FEBRUARY 11, 2021 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
FORGIVENESS found here
Catholics prepare for Lent and its invitation to ‘repent and believe in the Gospel’ Father Ralph Talbot, pastor of Our Lady of the Lake in White Bear Lake, stands next to an ice fishing house where he hears wintertime drive-up confessions on Saturday mornings. Read the story on page 5. DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Our (shorter, COVID-accommodating) 2021 Fish Fry & Lenten Meal Guide — pages 7-8 ASH WEDNESDAY CHANGES 5 | CHURCH ON SEXUALITY, WOMEN’S DIGNITY 6 | A VATICAN FIRST 9 ‘SYNOD AT HOME’ HOSTS, AT HOME 10-11 | CATHOLIC SERVICES APPEAL 12 | OUR LADY OF PEACE HIGH SCHOOL 15
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FEBRUARY 11, 2021
PAGETWO NEWS notes Catholics in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis can pause in a special way Feb. 13 to seek the intercession of Blessed James Miller, a Christian Brother who taught at then-Cretin High School in St. Paul and was beatified in December 2019. Last year, the Vatican granted the archdiocese permission to celebrate the Optional Memorial of Blessed Miller at Masses Feb. 13 — the date in 1982 that Blessed Miller was killed in Guatemala for his religious and educational work with the poor. Beatification is a step on the path to being declared a saint.
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RIVER DELIVERY Municipal health workers travel on a boat along the Solimoes River to apply a COVID-19 vaccine to the residents who live along the river in Manacapuru, Amazonas state, Brazil, Feb. 1. The global spread of the pandemic has shown the need for global vaccination, said Father Augusto Zampini, adjunct secretary of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development and a member of the Vatican COVID-19 Commission’s directorate. It is not enough that a few wealthier countries vaccinate 70% of their populations because the virus does not stop at the borders, he said. “If one person is not safe, nobody is safe.”
J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” depict adventures and dangers, but both begin and end in a hobbit hole, remarks Christopher Toner, a philosophy professor at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. In a Feb. 11 livestream webinar for the university’s Terrence J. Murphy Institute, Toner explores the nature of home as Tolkien portrays it and how this might help bring light to the cultural and political situation of today. Watch for the archived webinar at tinyurl.com/2crzqcxb. People interested in the world of Catholic investing and philanthropy, as well as pastors, parish trustees and members of parish finance councils, might want to mark Feb. 24 on the calendar. From 8:30-10:45 a.m. a free Investment Conference webinar will explore topics such as living the faith through philanthropy. The Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota in St. Paul, which stewards financial resources of Catholic individuals, families, parishes and institutions, will host the webinar at ccf-mn.org/ic. Text alerts have now transitioned to notifications from the archdiocesan Join in Prayer App for people who are praying each time a member of the archdiocese’s Anointing Corps is dispatched to give the anointing of the sick to someone gravely ill with COVID-19. With more than 2,300 people signing up since the prayer effort began in May, combined with the increased number of anointings during the surge this fall and winter, it became cost prohibitive to maintain timely text alerts, archdiocesan officials said. However, people also can receive weekly text alerts that summarize the number of people who received the sacrament and encourage prayers for each of those people and their families, caregivers and the priests who anoint those who are ill. Sign-up information for the app and text/emails can be found at archspm.org/covid19prayers.
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HONORING THE DEAD A military honor guard performs in Baghdad Feb. 4 during a funeral for Yazidis after their bodies were exhumed from a mass grave that officials say was prepared years ago in Iraq after Islamic State militants killed them. Pope Francis plans to visit Iraq March 5-8, marking the first-ever papal visit to the biblical land. Pope Francis hopes to encourage his Christian flock, badly bruised by sectarian conflict and brutal Islamic State attacks, while building further bridges to Muslims by extending fraternal peace. For years, the pope has expressed his concerns publicly for the plight and persecution of Iraq’s Christians and its mosaic of many religious minorities, including the Yazidis, who have suffered at the hands of Islamic State militants and have been caught in the crosshairs of Sunni and Shiite Muslim violence. “I am the pastor of people who are suffering,” Pope Francis told Catholic News Service at the Vatican ahead of his visit.
PRACTICING Catholic On the show that aired Feb. 5, “Practicing Catholic” host Patrick Conley interviews Sister Esther Mary Nickel, who discusses both the ordained and baptized priesthood. Susanna Spencer describes a new Blessed Is She Lenten devotional. And Dianne Johnson discusses the World Day of the Sick Mass livestreamed at 10 a.m. Feb. 13 at CuratioApospolate.com.
The Catholic Spirit is published semi-monthly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 26 — No. 3 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher MARIA C. WIERING, Editor-in-Chief JOE RUFF, News Editor
March 19 is the feast of St. Joseph, making Feb. 15 the date to begin a 30-day consecration to St. Joseph that will culminate on his feast. Ahead of the Year of St. Joseph, which began worldwide Dec. 8, Archbishop Bernard Hebda encouraged Catholics in the archdiocese to undertake the consecration, following the practices in the book “Consecration to St. Joseph” by Father Donald Calloway. For more information, visit archspm.org/synod/stjoseph. Feb. 7-14 is National Marriage Week, a project of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Find marriage-enriching resources at archspm.org/events and at foryourmarriage.org. World Marriage Day is Feb. 14.
The Catholic Spirit wants your perspective. In this Year of St. Joseph, what does St. Joseph mean to you? Please send your response in 200 words or less to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org.
Listen each week on Fridays at 9 p.m., Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. Listen to interviews after they have been aired at practicingcatholicshow.com, soundcloud.com/practicingcatholic or https://tinyurl.com/practicingcatholic.
As people worldwide celebrate a Year of St. Joseph and prepare locally for the 2022 Archdiocesan Synod, a Year of St. Joseph prayer card is available to help seek the saint’s intercession. They can be found in many churches and schools in the archdiocese. They are available in English, Hmong, Polish, Spanish, Swahili and Vietnamese. They also can be downloaded for printing at archspm.org/synod/stjoseph.
Last summer, through its Peace of Mind initiative, the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE) started offering all 79 archdiocesan elementary schools resources to support the mental wellness of students, families, teachers and principals. On Feb. 9, it offered a virtual session for any parent, not just Catholic school parents. Since September, more than 2,000 people have logged in to hear sessions, which are led by licensed psychologist Jules Nolan, an expert in mental health, parenting, and child and adolescent development.
CORRECTION In the Jan. 28 issue of The Catholic Spirit, the person on screen in the photo appearing on page 4 was misidentified. It is Sofia Fernandez, director of mission partner development for St. Paul’s Outreach.
Materials credited to CNS copyrighted by Catholic News Service. All other materials copyrighted by The Catholic Spirit Newspaper. Subscriptions: $29.95 per year; Senior 1-year: $24.95. To subscribe: (651) 291-4444: Display Advertising: (651) 291-4444; Classified Advertising: (651) 290-1631. Published semi-monthly by the Office of Communications, Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106-3857 • (651) 291-4444, FAX (651) 291-4460. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN, and additional post offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Catholic Spirit, 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106-3857. TheCatholicSpirit.com • email: tcssubscriptions@archspm.org • USPS #093-580
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3
FROMTHEBISHOP ONLY JESUS | BISHOP ANDREW COZZENS
The gift of repentance
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hile the struggles of the last year may seem like Lent never ended, it is once again upon us. However, the central message of Lent is always timely and perhaps more real to us because of the various struggles in our world today. Lent’s central message is the central message of Jesus: repentance. This is in fact how St. Mark summarizes Jesus’ whole message. We heard it at Sunday Mass just a few weeks ago. When Jesus begins to preach, he says, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the Gospel” (Mk 1:15). Is this really the true heart of Jesus’ message? I thought Jesus spoke about love, love of God, love of neighbor? It is about love! Repentance is how we embrace love, it is how we respond to love, it is how we receive love. How does Jesus love us? Jesus comes down from heaven to meet us where we are, but he doesn’t come to leave us where we are. He comes to free us from sin and invite us to share in his divine life. He came “to proclaim release to the captives, and … to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Lk 4:18). The main thing Jesus wants to free us from is the captivity of our sins, and he does this through repentance and mercy. What is repentance? Repentance is the acknowledgment that I am a sinner and the invitation to turn from my sin and follow God. Repentance invites an honest assessment of my situation in light of who Jesus is. And whenever I stand in the light of Jesus and his love, I realize I am a sinner. Jesus makes clear that God sees everyone the same, because he sees us all as sinners (Rom 3:23). In responding to a question about some Galileans who were killed by Pilate, Jesus explained to the people of his time: “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you
El don del arrepentimiento
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i bien las luchas del último año pueden parecer que la Cuaresma nunca terminó, una vez más está sobre nosotros. Sin embargo, el mensaje central de la Cuaresma siempre es oportuno y quizás más real para nosotros, debido a las diversas luchas en nuestro mundo de hoy. El mensaje central de la Cuaresma es el mensaje central de Jesús: el arrepentimiento. De hecho, así es como San Marcos resume todo el mensaje de Jesús. Lo escuchamos en la misa dominical hace unas semanas. Cuando Jesús comienza a predicar, dice: “El tiempo se ha cumplido y el reino de Dios se ha acercado; arrepiéntete y cree en el Evangelio” (Mc 1,15). ¿Es este realmente el verdadero significado del mensaje de Jesús? Pensé que Jesús habló sobre el amor, el amor a Dios, el amor al prójimo. ¡Se trata de amor! El arrepentimiento es cómo abrazamos el amor, es cómo respondemos al amor, es cómo recibimos el amor. ¿Cómo nos ama Jesús? Jesús baja del cielo para encontrarnos donde estamos, pero no viene para dejarnos allí mismo. Viene para liberarnos del pecado e invitarnos a participar de su vida divina. El vino “para proclamar libertad a los cautivos y… para poner en libertad a los oprimidos” (Lc 4, 18). De
The goal of Lent is to let (Jesus’) healing go deep in me. will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo’am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Lk 13:1-5). What is the key to receiving Jesus’ love? Recognizing that we are sinners, acknowledging our sins to God in sorrow, and seeking to turn from those sins and embrace the way of life Jesus offered. This repentance allows us to receive mercy. Mercy is God’s love for the sinner, and mercy is what fills us with his new life. All of us are deeply wounded by sin. First, we have the threefold effects of original sin in us: 1. We have disordered desires (for food, sleep, sex, pleasure, comfort, etc.). 2. We have a darkened intellect (i.e., we cannot fully see reality, especially in ourselves). 3. We have a weakened will (the mystery that we often choose what we know is wrong, or we find the thing we know is good is hard to do). Second, we are also wounded by the sinful choices of ourselves and others. St. Paul says, “The wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23). When we sin, it brings death into our lives, in little ways and in big ways. This is one of the reasons there is so much suffering in our world today, so many hearts that have been wounded by the brokenness of sin. Then you add to that the pain and isolation of the coronavirus, the vitriol of the political divisions and you get anger and violence in our world. Why? The troubles of our world become salt in the wounds of our hearts, hearts which have been wounded by sin. When our wounds aren’t healed, they become places where we wound others. This is why Jesus came to save us from
lo principal que Jesús quiere liberarnos, es del cautiverio de nuestros pecados, y lo hace a través del arrepentimiento y la misericordia. ¿Qué es el arrepentimiento? El arrepentimiento es el reconocimiento de que soy un pecador y la invitación a dejar mi pecado y seguir a Dios. El arrepentimiento invita a una evaluación honesta de mi situación a la luz de quién es Jesús. Y cada vez que me paro a la luz de Jesús y su amor, me doy cuenta de que soy un pecador. Jesús deja en claro que Dios ve a todos por igual, porque nos ve a todos como pecadores (Rom 3:23). Respondiendo a una pregunta sobre algunos galileos que fueron asesinados por Pilato, Jesús explicó a la gente de su tiempo: “¿Crees que estos galileos eran peores pecadores que todos los demás galileos, porque sufrieron así? Te digo que no; pero a menos que se arrepientan, todos perecerán igualmente. ¿O aquellos dieciocho sobre los que cayó la torre de Silo’am y los mató, crees que fueron peores infractores que todos los demás que habitaban en Jerusalén? Te digo que no; pero si no os arrepentís, todos también pereceréis” (Lc 13, 1-5). ¿Cuál es la clave para recibir el amor de Jesús? El reconocer que somos pecadores, reconociendo nuestros pecados a Dios con dolor y buscando apartarnos de esos pecados y abrazar el camino de vida que Jesús ofreció. Este arrepentimiento nos permite recibir misericordia. La
sin, and why repentance leads to true love. For if we are willing to do the hard work of repentance, Jesus’ mercy can heal the wounds of our hearts. One of the problems of our modern world is that it misunderstands Jesus’ message of mercy and characterizes it as a message of “tolerance.” With tolerance: nothing is wrong, and no one needs to be forgiven. However, as Pope Francis has made clear, the only way to receive mercy is to admit that something is wrong and we need to be forgiven. “Sin is more than a stain. Sin is a wound; it needs to be treated, healed. The place where my encounter with the mercy of Jesus takes place is my sin,” he said in “The Name of God is Mercy,” co-written by Andrea Tornielli in 2016. Unless we are willing to name and acknowledge our sins, we cannot receive God’s healing mercy. If we downplay sin and tell people it is no big deal, we actually prevent them from receiving his mercy. This is the purpose of the sacrament of reconciliation. The beauty of this sacrament is that it applies the medicine of mercy right to the particular wounds that we confess to the priest. Right there, God’s mercy goes and begins to heal the wounds from those sins. This is why a good examination of conscience is so helpful. The better my confession, the more contrition (sorrow for my sin), the more I receive God’s healing power. The goal of Lent is to let his healing go deep in me. Through examining myself and knowing my sins, and through repenting of them concretely in the sacrament of confession, my heart is gradually healed and I am able to receive the very life of God into my heart. Through his mercy, I gradually experience the new life that Jesus came to bring me. I become like Jesus a wounded healer, instead of a wounded wounder! And so, as we begin Lent, my encouragement for you is the same as Jesus: Repent! Take the time to make a good confession, maybe even more than one. This is what will heal the wounds in your heart, and only by healing the wounds in our own hearts can we begin to heal the world.
misericordia es el amor de Dios por el pecador, y la misericordia también es lo que nos llena de su nueva vida. Todos estamos profundamente heridos por el pecado. Primero, tenemos los tres efectos del pecado original en nosotros: 1. Tenemos deseos desordenados (de comida, sueño, sexo, placer, comodidad, etc.). 2. Tenemos un intelecto oscurecido (es decir, no podemos ver la realidad completamente, especialmente en nosotros mismos). 3. Tenemos una voluntad debilitada (el misterio de que a menudo elegimos lo que sabemos que está mal, o encontramos que lo que sabemos que es bueno es difícil de hacer). En segundo lugar, también nos hieren las decisiones pecaminosas de nosotros mismos y de los demás. San Pablo dice, “la paga del pecado es muerte” (Rom 6, 23). Cuando pecamos, trae la muerte a nuestras vidas, en pequeñas y grandes formas. Esta es una de las razones por las que hay tanto sufrimiento hoy en nuestro mundo, tantos corazones que han sido heridos por el quebrantamiento del pecado. Luego le agregas el dolor y el aislamiento del coronavirus, el veneno de las divisiones políticas y obtienes ira y violencia en nuestro mundo. ¿Por qué? Los problemas de nuestro mundo se convierten en sal en las heridas de nuestro corazón, corazones que han sido heridos por el pecado. Cuando nuestras heridas no se curan, se convierten en las
razones por las que herimos a otros. Es por eso que Jesús vino a salvarnos del pecado y por qué el arrepentimiento conduce al amor verdadero. Porque si estamos dispuestos a hacer el trabajo difícil del arrepentimiento, la misericordia de Jesús puede sanar las heridas de nuestro corazón. Lea una versión más larga de esta columna en español en TheCatholicSpirit.com.
OFFICIAL Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:
Effective January 22, 2021 Reverend Nathaniel Meyers, assigned as temporary parochial administrator of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Loretto and the Church of St. Thomas in Corcoran, while the pastor, Reverend Glen Jenson, is on a leave of absence. This is in addition to his current assignment as pastor of the Church of Saint Francis Xavier in Buffalo. Reverend Christopher Collins, SJ, granted faculties of the Archdiocese and assigned as Vice President for Mission for the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul. Father Collins is a priest of the Society of Jesus, USA Central and Southern Province.
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Iconographer Deb Korluka of Stillwater works Jan. 28 on an image of the conversion of St. Paul commissioned as an expression of the partnership between the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Maronite Archdiocese of Damascus, Syria, which was formed in January 2017. Korluka, who meets with a committee that facilitates the partnership, began working on the icon in May and expects to finish in March. Her icon measures about 3 feet by 4 feet and depicts St. Paul being baptized by Ananias, according to the account in the Acts of the Apostles. At the top of the icon are depictions of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul and St. Anthony Maronite Cathedral in Damascus. Originally, Archbishop Samir Nassar of Damascus was going to visit the Twin Cities for the icon’s blessing, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, his trip has been postponed. According to Deacon Mickey Friesen of the Center for Mission in the archdiocese, Archbishop Nassar is planning to come in January 2022 for the Jan. 25 feast of the Conversion of St. Paul and an icon blessing. The icon will be displayed at several parishes in the Twin Cities before being permanently installed in the Cathedral of St. Paul. “I’m very grateful, I’m From condos to castles, very honored that I have been invited into this performance exceeds promise initiative and this journey,” Korluka said of being Kathy Kueppers commissioned to create the icon. “It has forfed all Your Buying and Sellin Cell: DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT my soul.”(651) 470-0675
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Ash Wednesday changes won’t impact meaning By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit Ash Wednesday might look different this year, in the midst of a global pandemic that is rounding the clock to year two. But the message remains the same: “Repent and believe in the Gospel.” In the United States, ashes, a symbol of penance and mortality, have traditionally been applied to the foreheads of the faithful during Mass. This year on Feb. 17, to help prevent spread of the coronavirus in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and across the globe, ashes may instead be sprinkled on top of people’s heads. In the archdiocese, ashes may also be applied to penitents’ foreheads with a Q-tip or cotton swab, or traced on the forehead with a thumb (the usual way) provided that the priest, deacon or other minister sanitizes hands each time. Everyone will wear a face covering. Rather than address people individually as they receive ashes, priests may address the entire congregation once with the words “repent and believe in the Gospel” or “remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.” With social distancing and health concerns limiting the size of congregations, many parishes are likely to livestream Ash
Wednesday Masses, as they do Sunday Masses, said Father Tom Margevicius, the archdiocese’s director of worship, who wrote a Feb. 4 memo to parish leaders about Ash Wednesday in light of COVID-19. The changes might be unfamiliar, but they do not impact the essential nature of Ash Wednesday and Lent as preparation for the Easter celebration of Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection, Father Margevicius told The Catholic Spirit. “Conversion is first and foremost a matter of the heart,” he said. “If it is real in the depths of our hearts, it will naturally find external expression. But mere external expression doesn’t produce internal conversion.” Catholics “could accept a certain method of distributing ashes as a way to protect one’s brother or sister, so as not to spread the pandemic,” he added. If the different practices seem uncomfortable because they’re unfamiliar, they might be offered up as another dying to self, a sacrifice for the good of others, Father Margevicius said. During last year’s Ash Wednesday, Feb. 26, churches were filled with the faithful; it was observed days before the pandemic began to spread across the United States. Then came the first confirmed case of COVID-19
in Minnesota March 6, followed by a suspension in the archdiocese of the obligation to attend Sunday Mass March 12, and then suspension of all public Masses from March 18 until May 18. Archbishop Bernard Hebda has continued the temporary suspension of all Mass obligations, while encouraging precautions against the spread of COVID-19, such as wearing masks and social distancing. The Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments published a notice in January on the “Distribution of ashes in time of pandemic,” encouraging priests to bless the ashes with holy water at the altar, address the entire congregation with the words of repentance, and sprinkle ashes on individual heads of penitents. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops followed with a similar note. Sprinkling of ashes on the head is a common practice in Italy and many other parts of Europe. But the Vatican and the USCCB did not prohibit other methods of distributing ashes, and Archbishop Hebda wants to give pastors an opportunity to observe Ash Wednesday in the manner best fitting the circumstances of their parish. Even so, he prefers sprinkling of ashes out of an abundance of caution, Father Margevicius said.
Confession at an ice fishing house By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus tells two of his newly chosen disciples, Simon (Peter) and Andrew, that they will become “fishers of men.” That theme is coming to life in an ice fishing house converted to a confessional at St. Mary of the Lake in White Bear Lake. As anglers across Minnesota were pulling their fish houses onto frozen lakes, Father Ralph Talbot, St. Mary of the Lake’s pastor, arranged for a fish house outside the church building to “fish” for penitents during the winter months. He had been hearing confessions outside since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020, and he was looking for a way to keep it going once the weather got cold. Some parishioners offered an ice fishing house, and Father Talbot eagerly agreed, in an effort to offer the sacrament of reconciliation in a manner that was safe for those who did not feel comfortable coming inside the church. A handmade plaque hung near the door of the outdoor confessional reads “House of Mercy.” Orange cones in the parking lot direct people to the ice house on Saturday mornings starting at 9, with Father Talbot sitting inside to talk through an open window as people drive up and roll down their windows to make their confessions. He said about 10 to 12 cars come through every week, with a few people coming on foot. “They love it,” Father Talbot said. “It’s been a great help to everyone. They’ve been very grateful for it.” He plans to continue doing it through Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday, Feb 17. “Lent is a time of grace,” Father Talbot said. “And, for many people, it seems like we’ve been on Lent since last March (as churches first dealt with restrictions and closures due to the pandemic). There’s been lots of issues going on in the country, in the Church, in families because of the politics and the culture. And so, people have a lot of anger and disappointment and sadness. The sacrament of reconciliation is a great way to unload that and to begin the process of healing.”
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Congratulations Father Roger J. Hessian 60th Anniversary Of Ordination February 19, 1961 – February 19, 2021
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6 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
Faith and Culture Series continues with focus on sexual morality, women’s dignity By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit Tricia and Brian Borg were committed to sexual abstinence while they were dating, but at a retreat for engaged couples, something clicked for Tricia in a new way: Sex is “wedding vows made flesh.” “I learned that through the act of sexual intimacy, we express with our bodies what we profess with our words on our wedding day,” said Tricia, who, with Brian and their five children, attends Holy Family in St. Louis Park. “So how can I renew wedding vows that I haven’t even said yet? So, chastity inspired us to save the gift of sexual intimacy for the context of a sacramental marriage, where we could love each other freely, fully, faithfully and fruitfully.” Married in 2012, the Borgs shared their story in “The Church’s Teaching on Sexual Morality and the Family,” the second in a four-part, virtual Faith and Culture Series. The topics — the sources of Catholic teaching, sexual morality, the dignity of women, and the priesthood — were drawn from 30 Prayer and Listening Events with Archbishop Bernard Hebda held around the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in the fall of 2019 and winter 2020 in preparation for the Archdiocesan Synod in 2022. The Faith and Culture Series continues that preparation. The 90-minute events included a main presentation, two witness talks and a panel discussion. “The
Church’s Teaching on Sexual Morality and the Family” was held Jan. 27. The third event, “The Church’s Understanding on the Dignity of Women,” was held Feb. 4. The Church’s teaching on sexual morality might surprise some Catholics, Archbishop Hebda said in his introduction to the second session. The Church’s view — “that sex is something beautiful and great, rather than something shameful to which we are to just say ‘no,’ almost all the time” — is rarely heard in discussions about sex, he said. But, he said, he also anticipated the session’s content to be challenging to some viewers, “running as it does counter to how societal forces have been reshaping the understanding of sexual activity these past five decades, with implications DAVID DEAVEL that reach into almost every aspect of life, including the structures of families and work.” He asked that viewers open their minds and hearts to God speaking to them. In addition to the Borgs, a testimony CATHERINE DEAVEL was shared by Anna Carter as a Catholic attracted to other women. A Twin Citiesnative, Carter is a co-founder of the Eden
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Catholic Community
FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA
Invitation, a Milwaukee-based ministry for same-sex attracted Catholics. The session’s main presenters were David and Catherine Deavel, a theologian and philosopher, respectively, who teach at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. They have seven children and are parishioners of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul. The Church’s teaching on human sexuality — that sexual expression belongs in a marriage of one man and one woman, and must be open to life — is part of the Church directing its members to authentic and perfect happiness, which is found ultimately in heaven, David Deavel said. During life on earth, however, some of that happiness can be experienced by obedience to God and people living the way they were created to live, he said. But, when it comes to the Church’s teaching on sexuality, happiness as the goal isn’t always recognized, because that obedience is hard, he said. “Lots of people see the price, but they don’t always see the payout,” he said. “Many are convinced that the Church, especially in the area of sexual morality, is not sex positive or body positive. Now the truth is quite different — and much more radical — because the Church, like Jesus, is pro-sex and pro-body. He made us the way we are. The Church recognizes sex to be a mutual gift of self between spouses, a profound expression of love and cooperation with God and bringing a new person into the world. Sex isn’t a hobby. It’s not casual. It’s not even just the kind of affirmation of somebody you love. It has a meaning and a purpose that goes far beyond just being a pleasurable activity.” Every person is loved by God and worthy of being loved unconditionally, he said. “Human beings are physical, emotional and spiritual,” he said. “Sexual love that is worthy of us and that will make us happy has to respect all of these aspects in order to be full and unconditional.” And, while human beings have “sexual desires that tend to go in many different directions,” he said, “to simply go with our sexual desires and act on them in any way they seem to be going is not natural, in the sense that it will not fulfill our natures the way in which we are lovingly made.” Unfortunately, that’s what most of the developed world teaches about sex, he noted. But just to follow one’s desires is an approach that’s lost touch both with reality and with true romance. “That romantic impulse of sex to be completely united forever is a God-given one, and it is indeed the Catholic view that is the really romantic one,” he said. “It teaches that sex and love are meant to be together and that bodies, hearts and souls are meant to be together.” The significance and meaning of human persons as embodied creations continued in the series’ third session, where the primary presenter was Helen Alvare, who gave an overview of women in Scripture, Church history and teaching, and their contemporary roles in Church leadership and evangelization. A professor of Law at George Mason University in Virginia who holds a master’s degree in systematic theology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., Alvare has served in Church leadership capacities on the diocesan, national and Vatican level,
including as an adviser to Pope Benedict XVI’s Pontifical Council for the Laity. She began in Genesis, where God created humans, male and female. It’s significant that he created two sexes — not one, and not many, she said. Crediting St. Paul Seminary professor Deborah Savage for her contributions to theological questions on the sexes, Alvare noted that while some interpretations of the creation story seem to subordinate Eve to Adam, that in the ascending order of creation — where God made lower creations before higher ones — Eve comes last, and is made not of earth, like Adam, but “of finer stuff” — from Adam’s rib, his own body. In the New Testament, Jesus takes a radical approach to his relationships with women, sharing their friendship, honoring their intelligence and speaking to them with dignity, Alvare said. Most significant, Alvare said, is Jesus’ relationship to his mother Mary, whom the Church has always HELEN ALVARE held as a model for men and women. Over the centuries, Church representatives haven’t always lived up to the Church’s teachings or values, and have failed to treat women as equal in dignity to men, Alvare acknowledged. “The Church teaches that the challenge presented by the ethos of Jesus’ redemption is clear and definitive, but it takes historical time to realize — and we’re still on the way,” she said. Recent popes have stressed the importance of women’s contributions to the Church in encyclicals and other teaching documents, and Pope St. John Paul II, in his 1995 “Letter to Women,” apologized for times Church representatives have oppressed women throughout history. Vatican documents have also spoken in support of women in the workplace, and they are increasingly represented in high-ranking roles in dioceses and the Vatican, Alvare said. (See related story on page 9.) The Church views men and women as equal but complementary, with each bringing particular gifts to culture, society and the Church, she said. This “difference without ranking” is difficult for the broader culture to grasp, she said, but it’s important that Catholics do, so they better understand their relationship to the opposite sex and to the Church. Other speakers in the series’ third session were Erika Kidd, assistant professor of Catholic Studies at St. Thomas and director of its master’s program, and Kelly Wahlquist, founder of WINE: Women In the New Evangelization and the director of the Archbishop Flynn Catechetical Institute at The St. Paul Seminary. The series began Jan. 20 with Bill Stevenson, a theology professor at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, presenting “Sources of Catholic Teaching (Scripture, Tradition and Magisterium).” The final session on “The Priesthood (Both Baptized and Ordained),” presented by Sister Esther Mary Nickel, director of the Office of Christian Worship for the Archdiocese of Detroit, was held following press time Feb. 9. The full series is archived at archspm.org/synod.
LOCAL
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 7
Curbside or inside: Fish dinners continue to hook diners By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit Guardian Angels in Oakdale has offered curbside pick-up as an option for its fish fries since 2017 — and, reportedly, it has gone swimmingly. In 2020, its first of three fish fry dinners was offered curbside, sit-down or takeout, just as planned. But with COVID-19’s Minnesota debut last March, the second meal was curbside only, and the last one was canceled. This year, curbside-only will be the system for Guardian Angels, which has a large kitchen area to work in and off-thestreet parking where people can line up in their vehicles for one of its three fish fry events, starting Feb. 26. Guardian Angels can make it work. The parish offered curbside pick-up to serve 364 chicken dinners this past fall, marking the first drive-through arrangement for that annual parish meal. But as the coronavirus pandemic continues, not every parish in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis plans to offer a fish fry this year. At press time, of 109 parishes and service organizations contacted for The Catholic Spirit’s 2021 fish fry listing, at least 24 said they will offer one or more Lenten dinners this year. Twenty-six parishes said they decided not to hold one this year. For nearly 60 others, plans were still unclear. Fish fries can be major fundraisers and they help build community, organizers said. They will be missed in parishes and communities across the archdiocese. While Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis hadn’t decided whether to cancel its fish fries (by press time), it looked likely, said Mary Asp, parish administrator and chief of operations. Its last two fish fries in 2020 were canceled after the state’s March 25 stay-at-home order took effect, she said. And with no church parking lot, cars would need to line up on city streets if the parish tried curbside pick-up, which is far from ideal, Asp said. Inside space is small, too, she said. “Trying to be socially distanced in our kitchen alone doesn’t work.” That’s in addition to limiting seating, rotating diners in and out, keeping people 6 feet apart. “It doesn’t seem feasible,” she said. “We’ll miss it,” Asp said, adding that Our Lady of Lourdes’ fish fries are more
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Dan Wahlman, fish fry organizer and co-chair of the fish fry committee at Guardian Angels in Oakdale, stands by a display that will be used for the curbside-only events at the parish this year. about fellowship than fundraising. Guardian Angels’ previous curbside experience has helped, said Sharon Schwarz, the parish’s office human resources support, volunteer coordinator and special events ministry liaison. For example, to limit people in the kitchen, volunteers use the large social hall when packing orders. Members of one household staff each table, which are at least 6 feet apart. “Runners” pick up orders using a cart, with the cart itself helping keep a safe distance, Schwarz said. Learning from the fall’s chicken dinners, to avoid contact, runners place a box with food in a car’s trunk or back seat. Proceeds from Guardian Angels’ fish fries are used to help maintain the parish’s homeless shelter, church and grounds. And the dinners are quite an operation. Diners place their orders online and choose a 15-minute pick-up window so that orders can be delivered quickly to waiting cars. Patrons pull up during their reserved time slot, give the orderer’s name to an outside greeter who confirms the order, places a numbered sticker on the car window and radios information to a volunteer inside. The volunteer writes the number on the family’s order ticket and gives a runner the numbered ticket and food for delivery. St. Pius V in Cannon Falls normally
hosts a fish fry every Lenten Friday, with about 300 people at each dinner. Last year, it offered one and skipped one, before COVID-related restrictions on gatherings went into effect and ended the dinners for that year, said Patti Kocur, business administrator. This year, the parish will offer one fish dinner on Friday, Feb. 26. “If all goes well,” it might do so again March 26, Kocur said. This year, the parish plans to use curbside pick-up for the first time. Diners will reserve their order for a 15-minute pick-up window. Volunteers will prepare the food in the church basement’s commercial kitchen. The parish supports small businesses by buying Alaskan pollock, rolls and brownies from local businesses. The fish fry is not a significant fundraiser, Kocur said. It’s more about “getting people together.” In the past, some proceeds were directed to confirmation students’ participation at Catholic HEART Workcamps, a mission trip. This year’s confirmation students asked that the money be given to a women’s shelter, Kocur said. “The first thing we did (this year) was to see if we had the (needed) volunteers, and they were volunteering left and right,” she said. St. Albert the Great in Minneapolis, on the other hand, decided not to offer a fish fry this year because of coronavirus concerns. “Our fish dinners are events
— with music, bingo, raffles and lots of activity,” said Erin Sim, office manager. “We’ll wait until we can welcome folks back the way they expect to be welcomed.” The fish fries are a major fundraiser, Sim said, but it’s “the fun aspect, the volunteering, the happy people that make the fish dinners what they are.” She expects that other fundraising will make up the difference from canceling the fish fries. Proceeds from all fundraisers are applied toward parish operating expenses. Immaculate Conception in Lonsdale typically offers one fish fry during Lent, said parishioner Josh Rickert. “It’s a tradition and people love it,” he said, “and we wanted to fulfill that.” For simplicity, the parish will use curbside pick-up this year for its fish fry on the first Friday of Lent. Proceeds will go to local pro-life ministries. Epiphany in Coon Rapids has offered sit-down fish dinners for more than 20 years, and about 600 people attended each week, said Rhonda Dillon, director of catering and hospitality. It served two weekly dinners last year before COVIDrelated restrictions took effect. This year, Epiphany is switching to a “drive-through fish fry” every Friday in Lent. People will place their orders with volunteers on site. Kitchen staff will fill the orders and runners will deliver them to people waiting in their cars. While it has been changed because of COVID-19 concerns, the new system is likely to take fewer volunteers compared with the parish’s sit-down dinners, said Jill Warren, volunteer coordinator for the fish fries. “We won’t need as many dishwashers or as many people … in the serving line,” she said. And no need to set up and bus tables. Dillon said she is pleased that senior citizens on the Epiphany campus in assisted living and a senior high rise will be able to enjoy fish dinners during Lent. The parish will take their orders by 3 p.m. each Friday and deliver meals to the facilities. Some residents haven’t been able to have visitors, she said. Staff thanked her for bringing some normalcy, she said. “We’re looking forward to seeing how God uses us for this to continue — with something that is our Lenten tradition,” Warren added, “and we don’t want to … stop that.”
2021 FISH FRY and LENTEN MEAL GUIDE While fewer parishes this Lent are offering fish fries and Lenten meals, those that are have made plans for precautions around the spread of COVID-19. Most of the meals below are takeout only. Some parishes are offering curbside service, while others offer carryout. Please contact the parish directly with questions, and visit websites to confirm accuracy of information. As one parish responded with its listing, “The only thing written in stone this year is the Ten Commandments.” Find this guide online at TheCatholicSpirit.com/nomeat. — The Catholic Spirit
Blaine St. Timothy — Fish fry, 5–7 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 12, 26. Takeout only. Pick up in the Hospitality Center at 707 89th Ave. NE. $12. Includes baked or fried fish, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad and tartar sauce. Preorder at 1-800-972-0418 or kccouncil5141.aidaform.com/ fishfry-order-form. Cash with exact change or
check. Hosted by Knights of Columbus Council 5141. churchofsttimothy.com
Bloomington Knights of Columbus Marian Council of Bloomington — Fish fry, 4:30–7:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent at 1114 American Blvd. West. Takeout only and curbside pick-up. Phone-in orders begin at 2 p.m. each Friday, pick-up time must be specified. $15. Includes fried or broiled cod filets, lemon slice and tartar sauce on the side, coleslaw, baked potato, butter, sour cream and cookie. Order at 952-888-1492 or info@ kofcbloomington.com or kofcbloomington.com. Visit Fireside Restaurant website for updates and fish fry photo at bloomingtoneventcenter.com. Nativity of Mary — Fish fry festival, 5–8 p.m. March 19. Drive-through only at 9900 Lyndale Ave S. in south parking lot of church. $12. Includes battered cod fish fillets, French fries, coleslaw, bread and dessert. Traffic management will take
place through the parking lot and patience is appreciated. Pre-sales important. Tickets through Nativity of Mary Catholic School families or at 952-881-8671. nativitybloomington.org
Buffalo St. Francis Xavier — Fish fry, 4–8 p.m. March 5 at Bison Creek Bar and Dining, 1207 N. Highway 25. $11 adults, $8 ages 10 and under. Hosted by the Knights of Columbus with all proceeds going to STFX youth ministries. Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. at the church, 300 First Ave. NW. stfxb.org
Cannon Falls St. Pius V — Fish fry, 4:30–7 p.m. Feb 26. Preorder only with curbside pick-up at 410 Colvill Street W. $10. Includes fried or baked Alaska pollock, rice, baked beans (all gluten-free), coleslaw, bakery bun, fresh veggies and brownies. Stations of the Cross at 5 and 7 p.m. every Friday during Lent. Preorder at 507-263-2578 or stpiusvcf.org.
Coon Rapids Epiphany — Fish fry, 4:30–6:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent except Good Friday. Drive-up at 11001 Hanson Blvd. NW. Order from car with curbside delivery in parking lot. $10 individuals, $40 family (serves 4-6). Includes fried, baked or combo fish, choice of potato (baked or tater tots), coleslaw, applesauce, dinner roll and cookie. epiphanymn.org
Deephaven St. Therese — Fish dinner, 5–7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 and March 12. Drive-through at 18323 Minnetonka Blvd. Curbside delivery. Advance purchases and cashless transactions encouraged. $10 individual, $35 family. Includes beer-battered cod, French fries, oven-baked macaroni and cheese, and coleslaw. Stations of the Cross at 5:30 p.m. st-therese.org PLEASE TURN TO LENTEN MEALS ON PAGE 8
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LENTEN MEALS
Elko New Market
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St. Nicholas — Fish dinner, 4–7 p.m. Feb. 26. Takeout preferred, but limited seating in church basement available at 51 Church St. $13 adults, $7 children, free ages 6 and under. Includes fish, potatoes, coleslaw, breads and dessert. Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m. stncc.ne
Eagan St. John Neumann — Walleye fry, 4:30–7 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 5, 12, 19 and 26. Curbside pick-up at 4030 Pilot Knob Rd. $15. Includes walleye, potato, coleslaw and roll. Ages 8 and under: $3 macaroni and cheese and animal crackers. Sponsored by Dakota County Elks, St. John Neumann Church and Knights of Columbus Council 7604. sjn.org
Edina Our Lady of Grace — Fish fry, 4:30–7:30 p.m. March 19. Drive-through only at 5071 Eden Ave. Includes fried cod, baked potato, coleslaw, pasta and cake. Sponsored by OLG’s Men’s Club. For ticket information and more details, visit olgparish. org/mens-club-events/lenten-fish-fry-pasta-bar.
Excelsior
pollock with lemon wedge and tartar sauce on the side, tater tots, coleslaw, dinner roll with butter and cookie. Use website to reserve pick-up time slot. Stations of the Cross at 6 p.m. 651-463-3360, churchofstmichael.flocknote.com/signup/35795 or stmichael-farmington.org
Lonsdale
St. John the Baptist — Fish fry, 3–7 p.m. Feb.19 and March 12. Drive-up, takeout only at 680 Mill St. Pre-selected times for pick-up, with curbside delivery in designated parking area. $12 adults, $6 children. Gluten-free option available. 952-474-5812. Orders should be placed and paid at sjbmarket.com.
Immaculate Conception — Fish dinner, 4–7 p.m. Feb. 19. Pick-up only at 202 Alabama St. S.E. in Civic Center parking lot. $12 adults, $8 children, free ages 6 and under. Includes fried Icelandic cod, au gratin potatoes, steamed vegetables, coleslaw, fresh baked dinner roll and dessert. Proceeds support local pro-life ministries. churchoftheimmaculateconception.net
Farmington
Maplewood
St. Michael — Fish Fry 5–7 p.m. Feb 26. Drivethrough, curbside pick-up only at 22120 Denmark Ave. Freewill donation. Meal is fried Alaska
St. Jerome — Fish and pasta dinners, 5–7:30 p.m. March 26. Preorder and prepaid curbside pick-up only at 380 E. Roselawn Ave.
3. If the RMD pushes your AGI above $88,000 (single) or $176,000 (married filed jointly), you’ll have to pay the high-income surcharge on your Medicare premiums.
Unfortunately, you can’t avoid those taxes indefinitely. The year you turn 72, the tax law mandates you take a required minimum distribution (RMD) – whether you need the money or not.
4. Your increased AGI could also mean more of your Social Security is taxable.
R
M
The minimum amount you must take each year is calculated based on the balance of your IRA accounts, your age, and the age of your spouse.
D
This distribution of money must go to the IRA owner, designated beneficiary, or a qualifying charity.
The Impact 1. When you take an RMD for yourself, you need to pay taxes on the distribution. 2. Because your RMD adds to your adjusted gross income (AGI), it could push you to a higher tax bracket.
An Alternative to RMDs: QCDs If you don’t need all of your RMD, there is a way to avoid some of these tax consequences: donate your RMD to charity. To make the donation a nontaxable qualified charitable distribution (QCD), your IRA custodian must send the money directly to your parish or nonprofit of choice. Or, if you want to establish a perpetual charitable legacy during your lifetime, you can use QCDs to build a permanent endowment that will support your parish or favorite charity forever. Not yet 72? You can begin making qualified charitable deductions from your IRA the year you turn 70½.
Talk to Your Professional Advisor Your IRA is a powerful tool to leverage in your tax plan. But, there are some important nuances to consider. Be sure to talk to your financial advisor when making plans.
The information provided above by the Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota (CCF) is general and educational in nature. CCF and its staff do not provide individualized legal or tax advice. We recommend you consult with your attorney or tax professional regarding your unique personal situation.
Call us to learn more. 651.389.0300 | ccf-mn.org
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — Fish fry and soup supper, 5–7:30 p.m. Fridays during Lent except Good Friday. To-go only at 1695 Kennard St. in Kenney Hall. $10 fish fry meal includes large portion of fried fish fillets, lemon slice and tartar sauce on the side, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, roll, butter and drink. $7 fish fry meal includes small portion of fried fish fillets with the same sides as large meal. $4 soup supper includes serving of soup of choice, roll, butter and drink. Cash, check or credit card accepted. Traditional Stations of the Cross begin at 6 p.m. in the church. presentationofmary.org
Medina
Mendota Heights
You spend years working hard and planning carefully for retirement. You know pre-tax retirement accounts, like IRAs, allow you to save money and grow it tax deferred.
The tax code requires that you begin taking income from your IRA the year you turn 72. Skipping it results in a hefty penalty payable to the IRS.
Hand-battered, deep-fried cod fillets: $10 one piece, $12 two pieces, $14 three pieces. $10 pasta dinner includes spaghetti with meatless red sauce. Either dinner served with French fries, coleslaw, baked beans and dessert. Preorder at 651-771-8494 or stjeromefishfry.givesmart.com or stjeromeschool.org.
Holy Name of Jesus — As of press time, the status of the Asian seafood buffet was undetermined. Visit hnoj.org/lent and Facebook page for updates or last-minute changes.
Required Minimum Distributions: The Basics
The ABCs of RMDs
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
Holy Family Maronite — Lebanese Lenten dinner, 4:30–7 p.m. Fridays during Lent except Good Friday. Drive-through, takeout only at 1960 Lexington Ave. S. $15. Includes fish and green beans in tomato sauce over rice, fried cabbage, flat bread with garlic sauce and dessert. Preorders at holyfamilymaronitechurch.org.
Minneapolis Our Lady of Peace — Fish fry, 5–7 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 19. Preorder only with scheduled times for pick-up at 5426 12th Ave S. Cost TBD. Preorder at 612-824-3455 or olpmn.org. Stations of the Cross at 7 p.m.
Oakdale Guardian Angels — Fish fry, 4–7 p.m. Feb. 26, March 12 and 26. Curbside only at 8260 4th St. N. Dinners come in packages of two for $26. Includes fried or baked fish, coleslaw, red potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, roll and dessert. Order online at guardian-angels.org/fish-fry.
Robbinsdale Sacred Heart — Fish and meatless spaghetti dinner, 4:30–7 p.m. March 5, 12, 19 and 26. Takeout only. $13 fish dinner includes fish fillet, baked potato, green beans, coleslaw, garlic bread and brownie. $12 meatless spaghetti dinner includes spaghetti, garlic bread and brownie. Children’s meals available. $6 ages 4-10. Free ages 3 and under. Preorders required at shrmn.org.
South St. Paul St. John Vianney — Fish fry, 4–6:30 p.m. Fridays in Lent except Good Friday. Takeout and drive-up orders at 840 19th Ave. N. available following Stations of the Cross at 3:30 p.m. $12. Includes baked or fried fish (6-piece limit), French fries, green beans, corn, roll and condiments. Cash or check only. sjvssp.org
St. Paul Nativity of Our Lord — Fish fry, 4:30–8 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 19. Drive-up, takeout. Check website for further details and updates. nativitymen.org/ events/lenten-take-out-fish-fry-sponsored-by-greenmill
Waconia St. Joseph — The Waconia Knights of Columbus aim to offer several curbside take-out fish fries during Lent. For up-to-date information on dates, costs, menu, payment and options for pick up, visit stjosephwaconia.org.
Catholic Community
FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA
White Bear Lake St. Pius X — Fish fry, 4:30–6:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and March 26. Takeout and curbside orders only at 3878 Highland Ave. $12. Includes fried or baked cod, baked potato, coleslaw, dinner roll and condiments. Preorders at churchofstpiusx.org or order curbside day of event.
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 9
NATION+WORLD
Naming undersecretaries for synod, pope gives a woman a vote
HEADLINES
By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart will not be the first woman undersecretary of a major Vatican office, but she will be the first woman with a right to vote at a meeting of the Synod of Bishops. Pope Francis named the French sister one of two undersecretaries of the Synod of Bishops Feb. 6. The other undersecretary is Augustinian Father Luis Marin de San Martin, whom Pope Francis also named a bishop Feb. 6. Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary-general of the Synod of Bishops, was asked by Vatican News if Sister Becquart having the right to vote at the synod would open the possibility to other women as well. Although the issue has been raised increasingly in the synod hall, until now only bishops and a few priests and brothers belonging to religious orders have had a vote. Pope Francis, Cardinal Grech responded, has “highlighted several times the importance that women be more involved in the processes of discernment and decision-making in the Church,” and in recent synods, the number of women participating as nonvoting experts or observers has increased. “With the appointment of Sister Nathalie Becquart and the opportunity that she will participate with the right to vote, a door has been opened,” Cardinal Grech said. “We will then see what other steps could be taken in the future.” Sister Becquart, who was an observer at the 2018 Synod of Bishops on young people, was named a consultant to the Synod of Bishops in 2019. She told Catholic News Service at the time that the appointment was “a symbolic and effective step toward appointing more women at the Curia, and it reflects Pope Francis’ desire to give more places to women at all levels of the Church.” Sister Becquart, the former director of youth
CNS
Xaviere Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart was appointed as an undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops Feb. 6, and the first woman given a right to vote at a meeting of the Synod of Bishops. evangelization and vocations for the French bishops’ conference, also said in the interview she was convinced more progress would come. “Changes will come with the new generation as more and more young people — not only young women but also young men — ask for women’s equality,” she said. Added hope comes from meeting “more and more priests and bishops now that are speaking out for women. I have seen an evolution; at the beginning, the question of women in the Church was a question from women, and now it is also an important topic for many men, priests and bishops — and even the pope!” But one will not be able to say there is true collaboration between men and women at all levels of the Church until there are “more women in leadership positions and decision-making processes,” she said.
Academy: Pandemic shows need for new model of elderly care Catholic News Service A new attitude and approach toward the elderly are needed in today’s world, especially in the places and ways they are cared for when they become more fragile, said the Pontifical Academy for Life. To make sure the needs of older people are met and their gifts appreciated, renewed attention and new solutions must be given to assisted living facilities, architectural barriers, friendships and social support networks, in-home caregivers, families and younger family members, and opportunities in parishes, the academy said in a new document. Released Feb. 9, the 11-page “note” is titled, “Old
Age: Our Future. The Elderly After the Pandemic,” and was made available in six languages at academyforlife.va. It offers a reflection on the importance of the elderly and the challenges the older generation faces and will face, given the World Health Organization’s estimate that by 2050, the world will have 2 billion people over the age of 60 — that is, one out of every five people in the world. The academy also appealed to every facet of society, including families, health care providers, city administrators and local parishes to be more attentive to and inclusive of older people, reviewing and rebuilding the way they welcome and care for people.
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Webinar Theology Day events 2020-2021
We are excited to announce that the new webinar format allows participation from the comfort of home while keeping everyone Registration is FREE, but Registration is required. Go online at CollegevilleMN.com/Theologyday healthy. Q&A sessions will occur after each presentation to allow for some interaction with presenters. More information or call 320-363-3560. will be provided to registrants. Register five days in advance of the webinar or it might be closed for processing.
The Common Thread of Holy Saturday: How a Trauma Lens Can Unite and Strengthen our Catholic Church by Amie Schumacher, M.Div. ‘15
Amie will explore the aftermath of trauma, and how the use of a trauma lens can serve as a powerful witness on:
Thursday, March 4 - 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 26 - 9:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m.
Angels and Demons: What do Scripture and Tradition Say about Them? by Fr. Michael Patella, OSB
Fr. Michael will outline the Christian understanding of the devil, angels, demons, ghosts, and spirits in Scripture and Tradition on:
Friday, March 19 - 9:00 a.m - 11:00 a.m. (EST)
u Virginia General Assembly votes to ban death penalty; governor supports move. Both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate have passed bills that would abolish the death penalty in the state, a move backed by that state’s bishops. Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam has stated his support, making it highly likely that this spring, Virginia will become the first Southern state to outlaw capital punishment. u Kansas bishop steps aside from duties as abuse allegation is investigated. Denying any wrongdoing, Bishop John Brungardt of Dodge City pledged to cooperate with authorities investigating an allegation of abuse of a minor made against him. The diocese said in a statement Feb. 8 that the accusation is being investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. u Kelly to succeed Anderson as Knights of Columbus CEO. Patrick Kelly, a retired U.S. Navy captain, is the new leader of the Knights of Columbus, succeeding Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, who has headed the international fraternal organization as its CEO for more than two decades. Elected deputy Supreme Knight in 2017, Kelly was elected to the top post by the Knights’ board of directors Feb. 5. u Keeping promise made at Jesuit event, Biden raises refugee cap to 125,000. In November, incoming U.S. President Joe Biden said at a Jesuit Refugee Service event that he would head in a different direction than the previous administration on refugee admissions. On Feb. 4, Biden delivered on those remarks, signing an executive order to raise the refugee cap to 125,000 for fiscal year 2021. u Catholic Health Association launches initiative to confront racism. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on people of color and the nation’s movement for racial reckoning, the Catholic Health Association of the United States announced an initiative Feb. 4 to confront racism in the provision of health care. Benedictine, a Duluth-based Catholic senior living system that has several campuses in the Twin Cities, is among 23 Catholic health care systems committed to the initiative. u U.S. Senate again fails to pass Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Failure to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act “shows just how extreme the majority of Senate Democrats are,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. The measure was proposed as an amendment to the 2021 Budget Resolution in the Senate. In a roll call vote Feb. 4, all Senate Republicans and two Democrats voted in favor of the amendment. Forty-eight Senate Democrats blocked the amendment, which required 60 votes to pass. u Pro-life leaders decry Biden decision to rescind ‘Mexico City policy.’ President Biden’s memo rescinding the so-called “Mexico City policy” Jan. 28, the eve of this year’s National March for Life, “is a deeply disturbing move, especially when the president says he wants national unity,” tweeted Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life Defense and Education Fund. The policy, first announced by President Ronald Reagan during an international conference on population in Mexico City in 1984, blocked U.S. funding for nongovernmental organizations that perform or actively promote abortion as a form of family planning in other nations. — Catholic News Service
The Members of the Church of St. Joseph, Red Wing
Congratulate Fr. Roger Hessian and offer him best wishes and God’s blessings on the 60th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.
10 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
‘Synod at Home’ hosts put faith first in their family of nine By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit ven on video, Pat and Kenna Millea come across as people who would make good friends — and who are good friends. In a 1-minute, 48-second promo for the Archdiocesan Synod’s upcoming “Synod at Home” series, they exude an inviting combination of warmth, humor and pragmatism. “So you’ve probably heard that we as an archdiocese are in the middle of a Synod process right now,” Pat says, and explains that “Synod at Home: Tips and Tools for Growing in Faith” is designed to help Catholics — as individuals or households — discern a practical plan that helps them live their faith intentionally. “Because if you’re anything like us, life seems to pass by pretty fast,” Kenna adds. “So fast,” Pat confirms. “I mean, you’ve got your work, you’ve got your kids — if you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of kids” (they’re parents of seven, age 10 and under) — “projects around the house, you get a few moments to catch up during the day, maybe prayer time before meals and before you know it” — he snaps his fingers — “the day is done.” Their Christian witness and experience as public speakers led the Milleas to be tapped at the recommendation of faith formation directors in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to be the series’ main presenters. And, when it comes to prioritizing one’s relationship with God amid a demanding schedule, they know what they’re talking about. Pat, 39, is the director of senior high youth ministry at St. Joseph in West St. Paul, their parish. Kenna, 38, once also worked in faith formation, but is now a marriage and family therapist with her own practice. Their children — Ella Clare, Xavier, Trey, Damien, Juliana, Cora and Lucia — include a set of 21-monthold twins and a 9-month-old baby. For the Milleas, rooting their lives in the Catholic faith means letting their children know they’re called to be saints, affirming them when they see them growing in virtue and celebrating their different gifts. A quote from C.S. Lewis is posted in several places around their house (and in Pat’s email signature): “How monotonously alike all the great tyrants and conquerors have been; how gloriously different are the saints.”
‘Fully, holistically Catholic’ Pat grew up in Davenport, Iowa. Kenna grew up in Orlando, but has always loved the Midwest, particularly Minnesota (her father, golf instructor Brad Brewer, is from Winona). They met while undergraduates at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, but didn’t start dating until they were both in a Notre Dame graduate program for Church ministry professionals and living in Indianapolis. The day after Pat proposed, Kenna moved several states west to take a faith formation job at St. Ambrose in Woodbury. (“Which feels great when you propose to a woman and she says yes, but then moves another 400 miles away,” Pat said with a laugh in a Jan. 18 interview with The Catholic Spirit.) They married in July 2009 at St. Ambrose. Kenna later took a faith formation job at Our Lady of Peace in Minneapolis and did some chaplaincy training, which helped her discern a calling to work as a therapist. She graduated with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Minneapolis in 2016, and last year became fully licensed. After moving to Minnesota in 2009, Pat worked in youth ministry at Our Lady of Grace in Edina and St. Michael in Prior Lake before taking his current position in 2019. Both grew up Catholic, but their faith matured through the influence of faithful adults. Kenna said she’s always been attracted to people “who live life well” and seeks them out as mentors. Pat said a high school youth minister with a genuine love of the Lord was pivotal in his own faith journey. They give the five-part “Synod at Home” series a casual feel,
Pat and Kenna Millea enjoy a moment with their daughter Lucia after Pat washes her hands and feet following brunch at their speaking directly into the camera while sitting together in a living room on a blue couch. The series includes other Catholics sharing short testimonies, but the Milleas provide what Pat calls “the meat”: the catechetical and practical substance of each session, with witness from their own lives. “Synod at Home” was developed for Year Two of preparation for the 2022 Archdiocesan Synod, a weekend event that will help Archbishop Bernard Hebda set priorities for the local Church. The weekly series takes the form of videos posted on Thursdays during Lent, Feb. 18 through March 18. It aims to help Catholics develop a “Faith Plan,” drawn from a family faith plan developed by Dave and Megan Rahe, parishioners of Holy Name of Jesus in Medina. The series takes the principles of listening, discernment and action on a path forward and applies them to home life, what an individual and family does as Catholics, said Pat, a member of the Synod executive committee. “Which really, the best version of a synod and the best version of a family follow those principles anyway, so it’s really just a better way to be fully, holistically Catholic,” he said. “It’s a series that gets at that idea of helping families
listen to each other, pray together, take action together.”
Shaping family culture Because of their faith, the Milleas have long been intentional about prioritizing family life. “Our vocations as spouses and parents is primary,” Kenna said, which means “letting our family life really get its culture, get its flavor, from living out our faith.” They allow the Church to shape even how they mark time through the liturgical calendar, by feasts and fasts, and “the rhythm of the Lord’s day and going to Mass.” They connect as a family through regular prayer, pray with each other in important moments and bless one another. Pat and Kenna also view their work as ministry. For Pat, that might be self-evident, but for Kenna, “understanding that is part of our call, and that what we do in our professional work enhances what we do here in (the) home as family.” But, when it comes to work, they keep family first. They’ve turned down opportunities for continuing education and public speaking when the request meant too much time away from home, they said. The same goes for kids’ activities: So far, they’ve chosen not to join traveling sports teams, and
favor extracurricular activ allow more than one of th participate at the same tim In an August 2020 virtu with Bloomington-based P Youth, they addressed how on their family while jugg uneven demands of their j works a 9-5 day. Key to ma family’s logistics is Pat and weekly meeting, scheduled Tuesday night. That meeti business — they go over sc assign tasks — but it allow keep household logistics se date nights and make sure sticking to their priorities. Among those priorities participation in Teams of international lay moveme to enrich marriage spiritu structured through small meet monthly, and it prov “endeavors” that couples them grow in their marria There’s not one part of life that their faith doesn’ told The Catholic Spirit. “And not just touch in way, but (there’s no part o isn’t totally grounded on what activities are we goin kids up for?,” he said. “At that, it’s rooted in our prio our time. And what we w
FEBRUARY 11, 2021 • 11
FROM TOP Pat Millea plays with twin daughters Juliana, left, and Cora. Xavier (red sweater) reads a Gospel passage to, clockwise from lower right, Trey, Juliana, Pat, Damien and Ella Clare. Clockwise from left, Trey, Lucia, Kenna, Cora, Xavier, Damien, Juliana, Pat and Ella Clare pray before brunch. Kenna helps her son Trey light a candle before brunch. In the background are Xavier, left, and Damien.
JOIN ‘SYNOD AT HOME’ The “Synod at Home” series’ videos include helpful instruction and testimonies with practical tips and tools for growing in faith, paired with family-friendly activities based on four pillars: Prayer and Sacraments, Lifelong Learning, Generosity and Service, and Traditions and Fun. Each video and accompanying materials will be posted on Thursdays in Lent, Feb. 18-March 18, at archspm.org/synod.
PHOTOS BY DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT West St. Paul home Jan. 30.
vities that heir kids to me. ual interview Partnership for w they focus gling the jobs. Neither anaging their d Kenna’s d for every ing is all chedules and ws them to eparate from e they’re
dedicate ourselves to, and how are we going to spend our money and what vacations are we going to go on? How are we going to work out visiting family for vacations? And stuff like all of that serves this greater relationship with God that’s at the center of everything we do.” He said that living out one’s faith is “as simple as that, which is pretty convicting and encouraging, right?” But, he added, “obviously there’s a big difference between simple and easy.”
is their Our Lady, an ent that aims uality. It’s groups that ovides do to help age and faith. their family ’t touch, Pat
As parents, they strive to recognize their children’s individual strengths and temperaments and how they express their own faith. One of their children is particularly introspective and inclined to prayer and reflection, Kenna noted. Another child, whom she called “the quintessential cheerful giver,” is more active and inclined to acts of service. With each child, Pat and Kenna aim “to acknowledge for them that those are all things needed in the kingdom and to say, ‘That is good, and you glorify God with that, and you’re gloriously different,’” Kenna said. With all of their children, they work nugget-size truths of the faith into
a peripheral of life that) (faith), like, ng to sign our t the heart of orities and want to
Different seasons, different expressions
their daily conversations, even with the youngest members. One son asked repeatedly, “Am I a good boy?” and Kenna always responded with, “Yes, because God made you, and God makes good things.” In a large family, children learn from one another, so some of their faith formation is intentional, and some happens organically, the Milleas said. They’re mindful not to “water down the faith,” Kenna said. How faith is expressed in their home reflects their season of life as parents of young children, and “different seasons call us to different types of prayer and different expressions of our relationship with God,” she said. “When I invest in a prayer time, I instantly see fruit in my
ability to be a wife and mother.” Kenna said she leverages technology to aid her prayer life, using prayer apps to guide a morning prayer routine and listening to prayers such as the litany of humility or the rosary while she’s getting her kids ready for the day or doing household tasks. In the late evenings, she strives to take time for more personal forms of prayer. Pat said he thrives on extemporaneous worship with others, but he aims to also include more meditative prayer forms, like the rosary, in his day. On their way to school, Pat and the older children listen to the daily readings. He keeps a 6 p.m. alarm on his phone, and when it rings, everyone stops to pray the evening
Angelus. The goal, he said, is to teach his children that they need to commit to prayer, even when it’s inconvenient. They also mark milestones such as birthdays and the first day of school by calling for God’s blessings on the person and their endeavors. It’s also a time to reinforce each child’s identity as a son or daughter of God, they said. The Milleas are the first to acknowledge that their family life is a work in progress, and it’s only one example of living out faith at home. They recommend that people look for faith mentors and like-minded friends who can share in their faith journey, such as by joining a parish small group. Pat noted that getting to know people who have deep faith can be inspiring and motivating, but sometimes people find it discouraging, as if faith is “a genetic trait,” or a natural talent or proclivity, and they just missed out. But that’s not the case, he said. “Faith is just a relationship, so if you put in the time and effort, and if you’re honest with God, you will grow in faith, period,” he said. “There’s no secret. This is not some exclusive club for the holy. This is just for people who want to know how much God loves them, and they want to know why they’re here.” The “Synod at Home” series is for any Catholic, no matter where he or she is in relationship with God, Kenna said. “The overall take-home,” she said, “is that this is for every one of us, and it’s for right now — like, there’s something you can be doing right now.”
12 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
CSAF: Lifting lives This story about St. Vincent de Paul-Twin Cities is the first in a three-part series highlighting different ministries supported by the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation. The series will continue in our Feb. 25 and March 11 editions. The foundation’s Catholic Services Appeal is an annual collection in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that supports 20 ministry areas. This year’s appeal, “Together in Hope,” aims to raise $9 million. Commitment weekend is Feb. 13-14. Learn more at csafspm.org. — The Catholic Spirit
Society of St. Vincent de Paul-Twin Cities: Providing hope and a vision for the future
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
By Debbie Musser For The Catholic Spirit
I
nvited by a friend in Georgia to stay for a week, Schola Machisu left Kenya to visit the United States in November 2016. “When I came to this lady’s home, my body had visible evidence of domestic abuse,” Machisu said. “She looked at me and said, ‘Schola, you can’t go back to Africa.’” Machisu, 60, applied for and was granted asylum based on domestic abuse. She eventually came to Minnesota in September 2017, living with a friend of a friend. After four months, she moved into a rented room in a house, and soon experienced stress, depression and desperation. “The house was full and so small, and they were mistreating me,” Machisu said. “It wasn’t a good situation. But I had nowhere to go.” Raised Catholic in Kenya with a strong desire to attend a Catholic church, Machisu insisted she be taken to St. Bonaventure in Bloomington, where she was dropped off because she doesn’t drive. “I asked if they have the group St. Vincent de Paul, told them I was a member in Africa and that I was looking for them, as I know they are people who help,” Machisu said. Ray Dick, St. Vincent de Paul conference president at St. Bonaventure, recalled that day. “We happened to be holding one of our meetings in the St. Francis Room in the back of church, and Schola stopped in to introduce herself,” he said. “We could hardly believe what she had gone through, and were amazed at her courage and tenacity to leave Kenya and seek a new and safer life in the U.S. “Since our conference helps everyone who comes our way, there was no question that we would help Schola,” Dick said. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul-Twin Cities — which manages programs operated through 13 parish conferences within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, runs thrift stores in both cities, assists with donations and distribution of food, and more — is one of 20 designated ministries receiving financial support from the 2021 Catholic Services Appeal Foundation (CSAF), which holds its annual commitment weekend Feb. 13-14. With a goal of raising $9 million, this year’s CSAF appeal is titled “Together in Hope.”
Schola Machisu, right, stands in the living room of the Good Samaritan House in Bloomington where she lives. At left are Ray and Lee Dick, who have worked with her through The Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Ray is conference president at St. Bonaventure in Bloomington, where all three belong.
“Donations are needed now more than ever so that our ministries can continue their much-needed services, especially in the face of the continuing challenges of COVID-19,” said Jennifer Beaudry, CSAF executive director. Donors to CSAF have three ways to give: online, in-parish or postal mail. “By supporting the work of these ministries, you are supporting the Gospel and answering the call to bring Christ to others,” Beaudry said. “It’s what sets CSAF apart.” St. Vincent de Paul assisted Machisu with rent for her own apartment, where she moved in November 2018. The organization also provided food assistance, a Metro bus ticket and driving lessons so she could obtain her driver’s license. “They also bought me textbooks from Amazon — that’s how I got to be a certified nursing assistant,” Machisu said. “They registered me for and paid for the exam, and drove me there.” Dick said a subdivision of their St. Vincent de Paul conference, called NextStep, encourages and supports people journeying out of poverty by empowering them to envision and realize a future for themselves. His wife, Lee, was assigned as Machisu’s NextStep coach. “Lee knew that Schola was underpaid as a personal care attendant and encouraged her to get certified as a CNA,” Dick said. “We discussed paying for formal CNA training, but that would mean lost time at work and travel. “Schola resolved to study and prepare for the test on her own, and got the top score of the group that was tested that day in August 2019,” he said. “Her hourly rate of pay practically doubled overnight.” Today, Machisu, a mother of four and grandmother of two, lives at the Good Samaritan House in Bloomington, which is managed by St. Vincent de Paul. She works as a CNA at Heritage of Edina, an assisted living community. “I like to go to work; I like sitting with the old, joking with them, talking about them when they were young,” Machisu said. “And I am so grateful for St. Vincent de Paul,” she said. “They encourage people who are suffering, who are silent, who feel they don’t deserve to be living. They are a shoulder to lean on, and hope for a future and better life.”
MAKING A DIFFERENCE The Society of St. Vincent de Paul-Twin Cities helps better the lives of thousands of people each year. In the face of COVID-19, the challenge and the need has only grown. “We have seen the lines for food get longer every week, and have doubled our food distribution in 2020 versus 2019,” said Ed Koerner, executive director. “We were poised and in a great position to do that, and a lot of that has to do with the funding we received from CSAF (Catholic Services Appeal Foundation), which allowed us to have our house in order and step up,” he said. Koerner noted that the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international Catholic organization, founded in 1833 by Frederic Ozanam, a college student at the Sorbonne in Paris, who helped spread an understanding of Catholic social teaching. Today there are more than 750,000 members operating in 146 countries. — Debbie Musser
CSA-FUNDED MINISTRIES Abria Pregnancy Resources • American Indian Ministry Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women • Campus Ministry, Newman Center • Campus Ministry, St. Paul’s Outreach • Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis • Deaf Ministry • Elementary School Funding • Elementary School Scholarships • Evangelization High School Scholarships • Hospital Chaplains • Latino Ministry Archdiocesan Office of Marriage, Family and Life • Prison Ministry Rachel’s Vineyard Twin Cities • Seminarian Tuition, Room and Board The Society of St. Vincent de Paul – Twin Cities • Venezuelan Mission • Youth Ministry
2020 CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW While the CSAF continues to collect funds from last year’s campaign, the organization exceeded its 2020 $9 million goal, despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, said Melissa Uzelac, CSAF development manager. Approximately one-third of the goal had been reached by mid-March, before Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order took effect. Pandemic-related job loss and uncertainty did affect the campaign, Uzelac said, as a few donors were unable to fulfill pledges. “Yet, Catholics within our archdiocese are extremely generous, and many, many individuals who were able to do so continued donating and even stepped up, contributing multiple times, above and beyond, to help neighbors in need,” she said. That was important, as the needs of the 20 ministries that CSAF funds also increased, Uzelac said. Hospital chaplains were in more demand than ever, and the Anointing Corps was created to offer anointing of the sick to those gravely ill with COVID-19. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul more than doubled its weekly food shelf recipients, from fewer than 6,000 pre-pandemic to 12,000 by December. The mission parish in Venezuela continued to try to meet essential needs in its community in the midst of severe economic decline and a dearth of resources. Catholic Charities added new cleaning procedures for safety, and evangelization needs changed as ministries strove to better meet people virtually. “This led to our current campaign theme of ‘Together in Hope,’” Uzelac said. “We know that together, we can provide a better future for all by serving the poor, supporting life and strengthening the faith.” She noted that online donations at givecsaf.org more than doubled last year, and like many organizations, CSAF is working to meet donor needs virtually. “Our archdiocese is blessed by the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation,” Archbishop Bernard Hebda said in this year’s campaign kick-off video, posted on CSAF’s YouTube channel. “In this period of COVID, could you imagine if we weren’t able to fund chaplains in our hospitals to take care of our loved ones? In this time of particular need, please be generous in supporting this year’s Catholic Services Appeal. I am confident that together in hope we can share Christ’s peace, dignity and joy with our brothers and sisters.” — Maria Wiering
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 13
FAITH+CULTURE As he goes blind, Father Martin listens for God and embraces Lent Q Amid all the loss, have there been new graces? A All kinds of them. Finding out that I can’t do
By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit
things the way I used to makes me find new ways of doing things that I didn’t do before. I can hear better. Preaching is another example. I was asked to do a sermon for my friend’s funeral. I didn’t write it; I dictated it.
Father Bill Martin is fondly remembered for his service as a parish priest and his love of music. He enjoyed a long tenure at Guardian Angels in Oakdale, followed by the Church of St. Richard in Richfield. Now 72, the retired priest lives at the Little Sisters of the Poor Holy Family Residence in St. Paul. For the past two years, he has been going blind. The loss of his vision has brought with it the loss of his twin passions: celebrating Mass and playing organ.
Q Do you feel closer to God? A In a different way. My contact with God has been
Q What makes the organ a difficult instrument? A There’s a lot of it, for one thing. It’s complex. But
anything you want to do musically, if you want to do it well, it’s going to be complex. We got the instrument I really liked at Guardian Angels when I was pastor there: It’s an electronic organ modeled after a pipe organ with three manuals, three keyboards, pedals and 100 steps, so there’s lots to choose from.
Q How long did it take you to master? A I did Bach before I did Handel. But I did play
Handel. They’re a part of me now. I have a problem now of not being able to read music. It’s not easy, but you do what you can do.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Q At your first assignment — St. Mary’s in Waverly — a parishioner told you that each priest they’d had served a different purpose, and yours was to teach them to pray.
A I like that. That’s a pretty wonderful job description. Q How did you do that? A Be a good example. The first thing for me was
Q Looking back, it must be hard to imagine your priesthood without music.
that I had to make sure that I pray when I celebrate Mass, not be doing something else or thinking about something else.
A I wouldn’t have been able to do it. Music is
Q And now it’s been about a year and a half since
supposed to be central to what you do as a ritual for Mass. For instance, when I presided at my first Mass, I sang the whole thing from beginning to end, and I wrote the music. It was a different world! I think of Mass as a place where I go to be in communion with Christ. Time is meaningless. It’s an eternal experience.
you celebrated Mass because of your vision loss.
A I keep going to church. You have to work against
being critical, figuring out what’s wrong with the priest that’s the presider. It’s not helpful. What is helpful to me is just to do a reflection on Scripture for that day.
Our Lady of the Prairie
Congratulates Fr. Roger Hessian on the sixtieth anniversary of his Ordination to the Priesthood.
Thank you Father Hessian!
St. Finbarr Church in Naples, FL congratulates our favorite snowbird priest on 60 years of Priesthood!
God bless and keep you Fr. Roger!!
primarily in what I can hear. I’m doing some things better now than I could before and listening to music. Here’s a story for you: Beethoven did the direction of the Ninth Symphony, which he wrote, by which time he was profoundly deaf. He directed the whole symphony, and when he got to the end of it — he finished a little after the orchestra did, actually — he couldn’t hear the applause, so the concert master took him by the arm and turned him around so he could see the standing ovation. Some of those kind of things are possible.
Q I’ve heard former parishioners praise you for being a good listener.
A I think you always need to hear what people’s issues are. Just shut up and listen.
Q How can Lent remake us? A I never think of Lent as depriving me of anything.
It gives me some changes for other experiences of meeting God. It seems to me that entering into Christianity, at least Catholic Christianity, is learning how to give thanks — and how to give thanks for everything, no matter what situation. So, there are some things that I have to figure out the reason I’m giving thanks for, and there are other things that I already know.
14 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
FOCUSONFAITH SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER BEN WITTNEBEL
What the leper teaches us Do you remember what it’s like to shake someone’s hand or even give a high-five? Do you remember what it’s like to hug and kiss those you love? We all feel that pain of not being touched. In our first reading this Sunday, Feb. 14, we hear that the person with leprosy “shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.” In other words, he is supposed to keep his distance — his social distance — and essentially quarantine himself from the rest of society while he has this disease. In addition to the loss of sensation — one symptom of leprosy — the person with leprosy may experience the loss of touch, of being touched, for others’ fear of contracting the disease. In a very deep sense of the word, the man or woman with leprosy became a beggar, one in need and crying out. Begging for what? Crying out for what? Although the person with leprosy can gradually lose the ability to feel physical pain, he or she still feels the deep pain of isolation, of being separated from others. Perhaps the person had few visitors and visited no one, wasn’t able to see family or friends who didn’t have the disease, and wasn’t able to participate in public worship of God. Sound familiar? In today’s Gospel, a man with leprosy approaches Jesus, kneels and begs him, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Our current circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic allow us a window into the drama of that moment. Throughout the country and world,
FAITH FUNDAMENTALS | FATHER MICHAEL VAN SLOUN
Laying on of hands and sacrifice
There is a laying on of hands during the sacrament of confirmation, but the ritual action is different from other sacraments that do so. In the sacraments of holy orders and anointing, as well as the scrutinies of the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, the hands of the bishop or priest are placed palms down on the crown of the head of the person receiving the sacrament. In the sacrament of confirmation, instead of the bishop placing his hands on the heads of each candidate individually, the bishop extends his hands in blessing over all the candidates together. It is well known that the laying on of hands imparts the Holy Spirit, but there is another layer of meaning found in the Old Testament or the Hebrew Scriptures that is often not mentioned, partly because of its unsettling message. To lay hands on an animal or a person meant that it had been set aside for sacrifice and eventual death. After Aaron and his sons were consecrated as priests (Ex 29:1-10), they conducted a series of sacrifices. First, they laid their hands upon a bull and had it slaughtered (Ex 29:10-11). Then they laid their hands on a ram (Ex 29:15) and then another ram (Ex 29:19), both of which were also slaughtered (see also Lv 8:14-30). This became a daily ritual at the meeting tent, with one lamb offered each morning and a second in the evening (Ex 29:38-42). A hand was laid on the head of the sheep (Lv 1:4). This was also done with the scapegoat (Lv 16:20-28). This ritual was not restricted to animals. If a person committed a
both those with COVID-19 and those without can feel isolated and alone. Where are we to turn in those moments? Who can we cry out to when we feel alone? Let’s look again at what the man with leprosy does to give us some insight into a path forward in answering those questions. The man overcomes his isolation by taking a risk and approaching Jesus just as he was, with all his sores, imperfections and blemishes, and with faith, he begs Jesus to satisfy his deep desire: “If you wish, you can make me clean.” What had he heard or seen up to this point that gave him such confidence in Jesus? We don’t know, but something in his heart said, “Jesus will receive me; Jesus can make me clean,” and so he ventured out in faith. How did Jesus respond to such a request? Jesus isn’t frightened or disgusted by this man or his disease. He isn’t put off or angry that he approaches him. He is “moved with pity.” He sees much deeper than the surface. He loves him all the way to the depths, far deeper than skin. Amazingly, Jesus touches him! Was this the first time this man has been touched with love by another person since contracting leprosy and living outside the camp? We are not only grateful to Jesus for how he responds, but grateful for this man who shows us that we can approach Jesus just as we are and speak to him about our heart’s deep needs. Sometimes we can think and feel that we must be perfect to approach Jesus, or that we are not good enough to pray. But the good news of the Gospel is on display in this encounter. Jesus is Immanuel, “God-with-us.” Jesus is God in the flesh, God who can touch us. We can approach him as we are and ask him for what we need. He loves us and we are never alone. Father Wittnebel is parochial vicar of St. Ambrose in Woodbury.
capital crime, the Israelites took the offender outside of their camp, laid their hands on the head of the criminal, and then the evildoer was put to death (see Lv 24:14). The laying on of hands does not mean that the confirmand will be put to death, but it does mean that the confirmand is willing to sacrifice, to suffer for the sake of Jesus and the Gospel, and in extreme cases, the suffering may be so severe that it approaches the point of death. In his autobiography “Treasure in Clay,” the late Bishop Fulton Sheen describes two types of martyrs: “wet martyrs,” those who shed their blood and die for the faith, and “dry martyrs,” those who do not shed their blood but suffer mistreatment, persecution or torture for their beliefs for extended periods of time — weeks or months, sometimes even years. Often, those who lay down their lives in sacrifice by living and enduring suffer far more than those who die quickly. Sacrifice includes the hardships of life: broken relationships, disappointments, rejection, loneliness, hopelessness, addiction, accident, injury, aging, or mental or physical illness. The confirmed carry their crosses, persevere, keep the faith and offer their troubles to God. St. Paul understood the sacrificial nature of the Christian life and exhorts the confirmed: “Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect” (Rom 12:1-2). The confirmed are invited to offer themselves as a pleasing sacrifice to God, to clothe themselves with “heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another” (Col 3:12-13). And above all these, the confirmed clothe themselves with love. A life lived until death permeated with virtue and goodness is a pleasing sacrifice to God. Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is part of an ongoing series on confirmation.
Blessings Fr. Roger Hessian
on your 60th Anniversary of Ordination
in
Cannon Falls
DAILY Scriptures Sunday, Feb. 14 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Lv 13:1-2, 44-46 1 Cor 10:31–11:1 Mk 1:40-45 Monday, Feb. 15 Gn 4:1-15, 25 Mk 8:11-13 Tuesday, Feb. 16 Gn 6:5-8, 7:1-5, 10 Mk 8:14-21 Wednesday, Feb. 17 Ash Wednesday Jl 2:12-18 2 Cor 5:20–6:2 Mt 6:1-6, 16-18 Thursday, Feb. 18 Dt 30:15-20 Lk 9:22-25 Friday, Feb. 19 Is 58:1-9a Mt 9:14-15 Saturday, Feb. 20 Is 58:9b-14 Lk 5:27-32 Sunday, Feb. 21 First Sunday of Lent Gn 9:8-15 1 Pt 3:18-22 Mk 1:12-15 Monday, Feb. 22 Chair of St. Peter, apostle 1 Pt 5:1-4 Mt 16:13-19 Tuesday, Feb. 23 Is 55:10-11 Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday, Feb. 24 Jon 3:1-10 Lk 11:29-32 Thursday, Feb. 25 Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Mt 7:7-12 Friday, Feb. 26 Ez 18:21-28 Mt 5:20-26 Saturday, Feb. 27 Dt 26:16-19 Mt 5:43-48 Sunday, Feb. 28 Second Sunday of Lent Gn 22:1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18 Rom 8:31b-34 Mk 9:2-10
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
FOCUSONFAITH
Faith in 2020
ECHOES OF CATHOLIC MINNESOTA | REBA LUIKEN
Mitchell Hamline students study in former Catholic high school
If you look closely at the north side of the library building at Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, you might notice the words “Our Lady of Peace” etched in the lintels above some of the doorways. A thoughtful observer might correctly suspect a Catholic origin of the building, but Our Lady of Peace High School was only the last of the Catholic institutions there. In 1887, Archbishop John Ireland purchased two lots at the corner of Portland and Victoria as the site for a new cathedral, centrally located between the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Then, he changed his mind. Instead, nearby residents were saved from having to commute all the way to downtown for Mass on foot and by streetcar when St. Luke’s Church was built there in 1888. As St. Paul grew, so did St. Luke’s. The parish opened its first school in 1904 with 160 students. In 1916, Father James Byrne became pastor. He set to work on building a new church at Summit and Lexington almost immediately to accommodate the families that spilled out of the church and onto the sidewalk at five Sunday Masses. The Great Depression brought widespread unemployment to St. Paul, but St. Luke’s continued to grow. In 1930, 100 new applicants were turned away from the parish school due to lack of room. Father Byrne realized that he could help solve both problems by funding a new school building. By this time, Father Byrne had become a monsignor, vicar general and superintendent of Catholic schools, and he sought to build a state-of-the-art building that would fit in with the neighborhood and live up to the highest values of the Catholic Church. He voluntarily raised the cost of the school to $260,000 (at least $3.6 million today) to pay the men who worked on the project a living wage. At the school’s grand opening in 1931, Msgr. Byrne read a telegram from Pope Pius XI lauding the “model school.” A newspaper highlighted the two-room kindergarten with a “model playhouse, sand boxes, charts, and miniature chairs for the little folks.” Even the superintendent of St. Paul’s public schools called it the best grade school in the state. The new school had 17 classrooms and 620 students. Still, by 1950 the parish had outgrown
WHY DO CATHOLICS DO THAT? FATHER JOHN PAUL ERICKSON
The rosary and ‘praying’ to saints Q Why do Catholics pray the rosary?
A The rosary is a meditative prayer
meant to help the one praying reflect upon Scripture and the life of Christ and his mother. The rosary’s two primary prayers — the “Our Father” and the “Hail Mary” — are both taken directly from sacred Scripture, though of course the “Hail Mary” also includes an additional line: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.” The rosary has long been acknowledged by popes, nuns and faithful laity as a powerful tool for entering more deeply into truly biblical prayer and for understanding
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 15
The Catholic Spirit asked our readers how the major events of 2020 helped them grow in faith. These are two of their responses.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
This building, now part of Mitchell Hamline School of Law campus in St. Paul, was previously Our Lady of Peace School, as noted on the words engraved in stone above the doors. the school once again. The following year a new school building opened next to the church on Summit Avenue, and the old school was sold to the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Dubuque, Iowa. The BVM sisters began the building’s final Catholic chapter as Our Lady of Peace High School for girls in 1951. By 1956, the sisters were already in need of more space for students as they completed the first of two additions to the school, making room for 1,000 young women with a new auditorium, assembly room and classrooms for fine arts and theater. Then, as the number of Catholic youngsters shrank, the school shut its doors in 1973, and its students dispersed to other Catholic high schools. After the school closed, the sisters looked to sell the building. Benjamin E. Mays Learning Center made an offer, intending to turn the building into an interracial grade school. Citing concerns about the school’s finances, the sisters accepted a less lucrative offer from William Mitchell College of Law. Accusations of racial bias filled local newspapers, and William Mitchell rescinded its offer. However, five months later, the sisters accepted a subsequent offer from the law school, an organization that local Catholics believed would anchor the neighborhood and preserve its unique character. Luiken is a historian with a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and a lifelong Catholic in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. the meaning of the great mysteries of our Lord’s life.
Q Why do Catholics pray to the saints? A Well, the short answer is we don’t! Strictly speaking,
Catholics only pray to God, who alone has the power to save us. However, we believe in the mighty power of intercessory prayer, that is, the power and importance of praying for other people and petitioning God on their behalf. We do this in a thousand different ways and a thousand different times — whether it’s asking our beloved grandmother to pray for us, or telling our little children before bedtime to pray for their classmates, or praying ourselves for a loved one or colleague. What is more, there is something instinctual about asking obviously holy people to pray for us and our needs — think of that aforementioned grandmother or a holy nun or priest we’ve met along the way. And because we as Christians believe in life after death, and in the truth that the holy ones of God, that is, the saints, continue to care about us and love us even in heaven, we ask them to pray for us and for our needs. We sometimes might refer to this as “praying to the saints,” but we are really asking them to pray for us. Father Erickson is pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale.
I feel that the major events in 2020 for local Catholics were the Synod listening sessions, COVID-19 pandemic, civil unrest and presidential politics. Archbishop Bernard Hebda visited parishes in early 2020 to see how Church leadership could better serve community needs. I attended the Feb. 15 session and was impressed that the bishop and his staff were open to suggestions. In May, Archbishop Hebda’s bold reopening of parish churches signaled to all to fight for our faith values despite COVID-19 edicts. Parishioners and staff members had to quickly adjust to attendance limitations, livestreamed services and creative pew management. Everyone became immediate Zoom and WebEx meeting experts after a few sessions. You just had to pray that monetary donations would continue without the usual weekly interaction of clergy and congregation. The May 25 death of George Floyd in Minneapolis focused our minds on how we may mistreat our fellow citizens when Jesus instructed us to “love your neighbor as yourself.” Unfortunately, criminal opportunists took advantage of the situation to destroy property and loot businesses. We were challenged then as a community to unite, while simultaneously respecting others’ rights and possessions. The 2020 presidential race tested everyone’s faith. Could we trust government officials and the general public to run an expansive, honest mail-in ballot system that would instill confidence in the eventual outcome? Shouldn’t we expect more from our politicians who may test our Catholic values of “respect for life,” socioeconomic opportunities and rights to worship? I certainly pray that is the case. Dennis J. Cummings Mary, Mother of the Church, Burnsville We are all challenged to use our giftedness to help others who are in need. For the past many years, I have been blessed to have the opportunity to volunteer as chairman of the Bountiful Basket Food Shelf that serves the communities of Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska and Victoria. My faith has been strengthened significantly since last March, due particularly to the many new partnerships that we have created to help provide food for those in need due to the pandemic. My parish of St. Victoria, led by Father Bob White, conducted a food drive which the Bountiful Basket participated in that resulted in 2,000 pounds of food being delivered to Vine Church in Minneapolis. St. Victoria, West Union Lutheran Church, Love INC. and the Bountiful Basket all partnered during Thanksgiving week to provide 150 turkeys and food baskets for Eastern Carver County families in need. Early on during the COVID lessening of church gatherings and services, St. Victoria welcomed parishioners to come on occasion to receive weekday holy Communion. On one visit, I was asked if I was aware of Humanity Alliance and that they were using the church catering kitchen to cook healthy weekend meals for families in Hennepin County. Some may call it a coincidence, but I say we had a little help from the good Lord in creating this new partnership that brought Humanity Alliance into Carver County that now provides meals for the homeless, students, senior citizens and families in need. Oftentimes all we need to do is open the door. Tom Redman St. Victoria, Victoria “Readers Respond” is a new feature in The Catholic Spirit. Respond to our next question, “What does St. Joseph mean to you?” in 200 words or less to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with “Readers Respond” in the subject line.
16 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
COMMENTARY TWENTY SOMETHING | CHRISTINA CAPECCHI
When an obituary becomes a prayer
I’ve never had to write an obituary. I realize how fortunate that makes me. As a professional writer, I’ve imagined what it would be like to write one. Perhaps that’s morbid, but it’s a curiosity of mine. Of all writing forms, the obituary is the life summary, the final word. It conveys what may be the only information future generations will ever know of a particular ancestor. I cannot imagine a more daunting assignment for the grief-stricken. Last summer I read an obituary that has stuck with me, challenging me to live well. It was written for my husband’s beloved aunt Bridgann, his godmother, who died in July after a short illness. She was 79 — an age that once sounded old to me and now feels far too young. The obituary names her parents, her eight siblings and her three children. It highlights the happy milestones in her life. Somehow, the mere date and location of her wedding Mass — April 20, 1962, in Castle Grove, Iowa — sparkles, conjuring a nostalgic springtime joy. With the biographical facts aside, the obituary goes on to describe Bridgann, capturing her essence in just a few words: “Her smile and laughter were contagious.” And then, the sentence that stopped me in my tracks: “She was deeply faithful in everyday life.” Wow. Bridgann was a Catholic who cherished her faith. This statement testifies to that: daily prayer, countless rosaries, an abiding love for the Mass. And it speaks
GUEST FILM REVIEW | BEN HEIDGERKEN
‘Soul’ inspires afterlife reflection Modern-day New York City and a fanciful exploration of a world beyond this one intertwine in the Disney Pixar film “Soul.” The protagonist, Joe Gardner, somewhat comically meets an apparently untimely fate. He soon meets a grumpy, nonchalant soul named 22, who is unsure of the value of life on earth and prefers to be a disembodied spirit. Their struggle forces them into a deeper sympathetic relationship with one another, allowing each to gain key insight into the purpose of the sublime and seemingly mundane aspects of earthly existence: intentionally living in the present, seeing every moment in this world as permeated by glory. The film gives thoughtful audiences a chance to consider the significance of life on earth in light (quite literally) of what comes after — and, more controversially, before. Many valuable religious ideas are explored in this arc. Catholic audiences will be rightly pleased to see Joe embark on an afterlife journey of selfdiscovery and growth. One can see here overtones of a theologically helpful approach to purgatory, where one’s inner life stretches to an ever-more orderly loving of God and the world. Much as the Church speaks of the communion of saints, the growth of the bonds of charity between Joe and 22 have concrete effects on each other’s pursuit of ultimate happiness. One thinks here of the value of intercessory prayer, which similarly strengthens love of neighbor and concretely helps the other to attain eternal beatitude. The portrayal of the physical world as “permeable”
to fidelity more broadly, to be faithful in all facets: faithful to God, to spouse, to sisters, to traditions, to children and grandchildren, to birthdays and birds, to favorite singers and long-held values. To be faithful to all you hold dear. The fidelity is applied broadly — and, even more challenging — it is exercised “in everyday life.” This is where the real beauty comes. There’s something quiet and stirring about a mother who is faithful in everyday life. Bridgann was. She was faithful to warm meals and dirty dishes, to handwritten cards and late-night text messages. She tended to the work of daily life with grace. She was unwavering. We tend to measure life in terms of resume points and marathon moments. But what nobler goal could you pursue than to be like Bridgann, to be faithful in everyday life? I can think of none. That simple sentence in her obituary has stayed with me, connecting me to Bridgann. It has become my prayer. I think of her when I wipe down the kitchen table and sing my kids lullabies at night. Faithful in everyday life. I feel something easing in me, the high-achieving college student who racked up internships and endorsements. Where once was an urge to prove myself is now a trust to simply be. I’m letting life emerge, embracing its quiet gifts. I’m no longer compelled to take my private life, spiff it up and make it public. Quitting Instagram helped. I don’t view my days as fodder for social media, but as moments to hold to my heart. I’m the protagonist, not the producer. Maybe this is a shift that comes with aging. Perhaps the pandemic accelerated it, clarifying for me what matters most and casting all the rest aside. But surely, I know, the memory of Bridgann inspires it, with the words from her obituary as a guidepost. When we are tired, when we are unsure, when we rise each morning and begin anew, presented with 100 little ways to serve our people: faithful in everyday life. Capecchi lives in Inver Grove Heights.
to the glory of the next is reminiscent of a Catholic approach to the sacraments, which also shine the divine glory into this world. And the recognition of glory even in the mundane (see the street corner sign-twirler who attains a nirvana-like state when he is in his “groove”) shows both the mystical value of the world and its dangers, since dedication to one’s “groove” can both liberate and imprison the soul. The film also commendably portrays Pixar’s first African American protagonist and celebrates the historic role that jazz has played in the Black community. Indeed, the only hesitancy I have about the film is related to the film’s ambiguous messaging about the importance of bodies. The crux of this issue is the film’s portrayal of souls existing in a “pre-incarnate” state (at least worth discussing in advance with impressionable children). Besides being unorthodox, this state of the human subject muddies the film’s claim that materiality, well, matters to human beings. In the film, souls enter existence as pure spirit, know that they will end as pure spirit (maintaining the shape but not the color of their earthly bodies), have no impetus for self-improvement on earth (the only mention of hell is chanted away by giggling spirits), and, most important, have distinct reasons to avoid the Great Beyond (heaven in “Soul”). For a film that portrays an ethnic group that is acutely aware of the role that bodies take in shaping human lives, viewers of “Soul” might all too easily gain the impression that human beings are spirits before (and after) they are bodies. Indeed, some familiarity with a little Black theology may have helped the creators notice that any other-worldly spiritual escapism in the Black church is held in tension with care for bodies and social activism here and now. “Soul” asks us to perceive that our material world is, at its best, luminous with the glory of the Great Beyond but leaves us without a clear sense of the lasting significance of earthly, bodily life. Heidgerken teaches at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul.
SIMPLE HOLINESS | KATE SOUCHERAY
Be the light of Christ for each other What is it to truly love our spouse with a sacramental, covenantal love? It is the fullest response to the “yes” we made on our wedding day, and because matrimony is a sacrament, we experience the fulfillment of that “yes” all throughout the days we live as husband and wife. This beautiful sacrament is so much more than receptions and flowers or music and measurements. This most special day of our lives signifies the culmination of our choice of life partner and the demonstration of our commitment to our vows. These vows, in a Catholic marriage, are stated in the presence of witnesses, presided over by an ordained priest or deacon, and expected to last for a lifetime. In any conception, these are great expectations. Maintaining the freshness of these vows is the task of the couple throughout their lifetime together. This requires that each individual enter into the seriousness of his or her vows, as well as the engagement of moral reflection, on a daily basis. Because we are free, we make the choice to continue to respond with a resounding “yes” to whatever awaits us on our journey of life with our chosen life partner. God does not ask of us perfection in this endeavor, but rather, that we become part of the process of living out our sacramental vows. With and through his guidance and help, we will have the moral, emotional and mental strength to remain committed to our partner throughout our lifetime. As we extend a greeting of love toward our spouse this Valentine’s Day, may we do so with humility and compassion for the struggles they have endured during the past year, many of which we may be unaware. Be a loving example of Christ’s merciful presence to one other all throughout this month of love. Find time to be with your spouse, either through attending Mass together, through a special meal on Valentine’s weekend, or through a simple hug at the end of each day. Let Christ’s love for your spouse shine through you, and allow yourself to be filled with the Holy Spirit each time you encounter your spouse. St. Paul wrote to the Colossians: “Clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you might have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And, over all these virtues, put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.” We have likely spent more time with our spouse throughout the past year than we ever imagined we would. Petty distractions and annoyances may have arisen from time to time, facilitating intolerance. We are encouraged by St. Paul not to let those aggravations affect our love and commitment toward one another. Ask God to place a new and right spirit within you to help you love and forgive and cherish your spouse the way he does. Let this sentiment be part of your Valentine’s weekend, and you will both be doubly blessed for the journey of life you continue to honor and treasure together. Not only will you both receive the benefits of this appreciation, but you will also bless all those who share your bubble with you: your children and grandchildren. Hold up the light of Christ to light your path and the path for others. Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist.
ACTION STRATEGIES u Choose to think positively as you push forward in your world and search for the healing we are all praying and hoping for. u Be the light of Christ to your spouse. As you celebrate sometime during Valentine’s Day weekend, extend love and affection toward your spouse in a special way.
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
ALREADY/NOT YET | JONATHAN LIEDL
Cultural resistance What would you die for? For Karol Wojtyla, the man who would become Pope John Paul II, the answer seems obvious. Living under Nazi occupation in Poland, Wojtyla was willing to risk everything as a young man to enter the Diocese of Krakow’s underground seminary. If detected, he likely would’ve been killed, but such was the strength of his conviction in his priestly vocation. But watching “Lolek,” a short play about the early life of JP II currently showing at the Open Window Theatre in Eagan, I learned that Wojtyla was willing to die for something else: the theater. For the year and a half immediately preceding his October 1942 entry into seminary, Wojtyla helped to start the Rhapsodic Theatre, a clandestine theatre company. The Rhapsodic Theatre staged its performances in secret, tucked away in apartments, away from the prying eyes of the Nazi occupiers. Similar to the seminary, if Wojtyla and his compatriots in the theatre company had been detected, they might have faced death. Though for a long time Wojtyla had thought his vocation was in the theater, he eventually discerned a higher calling and gave up the stage for the altar. Nonetheless, the fact that he had been willing to put his life at risk not only to advance the mission of the Church, but also the mission of the Rhapsodic Theatre, should tell us something significant about drama and the arts, and the value the future pope placed on them. A large part of Wojtyla’s dedication to theater was probably the type of performances being put on by his company. Also known as the “Theatre of the Word,” the Rhapsodic Theatre engaged in cultural resistance against the Nazi occupation, performing mostly poems and drama of the great Polish romantics. The company’s productions also emphasized the significance of the word over gesture, an artistic decision meant to highlight the primacy of man’s reason and capacity for reflection over impulse and action. Writing later in “Drama of Word and Gesture,” Wojtyla notes that in the Rhapsodic Theatre’s performances, “man, actor and listener-spectator alike, frees himself from the
COMMENTARY obtrusive exaggeration of gesture, from the activism that overwhelms his inner, spiritual nature instead of developing it. Thus freed, he grasps those proportions that he cannot reach and grasp in everyday life.” As depicted in “Lolek,” the young Karol Wojtyla saw theatre not merely as a diversion from the difficulty of life under occupation, but as a source of the “freedom of the spirit” needed to resist the Nazis, if not in force, then at least in mind and heart. Tucking away into an apartment to watch a performance of the Rhapsodic Theater wasn’t about “escaping” the harsh conditions of wartime Poland — it was about reminding each other of the heights of humanity while surrounded by the worst. Our situation is obviously different in Minnesota 2021. But I still think Karol Wojtyla would see the value of us engaging in a bit of “cultural resistance” today. Our society is certainly oppressed by its own version of hyper-activism, which gins up emotions and action but does little in the way of promoting reflection and spiritual development. Much of our entertainment today, perhaps best summed up by the phrase “binge-watching,” seems aimed only at agitating our impulses and satisfying our basest cravings, not eliciting what’s best and most human. This kind of culture hinders — not helps — our freedom, denying the grandeur of the human person and the transcendence we’re made for, offering a hollowed-out, selfindulgent version instead. We need to seek and to cultivate forms of culture that truly contribute to what Wojtyla called the freedom of the spirit. Perhaps a good place to start would be attending a socially distanced performance of “Lolek.” Or maybe tuning in this weekend (Feb. 12-14) to the New York Encounter, a cultural event highlighting truly human expressions of the desire for truth, beauty and justice. You can also keep things simpler and closer to home by reading through a play out loud, watching and then discussing a movie with a message, or reciting poetry with friends. All are ways that I’ve experienced culture that elevates my thought and aspirations, that helps me to be more whole and human. Culture is not an accident. It’s the embodiment of a worldview. Do we believe that man is more than just a consumer of goods and a maker of arbitrary choices? That we have a spark of the divine within us, and that we are called to live to the fullest potential of our God-given dignity? Then let’s reflect it with the culture we live and build. As Karol Wojtyla shows, its value is worth the risk. Liedl lives and writes in the Twin Cities.
INSIDE THE CAPITOL | MCC
Legalizing vice to make ends meet Only two things are certain in life: death and taxes, as the saying goes. However, our state government must accomplish one other thing: a budget. And, it must be balanced, so says our state’s constitution. This is currently what our state Legislature is trying to sort out. Truly, a budget is a moral document. Where money is spent (or saved) reflects values and priorities. Like with a family budget, the state should prioritize needs over amenities and focus on the most vulnerable. Just like in a family, that often means prioritizing the needs of children and the elderly. February’s new budget forecast will inform the budgets crafted by state senators and representatives. At this stage, the governor’s budget proposal of $52.4 billion over two years is best viewed as an aspirational offer to legislators. The governor, Senate and House must agree on the budget or a government shutdown could occur at the start of the fiscal year, July 1. To avoid this, it can be expected there will need to be compromises. Minnesota Catholic Conference does not take a position on the overall budget nor the right amounts to be spent, but instead encourages legislators to prioritize the needs of the poor and vulnerable. With this in mind, MCC is discouraging bills that would legalize predatory gambling (often referred to as sports betting) and recreational marijuana. These bills are being proposed to fill gaps in the state’s budget. Simply put, legalizing these vices for tax revenue is not worth the long-term cost to people’s health, finances and social well-being. Additionally, MCC will encourage legislators to focus on specific appropriations that
Track bills’ progress, learn why MCC supports or opposes certain bills, and find lawmakers’ contact information at mncatholic.org/ actioncenter. the bishops believe will best protect life and human dignity. As the session continues, a number of bills are working their way through the legislative process. Among them: HF102: Deals with predatory payday lending business practices. MCC opposes payday lending and supports Rep. Jim Davnie’s bill proposing to cap the total amount of interest, finance charges and fees for consumer short-term and small loans at 36%. MCC offered written testimony making it clear that these predatory practices amount to usuary — a sinful practice that holds the poor hostage and entraps them further in a debt cycle from which it is difficult to escape. HF7/SF29: These bills aim to ensure all workers can take time to heal and care for their families. MCC co-signed a letter supporting this proposal to allow hourly workers to accrue up to 48 hours of paid time per year to care for themselves or a loved one. It protects people from getting fired if, for example, a child gets sick during the middle of their shift. “Inside the Capitol” is an update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff while the State Legislature is in session. Learn more through the Catholic Advocacy Network at mncatholic.org.
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 17
LETTERS Not defined by mistakes The Gospel tells us of a God whose mercy is big enough to cover the most egregious of our sins and makes room for all the prodigal sons and daughters of our world. But does the Church have room for its own prodigals? The fact that the obituary in The Catholic Spirit for Father Stan Maslowski (“Priest’s struggle with addictions, misconduct marked five decades of ministry,” Jan. 14) included only his parish assignments and his offenses as a priest makes me wonder about that. I knew Father Maslowski, and a word about the hard work he did in recovery would have given more balance to his obituary. Yes, we are accountable for our mistakes. But we are not defined by our mistakes. As he worked at recovery, Father Maslowski came to understand this at a deep level. I thought he put it well: “I have failed many times in my life, but I am not a failure. I am a beloved son of God.” Is that not what Church is? We have all failed, but we are not failures. We are beloved sons and daughters of God who walk the journey together. I pray we can be a Church that has room for the prodigals of the world. I learned much from Father Maslowski. May we all learn from one another as we walk the journey together. Father Robert White Pastor, St. Victoria, Victoria
A Catholic president? Let American history record that on Jan. 28, 2021, America’s “devout Catholic” president, Joe Biden, signed an executive order to fund foreign, non-governmental organizations that promote or perform abortions, to which he euphemistically refers as “comprehensive reproductive health care.” U.S. taxpayer dollars, via the U.S. Agency for International Development, will fund Biden’s abortion order. Biden’s announcement clarifies: “The memorandum reflects the policy of the Biden-Harris Administration to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and rights in the United States, as well as globally.” America’s irreligious mainstream media trumpets Biden as “a devout Catholic” who regularly attends holy Mass and receives holy Communion. The Catholic Encyclopedia states “the right to excommunicate is an immediate and necessary consequence of the fact that the Church is a society. Every society has the right to exclude and deprive of their rights and social advantages its unworthy or grievously culpable members, either temporarily or permanently. This right is necessary to every society in order that it may be well administered and survive.” Joe Biden is an unworthy and grievously culpable Catholic. He well qualifies for excommunication. Gene Delaune St. John the Baptist, New Brighton Share your perspective by emailing TheCatholicSpirit@archspm.org. Please limit your letter to the editor to 150 words and include your parish and phone number. The Commentary pages do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Catholic Spirit. Read more letters from our readers at TheCatholicSpirit.com.
18 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
Why I am Catholic By Duane Crosland
“
I
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
was born a cradle Catholic with 16 years of Catholic
I decided it was time to put my newly found treasures into a
education at St. Mark’s Catholic School, Cretin High School
book. A 2019 update of “I Am Proud to be a Catholic: What
and the College of St. Thomas, all in St. Paul. For 60 years
is Unique About Being a Catholic?” was published with a
I was an active practicing Catholic. Then a member of the
nihil obstat and imprimatur from the Archdiocese of St. Paul
family asked me why am I Catholic. I had no good answer.
and Minneapolis.
It was a very painful moment for me. In the fall of 2014, Bishop Andrew Cozzens spoke at our
In retrospect, I was an active Catholic for six decades in what I would call ‘coast mode.’
Why I am Catholic: Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, gave us the Catholic Church. Only the
parish. He started by asking two
Catholic Church has the fullness of truth and fullness of
young gentlemen why they were
the means of salvation. The Founder and Foundation of my
Catholic. The first response was,
Church lives!
“I was born Catholic and did not
The Church is (one, holy, Catholic) apostolic. Our bishops
have much choice in the decision.”
and priests of today share in the same gifts and graces that
The second response was, “I was
Jesus Christ endowed on his Twelve Apostles.
baptized Catholic” and then he shrugged his shoulders. Ouch! Then I discovered that Catholics sitting next to me in church faced a similar challenge. Having a “meat and potato” type of personality, I felt a need to be able to verbalize “Why I am Catholic.” In retrospect, I was an active Catholic
for six decades in what I would call “coast mode.” My relationship with God ran on automatic pilot. There simply was no need to question why I was Catholic. In my parish’s perpetual adoration chapel, I found a book with the focus on the Eucharist written by Jeff Cavins. It is said that if you give God a chance to talk to you, he will. This book was God’s way of talking to me in the silence of the chapel as I searched for an answer. It was an hour with God that I will never forget! At the same time, I was a volunteer for the faith formation
“The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life” (Catechism of the Catholic Church No. 1324). In the palm of my hand, I hold the body of Jesus Christ; intimately, physically and spiritually. I possess the God who created the universe, the God who made me. The seven sacraments were given to us and sanctified by Jesus providing nourishment for our souls. Every sacrament provides me with a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. I am grateful for perpetual adoration, the Mass, Mary, our parish priests, the communion of saints and so much more! Crosland, 77, is retired, married 50 years to Kathleen, a parishioner of St. Vincent de Paul in Brooklyn Park, Fourth Degree Knight, parish coordinator for Feed My Starving Children, graduate of the Catechetical Institute and JustFaith, and author of “I Am Proud to be a Catholic” (AuthorHouse, 2016, 2019), available at Amazon.com. He can be reached through his website at proudtobeacatholic.com.
program. Weekly, I sent a letter to the parents telling them what we had covered in class. I would add a paragraph about the golden treasures of the Catholic faith. I would begin this section of the letter with, “On a personal note, I am proud to be Catholic.” After writing letters to the parents for 10 years,
“Why I am Catholic” is a new ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you are Catholic? Submit your story in 300-500 words to CatholicSpirit@ archspm.org with “Why I am Catholic” in the subject line.
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 19
CALENDAR PRAYER+RETREATS “Synod at Home: Tips and Tools for Growing in Faith” — Thursdays Feb. 18–March 18: Weekly video series to help families listen to one another, pray and discuss in order to determine priorities. The series focuses on four pillars of Prayer and Sacraments, Lifelong Learning, Generosity and Service, and Traditions and Fun. Videos and materials for family or individual use will be posted each Thursday at archspm.org/synod. “Encounter the Hoy Spirit” Lenten retreat — Feb. 20: 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m. at St. Michael, 11300 Frankfort Pkwy NE, St. Michael and via Zoom. Hear about finding Peace of Heart from Father Michael Schmitz, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, and Msgr. Aloysius Callaghan at the Holy Spirit Academy Lenten Retreat. $20 per person, $100 family maximum. holyspiritacademy.org “Encountering Fratelli Tutti” series — Feb. 24, Mar. 23, Apr. 27 and May 25: 7–8:30 p.m. online. Five-part series of presentations and discussions related to Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli Tutti.” Register at centerformission.org/whats-new/ to receive the link. “Living Merciful Love this Lent” — Feb. 27: 8–11 a.m. A self-guided Lenten morning of reflection from the Cana Family Institute. Reflections from Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Erin Flege and Carrie Schmitt. Free. canafamilyinstitute.com/events Ignatian men’s silent retreat — ThursdaySunday most weeks at Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House, 8243 Demontreville Trail N., Lake Elmo. Freewill donation. demontrevilleretreat.com Taize prayer — Third Fridays: 7–9 p.m. at St. Paul's Monastery, 2675 Benet Road, Maplewood. Simple chants based on the Scriptures and periods of silence designed to help participants encounter the mystery of God. Refreshments follow. benedictinecenter.org Order Franciscans Secular (OFS) — Third Sundays: 1 p.m. at Catholic Charities, 1200 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis. Come and learn more about this group of lay Catholic men and women striving to observe the Gospel of Jesus Christ by following the example of St. Francis. 952-922-5523.
MUSIC+ART “The Sacred Secret of the 17th of March” — March 17: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. Patrick, 6820
St. Patrick’s Lane, Edina. This 85-minute show, written by music director Tim Smith and his wife, Julie Barrett, features 14 songs and highlights several Irish saints including Patrick and Brigid. Broadway-style music makes it family friendly and fun. stpatrick-edina.org
SPEAKERS+CONFERENCES Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model for Men” — Feb. 19: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. First Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians” is by Father Michael Becker, rector of St. John Vianney Seminary, speaking on St. Joseph as a “Model for Men” following the 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. Free. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures “The Upper Room” with guest David Deavel — Feb. 25: Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis livestream host Enzo Randazzo interviews Catholic studies assistant professor David Deavel about the desire in man for happiness, how that relates to current events and what that means in light of Catholic tradition. Join live and submit questions via comments on Facebook and YouTube. archspm.org/events Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model for Youth” — Feb. 26: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. Second Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians” is by Father Joseph Kuharski speaking on St. Joseph as a “Model for Youth,” following the 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. Free. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures Sidewalk Counseling Training Seminar — Mar. 1: 7–9 p.m. at East Immanuel Church, 1173 Payne Ave., St. Paul. Presented by Pro-Life Action Ministries. Free. For more information or to register, contact debra.braun@plam.org or plam.org/events. Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model for Parents” — Mar. 5: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. Third Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians” is by Deacon Joseph Michalak speaking on St. Joseph as a “Model for Parents,” following 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. Free. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model for Artisans”— Mar. 12: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. Fourth Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians” is by Kevin Ferdinandt, headmaster of St. Agnes School, speaking
on Joseph as a “Model for Artisans,” following the 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. Free. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model in Tribulation” — Mar. 19: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. March 19 — the Solemnity of St. Joseph — marks the fifth Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians” as Archbishop Bernard Hebda speaks on Joseph as a “Model in Tribulation” following the 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. Free. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures
ONGOING GROUPS Calix Society — First and third Sundays: 9–10:30 a.m. via Zoom, hosted by Cathedral of St. Paul. Family and friends support spiritual needs of recovering Catholic alcoholics. For meeting link, contact Jim at 612-383-8232. calixsociety.org Job transitions and networking group — Tuesdays: 7–8:30 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker, 7180 Hemlock Lane, Maple Grove. Questions email Bob at bob.sjtw@gmail.com. sjtw.net/job-transition-networking-group CARITAS cancer support group — Wednesdays: 10:30 a.m.–noon at St. Joseph's Hospital, second floor, maternity classroom 2500, 45 W. 10th St., St. Paul. Career transition group — Third Thursdays: 7:30–8:30 a.m. at Holy Name of Jesus, 155 County Road 24, Wayzata. Speakers on job-search topics, networking. hnoj.org/career-transition-group
CALENDAR submissions DEADLINE: Noon Thursday, 14 days before the anticipated Thursday date of publication. We cannot guarantee a submitted event will appear in the calendar. Priority is given to events occurring before the next issue date. LISTINGS: Accepted are brief notices of upcoming events hosted by Catholic parishes and organizations. If the Catholic connection is not clear, please emphasize it in your submission. Included in our listings are local events submitted by public sources that could be of interest to the larger Catholic community. ITEMS MUST INCLUDE the following to be considered for publication: uTime and date of event uFull street address of event uDescription of event uContact information in case of questions ONLINE: THECATHOLICSPIRIT .COM/
CathSpMM-Jan14-2021.qxp_Layout 1 1/6/21 2:29 PM CALENDARSUBMISSIONS
Returning Summer 2021!
Caregivers support group — Third Thursdays: 6:30 p.m. at Guardian Angels, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. guardian-angels.org Natural Family Planning (NFP) — Learn Churchapproved methods to achieve or postpone pregnancy. Find classes at archspm.org/family or call 651-291-4489. Restorative Justice Groups — Monthly: 6:30–8 p.m. via Zoom. Open to all victim-survivors. First Mondays for those sexually abused by clergy as adults. Second Tuesdays for relatives and friends of clergy abuse victims. Third Mondays, victim-survivor support group. Third Wednesdays, survivor peace circle. Fourth Wednesdays, support group for men sexually abused by clergy or religious. Learn more at archspm.org/healing or call Paula Kaempffer at 651-291-4429.
Tickets on sale February 1st
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CEMETERY LOTS FOR SALE Resurrection: 1 plot/$1200; labtender@att.net Resurrection: 1 plot/$1000; Beverly.k@comcast.net Resurrection Cemetery: 6 adjoining lots. Market Value $1500/ea. Price $700/ea. Tory 203-253-1214 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES Part-time Law Office Receptionist in West St. Paul, Minnesota: Administrative support to attorney, paralegals, and office manager. Description, required qualifications, and skills listed at www.TrojackLaw.com. Contact John Trojack (651)451-9696.
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St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Catholic Student Center, Ames IA is actively seeking a full-time Director of Worship to energize and engage parishioners through music and liturgy for all parish celebrations. Full position description and application instructions are available at GOSTA.LINK/WORSHIP.
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20 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 11, 2021
THELASTWORD
‘Planting’
a solar garden
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
COURTESY NOVEL ENERGY SOLUTIONS
A drone captured the completed solar array at St. Joseph in Rosemount.
Rosemount parish looks to save thousands on electricity through leap in new technology By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
G
oing green is taking hold at St. Joseph in Rosemount. A newly completed solar array, known in the industry as a “solar garden,” will replace the use of fossil fuels in providing electricity for the church and school. In addition to the environmental benefits, it will help the parish save thousands of dollars in annual utility costs. That’s the primary reason parish leaders and Father Paul Kammen, St. Joseph’s pastor, agreed three years ago to make the move. The array, completed in January and consisting of 3,528 panels measuring 7½ feet by 3½ feet on 5 acres of parish ground next to the church and its school, is expected to save $15,000 to $20,000 a year, according to Randy Haney, parish director. It will generate an estimated one megawatt of electricity (1.25 kilowatt hours) per year, which is enough to power about 150 average-sized homes. The process began in 2017, when a parishioner approached Haney and other parish leaders about a company that specializes in building solar arrays for businesses, organizations and even small clusters of private homeowners. That led to meetings with executives from Novel Energy Solutions, founded in 2012 by Cliff Kaehler and his parents, Ralph and
Workers from Novel Energy Solutions install solar panels at St. Joseph Dec. 2.
Philomena Kaehler, Catholics who live near St. Charles, Minnesota, and two others who no longer are part of the company. They pitched a simple idea to St. Joseph: Allow the company to install solar panels free of charge, then pay only for electricity used. After seven years and up to the 20th year, the parish can buy the array from the company. If St. Joseph decides not to purchase it, Novel Energy Solutions removes the panels at no cost to the parish at the end of the 20th year. And, if more electricity than St. Joseph needs is generated, the company can sell that power to Xcel Energy. The projected electricity savings without any initial investment made it an attractive offer for St. Joseph to accept, Haney said. St. Joseph will be the first Catholic church in Minnesota to strike such a deal with the company, but Ralph Kaehler expects others to take a look, especially those who take environmental concerns seriously, including principles outlined in Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical on human ecology, “Laudato Si’: On Care for our Common Home.” “We need to go towards renewable energy,” said Kaehler, 59, who belongs to St. Charles Borromeo in St. Charles and owns a cattle farm. “It’s the next wave. It’s the stepping stone.” It also could be an educational tool for students at St. Joseph School, who now see the array from their classroom windows. Although the panels themselves are fenced off, students will be able to get close enough to examine them. Haney envisions students in science classes studying data on how much power is being generated by the array. Kaehler, who now works in business development for
Thank you Father Hessian for all your words of inspirationthat you have provided to the New Prague Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, Assembly #532. Congratulations on your 60th anniversary of your ordination, Father Hessian.
the company, likewise sees learning potential. “There’s a whole bunch of opportunity for kids to have real, live experience instead of (merely) reading about … something they’re not involved in,” he said. “I think it’s fun for them,” he added. “I get jazzed up about that side of it. I think there will be a couple of kids that will find a career or find some passion because of studying that solar (array), and they will get excited about” working in the industry. That’s exactly what happened for the Kaehler family. After working for multiple generations in cattle farming, they decided to branch out. Now, they are installing solar arrays throughout Minnesota and beyond, and have watched organizations not only use solar power but save money doing it. “We’re expanding nationwide. We’ll be working from coast to coast this year, from Oregon to Maine,” said Ralph Kaehler, who noted that the company has built about 200 arrays overall, with some capable of up to 10 megawatts in power generation. “We started eight years ago with five people, and there’s over 200 in the company now.” He said the St. Joseph project is unusual because of its size. Arrays often are limited because of a lack of land. But St. Joseph sits on 29 acres and easily had 5 acres to spare for a solar array. Other parts of the land are used for gardening programs, including an easement in the middle of the array. “It’s been quite the journey, and I’m blessed to be a part of it,” Haney said of the solar array project. “It took a lot of very smart, dedicated people to make all of this happen. And, I’m kind of looking forward to the fact that it may end up being a landmark in Rosemount.”
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