April 9, 2020 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
HOLY WEEK AT HOME
Blessing the city
With the Triduum falling during Gov. Walz’s stay-at-home order and as the suspension of public Masses continues, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis offers a week-long virtual retreat, and Catholic families share ideas on how to still make Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday the pinnacle of the Church year. — Pages 10-11
Archbishop Hebda blesses Twin Cities and prays for archdiocese during Holy Hour outside Cathedral doors March 27. — Page 5
Financial aid Archdiocesan task force, CCF fund established to help parishes, Catholic schools affected by coronavirus-related changes. — Page 6
Not guilty Australia High Court unanimously overturns Cardinal Pell’s abuse conviction. — Page 8
Wedding adjustments Couples still get married, but not how they initially envisioned. — Page 12
Mask makers
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Catholics join efforts to provide protective gear to medical professionals. — Page 14
Meet St. Corona The pandemic inspires renewed devotion to obscure teenage martyr. — Page 19
OUTDOOR ADORATION Mary Ann Louie, left, of St. Paul in Ham Lake kneels with her husband, Jason, and their five children during a blessing at Perry Park in Arden Hills March 27 by Father Paul Shovelain, right, of St. John the Baptist in New Brighton. Father Shovelain went to the park and walked through the parking lot with the Eucharist to bless everyone who came. He made a total of seven stops in parks near the church so that people could come to pray, adore Jesus in the Eucharist and receive a blessing. “For me, it was very touching to be in the presence of our Lord,” Mary Ann Louie said. “It’s amazing to be able to come together as a community and be here putting our faith and our trust in God, where it always should be.”
Suspension of public Masses continues through Easter week By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit This won’t be a traditional Easter in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Because of the novel coronavirus, the suspension of public Masses with distribution of the Eucharist that began March 18 will continue through Easter Sunday and the seven days that follow, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in an April 1 memo to priests and deacons. For Tim Costello at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, and others across the archdiocese who have been preparing since September to enter into full
communion with the Church at the Easter Vigil, this strikes particularly hard. But he is trying to take it in stride, and he had some warning as the pandemic’s impact grew in Minnesota, where people are encouraged to stay home as much as possible as cases of the illness continue to grow. “I understand that things happen, and it’s a kind of faith journey I want to go on regardless of how long it takes,” said Costello, who as a catechumen in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults is preparing for baptism, first Communion and confirmation. “I know it will be worth it and fulfilling.” Archbishop Hebda suggested the
weekend of Pentecost, May 30-31, as a time that parishes might consider holding the rites of initiation into the Church, in hopes that by then the suspension of public Mass can be lifted and larger groups of people can celebrate together. Priests still could initiate people into the Church at the Easter Vigil, but only with proper social distancing and adherence to health officials’ requirements, the archbishop said. Organizers in at least three parishes — the Basilica, Risen Savior in Burnsville and St. Ambrose in Woodbury — said they are considering PLEASE TURN TO MASSES ON PAGE 5
VIRTUAL HOLY WEEK RETREAT Online daily from Palm Sundayto Easter Vigil
9 a.m.: Mass/Morning prayer • 7 p.m.: Retreat Conferences & Triduum Liturgies Details at archspm.org/holyweekretreat