New March 2019 | Vol. 40 | No. 3
Earth The Magazine of the Catholic Diocese of Fargo
Uniting our suffering with Christ Season of Lent calls us to ongoing conversion
PLUS
From Bishop Folda: The adventure of Catholic manhood
Vietnamese community continues to grow in faith
Sidewalk prayers in frigid weather a witness
NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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ON TH The cru (Kristin
MEN’S CONFERENCE
TAB
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A Made for Greatness Event of the Diocese of Fargo
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fargodiocese.org/redeemedmen
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ON THE COVER: The crucifix in the sanctuary at Holy Cross Church in West Fargo. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(ISSN# 10676406) 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 adventure of Catholic manhood
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ASK A PRIEST 7 Sometimes I hear priests, religious, or other people describe their vocation as ‘dying to self.’ What does that mean?
AROUND THE DIOCESE 9 Vietnamese community continues to grow in faith
COVER STORY 12 Uniting our suffering with Christ: Season of Lent calls us to ongoing conversion
NEXT GEN
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17 Schools celebrate Catholic Schools Week… and a half!
FAITH AND CULTURE 19 Convocation—Moving Forward New evangelization summit comes to Rugby
US/WORLD NEWS 29 Pope Francis approves canonization of John Henry Newman
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 April issue is March 20, 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.
Member of the Catholic Press Association
SIDEWALK STORIES 31 Sidewalk prayers in frigid weather a witness NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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FROM BISHOP FOLDA
Beloved sons of the Father
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n recent years, the Diocese of Fargo has sponsored conferences to foster the unique contributions that men and women make in their own families and in the Church. Men and women have distinct gifts and needs, and it has been a joy to see Catholic men and Catholic women gather in prayer, solidarity, and celebration of our faith. This month we will hold another Catholic men’s conference, and it seems that the time is right. There’s a notion in some quarters that religion is for women, that prayer and devotion, or even going to church, are not manly activities, things that men just don’t do. Of course, a vast number of faithfilled men would disagree, but men do face real challenges in living out their faith and their relationship with God. Contrary to what many might think, there is nothing more manly than becoming a friend and companion of Jesus, becoming his disciple and joining one’s life to his. There was nothing unmanly about Jesus of Nazareth, who fasted and walked alone through deserts and willingly touched lepers, who faced down the most powerful men in Jerusalem, and who gave his life for those he loved rather than take an easier way. If we’re looking for an image of manliness, we need look no further than Jesus himself. Some say that there is a crisis of faith among men, and many men do indeed struggle with faith, wondering if Catholic Christianity is for them. However, just as the Gospel of Christ was suited to the men of his time, including many who died for that faith, so does our Christian faith have just as much relevance in the lives of men today as it ever did. Faith in Christ is not a passive experience, but demands our engagement on every level of our lives. C.S. Lewis described Christianity as a “fighting religion.” He meant that living the Gospel involves striving and struggle against evil and for the good. As Archbishop Charles Chaput said, “Men need a challenge… Men are most alive when they’re
giving themselves to some purpose higher than their own comfort.” Whether they are husbands, fathers, or single, men are called to a vigorous life of virtue and heroism. Taking their lead from Christ and the saints, their battle weapons are mercy, patience, generosity, forgiveness, a strong personal witness of faith, and speaking the truth with love. In a culture that is indifferent or even hostile to faith, men need courage to live lives of justice and to be the heroic disciples that Jesus invites them to be. Our culture needs strong, Catholic men to protect, to build up, and to lead, and if they don’t, then others with less wholesome motives will take their place. Husbands have a unique calling to love and support their wives, cherishing the one who will accompany them through this life, helping her to become holy, and traveling ith her to the eternal joy of heaven. The virtues of fidelity, generosity, and self-sacrifice are always in season, but in our narcissistic times they are needed especially now by husbands. No one questions the important role of a mother in the faith life of a family, but studies of religious practice show that the role of the father is just as necessary or even more so. If a father actively practices his faith, the likelihood that his children will also practice the faith as adults grows substantially. If he doesn’t, then it becomes much more likely that his children will also give up the practice of the faith. It stands to reason that a father who has the eternal well-being of his children at heart will take an active part in living and sharing the faith with them. Just as he would want to assure their security, health, education, and happiness on this earth, even more should he want to assure their eternal happiness with God in heaven. Every father is called by God to be a faith leader in his own family, which is the domestic church, the church of the home. Every father has an indispensable part to play in the eternal salvation of his children, a part that no one else can play. Single men have a unique ability to live lives of generosity and sacrifice. Without the responsibility of a spouse or children, they can give of themselves and reach out to many others who are looking for friendship, or who need the strength of a companion on the journey. Rather than turning in on himself, the single man can be a model of goodness in the image of Christ, and a brother to those he meets, a friend in need, and a man of prayer. Every man is a beloved son of our eternal Father. There’s nothing sentimental about that statement; in fact, it’s a stiff dose of realism. We don’t have to make ourselves into something artificial, because God has already made us for authentic greatness, and yes,
Our culture needs strong, Catholic men to protect, to build up, and to lead, and if they don’t, then others with less wholesome motives will take their place. – Bishop John Folda 4
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Bishop Folda’s Calendar
mfort.” called d from tience, h, and ent or ustice e. Our p, and esome calling o will e holy, irtues eason, ow by
for holiness. We have only to accept our unique call to Catholic manhood and cooperate with the grace of God that comes with that call. Our world and our Church need faithful Catholic men, men who have a hunger to be great, to be saints. The Church may face some challenges in the years to come, and the men of the Church need to stand up and lead by the witness of their lives at home, in their parish, and in the public square. If we’re looking for examples, we can find them in abundance: St. Peter, St. Thomas More, St. John Paul II, Blessed Stanley Rother, and many others. I invite all the men of our diocese to this year’s Redeemed
| 3:30 p.m. Rite of Election, Cathedral of St. Mary, Fargo
Conference for Men: “Beloved Sons of the Father.” The conference will take place on Saturday, March 30, and will give us an opportunity to gather as brothers in the Lord, beloved sons of God our Father. There will be some talks, time for prayer, Confession, Mass, and fraternity with other Catholic men. All are welcome, young or old, married, widowed, or single, fervent or searching. This conference would be an excellent spiritual exercise for Lent that will resonate in our lives long past the celebration of Easter, and I hope to see an enormous crowd of you there. And, in case you’re wondering, the next Redeemed Conference for Women will be in 2020!
Mar. 10
| 6 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Catherine Church, Valley City
Mar. 12
Mar. 30
| 11:30 a.m. Catholic Charities Caritas Award Luncheon, Sts. Anne & Joachim, Fargo
Mar. 16
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Holy Cross, West Fargo
6 p.m.
Confirmation and First Eucharist, Basilica of St. James, Jamestown
Mar. 19–20
Catholic Rural Life Retreat, St. Paul, Minn.
Mar. 22
| 6 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Nativity, Fargo
Mar. 23
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Leo Church, Casselton
7 p.m.
Confirmation and First Eucharist, Sts. Anne and Joachim, Fargo
Mar. 24
| 1 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Holy Family, Grand Forks
Mar. 25–27
USCCB Sub-committee on Native American Affairs, Phoenix, Ariz.
Mar. 29
Redeemed Men’s Conference 2019, Delta Hotel by Marriott, Fargo
Mar. 31
| 11 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, Holy Spirit, Fargo
Apr. 5
| 6 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Therese Church, Rugby
Apr. 6
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Joseph Church, Devils Lake
7 p.m.
Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. John Church, Grafton
Apr. 7
| 1 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Rose of Lima, Hillsboro
Apr. 11
| 2 p.m. Diocesan Pastoral Council, Pastoral Center, Fargo
Apr. 12
| 6 p.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Philip Church, Hankinson
Apr. 13
| 10 a.m. Confirmation and First Eucharist, St. Anthony Church, Fargo
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FOCUS ON FAITH
Prayer Intention of Pope Francis
Prayer for priests
March
Universal Recognition of the Right of Christian Communities
That Christian communities, especially those who are persecuted, feel that they are close to Christ and have their rights respected. 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. BE A PART OF THE TRADITION ENROLL NOW 2019-20 SCHOOL YEAR
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to the way. T one” fresh faded under Iw to eve Jesus regim Too we ha eterni comp latest and e to be n that g Dy and a There what Churc the sa the C The p is non must by lov The pa of his those spous becom to live Con many examp dying so ma contin You of my own h you w have c
FOCUS ON FAITH
Sometimes I hear priests, religious, or other people describe their vocation as ‘dying to self.’ What does that mean?
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s a senior in high school, I worked hard to achieve the opportunity to compete at the state Nordic ski racing championship. This memory points me to St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, “Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one” (1 Cor 9:25). At the state meet that year, I fell into the fresh snow while passing another skier! The perishable crown faded from my sight. Many years later, and now as a priest, I understand “dying to self” in a much different way. I would be a bad coach if I failed to say that self-denial belongs to every Christian vocation. If you are a baptized follower of Jesus Christ, “dying to self” should be part of your regular regimen if you desire to win the imperishable crown of heaven. Too often in today’s world, even among believers of Christ, we have forgotten our ultimate goal and purpose: to spend eternity loving God in heaven. That goal just sounds boring compared to the extreme sports, the newest app, or even the latest productivity fad promising goal-busting achievements and endless happiness. God’s universal desire for everyone is to be numbered among the saints in heaven. How you achieve that goal is the particular plan God has for your life. Dying to self begins at our baptism: we die to the life of sin and are raised with Christ to participate in the life of grace. Therefore, the sacraments give us access to divine power to do what we cannot do on our own. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, “Holy Orders and Matrimony are directed towards the salvation of others… They confer a particular mission in the Church and serve to build up the People of God” (1534). The particular grace of Priesthood is a “sacred power which is none other than that of Christ. The exercise of this authority must therefore be measured against the model of Christ, who by love made himself the least and the servant of all.” (1551) The parish priest who fails to concern himself with the salvation of his parishioners is missing the heart of priesthood. Likewise, those called to the sacrament of matrimony must love their spouse unconditionally and with the desire of assisting them to become a saint. Priesthood and Matrimony require the recipients to live outside of the narrow confines of one’s own interests. Concrete examples of dying to self are visible in the lives of many men and women living in religious orders. A great modern-day example is St. Teresa of Calcutta. Her willingness to care for the dying was a radical example of charity. Her example inspired so many other women that today the Missionaries of Charity continue to bring Christ to the destitute across the globe. You might assert, “dying to self” means the removing or hindering of my true freedom. After all, shouldn’t I be able to pursue my own happiness and goals? Here lies the hinge of the question: do you want to be a saint? The saints are those men and women who have conformed their will to the will of God; they are people of
love whose every action is preceded by the question “is this an act of love?” Dying to self necessarily means liv- Ask A Priest ing for something e l s e , o r r a t h e r Father Jason Asselin someone else. The Catechism states, “There is no true freedom except in the service of what is good and just” (1733). The Catechism continues, “as Christian experience attests especially in prayer, the more docile we are to the promptings of grace, the more we grow in inner freedom and confidence during trials, such as those we face in the pressures and constraints of the outer world” (1742). These passages provide us with a practical plan for dying to self. Because every person has a unique call to holiness, self-denial takes on many different forms. For the Christian, dying to self has the common goal of conformity to Christ and his love. The Church gives us the tools to live our unique call to holiness: repentance, the sacraments, and prayer are a few examples. The key ingredient to each of these tools is humility. Think about the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Visitation—selflessly she travels to her cousin Elizabeth when it would have been easier to stay home because of her own pregnancy. Prayer is about asking God to show us how he wants us to practice self-denial in a particular moment. Since that ill-fated fall, did I hang-up the skis? No, I still enjoy skiing recreationally. Dying to self does not mean your personality is taken away. Is it possible to keep some of my personal hobbies and interests? Yes. The practice of “dying to self” means that I know when to repent from my sins and go to confession, how to surrender myself to God, and how to make time for prayer. The opening prayer for Mass on the thirty-second week of Ordinary Time is a good starting point for learning the art of dying to self: “Almighty and merciful God, graciously keep from us all adversity, so that, unhindered in mind and body alike, we may pursue in freedom of heart the things that are yours.” Father Asselin serves as the pastor of St. Helena’s Church in Ellendale and St. Patrick’s Church in Fullerton. Editor’s Note: If you would like to submit a question for consideration in a future column, please send to news@fargodiocese.org or mail to New Earth, 5201 Bishops Blvd. S, Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104.
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ANNOUNCING AN UPCOMING RETROUVAILLE
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FOR MORE INFORMATION,
CALL (701) 356-7903 OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE: HELPOURMARRIAGE.COM
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The Vietnamese community at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fargo. There will be a Lenten retreat in Vietnamese at St. Anthony’s April 5–7. (submitted photo)
Vietnamese community continues to grow in faith
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here was lots of celebrating, sharing of delicious food, and wishing of good health and a Happy New Year to all, but it wasn’t Dec. 31 at midnight. It was Feb. 10 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fargo, and those present were celebrating Tết Nguyên Đán or Tết, the Lunar New Year in Vietnamese. Lunar New Year celebrations in Asian countries date back thousands of years. Tết is one of the most popular holidays in Vietnam. According to Tiffany Nguyen, St. Anthony’s parishioner and one of the organizers of the get-together, Tết is typically a three-day celebration, and often children in Vietnam have at least a week off from school. Tết doesn’t follow our calendar year, but instead occurs on the first day of the first month in the Lunar calendar. This year, the actual celebration began Feb. 5. Tiffany explained that during Tết, no matter how busy you are, you have a meal with family and friends to celebrate the New Year. It is also common for people to give lucky money (Li xi) in a red envelope to children and sometimes to family and friends too. When Tiffany was a child in Vietnam, they would go to their neighbors’ homes to be given that special money, as well as to wish their neighbors good health in the New Year. In addition to the Tết celebration, the St. Anthony Vietnamese community, which numbers at least 100 people, had the opportunity to go to confession and celebrate Mass in Vietnamese. The priest and brothers who celebrated the Mass are from Citeaux Abbey, in Vung Tau City, Vietnam but are currently studying in Collegeville, Minn. at St. John’s University. The local Vietnamese community, which does not always have the opportunity to hear Mass and go to confession in their native language, feel blessed to have these opportunities to continue to grow in their faith and love of God. Tiffany is quick to say how much the community appreciated
By April Mitchell
the St. Anthony’s pastor and associate pastor, Father Courtright and Father Karnik, as well as Bishop Folda, for their support and approval, thus allowing the Vietnamese priests and religious to come to Fargo. They have endless thanks for the local clergy. The community is now planning their next event at St. Anthony’s, a Lenten Retreat on April 5-7. Two Vietnamese priests from Assumption Abbey, in Ava, Mo., will lead them in presentations and Mass. If you are interested in more information about the upcoming Vietnamese retreat or Masses that will be held in Vietnamese, please contact Tiffany at (701) 200-3238. April Mitchell is the Communications, Events, and Technology Coordinator at St. Anthony’s Church in Fargo.
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AROUND THE DIOCESE
Grand Forks, ND | normanfuneral.com | 701.746.4337
WANT TO ADVERTISE IN NEW EARTH? Contact Kristina Lahr (701) 356-7900 newearthads@fargodiocese.org
Get Connected
Diocesan policy: Reporting child abuse
Johnette Benkovic-Williams shared her testimony and the power of Catholic Radio during the Real Presence Radio banquet on Feb. 18 at the Delta Hotel by Marriot in Fargo. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
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For additional information about victim assistance, visit www.fargodiocese.org/victimassistance.
Deacon Eugene H. Hoefs passes away Feb. 15
ugene (Gene) Harold Hoefs, age 85, of Fergus Falls, Minn., formerly of Wahpeton, passed away on Feb. 15, at Pioneer Care Center in Fergus Falls. Services were held at St. John’s Church in Wahpeton on Feb. 21. Eugene (Gene) was born on Aug. 13, 1933, to Harold and Adeline (Gelle) Hoefs near Fairmount. He graduated high school in Fairmount in 1952, then went to North Dakota State School of Science in Wahpeton for one year. Gene enlisted into the United States Army on Oct. 20, 1953 during the Korean Conflict and served until Oct. 19, 1955. After his honorable discharge, he returned to NDSSS and completed his business degree in 1956.
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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.
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Gene married Lois Gebhart on Oct. 26, 1955 at St. Anthony’s Church in Fairmount. They lived on the family farm until 1960 when they moved to Wahpeton. After his schooling, Gene worked in banking in Fairmount and later at Wahpeton National Bank. Gene was a business manager at Red River Valley Clinic from 1960–70. Later he was the hospital and nursing home administrator at St. Gerard’s in Hankinson. He was ordained a deacon for the Diocese of Fargo on June 9, 1983. Gene retired in 1993 and assisted part-time at the Vertin-Munson Funeral Home until 2003. Lois passed away Aug. 31, 2008.
AROUND THE DIOOCESE
Made in the likeness of God
Men’s conference to focus on what it means to be men in today’s culture By Paul Braun
746.4337
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Father Sean Kilcawley
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Bill Donaghy
very man is a beloved son of our eternal Father. There’s nothing sentimental about that statement; in fact, it’s a stiff dose of realism. We don’t have to make ourselves into something artificial, because God has already made us for authentic greatness, and yes, for holiness.” With those words, Bishop John Folda extends his heartfelt invitation for all men in the diocese to consider attending the Redeemed 2019 Made for Greatness Men’s Conference, to be held at Fargo’s Delta Hotel on Saturday, March 30. In today’s secular world, the term masculinity has taken on a negative connotation, especially with some bantering about the term “toxic masculinity,” as if being a man is harmful to society. What the conference will try to address is helping men to discover and live out authentic greatness in their lives as men. “At the conference, we try to identify that our value comes from the fact that we are beloved sons of God; that we are chosen by the Father,” said Brad Gray, Director of the Office of Marriage and Family Life at the Diocese of Fargo, and organizer of the conference. “It’s not something that we achieve or accomplish, it’s just a pure gift, the fact that we are made in God’s image and likeness is really a source of greatness and the source of our identity.” Much has been said lately of what masculinity is, especially in the mainstream news media, advertising and pop-culture
in the US. However, true Christian men need to embrace their masculinity in the example set by Christ, and if they do that, according to Matt Slick of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, they can’t help but reflect what God expects of them as men. “God created both masculinity and femininity,” said Slick. “Both are best expressed through the revelation of God’s love and wisdom that are found in Scripture. As far as masculinity goes, it is best exemplified by Jesus, and we ought to emulate his words, deeds, and motives. He is good, the perfect man who was loving yet strong, kind yet tough, forgiving yet forceful. There is no toxic masculinity with him. There is a great strength in his teachings, his actions, and his love.” The conference will feature two keynote speakers. Father Sean Kilcawley, Director of Family Life for the Diocese of Lincoln, Neb., and Bill Donaghy, curriculum specialist for the Theology of the Body Institute in Lima, Pa. Father Kilcawley will center his presentation on the core of one’s identity as a Catholic man. “We are firstly beloved sons of the Father,” he said in an interview with New Earth. “The experience of coming to know that identity is found through the healing, acceptance, and affirmation that Christ offers to each of us. Men have a particular role to play as leaders within their families and communities. Key ways they do this is through the testimony they give in their own stories and the way that they live their lives, through accompanying and mentoring other men, and through the ways that they pass on the faith to their children.” According to Bill Donaghy, conferences like the Redeemed Men’s Conference are a shot of B12 in the arm for men. “Men play an absolutely essential role,” he told New Earth. “They serve with their strength, they inspire with their conviction and courage in the everyday battle, and they love with the tenderness of the Father of Mercy, in any and every environment. Men are to be guardians and stewards of the family and devoted brothers to women and men in every circle of their lives. “Men also need a plan of ongoing formation to realize all of the elements essential for their full maturity. That plan is an examined life that challenges them to experience daily the gift of being a beloved son, calls them to be brother to the people around them, inspires them to become a spouse capable of authentic love and faithfulness and encourages them to live their fatherhood for others.” “We are made to defend the truth, the good, the beautiful, and that’s not a very comfortable message for society,” added Brad Gray. “Therefore, it can make men hesitant to live out their own masculinity, but it’s something our families need, the world needs, and the Church needs right now, men who are willing to be men, to step into the breech and to respond to the call that God has given them.” For more information or to register for the Redeemed 2019 Made for Greatness Men’s Conference, go to www.fargodiocese. org/redeemedmen. NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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A boy is marked with a cross on Ash Wednesday Feb. 14, 2018 at St. Anne Catholic School in Houston. (James Ramos | Catholic News Service)
Uniting our suffering with Christ Season of Lent calls us to ongoing conversion By Kristina Lahr
L
ent is hard. As far as liturgical seasons go, I much prefer Christmas and Easter when the waiting is over and there are cookies galore, but here we are, gazing at the crucified Lord, trying in some way to wrap our minds around that incredible sacrifice. The questions that often come up this time of year is, “what are you doing for Lent? What are you giving up?” These questions are a great place to start, but if we stop there, the Lenten sacrifice seems more like some self-improvement New Year’s resolution. However, the origin of Lent reveals something much deeper about why we do this each year. The 40 days before Easter is a time to reflect on the Lord’s passion through spiritual preparation, conversion, and penance. It’s a time to renew our baptismal call to live as disciples of Jesus Christ. 12
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“Jesus set the example for our Lenten observances,” said Father Matthew Kraemer, director of liturgy for the Diocese of Fargo. “Before taking up his public ministry, he prayed and fasted in the wilderness for 40 days. He even took upon himself the same temptations we undergo: from the devil, the flesh, and the world. The culmination of Jesus’ public life was his paschal mystery: his passion, death, and resurrection. Since the time of the Apostles, Christians have prepared themselves for the Easter feasts by imitating the Lord’s fast.” Jesus knew that his public ministry and everything he was to endure required preparation. During Lent, we imitate his preparation with our own prayer and fasting, recognizing that Jesus is always preparing us to encounter him more deeply. Ask him what penance would be best for you to take this Lent and have the courage to say yes, even if that penance seems to hold
no be I do that w give u out be numb of the were n Jesu Bring break makin with m incred Ab Jesus? donat penan from t to Ch “Du go to alway today perso streng the Lo Len alread say w togeth fasts a he car wise w failed Liv spires will h
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no benefit to you. I don’t know how many years I’ve taken a Lenten penance that was really just a veiled attempt at some personal goal. I give up sweets because I want to be healthier. I give up eating out because I want to save money. I decide to donate a certain number of items in my house because I want less clutter. None of these penances were bad in their own right, but my intentions were not fully for Jesus, or in some instances, not for him at all. Jesus delights in each moment we come to him with our struggles. Bringing our small sufferings to him, such as a temptation to break a fast or penance, unites us in his passion and death, making us part of his story. Our sufferings should not be met with misery but rather great joy as we better understand the incredible sacrifice that Jesus made for us. A better question to ask this season is, “What are you doing for Jesus?” If you decide to give up your morning coffee, consider donating the money you would have spent on it. Whatever penance you decide to take, consider your intentions, and go from there. Our goal to unite ourselves, and others, more fully to Christ should always be our top priority. “During Lent it is important to pray, fast, give alms, and go to confession,” said Father Kraemer. “These practices have always been important, but are perhaps even more necessary today. Many people struggle to come to grips with their own personal sin, perhaps out of fear. However, prayer and penance strengthen us to see our failures clearly and repent, and seek the Lord’s mercy offered so freely in confession.” Lent is a time of renewed conversion. We may feel we are already converted, or we are holy enough, but which of us can say we are too close to Jesus? Lent is a great gift, a time to come together as a Church to say yes to Christ repeatedly in our daily fasts and penances. If we stumble and fall as Jesus did when he carried his cross, we simply follow St. Josemaria Escriva’s wise words, “So you have failed? You cannot fail. You have not failed; you have gained experience. Forward!” Lives are changed when our hearts are changed. Prayer inspires action. Our obedience and submission to God this Lent will help us recognize his unique call for each of us.
Ideas to take up during Lent > PRAYER: Visits to the Blessed Sacrament; weekly holy hour; pray a family rosary; pray with scripture.
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Station of the Cross at St. Vincent Church in Gwinner. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
> FASTING: Give up eating between meals; give up sweets, alcohol, or other unnecessary food or drink. > A woman prays during the Mass at the Convocation of Parish Leaders in Fargo on Dec. 1, 2018. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
ALMSGIVING: Make a contribution to the church or organizations that care for the poor in your community, or abroad; volunteer in a soup kitchen; visit the elderly.
> GO TO CONFESSION.
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Lenten regulations
By USCCB
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are obligatory days of fasting and abstinence for Catholics. In addition, Fridays during Lent are obligatory days of abstinence. The norms on fasting are obligatory from age 18 until age 59. When fasting, a person is permitted to eat one full meal, as well as two smaller meals that together are not equal to a full meal. The norms concerning abstinence from meat are binding upon members from age 14 onwards. As always, fasting that would seriously hinder one’s health or the health of others would be contrary to the will of God. Those who are frail, pregnant, or manual laborers are excused from these obligations. The Church understands that certain people are not able to commit to the Lenten fast. Catholics are also encouraged to undertake some sort of personal penance or abstinence. Examples include giving up sweets, a favorite TV show, or not listening to the radio in the car. Giving up these things isn’t some sort of endurance test, but these acts are done to unite our sufferings with Christ and draw us closer to him. For example, a person may give up his favorite TV show, but if he simply turns the television to another channel, the Lenten penance really does not mean much. Instead, the person should consider devoting the spare time to prayer or perhaps his family.
Station of the Cross at Holy Cross Church in West Fargo. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth)
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Ideas for families/friends >
Have each member of the family give compliments to all the others at meal time. Then, each give a compliment to God. Remind your children that this is not giving thanks but compliments—more praise than thanksgiving. It’s a way to encourage and build up the family. Your children will improve at giving compliments the more they practice.
>
Each week, as a family or group of friends, put several possible penances in a basket and randomly draw one you will do together that week. Some ideas would be to sleep on the floor, park in the farthest parking spot, put a coin in your shoe each day, eat Whole30 (or some other diet) for the week, write a note to someone each day, place your phones on grayscale, no heat in the car, or no music in the car. This is a way to encourage each other and grow together.
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Schools celebrate Catholic Schools Week… and a half! Weather delays events and extends observance to following week
N
ot even Old Man Winter could put a damper on Catholic Schools Week in the Fargo Diocese Jan. 27 to Feb. 2. Despite schools closing for two days due to snow and freezing cold in the middle of the national observance of Catholic Schools Week, postponed events were rescheduled, activities reworked, and fun days still took place, all to honor and bring attention to the importance of Catholic education. One of the highlights of the week, the annual Know Your Faith competition, was held Feb. 6 at Shanley High School in Fargo—a week later than originally scheduled due to weather and hazardous travel conditions. The event pits five area Catholic high schools: Shanley in Fargo, St. Mary’s in Bismarck, Bishop Ryan in Minot, Trinity in Dickinson, and Sacred Heart in East
By Paul Braun Grand Forks, Minn., in a challenge of wits and knowledge of the Bible and catechism. Three-person student teams represent each high school, and the teams answer Bible-based questions to score points. The team with the most points wins. The Know Your Faith competition started in Bismarck in 2010, and is held at a different high school each year. Shanley High School joined the competition in 2012, and first took home the title in 2013, with repeat championships in 2014 and 2015. Shanley hosted the event for the first time in 2014. This year’s champion, St. Mary’s, ran away with the competition with a score of 180 points, followed by Shanley with 80 points. Bishop Ryan took third with 20 points.
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Left photo: Father Ross Laframboise, Pastor of Holy Spirit Church in Fargo, leads a Eucharistic procession of students from Holy Spirit School to the church during Catholic Schools Week. (submitted photo). Right top photo: The gym at Shanley High School was packed with students representing all JPII schools at the All School Mass celebrated by Bishop John Folda on Jan. 31. (Kristina Lahr | New Earth) Right bottom photo: Shanley High School’s student section was full of spirit as they cheered their team on during the Know Your Faith competition held at Shanley High School in Fargo on Feb. 6. The competition was delayed a week due to weather. (Paul Braun | New Earth)
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FAITH AND CULTURE
Musician invites listeners to a conversation with their creator By Matt Komprood
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For the light will overcome We will not fear For we know the sun will rise Hallelujah is our song
The sound of “Hallelujah” is set firmly in the contemporary Christian milieu, with the requisite drum machine loops and keyboard sounds that would feature prominently on a Hillsong record. This isn’t a criticism, since she excels at this style. However, A review of Catholic books, movies, music I was pleasantly surprised to hear her break out into a little he world can use more voices like this. That was my first bluegrass on the song, “Love in Your Time” and even introduce reaction after listening to “Hallelujah is Our Song,” the a little pedal steel guitar into another track or two. A few of the 2013 release by Sarah Kroger. Primarily a Catholic worship tracks do sound like they were recorded with a full band, as leader, “Hallelujah” is her first full-length release, although a opposed to fitted together piecemeal in a studio. To me, hearing a full band together in a mix always makes the music seem a new album is due for release later this year. little more real, a little more organic. The real strength of this Inviting comparisons to Audrey Assad and Matt Maher, Kroger’s recording, however, is Kroger’s voice; light without being breathy, music is extremely thoughtful and prayerful. Listeners have and firmly in command of her range. It’s a complete joy to hear. the feeling of being included in a deeply personal conversation Since Kroger has made her name in recent years as a worship between her and her creator—a conversation that alternates leader, performing across the United States at churches and between thankfulness and hope that God will soon deliver on youth conferences, it’s no surprise that many of her songs fit his promises. firmly in this genre. They’re made to be sung along with. There In the song “Soon,” she sings: is a distinction to be made between music that is meant to be contemplated silently, and music that is meant to be entered in In the valley of the shadow to. Kroger invites us to enter into her worship of God. Most of Where the path is rock and thorn her songs are written to encourage the listener deeper in their Every step is a mile own life of prayer and relationship with God. And I can’t imagine home It’s great to hear a new Catholic singer begin to find her voice However, it doesn’t stay in a place of despair for long. Kroger and her sound. This album is a worthy listen, and I anticipate reminds us that we will soon be with God and see him face-to- even greater things from her in the future. face. This assurance gives us strength to persevere through the Matt Komprood is the business manager at St. Thomas Aquinas darker times. The chief theme of her music is a calling to return Newman Center in Grand Forks. to a relationship with God and a quiet acceptance of his ways and plans. The title of this album is taken from a famous quote from St. Augustine, made famous again by St. Pope John Paul II, “We are an Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” It is a call out of distress and fear, to a renewal of trust in God. In turbulent times and, indeed in all times, we may take comfort and strength from these words. Sarah Kroger, raised in the generation of “JPII Catholics” takes this idea to heart and offers us a beautiful reflection on a relationship with God and the peace that comes from his indwelling Spirit. I have a tendency to overthink things and worry, so it was a pleasant respite from that temptation to sit for a while and be invited to contemplate the peace of God by Sarah Kroger, while listening to this album. 2013 In “Hallelujah is Our Song,” Kroger echoes these sentiments of comforting assurance in the ways of God:
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About the album
“Hallelujah is Our Song”
What hope we have Even in the longest night 18
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New evangelization summit comes to Rugby Little Flower Parish to act as a host site for web simulcast By Paul Braun register for the event on the New Evangelization Summit website at www.newevangelization.ca. There is a drop down with host locations, and the Rugby location is listed. Organizers say the broadcasting of the event will provide a way to bring together approximately 5,000 like-minded Catholics from across the continent united in one goal—to be formed as evangelists and be part of a network of Catholic evangelists. “Our local Knights of Columbus will conclude the NES with an outdoor living rosary, weather permitting,” said Father Graner. “We’ll find space to do it indoors otherwise. I think it could be an eye-opening experience for some and a hopeful experience for many, so come join us.”
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he Convocation of Parish Leaders, held in Fargo a few months ago, was a resounding success for those who attended. Many who took part came away with a renewed fire to identify effective ways for their local parishes to spread the faith. One diocesan parish has decided to build on the convocation by using technology to bring evangelization to rural North Dakota. St. Therese of the Little Flower Church in Rugby will be a host site for the New Evangelization Summit (NES), which will be broadcast across North America on Saturday, May 4. The New Evangelization Summit will originate from Ottawa, Canada, and will bring together speakers who are leaders in the New Evangelization to provide inspiration, encouragement, training, practical wisdom, and resources on how Catholics can effectively evangelize. According to organizers, all Catholics—pastors, missionaries, lay ministers, and lay faithful—will benefit immensely from this powerful opportunity to be further equipped in the fundamental mission of the Church. “I’ve seen the announcements of it in past years and have always wanted to attend,” said Father Tom Graner, pastor of St. Therese’s Church. “It was always somewhere in Fargo, on a Saturday in May, which is a busy time of year for people living and working in a rural area. This year they made it available without cost, so I thought it would be a good follow-up to the convocation if we were able to have folks from the far edges of the diocese participate.” The web simulcast will be carried live in the performing arts auditorium at Rugby High school from 7:45 a.m. to about 3 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and lunch will be served. Attendees must preNEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
Charity means love
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id you k n o w the word Catholic “charity” comes the Latin Charities from word caritas which North Dakota is a form of love for others? In fact, Chad Prososki charity is one of the three theological virtues of faith: hope, charity, and love. As St. Paul reminds us, the greatest of these is charity or love (1 Cor. 13:13). Thus, Catholic Charities North Dakota calls the annual award it gives to persons or organizations in recognition of their outstanding service and love for humanity the Caritas Award. Accordingly, “The purpose of the Caritas Award is to recognize an 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.” The Caritas Award is presented each year by the board of Catholic Charities North Dakota and led by Bishop of Fargo John Folda and Bishop of Bismarck David Kagan. This year we honor Agnes Harrington for her work in the fields of health and education on March 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sts. Anne & Joachim Church in Fargo. We will also honor Corrine Iron Shield-Many Horses for her work in the community of Fort Yates on May 14 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Spirit of Life Church in Mandan. All are welcome to join us for these luncheons. To RSVP contact (701) 235-4457 or dinner@ catholiccharitiesnd.org as soon as possible. Visit www.catholiccharitiesnd.org to learn more. As people of great love for others, Caritas Award recipients have been deeply involved in charitable work through different nonprofit organizations. These include churches, human service organizations like Catholic Charities North Dakota, private schools, colleges and Newman Centers, missions, and health or safety organizations such as clinics and hospitals. However, those are just a few types of nonprofit organizations. Other common types of nonprofit efforts include the arts, animals, and the environment. Did you know that 1 in 7 private sector employees work for nonprofit organizations? According to the North Dakota Nonprofit Sector Impact, recently released by the North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO), there are more than 3,700 registered public charities in North Dakota and over 150 private foundations. This doesn’t count the hundreds or even thousands of churches across the state. There are many great opportunities to learn about these nonprofits, such as on Giving Hearts Day. More than 450 organizations participated in the online event on Valentine’s Day hosted by the Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) and the Impact Institute. Part of the purpose is helping people find a charity to love. Clearly many North Dakotans love their 20
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charities as this year’s Giving Hearts Day raised over $16 million for local nonprofits from more than 30,000 people. If you helped to support Catholic Charities and other nonprofits on Giving Hearts Day, thank you for your generosity. Many Catholic and other nonprofit organizations were very blessed thanks to the support of so many individuals and businesses. Catholic Charities North Dakota itself received slightly over $60,000 in donations, which along with your generosity on Catholic Charities Sunday helps make it possible for us to assist the thousands of children and families we serve each year. Have you found a charity to love? There is a tremendous opportunity and need for more people to help others. It is a chance to live outa our faith through service. We invite you to call or visit our website and get to know Catholic Charities North Dakota and the other great charities in your own neighborhoods. We cover all of North Dakota with offices in Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, and Minot. And a reminder, you can also join us for one of our Caritas luncheons to hear the encouraging stories of two remarkable women who have embraced the meaning of charity as a deep love for others. Chad Prososki is the Director of Development and Community Relations for Catholic Charities North Dakota.
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
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The assimilation of Christ
n May 4, 1987, John Paul II spoke to Women Religious and a group of young women in Augsburg, Germany. “You live lives of obedience. You have the freedom of love, since you trust in God and are certain of His love. Your criterion is the obedience of Jesus Christ: ‘He humbled himself, obediently accepting even death on a cross’ (Phil. 2:8). With this basic attitude, you arrive at a mature obedience toward your religious superiors and Church authorities. Your obedience is above all, obedience to God; but it must be proven and incarnated in your concrete community and its rule.” From 1994 to 2012, I had the experience of serving our community as its postulant directress. Hindsight tells me that this period ranks up there with some of the most mysterious times of my life. I had considered myself part of the bridge generation between our older Sisters and young women who would “come and see.” Women who seek entry into a religious community are sincere, but the reality is that not all who come truly have a divine call. During the years of discernment and initial formation, “the rubber meets the road” in a candidate’s approach to obedience. In fact, for as long as we live, the same idea is supremely helpful for us in perpetual vows. When I reflect on my own living of the vow of obedience, I should ask myself how my approach to superiors measures up. Am I submitting myself to them in those areas they have been given the authority to govern? Do I let my superiors utilize the grace of their office for my good, the good of our community, and the Church? Do I selectively submit? One year, our postulants had a gift for turning my life upside down. I was unprepared for this duty combined with their personalities. I felt like everything in my life had fallen into disorder as their initial enthusiasm waned. I began to focus on the struggle of wills to the point of telling them they had to do what was asked and what was expected for the sake of order. At the peak of this struggle, we attended a regional formation conference for religious in St. Paul. The theme of the day was consecrated obedience and the keynote speaker was a Mercy Sister from Alma, Michigan. She inspired us with an explanation of the science of tree grafting in her presentation of the parable of the vine and branches. If not done rightly, the graft would die. If done properly, the graft would “assimilate” and thrive. Assimilation, simply stated, is a process by which one part takes in something of another, and is changed by its attributes. Following her discussion on the parable, our speaker then asked this question: What is the purpose of obedience? I looked at our postulants sitting at the end of the row, as far from me as they could get. Then I looked at the wise Sister who was about to support my very existence in the lives of these two women—and heard her say: “The purpose of obedience is not order. The purpose of obedience is the “assimilation of Christ.” If ever I experienced enlightenment, it was that day. That conference was eye-opening, heart-freeing for me. Those postulants eventually made their way back to their homes and families, and since then I have often tried to grow in the light of that beautiful phrase: the assimilation of Christ.
What does the “assimilation of Christ” look like? Perhaps the answer can be Sister’s found in An Undivided Heart by Sister Perspective Evelyn Ann Schum Sister Sara Marie acher, O.S.F. We Belisle, OSF read, “The life story of every religious is centered on a nuptial love for Christ to whom she gives her whole life. Thus, molded by His Spirit, she will adopt His sentiments, His ideals and His mission of charity and salvation.” St. Paul tells us that Jesus “became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” Christ’s obedience was the ultimate sacrifice of love—the holocaust of love that is our model. We in consecrated life must ask ourselves, have we allowed ourselves to become “molded in His Spirit?” Have we “adopted His sentiments, His ideals and His mission of charity and salvation?” Have we assimilated the mind and heart of Christ to the degree that our obedience to earthly superiors who represent Him, becomes a sacrifice of love? After all, was it not His Spirit that led us to religious life in the Church, whether we knew it or not? Religious life is a radical step away from secular life and popular culture. The authority that superiors wield is not from themselves or even from the members who elect them. It is granted to them by the Church. “Moved by the Holy Spirit, we voluntarily submit to superiors in faith because they hold God’s place in our daily lives. Difficulties arise when Religious fail to see the divine representative in the human person” (An Undivided Heart). For Religious, the divine will is made known by the will of our superiors. There is no obedience without submission of self to another. “Partial obedience is still disobedience,” was the final word in a homily I recently heard—a sobering thought as I begin anew every morning trying to follow more faithfully my obedient Lord and Savior.
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
Encountering the poor in Mexico
Who was truly poor? The homeless in material goods or me in trusting our Lord?
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n January, I had the opportunity to travel to Mexico City for a Seminarian couple weeks with Life my class to minister to the poor and Kevin Lorsung visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the site of the Marian apparition to St. Juan Diego in 1531. It was my first time out of the country, and it was a beautiful experience especially to see the deep faith of the people of Mexico and their love for Our Lady of Guadalupe. And, I’m not going to lie, it was nice to spend time in warmer weather, too!
“I never expected that in ministering to the poor, they would also minister to me.” –Kevin Lorsung I didn’t have any real expectations with this trip because it was the first of its kind, a pilot program for St. Paul Seminary where I study. My Spanish is not good, so conversations were rough, but through that difficulty, I realized the power of nonverbal communication. One example was when we visited a women’s shelter. I sat by an elderly lady, conversed with her briefly, and then I just held her hand for a while, showing her that I cared. It was a powerful moment for which I’m thankful to God. Most of the time was spent alongside the Missionaries of Charity. Following the charism of their founder, St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, the Missionaries of Charity care for the poor and needy. I was profoundly moved by the sisters’ deep love for the poor, especially those they take care of in their convent and to those they visit and bring food. They had a unique joy about them, and it was obvious they could see Christ in the people they served. One of my favorite times from the trip to Mexico City was going with the sisters to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On the way, we talked with them about their ministry and their discernment of religious life. They were great examples of faith and humble service for me. I will be forever grateful for the time I spent with them. I never expected that in ministering to the poor, they would also minister to me. When we went to visit people living in rough neighborhoods, I was shocked by the peoples’ faith in the midst of so much squalor. It struck a chord deep within me because their trust in the Lord is so much deeper than my own. Their lack of material goods, which I saw as a bad thing, actually brought them closer to God. I realize that I have many material goods, mostly books, that seem important, but now I’m not so sure. 22
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I thought, in my missionary-driven mind, as I boarded the plane to Mexico that I would be the one bringing the light to them. I’m sure I did, but the poor brought light into my heart, too. It shone upon where I need to deepen my trust in the Lord and let go of material possessions so that I can better serve the people of eastern North Dakota. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to visit Mexico City and see Our Lady of Guadalupe. I am indebted to the poor who in their meekness and humble lives helped me realize that I still have many things to give to Christ, and that probably includes my many books. I ask that you pray for all missionary orders who work with the poor every day, that they be strengthened with the Holy Spirit as they serve Christ in the poor. Lorsung is a Theology II seminarian studying at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn. 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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The story of North Dakota’s legislative process
recent series of events illustrates how the legislative process works and how the North Dakota Catholic Conference, among others, help shape public policy. Senate Bill 2289 would prevent caregivers from denying family members and close friends access to a vulnerable adult. The bill was assigned to the Senate Human Services Committee, which is chaired by Senator Judy Lee, who also happens to be the bill’s prime sponsor. The hearing took place on a Monday morning. Senator Lee and others testified that some caregivers have prevented friends and family members from visiting or even communicating with a loved one. In addition to being an abuse of the caregiver’s authority, such isolation of a vulnerable adult creates an environment for physical, emotional, and financial abuse. While listening to the testimony it occurred to me that a caregiver might also deny access to a priest or spiritual advisor. I quickly emailed all the priests and deacons of the Fargo Diocese and asked if they had ever experienced a time when a caregiver denied them access to a parishioner. The testimony in support of the bill was still ongoing when several priests emailed back saying they had experienced caregivers preventing them from providing spiritual care to parishioners. I then stood up, expressed support for the bill, and suggested amendments that would add clergy to the bill. The committee was receptive to the idea. We discussed whether the word “clergy” should just be added, but the committee then recognized that since the subject touched upon religious issues, they should look carefully at how the language should be drafted. Chairman Lee asked if I could look into it and provide the committee with the right amendments. That afternoon I did some research and drafted the amendments. I had to address two questions. First, the language had to be constitutional. The Establishment Clause prevents states from favoring one faith over another. It also prevents the government from favoring “organized religions” with membership and official clergy over less organized spiritual care from non-clergy. The solution was to define “clergy member” as “a member of the clergy or spiritual counselor who has provided a vulnerable adult with religious or spiritual care.” Second, it had to allow access for someone providing spiritual care without allowing anyone off the street to abuse the process. The answer: Add to the definition of “clergy member” “or who represents a religious organization to which a vulnerable adult is a member.” This way, a deacon, Eucharistic minister, or other representative of the person’s church could visit the vulnerable adult. The amendment, therefore, defined “clergy member” as a “member of the clergy or spiritual counselor who has provided a vulnerable adult with religious or spiritual care or who represents a religious organization to which a vulnerable adult is a member” and then inserted “clergy member” after family member and friend throughout the bill. On Tuesday, I submitted the amendments to the committee chair and intern. As with all amendments, the intern submits the proposed amendments to Legislative Council. Legislative Council writes them up in an official form in the computer system,
and that is what the committee officially considers. On Wednesday, Catholic the committee adopted the amend- Action ments and gave the bill a “do pass” Christoper Dodson recommendation. On Thursday, the full Senate adopted the amendments. In the Senate, every amendment is discussed and voted on separately. I was interested in the other amendments to the bill so I looked them up online. That is when I discovered the missing “or.” My proposed amendments had an “or” between the two solutions I had developed. Somehow in the process the “or” disappeared. Without the “or” the amendment read: “member of the clergy or spiritual counselor who has provided a vulnerable adult with religious or spiritual care who represents a religious organization to which a vulnerable adult is a member.” Remember the constitutional problem of not favoring organized religion? Without the “or,” the definition now allowed visits only from clergy who belonged to a religious organization that had formal members. After the Senate’s floor session, I approached Senator Lee and explained the situation. She assured me that it was a mistake and that she would get it fixed. Only the bill’s amendments had been approved, not the amended bill. Unlike the state House, the Senate allows floor amendments before the final vote. On Friday, the amended bill came up for a vote by the entire Senate. After Senator Dave Clemens explained the bill to the chamber, Senator Lee moved for consideration of an additional amendment. Pursuant to the rules of the Senate, paper copies of floor amendments have to be provided to every senator. Legislative Council prepared another set of amendments. The sheet of paper distributed to every senator added the word “or” back into the bill. The Senate adopted the amendment on a voice vote and then unanimously passed the corrected bill. SB 2289 now heads to the House. The story of this bill illustrates much about the North Dakota legislative process. Legislators, lobbyists, constituents, priests, interns, staff, and the people who make all this information available electronically and on paper had a hand in this series of events. From Monday to Friday, a good bill was introduced, input was received, the bill was made better, mistakes were made, the bill became unconstitutional, the bill was fixed, and a very good bill passed the Senate. The process may not be perfect, but it works. 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. NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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OUR CATHOLIC LIFE
Endowment giving is easy and it works
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recently received a call f ro m a g e n tleman who was fired up about Stewardship endowments. He Steve Schons said, “we should be doing more to get the word out,” and “you need to tell people that they can put their own name on the endowment too.” So, here I am thumping the drum of endowments once again. He’s correct; there’s a lot to like about endowments. Endowments are simple and help support the charitable causes for which people wish to donate for years to come. The permanence of an endowment is exactly what attracts some of our donors to this means of supporting their church or other Catholic ministry. They like the idea that the principal of their gift will stay intact while the income, or at least a good part of it, will be used for a worthy cause. They realize that someday they will be gone, and their outright annual gifts will no longer be available to help meet current needs. Through an endowment however, they can keep making annual gifts. Some donors are attracted to the opportunity an endowment gives to memorialize a loved one or other respected person. They use this perpetual giving arrangement to bring honor and recognition. Also, in North Dakota there is a tax credit available
for gifts made to qualified ND endowments of $5,000 or more. Other thoughtful donors want to establish an endowment in their name to place themselves on permanent record as someone who supports a particular program or cause. An endowment can be created during life, or at death through a bequest or trust remainder. It can be restricted to specific needs or unrestricted for general use. You can create your own endowment or contribute to one that already exists. Endowments can be made at once with a single gift or established over time with repeated gifts. Endowments can originate from a single source or through the efforts and support of many. Endowments are especially useful in drawing other family members into the giving arena. For example, grandparents who establish an endowment in the family’s name are providing their children and grandchildren with a continuing tie with their Church or ministry as well as a means for them to enjoy the satisfaction of seeing “their” annual endowment grant benefit a worthy cause. If you have questions or would like to learn more about endowments, go to www.cdfnd.org or contact Steve Schons at (701) 361-9757 or steve.schons@fargodiocese.org. 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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The best gift for those you love who are nursing home residents, shut-ins, or non-practicing CatholicsWDAY, Channel 6, Fargo – WDAZ, Channel 8, Grand Forks 10:30 a.m. Sunday Name_________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ City/State/Zip_________________________________________ Phone_________________________________________________ A GIFT FOR: Name_________________________________________________ Address_______________________________________________ City/State/Zip_________________________________________
“I support the TV Mass because it was an important part of my mother’s life. My husband and I would sometimes watch it with her. I’m thankful that the TV Mass was there for her.” – Helen Bye, Fargo
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Or, IN MEMORY OF: Name________________________________________________ I would like this listed at the end of the TV Mass on this date(s): ______________________________________________________ MAIL TO: TV Mass, Diocese of Fargo, 5201 Bishops Blvd., Suite A, Fargo, ND 58104-7605
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Join us on the journey through Lent
ent reminds us that we are pilgrims on the path of discipleship, living out the paschal mystery in our lives, each according to our own vocation. I think it is helpful to have a resolution or personal intention to help focus our spiritual efforts during this period of prayer and penance. This year I’ve chosen to travel through Lent in the company of Mary, the mother of Jesus and his first and most faithful disciple. I invite you to do the same, and to join me, as well, in offering prayers and sacrifices for young people during this holy season. “From [Mary] let us learn how to stand beneath the cross with her same determination and courage, without evasions or illusions. She accompanied the suffering of her son… yet was not overwhelmed by it. She was the woman of strength who uttered her ‘yes,’ who supports and accompanies, protects, and embraces. She is the great guardian of hope.” – Pope Francis Last year’s Synod of Bishops on Young People, together with January’s celebration of World Youth Day in Panama, has drawn our attention to the situation of young adults in society and the church. These events challenged us to accompany young adults in their faith journey and vocational discernment. “Being present, supporting, and accompanying the journey towards authentic choices is one way for the church to exercise her maternal function,” the Synod Fathers wrote. “Service of this kind is simply the continuation of the way in which the God of Jesus Christ acts towards his people: through constant and heartfelt presence, dedicated and loving closeness, and tenderness without limits.” Our Lady embodies these qualities, for she knew how to ponder events in her heart and she proved herself attentive to others’ needs. Generations have called her Our Lady of Tenderness, Mother of Mercy and Virgin Most Faithful. A number of traditional Catholic devotions such as the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross lead us to ponder Mary’s experiences and her role in her son’s saving mission. The Seven Sorrows Rosary is a very old but little known devotion focused on seven particularly challenging events in Mary’s life. These events include Simeon’s prophecy in the Temple, the flight into Egypt, the loss of Jesus in the Temple, the encounter with Jesus on the way of the cross, Mary standing at the foot of the Cross, the reception of her Son’s body after his death, and his placement in the tomb. Trusting in the power of her intercession, this Lent I’ve decided to offer the Seven Sorrows Rosary for the needs and intentions of young people. It’s not that I want to give young people the impression that following Jesus is nothing but a long road of suffering. However, prayerfully reflecting on Mary’s sorrows helps us to understand
what it means to persevere through life’s inevitable difficulties. In Panama Pope Little Sisters Francis encouraged young people to look of the Poor to Mary as a model of great strength and Sister Constance faithfulness. Veit, l.s.p. During the celebration of the Stations of the Cross, the pope said, “From her let us learn how to stand beneath the cross with her same determination and courage, without evasions or illusions. She accompanied the suffering of her son… yet was not overwhelmed by it. She was the woman of strength who uttered her ‘yes,’ who supports and accompanies, protects, and embraces. She is the great guardian of hope.” The next evening, during the Prayer Vigil, Pope Francis proposed Mary’s “yes” to God in the Annunciation as a model worth following. “She knew what was at stake and said ‘yes’… It was the ‘yes’ of someone prepared to be committed, someone willing to take a risk, ready to stake everything she had, with no more security than the certainty of knowing that she was the bearer of a promise... The ‘yes’ and the desire to serve were stronger than any doubts and difficulties.” During this Lenten season, I’d like to invite readers, especially young people, to join me and our elderly residents in pondering Mary as our Lord’s first and most courageous, most faithful disciple. Please join us on the journey! Each week we’ll be posting reflections from the Synod documents and our Holy Father’s talks during World Youth Day in Panama, together with video meditations on the Seven Sorrows Rosary. Please join us at www.LittleSistersofthePoor.org! Sister Constance Veit is director of communications for the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Is Jesus inviting YOU to adore Him at Carmel of Mary? CARMEL OF MARY
17765 78TH ST. S.E., WAHPETON, ND 58075 701-642-2360 CARMELOFMARY@GMAIL.COM
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WHAT’S HAPPENING
Events across the diocese
Sts. Anne & Joachim Church to feature Msgr. James Shea
Monsignor James Shea will be the presenter for a parish mission at Sts. Anne and Joachim Church in Fargo. This mission is entitled: “The Blessed Virgin Mary Compared to the Air We Breathe.” The talks will take place March 10–12 and begin at 7 p.m. each night. Children and adults are welcome to all presentations and free childcare will be available on site. The topics each night are: • March 10: How Mary Reveals Christ to Us • March 11: Mary, the Channel of God’s Mercy in Suffering • March 12: Mary, the Mother of All the Faithful For more information, call Katie at (701) 235-5757 or visit www. stsaaj.org/parish-mission.
trauma of an abortion. The sessions will use a national curriculum that includes prayer, self-examination, and the use of Scripture in a compassionate and supportive environment. For more information or to register, call Dakota Hope at (701) 852-4675, go to www.dakotahope.org and click on events, or send a confidential text to (978) 705-3421. Pre-registration is required and the location will be disclosed to those who register for the group session. All services at Dakota Hope Clinic are 100% free and confidential.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput Headlines 2019 Vocations Jamboree
Archbishop Charles Chaput of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is this year’s special guest for the fourth annual Vocations Jamboree at the University of Mary in Bismarck on March 20, at 7:30 The St. James Basilica’s Tabernacle Society invites you to p.m., inside the new Lumen Vitae University Center’s Founders attend a spiritual program at St. James Basilica, Jamestown on Hall. The event is free and open to public. March 11 at 7 p.m. featuring Dr. Leroy Huizenga. He was a for- Archbishop Chaput will give the keynote address at the mer Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Anglican and was featured on Jamboree. A special feature of the event will be Chaput’s visit EWTN’s Journey Home, sharing his story about how he found with the religious orders attending the Vocations Jamboree his true home in Catholicism. Dr. Huizenga is Administrative and his reception of the university’s Lumen Vitae medal. The Chair of Human and Divine Sciences and Associate Professor of prestigious Lumen Vitae Medal (Latin for “The Light of Life”), Theology at the University of Mary in Bismarck. Dr. Huizenga is given to those who are champions of Catholic education and was received into the Catholic Church in 2011. who bring others closer to Christ and his Church.
Dr. Leroy Huizenga to share faith journey in Jamestown
Catholic Charities Caritas Awards annual luncheon on March 12
All are invited to join Catholic Charities March 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Sts. Anne and Joachim in Fargo for lunch and a short program with special guest Bishop John Folda as Catholic Charities North Dakota honors Agnes Harrington for her work serving those in need and advocating for the common good. Lunch is a free will offering, but please RSVP as soon as possible with your contact information by emailing dinner@catholiccharitiesnd. org or calling (701) 235-4457.
Dakota Hope Clinic in Minot offers women peace after abortion
Dakota Hope Clinic of Minot offers individual and group sessions for women who seek peace and healing after a past abortion experience. The eight-week group session will begin March 18 from 6–8 p.m. The individual and group session will be led by a team that includes an RN and others who are specially trained or have personal knowledge of the pain and
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Women’s retreat offered at Maryvale, Valley City
The Women’s Retreat has been a favorite for many years. This year’s retreat is entitled “Tending One’s Soul: God’s Spiritual Garden” and will be offered at Maryvale, March 29–31. The imagery of a garden is used in various ways throughout scripture to speak of relationship with God, spiritual growth and conversion. This retreat weekend will give participants time to cultivate the spiritual fruits of one’s own “garden.” Suggested donation $85. For more information, contact Sister Dorothy Bunce, SMP, at (701) 845-2864 or dorothy.bunce@fargodiocese.org.
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A great Catholic day for middle school students
The Middle School Extravaganza is a must for students in 6th through 8th grade. This amazing event will be held at St. Mary’s Church in Grand Forks on April 6. Keynote speaker Paul J. Kim will be challenging everyone in “prayer habits” following the theme “Pray without Ceasing.” Paul will give us tips on dayto-day conversations with Jesus,
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commonly known as prayer habits. He’ll also be entertaining us in the afternoon with his beat box songs! The extravaganza includes an opportunity for Mass, Reconciliation, Adoration, and a Eucharistic procession. There will be two rounds of workshops to attend in the afternoon followed by a dance in the evening. Cost for the day is $40/student and $20/chaperone. This fee includes lunch and supper. We ask that there be one chaperone for every eight students. Contact your parish by March 20 to register.
Join Grand Forks area women for prayer and community
Grand Forks Area Catholic Women are invited to St. Anne’s (524 N. 17th St., Grand Forks) on April 6 from 8 to 11:30 a.m. This gathering will take place on the first Saturdays of the month with rosary, Mass, breakfast, a short talk, small groups, and time for prayer and music.
Surrender to Divine Mercy, a mini retreat for women
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 St. Padre Pio. For women of all ages and faiths. To register, call the parish office at (701) 642-6982 or text (701) 640-3357.
Join Father Damien on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land
Father Damien Schill will be leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from Dec. 1–10 as well as an optional post tour to Rome and Assisi from Dec. 10–16. For full itinerary and prices, go to www. pilgrimages.com/frdamien.
The Center for Ministry Development workshop, Connecting Families to Sacramental Ministries for Middle School and High School Youth, has been canceled. This workshop was to be held on March 8 at St. Catherine’s in Valley City and March 9 at St. John’s in New Rockford. If you have registered or your registration is in the mail, you will receive a complete refund. A new workshop will be scheduled for this fall. More information to come.
Life’s milestones Robert and Arlene Adahl, parishioners at St. Joseph’s Church in Devils Lake, celebrated their 50th anniversary on Jan 25. They have two children and two grandchildren. Ted and Betty Johnson, parishioners of St. Agatha’s Church in Hope will celebrate their 50th anniversary on March 8. They were married at St. James Church in Page. They have two children and five grandchildren. Victor and Barbara Wald, parishioners of St. Philip Neri Church in Napoleon will celebrate their 65th anniversary on April 21. They were married at St. Boniface in Kintyre. They have 6 children, 16 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren with 3 more on the way. Victor will also celebrate his 85th birthday on April 14. He has been playing accordion for over 50 years and still provides entertainment at nursing homes and clubs.
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.
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A GLIMPSE OF THE PAST
These news items, compiled by Danielle Thomas, were found in New Earth and its predecessor, Catholic Action News.
75 years ago — 1944
Sacred Heart Church in Orrin burned to the ground early in the morning on March 13. Origins of the fire are unknown, but it is believed to have started late the evening before. The building, and all its contents, was destroyed. The loss of the library was especially difficult as it contained a large number of valuable books on rural life and regional agriculture. Rebuilding is not new to the parishioners as the previous building was struck by lightning in 1924.
50 years ago — 1969
This was the last term for St. James Catholic High School of Grand Forks. Reasons cited were insufficient support for a new building and reduced numbers of available teaching
staff. About 390 high school students will filter into the public school system at the start of next term. However, there remains overwhelming backing of Catholic education in the elementary grades.
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Argusville: St. William’s Church Men’s Club is hosting a fish dinner on March 8 from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Argusville Community Hall. $10 for adults, $5 for ages 7–12, and free for ages 6 and under. Bottineau: The Knights of Columbus at St. Mark’s Church are hosting a fish fry on March 22, 29, and April 12 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Casselton: The Knights of Columbus at St. Leo’s Church will host a fish dinner on March 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Free-will offering.
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20 years ago — 1999
Saint John’s Abbey and University in Collegeville, Minn. commissioned Donald Jackson, Queen Elizabeth’s master calligrapher, to follow through on his lifelong dream of creating an entirely handwritten Bible. The Saint John’s Bible aims to be the first of its kind in five centuries. It will consist of seven volumes, written with goose-quill pens, on 1,150 pages of vellum, and contain 160 illuminations. Note: The project was completed in 2011, seven years beyond its initial completion date, and more than double the estimated cost of $3 million. It can be seen on display at Saint John’s University campus.
Parishes host Lenten fish dinners ridays in Lent mean fish is on the menu. The following is a list of Friday Fish Dinners submitted to New Earth.
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Horace: The St. Benedict’s Church Men’s Club is sponsoring
a fish dinner on March 15 and April 5 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross will follow at 7 p.m. both evenings. Free-will offering.
Jessie: The Knights of Columbus at St. Lawrence Church is hosting a fish dinner on March 15 from 5 to 7 p.m.
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Langdon: The Knights of Columbus at St. Alphonsus Church
will be hosting a Lenten fish dinner March 8, 15, 22, 29, and April 5 and 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6–12, and free for ages 5 and under.
Mayville: Our Lady of Peace Church will host a Lenten fish dinner on April 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Fargo: Sts. Anne and Joachim Church will have Mass fol- Rugby: The Knights of Columbus at St. Therese the Littlelowed by Stations of the Cross and a fish dinner hosted by the Knights of Columbus on March 8, 15, 22, 29, and April 5 and 12. Mass begins at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is a free-will offering.
Flower Church will host a fish fry on March 29 at 5:30 p.m.at the Rugby Eagles Club. Cost for the dinner is $10 per person or $30 per family.
Fargo: The Knights of Columbus at St. Mary’s Cathedral Thompson: St. Jude’s Church will host fish dinners on March are hosting fish dinners on March 8, 15, 29, and April 12, a pasta dinner on March 22, and a family pizza night on April 5. Meals are served starting at 5 p.m. Cost varies each night.
Fargo: The Knights of Columbus at St. Anthony of Padua
Church will host a fish dinner March 8, 15, 22, 29 and April 5 and 12, from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Cost is $9 for ages 13 and older, $6 for ages 6–12 and free for ages 5 and under.
Grand Forks: St. Michael’s Church will host a fish dinner
on March 8 and April 12 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. $11 for adults, $5 for ages 7–12 and free for ages 6 and under.
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8, 22, and April 15 at 5 p.m. $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5–12, and free for ages 5 and under.
West Fargo: Blessed Sacrament Church will host a fish
dinner on March 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Father Gary Luiten will be the chef! Proceeds from the free-will offering will benefit the Peru Mission Trip.
West Fargo: The Knights of Columbus at Holy Cross Church
will host a fish dinner March 8, 15, 22, 29, and April 5 and 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Gluten-free items available. Cost is $11 for adults, $5 for ages 5–12, and free for ages 4 and under.
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U.S. AND WORLD NEWS
Pope Francis approves canonization of John Henry Newman By Hannah Brockhaus | Catholic News Agency England on Sept. 19, 2010. The first miracle attributed to Newman’s intercession involved the complete and inexplicable healing of a deacon from a disabling spinal condition. His second miracle concerned the healing of a pregnant American woman. The woman prayed for the intercession of Cardinal Newman at the time of a life-threatening diagnosis, and her doctors have been unable to explain how or why she was able to suddenly recover. The date of his canonization has not yet been announced. Bl. John Henry Newman was a 19th century theologian, poet, Catholic priest, and cardinal. Originally an Anglican priest, he converted to Catholicism in 1845 and his writings are considered among some of the most important Church-writings in recent centuries. ope Francis approved the canonization of Bl. John Henry Ordained a Catholic priest in 1847, he was made a cardinal by Newman, a Roman Catholic cardinal, scholar, and founder Pope Leo XIII in 1879, although he was not a bishop. Newman of the Oratory of St. Philip Neri in England. was also particularly dedicated to education and founded two Following a Feb. 12 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Becciu, schools for boys. the head of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, the pope Sr. Kathleen Dietz, FSO, a Newman scholar, and vice-chancellor signed off on a second miracle attributed to the intercession of of the Diocese of Erie told CNA last November she suspects that Newman, who was beatified by Pope Benedict XVI in Birmingham, Newman could be named the patron of scholars and students.
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Pope Francis: Young people are the “now” of God By Hannah Brockhaus | Catholic News Agency
Stations of the Cross at World Youth Day Panama Jan. 25. (Daniel Ibanez | Catholic News Agency)
S
erving God and his mission is not a passing thing, but can and should be pursued in the present, with one’s entire life, Pope Francis said Jan. 27 at the closing Mass for World Youth Day in Panama City. “Brothers and sisters, the Lord and his mission are not a ‘meantime’ in our life, something temporary; they are our life!” the pope said. “Not tomorrow but now, for wherever your treasure is, there will your heart also be.”
Jesus “wants to be our treasure, because he is not a ‘meantime,’ an interval in life or a passing fad; he is generous love that invites us to entrust ourselves,” he continued. “You, dear young people, are not the future but the now of God.” At the end of the Mass, which officially closed World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, announced that the next international youth gathering will be in Lisbon, Portugal in 2022. “At the conclusion of this celebration,” Pope Francis said, “I thank God for having given us the opportunity to share these days together and to experience once more this World Youth Day,” adding that the “faith and joy” of the young people present “made Panama, America, and the entire world shake!” “I ask you not to let the fervor of these days grow cold. Go back to your parishes and communities, to your families and your friends, and share this experience, so that others can resonate with the strength and enthusiasm that is yours.” In his homily at Mass in Campo San Juan Pablo II, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel passage, which speaks of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, when he returned to Nazareth where he had grown up and preached in the synagogue. Not everyone in the synagogue was ready to listen to Jesus, NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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Francis said, and the same can happen to Catholics today, when people do not believe that God can be “that close and real.” He said, “You too, dear young people, can experience this whenever you think that your mission, your vocation, even your life itself, is a promise far off in the future, having nothing to do with the present.” “We do not always believe that the Lord can invite us to work and soil our hands with him in his Kingdom in that simple and blunt a way,” he continued. So instead, people prefer “a distant God: nice, good, generous, but far-off, a God who does not inconvenience us.” But that is not who God is, he said, “He is concrete, close, real
love. Indeed, this ‘concrete manifestation of love is one of the essential elements in the life of Christians,’” he said, quoting a 2006 homily of Benedict XVI. Jesus “invites you and calls you in your communities and cities to go out and find your grandparents, your elders; to stand up and with them to speak out and realize the dream that the Lord has dreamed for you,” he said. “Do you want to live out your love in a practical way? May your ‘yes’ continue to be the gateway for the Holy Spirit to give us a new Pentecost for the Church and for the world,” he concluded.
New movie tells story of abortion clinic worker turned pro-life advocate By Catholic News Agency
Abby Johnson, founder of “And Then There Were None.” (Catholic News Agency)
A
movie chronicling the conversion of a former Planned Parenthood clinic director who became a pro-life advocate will be released in theaters nationwide on March 29. Based off Johnson’s book of the same name, Unplanned recounts her experiences in the abortion industry. After being first approached at an on-campus activities fair, Johnson began volunteering at Planned Parenthood as a clinic escort. After graduation, she took a job with the company and eventually became the director of the Bryan, Texas clinic. In 2008, she was named as the clinic’s employee of the year. During her time working at the nation’s largest abortion provider, Johnson herself had two abortions. Due to a personnel shortage, she was called in to assist in an ultrasound-guided abortion for the first time in September 2009. She was initially disconcerted to note how much the unborn child, after 13 weeks, looked like the image she had seen of her own living daughter while pregnant. The next few minutes changed Johnson’s life irrevocably, as she watched the baby—whom she had believed to be incapable of feeling anything—squirming and twisting to avoid the tube into which it would be vacuumed. “For the briefest moment,” she wrote in her memoir, “the baby looked as if it were being wrung like a dishcloth, twirled and squeezed. And then it crumpled and began disappearing
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into the cannula before my eyes.” “The last thing I saw was the tiny, perfectly formed backbone sucked into the tube, and then it was gone.” Shocked by what she had seen, Johnson still continued her work running the clinic and promoting its work, at first. Just a few weeks later, however, she was in the nearby office of the Coalition For Life, telling its director Shawn Carney—with whom she knew from his years of opposition to Planned Parenthood —that she could no longer continue helping women have abortions. In a 2011 interview with CNA, Johnson said she joined the pro-life movement to help women understand the truth about abortion, not to become a public figure. She said that it was Planned Parenthood, not the Coalition For Life, that turned her departure into a public battle. “Planned Parenthood released this to the media” in late 2009, she said. “Planned Parenthood made this a news story. This is something that they did.” “This is not what I planned for my life. But God set this up for me—and it would be the wrong thing, to turn away from something that he has planned for my life.” Johnson went on to found the organization “And Then There Were None,” which seeks to assist abortion workers with leaving the industry and finding a new career. Although not shown in the film, Johnson and her husband subsequently converted to Catholicism and are currently expecting their eighth child. And Then There Were None has helped nearly 500 former clinic workers leave the abortion industry. Unplanned stars Ashley Bratcher as Johnson. During filming, Bratcher discovered that her own mother had planned on having an abortion when she was pregnant with her but walked out of the appointment instead. Unplanned was written and directed by Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, the writers of God’s Not Dead and God’s Not Dead 2. The movie was partially funded by Michael Lindell, a born-again Christian and the founder of the company MyPillow. The film will be distributed by Pure Flix.
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Sidewalk Stories By Roxane B. Salonen
Sidewalk prayers in frigid weather a witness
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’m writing this month’s column on Jan. 30, the day our state is breaking temperatures with its dangerous frigidity. Though hopefully it’s a distant memory by now, we’ll likely look back on this day in coming years and shiver. Schools have been closed for two days. My son has stayed busy tossing boiling hot water into the air to see the vapor cloud above him form like a nuclear mushroom, while others have blown bubbles outside to watch them turn into globes that float a bit before bursting into a puff of icy powder. I keep thinking of the saying, “When hell freezes over,” and wonder if it has. Despite the dangerously chilled weather however, today the Red River Women’s Clinic is open for business. Though many real medical facilities have closed shop for the day, the babies won’t stop growing for our convenience, I guess, so sadly, the abortions must go on. Last night, I read a Facebook post from said facility calling for abortion escorts to show up, despite the horrifically cold weather. They offered helpful tips for surviving the sidewalk including, “the righteous flame of indignation,” “the heartwarming action of caring for strangers,” and “the holy trio: coffee, cocoa, and chemical hand warmers!” Finally, they wrote, “Dress warm, you brave and wonderful people!” Earlier, I’d texted the group of my women friends who gather regularly to pray on the sidewalk. “This goes against everything I’ve ever said here, but I implore you all. Do not pray on the sidewalk tomorrow. Pray at home. It is dangerous weather to be standing for more than a few minutes. There are limits to everything. Even sidewalk sacrifice.” Most opted to pray, secure in our houses, the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, in solidarity and for the women with abortion appointments on this dangerously cold day. However, some of the men who pray with us regularly were determined to show up. Hearing this, I winced and prayed. One of these heroes shared a selfie of three of them bundled up to their noses, only frosted stocking caps and eye slits showing. “No clinic escorts today, so we’re getting free reign to talk to the
women going in,” the selfie-taker wrote on Facebook. Later, he shared that six prayer advocates had come and zero escorts. Despite my worry about those crazy enough to turn out to pray, I saw the shining witness of these men. The facility itself couldn’t drudge up its volunteers to be there, despite pleas and enticing incentives. “You are the light of Christ!” someone commented to the men. “Imagine what Jesus is doing today. He is high-fiving you with an additional smiling frost face all bundled up. Thank you for bringing his care and love to the neediest in Fargo today!” “God bless you all,” said another, adding, “It’s too cold for Satan, I guess.” “He likes warmer temps I suppose,” another quipped. Though moments of humor in a tragic situation, these comments held truth. The absence of blue escort vests turned out to be a witness, too. Here are my takeaways on why the prayer advocates won the battle, at least for today. First, we know this isn’t about abortion alone. It’s about bringing souls to Christ, shining the way not just to a regret-free life here, but helping reveal the possibility of an eternal dance of life in heaven, for mothers, babies, fathers, and everyone connected to the child set for slaughter. Two, at the end of the day, when push comes to shove on the sidewalk, Satan really has no power compared to the goodness that comes from God alone. Those men were able to withstand today’s temperatures because of their big hearts and extra-strength hand-warmers, but also because they knew the grace of God would be with them. While I do not recommend everyone pray on the sidewalk on such a day, I can step back at this moment, in awe of what God can do to move our hearts, even in the most inconceivably harsh circumstances, and praise him for that. Now, I should go see if my car still starts, but before I dash off, I urge you to mark March 29 on your calendars to see the movie Unplanned about former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson’s flight from the abortion industry. Bring a friend. You won’t regret it. 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. NEW EARTH MARCH 2019
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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 from St. Patrick’s Church in Enderlin.
