great and too marvelous for me. Jasper Keller foundly as a person But I have calmed and quieted my soul, of prayer, as a man of God, and as a like a child quieted at its mother’s breast; son of the Father. like a child that is quieted is my soul. Of course, I still O Israel, hope in the Lord have a long way to go. However, the gift I value most is the from this time forth and for evermore (Ps. 131). grace of surrender, of trust in God. This surrender to God is absolutely everywhere in our faith. Keller is a College II seminarian studying at St. Gregory the Great At the crossing of the Red Sea, the Israelites, in a panic because Seminary in Seward, Neb. of the Egyptian onslaught, were told by Moses, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still” (Exod. 14:14). In the Editor’s Note: Seminarian Life is a column written by current Psalms we read, “Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Diocese of Fargo seminarians. Please continue to pray for them. Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever” (Ps. 125:1). Jesus says to us, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Matt. 6:33). I’ve also powerfully encountered it in my Marian Consecration and the writings of St. Therese of Lisieux. Early in the school year, I came across the Novena of Surrender to the Will of God, a daily series of short meditations on the nature of true reliance on divine providence. It radically changed my prayer life. I highly recommend it. I had often learned about the sanctity of relying on God and trusting in him, but never had I read such a powerful description of both what that is and is not. To illustrate, I’ll give an excerpt: “Surrender to me does not mean to fret, to be upset, or to lose hope, nor does it mean offering to me a worried prayer asking me to follow you and change your worry into prayer. It is against this surrender, deeply against it, to worry, to be nervous and to desire to think about the consequences of anything. It is like the confusion that children feel when they ask their mother to see to their needs, and then try to take care of those needs for themselves so that their childlike efforts get in their mother’s way. Surrender means to placidly close the eyes of the soul, to turn away from thoughts of tribulation and to put yourself in my care.” God worked through this novena to give me unbelievable peace and joy. Day by day, I realized just how much I relied on myself for most everything big and small, and how much anxiety and difficulty this caused me. Slowly and steadily I was given the grace in more of those moments to turn to God and “placidly close the eyes of the soul.” As a direct result, I was able to see the miracles God works for me everyday. I began to see his hand in all things, big and small: finances, my grades, overly-busy days, my relationships with friends and family, getting my daily holy hour in, my relationship with God, stubbing my toe, my spiritual and personal development, homework, getting to enjoy my hobbies, my summer assignment for the diocese, 26
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Deadly force laws and their legal and moral distinction
or the second consecutive legislative session, the North Dakota Legislative Assembly has considered legislation to expand when a person can use deadly force against another. Proponents call these proposals “stand your ground” laws. Some law enforcement officials call them “shoot to kill” bills. As in 2017, the latest bill was defeated, but the margin was narrow. Both bills would have allowed the use of deadly force to protect theft of property, even if no life was threatened. Support for these type of bills often reflects misunderstandings of both the moral law and North Dakota law. When and how much force an individual can use against another is ultimately a moral issue. The Bible presents the precept “You shall not kill” as a divine commandment. Those of different faiths or no faith accept the same injunction because of the value of all human life. From this precept comes a fundamental principle: no one can claim the right to deliberately kill another human being. The injunction is rooted in the recognition that all human life is sacred and that all human life has inherent value. Yet as far back as the Book of Exodus, faced with often tragic cases that can occur, we sought a fuller and deeper understanding of what the commandment prohibits and prescribes, particularly in cases of self-defense. St. Thomas Aquinas later provided the most accepted and definitive treatment of the subject. What he taught, though not entirely new even then, became the basis of Western Law. Aquinas restated the fundamental principle that it is never permissible for a private individual to intentionally kill a person. This injunction applies even in cases of self-defense. A person can, however, use moderate force to repel an aggressor when it is necessary to protect oneself or someone for whom the person is responsible. If the use of force meets these conditions, and the aggressor unintentionally dies as a result, the person is not guilty of murder. If however, these conditions are not met and the aggressor dies, the person has committed murder. Three fundamental principles underlie this teaching. First, intentional killing of an innocent person is always wrong. Second, intentional killing of a wrongdoer is also always wrong, though the use of force that unintentionally results in the death of a wrongdoer can be justified. Third, the mere fact that an individual is not where he or she should be or may be intending harm does not create an exception to the rule. Even in that case, a person cannot intend to kill the individual. Through the centuries, courts and lawmakers incorporated these principles into law. The “duty to retreat” in English common law finds its basis in the necessity requirement, since the use of deadly force could not be viewed as necessary if the person could escape. Eventually, some jurisdictions, including North Dakota, adopted the “Castle Doctrine,” which removed the duty to retreat in a person’s dwelling or work place. The Castle Doctrine does not necessarily contradict the fundamen-
tal principles since it is based on several presumptions about the ability Catholic to retreat. Indeed, something like the Action Castle Doctrine appears in Exodus 22:1. Christoper Dodson It states: “If a thief is caught in the act of housebreaking and beaten to death, there is no bloodguilt involved.” The next verse, however, states: “But if after sunrise he is thus beaten, there is bloodguilt.” In other words, killing an intruder at night was permissible, but killing an intruder during the day was not because escaping was possible in daylight. North Dakota law clearly respects an individual’s “right” to use deadly force when necessary to prevent “death, serious bodily injury, or the commission of a felony involving violence” to the individual or others. The law contains a “duty to retreat,” but only outside of a person’s dwelling. Removing the requirement would, practically by definition, allow intentional killing when it is not necessary. This violates the fundamental moral rule that a person cannot use deadly force except when it is necessary for self-defense. Because the use of deadly force is justified only when it is intended and necessary for the protection of human life, it follows that deadly force can never be used in defense of property. The principle always recognized in Western Law and morality has been that only moderate force—and even then, only the amount necessary—is justified to protect property. Proponents of these types of law often claim that responsible citizens would never intentionally kill if doing so was not necessary. The law, however, is not meant only for responsible citizens. With that approach we would not need laws against abortion, rape, or sex abuse because no “responsible” person in their “right mind” would do it. Indeed, there is not just a tangential connection between the deadly force laws and issues like abortion. The fundamental moral laws are universal. They apply now, just as they did in the time of Thomas Aquinas and the time of the Exodus. They apply in the womb, in our streets, and in our homes. They are universal because God is the Author of Life and Truth now and forever. Our laws should respect and reflect that truth. Christopher Dodson is executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. The NDCC acts on behalf of the Catholic bishops of North Dakota to respond to public policy issues of concern to the Catholic Church and to educate Catholics and the public about Catholic social doctrine. The conference website is ndcatholic.org.
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
Lower your taxes with the New Tax Law
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s many of you know, Congress doubled the standard deduction to Stewardship $12,000 for single Steve Schons filers and $24,000 for married filers. For smart taxpayers, the new law provides easy opportunities to lower taxes even more. Whether you typically itemize or take the standard deduction, there are some strategies you can use to receive new tax savings as well as other non-tax benefits. The most significant opportunity for you is probably the standard deductions. It can be used instead of itemizing your deductions, where in the past you might have claimed a deduction for mortgage interest, state, local taxes, and charitable giving. Here are some options: 1. Fund a Charitable Gift Annuity or Charitable Remainder Unitrust. Either strategy provides you with annual income, a charitable income tax deduction, and potentially favorable capital gains treatment while allowing you to support the causes that matter most to you. Your specific benefits will be affected based on whether you itemize or take the standard deduction.
2. Make an outright gift of an appreciated asset to your Catholic Church or other ministry. This strategy allows you to support the causes that matter most to you while generating a charitable tax deduction and potentially capital gains tax savings. This strategy provides tax benefits to itemizers and non-itemizers. 3. Give from your pre-tax assets by making an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) rollover gift. If you are 70 ½ or older, this strategy allows you to give up to $100,000 directly from your IRA rather than take the required distribution from your IRA. This strategy doesn’t result in charitable deduction but will help you avoid tax on the distribution. This strategy works for both itemizers and non-itemizers. If you would like to learn more about creative ways to leverage the New Tax Law to benefit your tax situation, please consult your own tax or financial advisor. If you would like to learn more about Charitable Gift Annuities, Charitable Trust, or making gifts using your IRA, feel free to contact me at steve.schons@fargodiocese.org or (701) 356-7926 for additional information. Steve Schons is director of stewardship and development for the Diocese of Fargo. Editor’s Note: Seminarian Life is a column written by current Diocese of Fargo seminarians. Please continue to pray for them.
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Frank Gehry and the quest for transcendence
hough I reside in Santa Barbara, I am in Los Angeles a good deal for meetings and other events. When I’m in the city, I like to walk the downtown neighborhood. My favorite building to look at is the Disney Theatre, home base of the LA Philharmonic and the creation of Frank Gehry, probably the best-known architect in the world. Like many of Gehry’s other buildings, the Disney is marked by shimmering metallic surfaces, curving planes, and an overall playfulness of design. Some have suggested that the theatre’s exterior looks like the pages of a score that have just fallen from the conductor’s podium. That it is a captivating work of art is testified to by the crowds that regularly gather round it to gaze and to take photographs. Soon after I arrived in the LA Archdiocese, I heard that Gehry was actually one of the finalists in the competition to design the new Cathedral here. To say the very least, it would have been interesting to see what he would have done with that assignment. This connection came vividly to mind when I read a recent interview with Gehry, conducted in advance of his 90th birthday. After ruminating on his long and productive career, the architect said that he still harbored a great desire: “I would like to design a church or a synagogue. A place that has transcendence. I’ve always been interested in space that transcends to something—to joy, pleasure, understanding, discourse, whatever a space can do to be part of the dialogue.” We can easily recognize in this statement what I would call the “Augustinian longing.” The great Church Father, Augustine of Hippo, long ago wrote, “Lord, you have made us for yourself; therefore our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Whether we like it or not, whether we explicitly acknowledge it or not, all of us are marked by the hunger and thirst for a good that transcends the goods available in this world. As C.S. Lewis observed, this desire of the heart reveals itself particularly in moments of intense joy, for it is precisely when we have achieved a great worldly value—fame, pleasure, power, money, etc.—that we realize that we still want and need something more. This is the beauty and goodness to which religion points, the transcendence to which it is meant to order us. But here’s the rub. As he elaborated on the meaning of “transcendence,” Gehry said this: “Forget the religion aspect. How do you make a space feel transcendent? How do you create a sense of ease with the universe, the rain, the stars and the people around you? It’s comforting to sit in a big room and listen to the rain.” In stating it this way, the architect revealed his perspective as a pagan one. Please don’t misunderstand me; I have a deep respect for pagan religion. In fact, my mentor, Msgr. Robert Sokolowski, once told me, “If you stop being a Christian, I’d recommend becoming a pagan. Paganism is a noble religion, for it has to do with honoring the great natural necessities.” He meant that this ancient spiritual tradition, available in both mythic and philosophical expressions, had to do with ordering human beings toward a right relationship with the earth, the sea, the natural processes of life and death, etc. This was the
“transcendence” that paganism evoked. I put the word in quotes because it did not signal, in Word on Fire that context, values that go beyond the Bishop world—only values Robert Barron that go beyond the self. There is a poetic and ecstatic passage in St. Augustine’s Confessions that articulates the fundamental difference between a biblical and a pagan conception of transcendence. The spiritual searcher wonders what is the object that truly corresponds to the aching within his heart: “What is the object of my love? And I asked the earth and it said: ‘It is not I.’ I asked all that is in it; they made the same confession. (Job 28:12f). I asked the sea, the deeps, the living creatures that creep, and they responded: ‘We are not your God. Look beyond us.’ I asked the breezes that blow and the entire air with its inhabitants said: ‘The philosopher Anaximenes was mistaken; I am not God.’ I asked heaven, sun, moon, and stars; they said: ‘Nor are we the God whom you seek.’ And I said to all those things in the external environment: ‘Tell me of my God who you are not, tell me something about him.’ and with great voice they cried out, ‘He made us.’” To understand that citation is to grasp the difference between biblical religion and paganism. Augustine makes it eminently clear that, even as he reverences the goods of nature, he knows that his heart wants something more, indeed something infinitely more. One of the distinctive marks of our time is a secularism that has got us stuck within the world that we can see and measure. What this ideology does with the Augustinian longing for God is to turn it into the neo-paganism evident in Frank Gehry’s statement. It is as though the desire that pushes us beyond this world to its Creator gets stifled, limited, corralled, so that we end up effectively worshiping “the universe, the rain, the stars.” Mind you, I think that biblical believers carry an awful lot of the blame for the re-emergence of paganism, for we have obviously presented the Creator God in such an unconvincing manner to the culture. The Church ought to sing the transcendence of God to Frank Gehry as it once sang it to Giotto, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Dante, Gaudí, and the architect of Chartres Cathedral. Once the great architect realizes that the deepest desire of his heart is for the living God, I would love to see the church he would build. Bishop Barron is a theologian and evangelist, known for his Word on Fire ministry. He serves as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
Events across the diocese Fingal Church to host spring dinner
Life in the Spirit retreat in Belcourt
Join Holy Trinity Church in Fingal for their spring dinner on April 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Menu includes roast beef, mashed potatoes, and more. There will be a bake sale and Rada cutlery sale as well. Adults $11, ages 12 and under $5, preschool free.
There will be a Life in the Spirit Seminar from Apr. 26 at 7 p.m. through Apr. 28 at 3 p.m. at the Queen of Peace Pastoral Center, St. Ann’s Church, Belcourt. Housing will be available. Call Rose Morin at (701) 278-1402 for questions and registration.
Post Abortive Ladies to speak in Minot
West Fargo parish to feature Father James Kubicki
Join Dakota Hope Clinic on April 24 for a Post Abortive Ladies Panel (PALS), where five North Dakota women share their journey from hurt, pain, and grief to healing and hope. PALS speaks publicly to share the message of hope to those hurting from abortion and to bring to light the negative effects of abortion on individuals and society. A luncheon will be held at the Grand Hotel in Minot from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and an evening event at 6:30 p.m. at Central Campus Theater in Minot. RSVP by April 17. Call (701) 852-4675 or go to www.dakotahope.org and click on events.
Surrender to Divine Mercy, a mini retreat for women
Father James Kubicki will be the presenter for a parish mission at Blessed Sacrament in West Fargo. The mission is entitled “The Eucharist,” and will take place May 12–15, beginning at 7 p.m. each night. Talks will be one hour with a social to follow. Adults, families, and youth ages 12 and older are encouraged to attend. For more information, call Blessed Sacrament at (701) 282-3321
Our Lady of Fatima Conference Day coming to Fargo
Join the World Apostolate of Fatima for the Our Lady of Fatima Conference Day on May 18 at Shanley High School in Fargo. The day begins at 8 a.m. and includes Mass, a rosary, and talks by Father Peter Anderl and Deacon George Loegering. Cost is $5 per person or $10 per family. Contact waffargo@yahoo.com for more information.
Join in Christ for a chance to relax and refresh your soul at St. John’s Church in Wahpeton on April 28 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Authors Patti Maguire Armstrong and Roxane B. Salonen will be the featured speakers, helping women to grow closer to Christ through the Divine Mercy chaplet and wisdom of St. Faustina and Bishop John Folda, along with guides Steve and Janet Ray, will St. Padre Pio. For women of all ages and be leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Oct. 9–18. The faiths. To register, call the parish office pilgrimage is sponsored by the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, but pilgrims need not be members of at (701) 642-6982 or text (701) 640-3357. the Order to sign up. You need only have a desire to walk in the footsteps of our Lord and to support our fellow Christians in the Holy Land. If you are interested in more information, contact Angie Kolb, pilgrimage coordinator, at kolbangie@hotmail.com. Holy Cross Church in West Fargo will host a Divine Mercy service on Sunday, April 28 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The service begins with adoration/holy hour with confessions, witness talk, the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and Benediction. A reception will follow. All are welcome.
Bishop Folda, Steve and Janet Ray to lead pilgrimage to Holy Land
Divine Mercy service at Holy Cross, West Fargo
Ignatian retreat offered at Maryvale, Valley City
Head to Maryvale in Valley City to experience an Ignatian retreat. This silent retreat is steeped in the Gospels and is based on the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Conferences and individual direction are part of the retreat. Register by April 26. Suggested donation is $85. For more information, contact Sister Dorothy Bunce, SMP, at (701) 845-2864 or dorothy.bunce@ fargodiocese.org.
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A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST
Life’s milestones
75 years ago — 1944
Gordon and Yvonne (Cote) Boucher celebrated their 60th anniversary on April 11. They were married at Notre Dame Church in Willow City and are now parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Rolette. They have 4 children, 14 grandchildren, and 1 great-grandchild.
These news items, compiled by Danielle Thomas, were found in New Earth and its predecessor, Catholic Action News.
April 11 marked the first ordination ceremony to take place in Rugby. The ordinands, Rev. Joseph S. Axtmann of Balta and Rev. John P. Axtman of Rugby are first cousins. Father Joseph Axtmann celebrated his First Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Balta. Father John Axtman celebrated his First Mass in Rugby.
50 years ago — 1969
Floodwaters from the Wild Rice River and water backup from the drainage pipes leading to the Red River forced the evacuation of the Carmel of Mary Monastery just northwest of Wahpeton. The chaplain, an instructor, and ten students manned three pumps and stacked sandbags, yet the basement still flooded with two feet of water. The building is only five years old. The Carmelite Sisters were temporary guests at St. Francis Convent in Hankinson for five days before they were able to return home on April 17.
20 years ago — 1999
On April 20, the Columbine community of Littleton, Colo. was forever changed by the tragic event that left 15 people dead and 23 injured. Pope John Paull II reached out and expressed the “earnest hope that American society as a whole will react to this latest act of violence among the young by committing itself to promoting and transmitting the moral vision and values which alone can ensure respect for the inviolable dignity of human life.” The U.S. bishops’ Domestic Policy Committee stated, “This violence that haunts our nation reflects the breakdown of family and community life, the absence of spiritual roots, the loss of respect for life, the pervasiveness of violent images from the media, and the easy accessibility of guns and other weapons.”
“I know well that the greater and more beautiful the work is, the more terrible will be the storms that rage against it.”– St. Faustina Share life’s milestones
As a way to celebrate life and love, we encourage parishioners throughout the Diocese of Fargo to send a photo and news brief about golden anniversaries and anniversaries of 60 or more years or birthdays of 80 or more years to: New Earth, Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd. S., Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104 or news@fargodiocese.org.
Bill and Geri Harbeke, parishioners at Holy Cross Church in West Fargo, celebrated their 50th anniversary on April 12. They were married at St. Charles Church in Herman, Minn. Bill and Geri are blessed with two sons and two grandchildren. An open house will take place in July in Fargo. Gene and Phyllis Lemer, parishioners of St. Catherine’s Church in Valley City, will celebrate their 60th anniversary April 20. They were married in Harvey and have five children, nine grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren. Jack and Paulette Misialek celebrated their 50th anniversary on Oct. 15, 2018. Jack is a parishioner at St. Mary’s Church in Park River, and Paulette is a member of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Park River. They have two children and six granddaughters. Ron and Til Tellinghusen will celebrate their 50th anniversary on May 3. They were married at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo. Their daughters and sons-inlaw, Kathy and Joe Axtmann and Jane and Steve Metzger are honoring them with a card shower. Please send your anniversary greetings to Ron and Til at 225 13th Ave. W in West Fargo, ND 58078. They have seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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Pope Francis calls for “gestures of peace” in wake of mosque attacks By Courtney Grogan Pope Francis celebrates Mass at Guayaquil in Ecuador on July 6, 2015. (L’Osservatore Romano)
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ope Francis called for gestures of peace to oppose hatred and violence March 17 in the wake of attacks on two mosques in New Zealand. “To the grief for the wars and the conflicts that continue to afflict humanity, we have added that for the victims of the horrible attack on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand,” Pope Francis said. The pope asked all gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the Angelus prayer to join him in a moment of silent prayer for “our Muslim brothers” who were killed in New Zealand, and said that he will continue to pray for the dead, the wounded, and their families. A total of 50 people were killed in the March 15 shooting with 34 injured. Reflecting on the necessity and meaning of suffering, the pope said, “Each of us has his own cross. The Lord shows us at the end of our journey—which is the Resurrection—the beauty of carrying our own cross.” “The Transfiguration of Christ shows us the Christian perspective of suffering,” Pope Francis said. “It is a necessary, but transitory passage.” “By showing his glory, Jesus assures us that the cross, the trials, the difficulties in which we struggle have their solution and will be overcome in Easter,” he said. The pope explained that in Christ’s Transfiguration, Jesus granted his disciples Peter, James, and John a foretaste of the Resurrection shortly before his crucifixion. “Jesus knew that they would not accept this reality—the reality of the cross, the reality of Jesus’ death,” Francis said. “And so he wants to prepare them to bear the scandal of the passion and death of the cross, so that they will know that this is the way through which the Heavenly Father will bring his Son to glory, raising him from the dead.” “And this will also be the path of the disciples: no one comes to eternal life except by following Jesus, bringing his own cross into earthly life,” he added.
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Cathedral Spring Celebration
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Sat. May 4th 6-9pm
St. Mary’s Cathedral Famous Swedish Meatball Dinner Live Auction, Entertainment, Cash Door Prizes, Ongoing Silent Auction, Cake Contest
Sun. May 5th 11am-2pm
Burger Baskets & Egg Rolls Carnival, Completion of Silent Auction and Raffle Drawing
604 North Broadway Fargo
U.S. AND WORLD NEWS
Nebraskans’ faith, community spirit stronger after floods, priest says By Carol Zimmermann | Catholic News Service
The flooded facility of the Camp Ashland Army National Guard in Ashland, Neb. March 17. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts called damage to flooded farms, homes, bridges, and highways “devastating” and perhaps the worst in a half-century. (Herschel Talley | Catholic News Service)
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fter floodwaters ravaged much of Nebraska, ironically one thing some people needed most was clean water. The town of Peru, home to 1,000 residents alongside the Missouri River, had a drinking water shortage for several days after the town’s water treatment plant was flooded. Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, based in Lincoln, stepped in to help with a bottled-water drive for displaced students at the town’s Peru State College. Town officials asked people to conserve water as best they could and to drink bottled water available at the college campus and City Hall before the National Guard and a nearby town replenished the town’s quickly-drained water tower. The town remained under a boil water notice March 21. Most of Peru had been under water from the flooding that began March 14 after a combination of rain, melting snow, and ice jams caused rivers to overflow. The flooding in Nebraska caused widespread damage to stored grain and fields where planting was about to begin and left livestock—cattle, hogs, and chicken—stranded or drowned. It also damaged hundreds of miles of state roads—many that have remained closed since the flooding began—and left thousands of homes and hundreds of businesses waterlogged. It will likely take months for state officials to declare the full cost of damage from the flooding but preliminary estimates of damage to homes and businesses is more than $1.3 billion, state officials said in a March 19 news conference, announcing that three-fourths of the state’s counties have declared an emergency. Father Justin Fulton, assistant director of Catholic Social Services, told Catholic News Service March 20 that “everyone knows everyone” in Nebraska, especially since so many people grew up there and farms have been in families for generations.
“We’re all connected,” he said, and with outpouring of support for those harmed by the flood, he said, Nebraskans are reminded: “We are connected as a human family.” Even in midst of this disaster, he maintains that people are not giving up, especially on their faith. “With anything, you’ve got to be able to see God working,” he said. “We’re going to get through this.” The priest, who is in residence at St. Teresa’s in Lincoln and teaches Catholic morality and social teaching to juniors at Lincoln’s St. Pius X High School, said the flooding has provided a lot of fodder for conversation about God. “Nebraskans are simple people. We understand challenges because our lives are tied to the elements,” he said. The priest added that there have been many good years, but now with this dramatic turn, he doesn’t sense that people think “God has abandoned us.” “We aren’t losing faith; we’re making it stronger.”
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Becoming a seafarers’ chaplain was not exactly his retirement plan By Agnieszka Ruck | Catholic News Service Deacon Dileep Athaide, a chaplain from the Archdiocese of Vancouver, British Columbia, who ministers to seafarers aboard cargo ships, poses March 15. (Agnieszka Ruck | Catholic News Service)
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few years ago, Deacon Dileep Athaide could never have guessed he’d become a frequent visitor on the immense coal and container ships dotting the horizon in Delta and Vancouver. Yet nearly every day, he finds himself donning a hardhat, reflective vest, and steel-toed boots while climbing high ladders into cargo ships as a chaplain to seafarers. “It’s only three years that I’ve been doing this, but it feels like 10 years—in a good way,” Deacon Athaide said while on board a Japanese coal carrier.
The two dozen crewmembers on this ship are from the Philippines and have spent months away from their families, religious customs, and country. “For the seafarers, it’s a paradox. In order to look after their families, they leave their families,” the deacon said. They may make anywhere from US $12,000 to $150,000 a year, but even those on the lower end of the scale are grateful for the job, since it’s often more than they would make back at home. Being stuck on a ship thousands of miles from home, and at times waiting an entire month to set foot on land, is a daily challenge for seafarers. Deacon Athaide boards these vessels to offer prayers, rosaries, ship blessings, a listening ear, and a free ride out of the port to a nearby mall or church. As a deacon, he can’t celebrate Mass or hear confessions, but he can invite a priest on board, or bring Communion and lead a service. Seafarers connect the world. Coal ships at Westshore Terminals handle more than 30 million metric tons of coal per a year. Last year, Canada’s largest port, Vancouver, handled 147 millionor-so metric tons of imports and exports—cars, coal, grain, oil, sugar, tech—valued at $200 billion. Though seafarers provide a bridge to the world, they are disconnected. Only recently has WiFi become readily available on board. Whenever he meets a crewmember, Deacon Athaide asks, “How are you? Is everything OK?” The response is often “fine,” but he’s ready to listen, say a prayer, and offer consolation. “Port ministry is not just saying Mass on a ship, much like how campus ministry isn’t just saying Mass in the campus chapel... it is a pastoral ministry,” said Deacon Athaide.
Ohio lawmakers consider requirement to bury or cremate fetal remains By Catholic News Agency
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he Ohio Senate has passed a bill requiring women who have surgical abortions to choose either burial or cremation for the fetal remains. Senate Bill 27 comes in the wake of a recent court decision allowing Ohio to strip abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood, of state funding. A woman seeking an abortion would have to express in writing, via a confidential form the Ohio Department of Health will develop, whether she wants the fetal remains to be buried or cremated, Cleveland.com reports. The abortion facility would pay for the burial or cremation unless the woman wants her fetus buried at a different location than the facility provides, the bill says. The facility will have 34
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to demonstrate and document the date and method used, and maintain a list of locations that the abortion facility uses to cremate or bury remains. Women under 18 seeking an abortion would first have to obtain consent from a parent, guardian, or court. If a woman decides not to exercise her right to choose burial or cremation and does not have a preference, then the abortion facility will have to choose either cremation or burial. Though the bill provides for a first-degree misdemeanor charge for anyone who knowingly fails to dispose of fetal remains legally, the woman who obtained the abortion cannot be charged. The bill passed the Senate 24-7 and moves on to the House. The House has received two similar bills in the past but neither has become law, Cleveland.com reports.
Sidewalk Stories By Roxane B. Salonen
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Reroute ends in witnessing God’s pure grace
wasn’t even supposed to be there that day. For months, I’d been planning to join other presenters at a young-author conference in Thief River Falls, Minn., but predictions on departure day of a last-ditch whopper-of-a-winter-storm, a “bomb cyclone,” stopped me from even packing my bags. “Well, Lord, here I am now on a Wednesday,” I prayed. “Since I can’t travel as planned, I offer my day to you. Surely, you have your reasons for things working out this way.” Though lamenting the lost opportunity, I knew I had to trust God, so I made plans to join the sidewalk advocates at our state’s only abortion facility. Before leaving, I asked God to make it clear why he’d kept me back. Not long after arriving, one of the other advocates mentioned a city ordinance that had been presented to us the week before by someone claiming to be a plain-clothed policeman. We discussed what this might mean for us, since the ordinance warned against persistently following others on sidewalks. Often, we walk alongside prospective clients while trying to share life-giving options. Could we no longer? It seemed coercive, but we didn’t want to be arrested. Just then, a young couple approached from around the corner about a half-block from where I stood. My heart lurched. I had to try. The next minutes passed by so quickly, but I felt God’s grace everywhere. I tried giving the young lady a small card with a baby on it, and the words, “I heard music before I was born.” When the escort tried intercepting it, the young mother reached out and snatched it back—an indication of her willingness to pause. I looked into her beautiful, soft eyes searching my face. When I mentioned we were there to help, her expression told me she’d been yearning to hear that very thing. “Are you the ones who try to keep people from having abortions, and they’re the ones trying to make them have them?” she asked, attempting to distinguish advocates from escorts. “Yes, we’re here to help you,” I said. “She’s lying,” the older female escort snapped. “I’m sorry,” I replied, “but they are the ones lying to you. We do want to help.” I looked at the young mom with intention and sincerity. I could tell she wanted to believe me. Her eyes were
locked on mine now. The father stood nearby, quietly watching. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to come here today,” she told me. “I didn’t want to kill my baby.” “And you don’t have to,” I said. “There are resources we can connect you with today.” Then, the dad motioned her away, in the opposite direction of the abortion facility, where they’d planned to end the life of their child just minutes earlier. We accompanied them to their car—the escorts had backed off now—and shared more about the help we could offer. By the end of our time talking with them at their car, they had affirmed their decision: “We’re not coming back.” Though they and their child were the objects of God’s compassionate mercy, I felt his kiss on my cheek, too. I pledged to keep praying for them in the vulnerable days ahead. Their rejection of the culture’s lies and refusing to go through with this tragic deed was a stunning witness to God’s pure grace. It was their victory and ours and all of heaven’s, too. Later that day, a second “save” happened when a young lady came out of the facility, announcing to an advocate, “I’m six weeks along, and I’m keeping my baby.” “You won’t regret this decision,” he assured her, giving her a hug. I thought of the movie Unplanned about Abby Johnson’s departure from Planned Parenthood, and how I ached to watch what really goes on inside an abortion facility. It made me so happy to realize this couple would not experience this great heartache. While I missed the chance to talk to aspiring young authors in northern Minnesota that day, God had something even sweeter in mind for me. He used my willingness to serve him to show me his great love. The image of these dear ones making the bravest, most loving decision possible, even against the intense pressure of the world, will remain with me forever. Thank you, Lord, for the blessed reroute. You always know what’s best. Roxane B. Salonen, a wife and mother of five, is a local writer, and a speaker and radio host for Real Presence Radio. Roxane writes for The Forum newspaper and for CatholicMom.com. Reach her at roxanebsalonen@gmail.com.
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Catholic Diocese of Fargo 5201 Bishops Blvd, Ste. A Fargo, ND 58104
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Last month’s photo is of Our Lady of the Scapular Church in Sheldon.