February 27, 2020 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
Legislative priorities Minnesota Catholic Conference outlines expectations, priorities for legislative session.
thecatholicspirit.com
Got marriage?
‘I DO’
— Page 6A
142 years of ministry Domincian Friars plan summer departure from Minneapolis parish they have served for decades. — Page 7A
Homegrown bishop Wide-ranging coverage of Bishop Donald DeGrood, a native of rural Faribault ordained Feb. 13 as bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. — Pages 1B–12B
Radio plays A special reading from radio plays about Christ’s life brings back memories as Dorothy L. Sayers’ work continues to inspire. — Page 9A
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Michelle and Patrick Borland join the recessional after Saturday evening Mass Feb. 22 at St. Joseph in Waconia, where they had their marriage convalidated by the pastor of St. Joseph, Father Stan Mader. The Borlands had a civil marriage in March 2000, and “always had planned to, at some point, get married in the Catholic Church,” said Patrick, 51, who became Catholic in 2011. The priest called forward the Borlands and six other couples who had accepted his recent invitation to celebrate their marriages according to the rites of the Church during the parish’s Mass. “When this opportunity came up, it seemed like a great opportunity to jump in with other couples and do it,” he said. Michelle, 46, a lifelong Catholic, said having their marriage recognized by the Church “brings God into our marriage more” and helps the two of them “feel a closer tie to each other.” For more on the event, which Father Mader labeled “My Big, Fat Catholic Wedding,” see story on page 10A.
Seminar: ‘Gender ideology’ spreads false idea of person By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
Water works Students at Mahtomedi school raise fish and grow vegetables in aquaponics lab. — Page 16A
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n a culture where public school policies are increasingly pushing parents out of important conversations about their child’s sexual identity and gender expression, Catholic educators need to take an opposite approach, speakers told two gatherings of pastors, Catholic school leaders and religious education directors Feb. 20-21. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, the seminar sought to explain the recent document from the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education on the danger of gender theory, “Male and Female He Created Them.” Catholic families are not immune to the
influences of “gender theory,” or the ideology that a person’s identity as male or female is independent of his or her biological sex, said Mary Rice Hasson, one of the featured speakers at the four-hour seminar. But those Catholic families deserve parishes and schools that support them with a vision of the human person rooted in the Church’s teaching, she said, not one that simply affirms a child’s desire to be known as someone opposite their biological sex or living on a gender spectrum. An attorney and fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., as well as the director of the Catholic Women’s Forum, Hasson said that Church leaders need to take their cue about how to deal with this issue from Pope Francis. Pope Francis has emphasized the
importance of pastoral accompaniment that “starts with the person,” while speaking clearly about gender ideology, calling it “wicked” and “a global war” on the family, she said. He has spoken of the need to combat gender theory as an ideology, as it seeks to erase the idea of family and the complementarity of men and women, Hasson said. The theory has spread internationally and been embraced by influential governments, businesses and advocacy groups, and its promoters often use intimidation to squelch a traditional view of creation, calling it bigotry, she said. Meanwhile, the number of people who identify as transgender or “non-binary,” meaning they don’t identify as either male or female, is growing, Hasson said, and PLEASE TURN TO IDENTITY ON PAGE 5A
Embrace the challenge 2020 ARCHDIOCESAN MEN’S CONFERENCE
Saturday, March 28, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. • Saint Thomas Academy, Mendota Heights register at www.archspm.org/events
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FEBRUARY 27, 2020
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Carlo did it with great love because he wanted everyone to love the Blessed Sacrament and place it first, something that he would do by going to Mass every day as well as participating in the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Antonia Salzano, the mother of Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian teenager whom Pope Francis has said is a role model for young men and women today. The pope advanced Acutis’ sainthood cause Feb. 22 after approving a miracle attributed to his intercession. Before his death from leukemia in 2006, Acutis was an average teen with an above-average knack for computers. He put that knowledge to use by creating an online database of eucharistic miracles around the world. Acutis is expected to be beatified sometime this year.
NEWS notes
20
The number of bands scheduled to play this year’s Cities 97.1 Basilica Block Party July 10-11 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis. The lineup was released Feb. 5 and includes headliners Sylvan Esso and Hippo Campus. The annual concert raises funds for the church’s preservation. For the full lineup and tickets, visit basilicablockparty.org. COURTESY CHORBISHOP SHARBEL MAROUN
HONORING ST. SHARBEL Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun, pastor of St. Maron in Minneapolis, presents a medallion of St. Sharbel to Pope Francis Feb. 20 during his ad limina visit in Rome. Chorbishop Maroun was in Rome Feb. 18-21, traveling with Eastern Rite bishops of Region 15 in the U.S. While there, he also met Patriarch Bechara Peter Cardinal Rai, head of the Maronite Catholic Church.
650
The number of seats in the Providence Academy Performing Arts Center at Providence Academy in Plymouth. The center will host the second run of “Catholic Young Adults: The Musical” July 25, 26 and 31 and Aug. 1, 2, 7 and 8. The musical was written by Father Kyle Kowalczyk, parochial administrator at St. Maximilian Kolbe in Delano; directed by Mary Shaffer, a parishioner of St. Michael in Stillwater; and composed by Brother JohnMarmion Villa, who has strong Twin Cities ties. It debuted in November at St. Agnes School auditorium in St. Paul. The last three of its six shows sold out. For more, visit missedtheboattheatre.com.
300
The amount in millions of dollars raised around the world by Catholic Relief Service’s Rice Bowl program since its inception in 1975. The cardboard boxes distributed in parishes and schools encourage families and students to enrich their Lenten experience through prayer, almsgiving and fasting. Visit crsricebowl.org to learn about issues of hunger and poverty. Twenty percent of donations stay in local dioceses; 75% goes to CRS projects across the globe.
68,860
The seating capacity for most games at the Minnesota Vikings’ U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, where a storied college football rivalry will come to an end next Nov. 7 between the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and St. John’s University in Collegeville. Three years ago, the Tommie-Johnnie game was played at Target Field in Minneapolis and drew an NCAA Division II record 37,355 fans. Last fall, the game was played at Allianz Field in St. Paul and drew a capacity crowd of 19,508. St. Thomas is leaving the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference next year, and St. Thomas and St. John’s currently play in the conference. This year’s football game will come 119 years after the first competition between the two universities. Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. March 13.
CNS
WOVEN WONDERS Tapestries designed by Renaissance master Raphael are pictured after being hung on a lower wall in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican Feb. 16. Ten enormous tapestries by Raphael were on display Feb. 17-23 in celebration of the 500th anniversary of the artist’s death in 1520. The display put “them in the place they were commissioned for in 1515 and where (some) were hung in 1519,” said Barbara Jatta, director of the Vatican Museums. The tapestries are normally displayed behind glass on a rotating basis elsewhere in the museums. The colorful and detailed tapestries depict the lives of Sts. Peter and Paul and events from the Acts of the Apostles. They were designed specifically to correspond to the frescoed images higher on the walls depicting scenes from the lives of Moses and Jesus, and Michelangelo’s images from the story of Genesis.
CORRECTIONS In the Feb. 13 edition, a story about Bishop Donald DeGrood misspelled the name of his uncle Donnie Noy and misstated the date the Holy See announced he had been named bishop, Dec. 12.
The Catholic Spirit is published semi-monthly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 25 — No. 4 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher MARIA C. WIERING, Editor-in-Chief JOE RUFF, News Editor
2
The number of terms in the Minnesota House of Representatives served from 2011-2015 by Kelby Woodard, recently named headmaster of St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, effective July 1. Woodard also has been an entrepreneur and business executive,and currently is founding president of Cristo Rey Dallas College Prep, which he helped establish in 2014.
366
The number of days in 2020 because it is a leap year. The additional day (Feb. 29) we get approximately once every four years is a way to adapt the calendar year to the astronomical year. But here is a fun fact: the present system of calculating leap years was designed around fixing the date of Easter. According to the Rev. James Weiss, associate professor of Church history at Boston College, in 1582 Pope Gregory XIII set about adjusting the calendar to bring the celebration of Easter to the time of year it was celebrated by the early Church. Today, most of the world uses the Gregorian calendar, named after that pope.
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 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3A
FROMTHEMODERATOROFTHECURIA ONLY JESUS | FATHER CHARLES LACHOWITZER
A real Lent
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iturgically, Lent is a season. Spiritually, some call it a way of life. Whether an inner journey or an inhouse parish pilgrimage, however we move through Lent — through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, works of mercy and penance — all are a means to bring us to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. This is a real Lent. At the foot of the cross is every sin, everything that is wrong and all that is evil. At the foot of the cross, the original sin of Adam and Eve is played out in all the atrocities of every chapter in every history. The end of a real Lent is when we come to the foot of the cross and see how the tears of the world are mixed with the earth. It is a muddy place. It is a place where it is easy to get stuck. It is natural to not want to see the worst in life. We would much rather avert our eyes and look instead for a glimpse of heaven. Yet it is only through the cross that we know the truth and the way to eternal life. It is only through faith that we have a vision that looks beyond the cross. It is our realized hope that every experience of Good Friday gives way to Easter Sunday. Every year. Every weekend. Through all challenging circumstances all the days of our lives. There is a tendency to want to skip past the cross and go right to the empty tomb. It is much easier to like lilies than a crown of thorns. But it is our humble condition that the end of Lent
Una verdadera Cuaresma
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itúrgicamente, la Cuaresma es una temporada. Espiritualmente, algunos lo llaman una forma de vida. Ya sea un viaje interior o una peregrinación parroquial interna, sin embargo nos movemos a través de la Cuaresma —a través de la oración, el ayuno, la limosna, las obras de misericordia y penitencia— son todos un medio para llevarnos al pie de la cruz de Jesucristo. Esta es una verdadera Cuaresma. Al pie de la cruz está todo pecado, todo lo que está mal y todo lo que es malo. Al pie de la cruz, el pecado original de Adán y Eva se desarrolla en todas las atrocidades de cada capítulo de cada historia. El fin de una verdadera Cuaresma es cuando llegamos a los pies de la cruz y vemos cómo las lágrimas del mundo se mezclan con la tierra. Es un lugar fangoso. Es un lugar donde es fácil quedarse atascado. Es natural no querer ver lo peor en la vida. Preferimos mirar hacia otro lado
and the end of our lives is at the foot of the cross. By our own efforts this is as far as we get. To be a disciple of Jesus Christ, we must go there, and there it ends. We need not be hopeless because we are helpless. We need not throw up our hands in total frustration. We need not shake a fist in anger. We need not bury our face in our hands as if the foot of the cross is all there is. In Matthew 14:30-31, Peter, drowning from a lack of faith, nevertheless called out to Jesus, “Lord, save me!” It is the same cry we make when we do a real Lent and dare to arrive at the foot of the cross. It is a real Lent when at the foot of the cross, stuck in the garbage heap of Gehenna, we nonetheless stretch out a trusting hand to Jesus and cry out, “Lord, save me!” Lent is when we move together to the sorrow of the cross. This is why the Lenten season isn’t a solo hike. It is also why Lent is not joyless. It is a real Lent when at the foot of the cross, with hands open to Jesus and lives open to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, we are led past the horrific to the beatific. Whether Lent is a season or the pilgrimage of life, when we come to the foot of the cross, the very hand of Jesus lifts us up and leads us past Calvary to Emmaus, where we recognize the person and real presence of the risen Christ in the breaking of the bread. From Exodus to the Promised Land, from Christmas to Pentecost, from birth to death, it is the hand of Jesus that leads us through all that is wrong, evil and false to all
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It is a real Lent when at the foot of the cross we take the very hand of the risen Christ to move beyond a Good Friday world to the joy and peace of an Easter people.
iSTOCK PHOTO | KEVRON2001
that is right, good and true. It is the reality of sin, suffering and death that disturbs our conscience and grieves our hearts. With eyes open to the voiceless and ears open to the cries of the poor, it is at the foot of the cross where we reach out to Jesus by reaching out in prayer and in service to others,
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Es una verdadera Cuaresma cuando al pie de la cruz tomamos la mano misma de Cristo resucitado para ir más allá de un mundo del Viernes Santo a la alegría y la paz de un pueblo pascual.
que mirar en su lugar para ver el cielo. Sin embargo, sólo a través de la cruz conocemos la verdad y el camino hacia la vida eterna. Es sólo a través de la fe que tenemos una visión que mira más allá de la cruz. Es nuestra esperanza realizada que cada experiencia del Viernes Santo dé paso al Domingo de Resurrección. Todos los años. Todos los fines de semana. A través de todas las circunstancias desafiantes todos los días de nuestra sión. Hay una tendencia a querer saltar más allá de la cruz e ir directamente a la tumba vacía. Es mucho más fácil gustar los lirios que una corona de espinas. Pero es nuestra humilde condición que el fin de la Cuaresma y el fin de nuestra vida esté al pie de la cruz. Por nuestros propios esfuerzos esto es lo más lejos que llegamos. Para ser discípulos de Jesucristo, debemos ir allí y allí termina. No necesitamos desesperanzar porque estamos indefensos. No necesitamos
levantar las manos con total frustración. No necesitamos sacudir un puño con ira. No necesitamos enterrar nuestra cara en nuestras manos como si el pie de la cruz es todo lo que hay. En Mateo 14:30-31, Pedro, ahogándose por falta de fe, sin embargo llamó a Jesús: “¡Señor, sálvame!” Es el mismo grito que hacemos cuando hacemos una verdadera Cuaresma y nos atrevemos a llegar a los pies de la cruz. Es una verdadera Cuaresma cuando al pie de la cruz, atrapado sin en el montón de basura de Gehenna, sin embargo extendemos una mano de confianza a Jesús y gritamos: “¡Señor, sálvame!” La Cuaresma es cuando nos movemos juntos al dolor de la cruz. Esta es la razón por la que la temporada de Cuaresma no es una caminata en solitario. También es por eso que la Cuaresma no es desdichada. Es una verdadera Cuaresma cuando al pie de la
preferentially to those most in need. The unborn. The unloved. The unincluded. It is a real Lent when at the foot of the cross we take the very hand of the risen Christ to move beyond a Good Friday world to the joy and peace of an Easter people.
cruz, con las manos abiertas a Jesús y vive abierta al poder transformador del Espíritu Santo, somos guiados más allá de lo horrible a lo beatífico. Si la Cuaresma es un tiempo o la peregrinación de la vida, cuando llegamos a los pies de la cruz, la misma mano de Jesús nos eleva y nos lleva más allá del Calvario a Emaús, donde reconocemos la persona y la presencia real de Cristo resucitado en la ruptura del pan. Del éxodo a la tierra prometida, de la Navidad a Pentecostés, del nacimiento a la muerte, es la mano de Jesús la que nos guía a través de todo lo que está mal, malo y falso a todo lo que es correcto, bueno y verdadero. Es la realidad del pecado, del sufrimiento y de la muerte lo que perturba nuestra conciencia y aflige nuestros corazones. Con los ojos abiertos a los sin voz y los oídos abiertos a los gritos de los pobres, es al pie de la cruz donde extendemos la mano a Jesús extendiendo la mano en la oración y en el servicio a los demás, preferentemente a los más necesitados. Los no nacidos. El no amado. Lo no incluido. Es una verdadera Cuaresma cuando al pie de la cruz tomamos la mano misma de Cristo resucitado para ir más allá de un mundo del Viernes Santo a la alegría y la paz de un pueblo pascual.
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LOCAL
Dads and daughters
SLICEof LIFE DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Travis Amiot of St. Michael in Stillwater takes a turn on the dance floor with his daughters Clare, center, and Audrey during the Father and Daughter Dance Feb. 21 at St. Mary in Stillwater. The event drew more than 100 dads and daughters, with Travis bringing his five, plus his father, Tom Amiot, who came from Warroad to help with dancing duties. “I think it’s amazing,” Travis said of the event. “For me, it’s probably one of the more powerful things that we do every year. In there, I see all these amazing dads that are trying to live out their Catholic faith. And, it’s just awesome to be surrounded by them.”
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THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 5A
Guidelines for Catholic education affirm students’ sexual identity as biological sex By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit Catholic educators have a charge to teach that a person’s sexual identity is a gift from God that cannot change and resist cultural tides toward “gender theory,” according to new guiding principles the state’s bishops released publicly Feb. 20. The three-page document, “Guiding Principles for Catholic Schools and Religious Education Concerning Human Sexuality and Sexual Identity” was approved by the bishops of the Minnesota Catholic Conference and presented Feb. 20-21 as part of a four-hour “Emerging Questions in Catholic Education” seminar for pastors and Catholic educators in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Quoting the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other documents, including Pope Francis’ encyclical “Laudato Si’,” the guiding principles affirm that men and women are created in God’s image, and that is the source of each person’s most important identity: that the body reveals each person as male or female; and that “the harmonious integration of a person’s sexual identity with his or her sex is an expression of the inner unity and reality of the human person made body and soul in the image and likeness of God.” Catholic schools and religious education programs in Minnesota dioceses are to relate to students “in a way that is respectful of and consistent with each student’s God-given sexual identity and biological sex,” the document states. It offers guidance to schools on how to reflect this teaching in their policies, procedures, resources, employee training and assistance to families. The document states: 1. “All school policies, procedures, resources, employee training, and assistance given to families are consistent with the Church’s teaching on the dignity of the human person, including human sexuality. Reflective of a commitment to a culture of transparency and understanding, these policies will be
IDENTITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A medical and psychological standards of care in the U.S. now favor assisting children experiencing identity confusion in changing their bodies to affirm their desired gender identity, regardless of parents’ wishes. In Minnesota, public schools are expected to affirm the gender expressions of students who identify as transgender or “gender nonconforming,” said Emily Dahdah, associate director of catholic education for the archdiocese. The Minnesota Department of Education’s 2017 “Toolkit for Ensuring Safe and Supportive Schools for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students,” the document on best practice recommendations for the state’s public schools, states that schools should relate to students according to the student’s “gender identity” instead of his or her biological sex. The approach to these issues in the toolkit forms the basis for the training of teachers on the topic of gender identity according to the state’s new culture competency for teacher relicensure, Dahdah said. Some districts’ policies are thoroughly grounded in gender theory in their understanding of the human person, she said, noting that the policies begin with a list of definitions, “because the policies otherwise don’t make sense from a worldview outside of the one proposed by gender theory.” Dahdah explained that these policies require that students be addressed by their preferred pronouns and allowed to use facilities, such as bathrooms and
made available in writing to members of the school community by way of inclusion in relevant handbooks, agreements and statements.” 2. “Student’s name and pronouns usage will correspond to his/her sexual identity,” defined in the document as “a person’s identity as male or female that is congruent with one’s sex.” 3. “Student access to facilities and overnight accommodations will align with his/her sexual identity.” 4. “Eligibility for single-sex curricular and extracurricular activities is based on the sexual identity of the child.” 5. “Expressions of a student’s sexual identity are prohibited when they cause disruption or confusion regarding the Church’s teaching on human sexuality.” 6. “The consciences of students and employees will be respected with the assurance of their inviolable right to the acknowledgement that God has created each person as a unity of body and soul, male or female, and that God-designed sexual expression and behavior must be exclusively oriented to love and life in marriage between one man and one woman.” 7. “Schools communicate with parents or guardians about their child’s behavior at school and inform them of any concerns relating to the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual health, safety, or welfare of their child, except when advised otherwise by law enforcement or a social service agency.” Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy voice of the state’s bishops, posted the document Feb. 20 on its website, mncatholic.org. It was adopted by the state’s bishops in June 2019 and has already been introduced to clergy and educational leaders in three other Minnesota dioceses: Duluth, New Ulm and Winona-Rochester. The guiding principles are not policies, but instead serve as the framework that guides the development of policies, handbooks, teacher contracts and other materials at the diocesan and local level. The translation of the principles into concrete
locker rooms, and overnight accommodations “consistent with their gender identity” which may or may not be the same as the students’ biological sex. Students must also be allowed to play on sports teams according to their gender identity, not biological sex. Some district policies require district staff to honor a child’s request to use names, pronouns, bathrooms and locker rooms that align with a student’s declared gender identity regardless of parental consent. “In a local public school district in the Twin Cities, school employees are expected to affirm a child’s desire (to express an identity that differs from his or her biological sex) ‘regardless of parental consent.’ This phrase ‘regardless of parental consent’ occurs over and over again in the district’s written expectations for how district staff will implement the gender inclusion policy,” Dahdah said. She explained that in these procedures, staff are told to let the child determine how information about a child’s gender identity is shared with parents. “So if John — who is a biological male and desires to assert a female gender identity — wants to be called Mary, the child can tell the teachers to call ‘her’ Mary at school, but refer to the child as John when speaking with the child’s parents,” she said. Beyond guidelines and policies about how public schools are expected to relate to people who identify as transgender or gender nonconforming, gender theory permeates public school culture, Hasson said. “One thing that parents erroneously
policies is within the discretion of each individual diocese. “The bishops are unified in their approach regarding the relevant principles that should govern questions of sexual identity,” said Jason Adkins, MCC executive director. “As dioceses and schools instantiate their policies in different formats, it is up to each individual diocese to work with schools, parishes and ministries to put the principles into practice.” MCC also paired the guidelines with the bishops’ 2014 model anti-bullying policy. “Catholic schools and parishes work to ensure the dignity of every person is respected,” the MCC website states. “Recognizing that each person is created in the image and likeness of God is the surest way to ensure that dignity is respected and safe environments are fostered.” Leaders emphasized that the Church’s view of sexual identity should lead to compassion and pastoral accompaniment for people struggling with confusion about their sexual identity or gender dysphoria. After Pope Francis began writing about the issue in 2015, the state’s conference of bishops began to take a “hard look at the issue” with the goal of providing clear, unified teaching. The guidelines, Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens said, both reflect Pope Francis’ teaching as well as respond to the direction of the Holy See’s Congregation for Catholic Education, which released a document in June 2019 addressing gender theory, “Male and Female He Created Them: Towards a Path of Dialogue on the Question of Gender Theory in Education.” With the guiding principles, the Minnesota bishops aimed to provide practical guidance for school and parish leaders. Bishop Cozzens emphasized that when parents send their children to Catholic schools, they expect the schools to help them raise their children according to the truth, and that includes their God-created identity as his sons and daughters made in his image, with bodies that speak to God’s vision for his or her relationship to God, oneself and others.
assume is that they can opt their kids out of problematic content, or they can shield their kids from problematic content. The problem is, this is coming in through the culture of the school,” she said. “You can’t opt out of culture, and so it is changing the way our kids are thinking in every way: the vocabulary that’s used, the celebrations that occur, then being forced to use someone’s chosen name or pronoun. “An insidious aspect of what’s going on in public schools is that parents are being kept in the dark. They’re being shut out of the conversation,” she continued. “Schools are judging whether parents are safe to be brought into the conversation of whether their child is going to be transitioned at school, whether that child’s going to be allowed to assume a different name and be treated like the opposite sex. That’s tremendously dangerous.” However, in the dissonance between the Catholic worldview and gender theory, Hasson cautioned the audience to “presume the best of even those with whom we disagree.” “Because what we do share is a common desire to alleviate people’s suffering, to help people find a way to flourish in what can be a very confusing culture,” Hasson said. Catholics should, however, be aware that advocacy organizations are targeting Christians “to find people of goodwill who acknowledge the dignity of every person, who have hearts of compassion, who want to help,” she said. “But then what we’re seeing is that people with an agenda are telling us what to believe,
telling us what our faith should teach.” The seminar on sexual identity and gender theory was the first in a new annual series, Emerging Questions in Catholic Education, organized by the Archdiocesan Office for the Mission of Catholic Education. Held at St. Maron in Minneapolis, the event included Hasson and two other featured speakers: Dr. Monique Robles, a pediatric critical care physician who outlined bioethical issues around medical treatment of patients who identify as transgender, and Theresa Farnan, a moral philosopher who provided theological and pastoral context for gender theory. The seminar also included remarks from local leaders and a panel Q&A discussion. In addition to the speakers and panelists, Archbishop Bernard Hebda gave welcome remarks, and Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens, the archdiocese’s vicar for Catholic education, spoke about the Minnesota bishops’ new guiding principles from the state’s Catholic bishops on human sexuality and sexual identity in Catholic schools and religious education programs. Those guiding principles for Catholic school leaders, pastors and religious education directors counsel them to affirm an individual’s “sexual identity,” or biological sex, and to involve parents if concerns arise about a student’s expression of his or her sexual identity. (See related story above.) The seminar was offered twice, Feb. 20 and 21: the first day for principals and pastors with schools, and the second day for parish religious education directors and pastors without schools.
6A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
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FEBRUARY 27, 2020
MCC outlines priorities, expectations in legislative session Interview by Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit A divided state government and looming November elections will flavor initiatives and debate in the Minnesota Legislature as lawmakers convene at the State Capitol in St. Paul over the next four months. A bonding bill is likely to pass; finding compromises and common ground in other areas in an election year will determine how much more gets done, said Jason Adkins, executive director and general counsel of the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the state’s bishops. The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party holds the majority in the House and Gov. Tim Walz is a Democrat; Republicans control the Senate. All 201 seats in the House and Senate are up for election in November. Much of lawmakers’ heavy lifting took place last year, the first year of the twoyear session, when legislators passed and Walz signed a $48.5 billion budget bill. Highlights of the session’s second half, which opened Feb. 11 and is expected to close May 18, will likely include lawmakers discussing what best to do with a projected $1.3 billion budget surplus. Handled separately from the budget, the bonding bill would allow the state to borrow money needed to repair bridges and roads, upgrade sewer and water systems, and maintain state buildings. Walz has proposed borrowing a record $2 billion for public works projects, including a record $270 million for affordable housing initiatives. House Democrats have suggested borrowing $3.5 billion, while Republicans have suggested $1 billion or less. MCC will be advocating for a number of proposals, Adkins said in the following email interview.
“Every year we have 800 or more people gather from metro, suburban and greater Minnesota,” said Otteson, whose coalition includes organizations that provide emergency services and longterm housing initiatives.
to low income families that allows them to receive a refundable tax credit (like a subsidy) for expenses they incurred in making private school tuition payments. Gov. Walz said no to the “opportunity scholarship” tax credit that we proposed last year, which induced donations to foundations offering scholarships by offering a tax credit for the donations. So, this year, with our partners at Opportunity for All Kids (OAK) we are bringing forward a new proposal that gives the credit directly to low-income families. School choice is a vital civil rights issue in light of the persistent academic achievement gap between white students and students of color. We refuse to take “no” for an answer, and we will continue to come back year after year with new proposals. Kids can’t wait for some imaginary futures where the problems in public schools are fixed because there is funding. For one, the lack of funds isn’t necessarily the problem, and funding has already been increasing steadily. Further, the one-size-fits-all school system model doesn’t serve the diversity of children, needs and learning styles. Families need more choices. Those interested in getting more engaged can join the Catholic Advocacy Network (mncatholic.org) or get more information at opportunityforallkids.org. More than anything, we need to let Gov. Walz know that standing in the way of real education reform is a disservice to kids and families.
MCC is among financial supporters and promoters of Homeless Day on the Hill, and it advocates for meeting the needs of the homeless and creating affordable housing.
Q The bishops have backed efforts, in
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
From left, Jack Lawlis and Jason Adkins of the Minnesota Catholic Conference stand inside the State Capitol building Feb. 19 as they begin work during the current legislative session. Adkins is the executive director and general counsel, and Lawlis is the policy and outreach coordinator.
HOMELESS DAY ON THE HILL Minnesota Catholic Conference is a co-sponsor of a day of lobbying March 11 at the State Capitol on the need to increase funding for emergency shelters and create more affordable housing. Organized by the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, the day will start at 8 a.m. at Central Presbyterian Church, 500 Cedar St. in St. Paul. It includes a 9 a.m. program and training on lobbying and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. visits to legislators at the Capitol, said Rhonda Otteson, executive director of the nonprofit coalition.
Otteson said legislative goals this year include $50 million in additional funding for emergency shelters, a $15 million increase for emergency services programs, such as motel vouchers, and $500 million in bonds for affordable housing. “We know shelters save lives, and housing ends homelessness,” she said.
Q How much of a role might the
divided state government and upcoming November elections play in what lawmakers try to get done this legislative session?
A It will likely be decisive. Minnesota
has the only legislature in the United States divided along partisan lines. The ability of lawmakers to strike compromises and find common ground for the common good will determine how much gets done. It is likely that most legislative activity in each body will end up being public positioning for the election. One important piece of information for which everyone at the Capitol waits is the state fiscal forecast, which will be released Feb. 27. That forecast will determine how much money is available for spending projects or tax relief. A bonding bill, which allows the state to finance construction projects, is the biggest piece of legislation likely to pass this year.
Q What are some of the key issues
MCC will be lobbying for this year and how can Catholics help?
A Promoting school choice and
combating the legalization of assisted suicide will remain at the top of our list. Other issues on which we are focused
and that will be a part of the conversation at the Capitol this year include gambling expansion and the legalization of recreational marijuana (we’re opposed); bonding for housing and clean water; funding for emergency shelter and anti-poverty efforts; and ensuring that any bans on so-called “conversion therapy” do not become overly broad bans on counseling that prevent young people from accessing the professional services they need for hope and healing. The real “conversion therapy” that should be banned is sex change therapies for children, such as hormone treatments and surgeries, which leave kids mutilated and harmed for life. Unfortunately, as was seen recently in South Dakota, even red-state legislators don’t have the appetite for taking on gender identity ideology when it aligns itself with big business and corporate health care. Gun-related bills will receive plenty of attention, but the likelihood of something passing is small. The best way for Catholics to stay on top of what’s going on at the Capitol on issues of particular concern to our state’s bishops is to join the Catholic Advocacy Network. Becoming part of the Network allows people to join their voice to those of thousands of others in support or in
— Joe Ruff
opposition to key legislation impacting human dignity and the common good. With the click of a mouse, you can send a message to your legislator. Often, people don’t know what to say, and don’t know when to say it, so they don’t say anything at all. We hope the Network removes a big barrier to participation by offering a pre-crafted message on a key issue that can be personalized. To sign up, go to mncatholic.org. We encourage people to befriend their legislators and not just be demanding things from them. Legislators need us as a resource to help them identify issues and which ones are the most important to their constituents. In other words, the political process is about showing up.
Q Legislation to help Catholics and
others afford to send their children to the school of their choice has been important to the bishops and others in Minnesota. What form are those initiatives taking this session? Why is this such an important issue for the Church?
A A good education should not depend
on your ZIP code or socio-economic status. Therefore, as in past years, we are advocating a tax credit proposal targeted
light of the country’s broken immigration system, to allow undocumented immigrants living in Minnesota to obtain driver’s licenses, so they can be properly insured, work and go to school. Do you anticipate that effort being renewed in the coming months? How does the MCC respond to critics who argue that people in this country illegally should not be given the right to drive?
A Proposals to provide provisional
driver’s licenses to undocumented persons are not likely to pass this year. Still, it is important that affected persons, clergy, and people in the pew share their support for this proposal with state legislators. The political landscape may be more hospitable in 2021, and we must keep tilling the soil. We (MCC staff) have been putting together groups of undocumented persons, DREAMers and priests to visit with legislators. Hearing stories and testimonies from constituents has made an impact on legislators. When we engage in the politics of encounter, as Pope Francis calls it, we are able to embrace new perspectives and identify new paths forward. Regarding those who object to immigrant driver’s licenses, I would note that there is almost zero chance that the majority of undocumented persons will be deported. They are here to stay. Therefore, the question, in light of the inability of Congress to pass CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
LOCAL
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 7A
After 142 years, Dominican Friars leaving Minneapolis parish By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit After 142 years of serving the parish they founded, the Dominican Friars plan to leave Holy Rosary/Santo Rosario in Minneapolis effective June 30. In a letter to parishioners at weekend Masses Feb. 22-23, the religious order cited personnel limitations and new directions for its ministry. “We have served the people of this unique, evolving parish to the best of our ability, including Irish, German, Italian, Hmong, Vietnamese, Native American, Somali and Latino immigrants. Even when resources were limited, we provided strong, pastoral leadership,” Father James Marchionda, prior provincial for the Dominican Friars’ Chicago-based Central Province, wrote to parishioners. “Please know that the Dominicans will remain forever grateful for the privilege of serving you and will always hold the people of this parish in our hearts,” Father Marchionda said. “We have a tremendous love for this parish and a great history.” Among other factors, results from a recent provincial planning process showed that young friars are more inclined to serve in university teaching roles and campus ministry than parishes, Father Marchionda told The Catholic Spirit in an interview Feb. 24. The Dominicans will continue working
LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE comprehensive immigration reform, is how we can assist those persons living among us, who want to drive safely to church, work and school, and not fear being permanently separated from their families? A driver’s license makes it easier to meet the basic necessities of life, particularly in rural areas without public transportation. Do we want to consign people to the shadows of society and create a permanent underclass of persons who fear going out or working because they cannot bear to be deported? The Church’s immigration advocacy focuses on keeping families together, and the driver’s license issue is an important component of that advocacy at a statewide level.
Q A hearing was held last year in the
lead-up to this legislative session on allowing physician-assisted suicide in Minnesota. Do you anticipate this gaining traction in this half of the session? Please share some of the reasons that fellow Catholics can share on why the Catholic Church is opposed to assisted suicide.
A We were pleased with how the
information hearing went in September, as the Minnesota Alliance for Ethical Healthcare, our partner coalition of over 50 organizations, assembled a great group of voices to speak against the bill and raise real doubts in the minds of legislators about the wisdom of the proposal. When care is expensive and killing is cheap, which one do we think will prevail in a service increasingly
MARIA WIERING | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Holy Rosary/Santo Rosario Church in Minneapolis. with the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to help achieve as smooth a transition as possible for the parish, Father Marchionda said. In an accompanying letter to parishioners, Archbishop Bernard Hebda said he continues to be inspired by the
leadership of Father Marchionda and Holy Rosary’s pastor, Dominican Father P. Gerardo Stookey, and he is grateful to the Dominican Friars for their decades of service. He noted how the religious order has ministered to and cared for thousands of people, making a
dominated by financial considerations? Protecting the “choice” of a select few will likely endanger the health care choices of the rest of us. We believe the proposal is dead for this year. Still, the bill’s proponent, Compassion & Choices, has enormous amounts of money and will return annually with a new bill. Legalizing assisted suicide is a terrible proposal that will endanger the poor, elderly, disabled and vulnerable. Nothing could be more indicative of the throwaway culture that Pope Francis has decried.
the governor has proposed $270 million in bonds for housing initiatives. What role might MCC play this session in advocating for affordable housing?
Q Last year, MCC and others were able to help prevent a proposal from advancing that would have required certain sexual education mandates in Minnesota schools. Do you expect these to come up again this session? What are some of the concerns around this education proposal?
A The House of Representatives included a provision on “comprehensive sex education” (CSE) in its education finance omnibus bill. It was struck from the final bill. Regardless of any action the House takes, it will likely not pass in the Senate. One of its main proponents is Planned Parenthood, and it’s hard to draw the conclusion from CSE’s use in other states that the programming is anything other than sexualizing young people and grooming them for a lifetime of promiscuity and heartbreak. CSE is certainly not encouraging young people to limit their sexual activity to the lifelong, fruitful union of one man and one woman.
Q A lack of affordable housing is a
growing concern in Minnesota, and
A There really is a housing crunch in
Minnesota right now that is driving up housing costs, so initiatives to stimulate the creation of more affordable housing are important. It’s an issue that is becoming less partisan. Most legislators are hearing from their constituents about the issue. Our partner organization, the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, held a legislative summit on Feb. 20 specifically for faith leaders to help them become advocates for more affordable housing. We should not forget the most destitute, either. There is a lack of emergency shelter services and supports for the homeless. The Emergency Service Program (ESP) is the most flexible source of funds for Minnesota’s shelter providers to respond to the unsheltered crisis and, along with Catholic Charities and other anti-poverty organizations, MCC is supporting an increase in funding for the program.
Q MCC has expressed concerns in the
past about efforts to legalize recreational marijuana. What are MCC’s primary arguments against this effort? What kind of attention might lawmakers give to this issue this year?
A Recreational marijuana would hurt
many Minnesotans, in particular, young people, the poor and the vulnerable. In Colorado, legalization led to an increased number of traffic accidents, higher rates of arrests for marijuana among African American and Hispanic
true difference in their lives and in the life of the community. The archbishop also said he is grateful that the Dominican Friars will continue to serve in other areas of the archdiocese. Archbishop Hebda said the archdiocese is working with Holy Rosary parishioners, leadership and staff to discern next steps. “We will together explore the parish’s role in the neighborhood and its particular relationship with our Spanishspeaking sisters and brothers who have found a home at Holy Rosary,” the archbishop said. “We will together discern how we can best serve them and the broader community.” Founded in 1878, the parish serves a number of immigrant and refugee communities, and it offers Masses in English and Spanish. Its ministries include a youth program, an Altar and Rosary Society, adult religious education, English classes for adults and after-school programs for students that focus on academics and music. In addition to Father Stookey, Dominican Friars currently serving in the archdiocese include the pastor at St. Albert the Great in Minneapolis and the parochial administrator at St. Rita in Cottage Grove, Father Marchionda said. In addition, a Dominican priest teaches homiletics at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, and two priests teach and serve with a Dominican brother in campus ministry at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
children, and an increased prevalence of marijuana in youth suicide toxicology screenings. Marijuana consumption also increases one’s risk for psychotic disorders, causes cognitive decline, and is linked to a wide range of health issues. The harms of marijuana are welldocumented; numerous community leaders and organizations throughout Minnesota have taken a stance in opposition to recreational marijuana. Public policy should further the wellbeing of all those in society, and it should prioritize especially the needs of the poor and vulnerable. Lawmakers must not sacrifice the common good in the name of satisfying the recreational interests of the few who have the financial means to buy themselves out of the consequences of frequent marijuana use.
Q Anything you would like to add? A Yes. Though our Catholics at the
Capitol event will not return until spring 2021, we are still hosting some exciting faithful citizenship trainings this year. On May 6, MCC will host an “Advocacy and Adoration” day at the Capitol. It’s an opportunity for Catholics to meet with legislators about key issues as the session winds down, as well as visit our Lord in the Capitol and pray for our elected officials and our state. The following day, May 7, we will host a Capitol 101 training, followed by a prayer service in the Rotunda for National Day of Prayer. A separate Capitol 101 training will be held April 16. For more information, visit mncatholic.org or sign up for the Catholic Advocacy Network.
8A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
NATION+WORLD
Pope shares ‘dreams’ for Amazon region By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Pope Francis said he dreams of an Amazon region where the rights of the poor and indigenous are respected, local cultures are preserved, nature is protected, and the Catholic Church is present and active with “Amazonian features.” In his apostolic exhortation “Querida Amazonia” (“Beloved Amazonia”), Pope Francis made no mention of the idea of ordaining married men to the priesthood so that far-flung Catholic communities would have regular access to the Eucharist. Instead, he said “every effort should be made to ensure that the Amazonian people do not lack this food of new life and the sacrament of forgiveness.” “A specific and courageous response is required of the Church” to meet the needs of Catholics, he said, without dictating what that response would be. Having a Church with “Amazonian features,” he said, will require greater efforts to evangelize, official recognition of the role women have and continue to play in the region’s Catholic communities, a respect for popular forms of piety and greater efforts to inculturate the Catholic faith in Amazonian cultures. In the document, released Feb. 12, Pope Francis did not mention the theft during the synod of wooden statues of a pregnant woman, usually referred to by the media as “pachamama” or described as a symbol of life and fertility by synod participants. But he insisted, “Let us not be quick to describe as superstition or paganism certain religious practices that arise spontaneously from the life of peoples.” The pope devoted several long passages to the theme of “inculturation,” the process by which the faith becomes “incarnate” in a local culture, taking on local characteristics that are in harmony with the faith and giving the local culture values and traits that come from the universal Church. “There is a risk,” he said, “that evangelizers who come to a particular area may think that they must not only communicate the Gospel but also the culture in which they grew up.” Instead, he said, “what is needed is courageous openness to the novelty of the Spirit, who is always able to create something new with the inexhaustible riches of Jesus Christ.” One of the characteristics of many Catholic communities in the Amazon, he wrote, is that, in the absence of priests, they are led and sustained by “strong and generous women, who, undoubtedly called and prompted by the Holy Spirit, baptized, catechized, prayed and acted as missionaries.” While the idea of ordaining women deacons was mentioned at the synod, it was not included in the bishops’ final document. In his exhortation, Pope Francis said the idea that women’s status and participation in the Church could come only with ordination “would lead us to clericalize women, diminish the great value of what they have already accomplished and subtly make their indispensable contribution less effective.” Instead, he called for including women in roles “that do not entail holy orders,” but that are stably established, publicly recognized and include “a commission from the bishop” and a voice in decision making. Peppered with poetry praising the region’s beauty or lamenting its destruction, much of the document looks at the exploitation of the Amazon region’s indigenous communities and poor inhabitants and the destruction of its natural resources. The destruction of the forest, the polluting of the Amazon River and its tributaries and the disruption and contamination of the land by mining industries, he said, further impoverish the region’s poor, increase the chances that they will become victims of trafficking and destroy their communities and cultures, which are based on a close and care-filled relationship with nature. “The inescapable truth is that, as things stand, this way of treating the Amazon territory spells the end for so much life, for so much beauty, even though
AMAZON PRIEST SHORTAGE In his apostolic exhortation “Querida Amazonia,” Pope Francis acknowledged the serious shortage of priests in remote areas of the Amazon, but he insisted not all avenues have been exhausted to address the issue. Confronting the priest shortage simply by “facilitating a greater presence of ordained ministers who can celebrate the Eucharist” would be “a very narrow aim,” he said. The members of the Synod of Bishops for the Amazon in October asked Pope Francis to open the way for the priestly ordination of married permanent deacons so that Catholics in the region could go to Mass and receive the sacraments regularly. In response, Pope Francis wrote in his new document that the priest shortage must be seen as an opportunity for the Catholic Church to “awaken new life in communities.” “We need to promote an encounter with God’s word and growth in holiness through various kinds of lay service that call for a process of education — biblical, doctrinal, spiritual and practical — and a variety of programs of ongoing formation,” he said. In an interview with Vatican News Feb. 12, Cardinal Michael Czerny, who served as secretary of the synod in October, said Pope Francis believes that “the question is not one of numbers and that a greater presence of priests is not the only requirement.” “What is needed is a presence of laypeople at the local level who are animated by a missionary spirit and capable of representing the authentic face of the Amazonian Church. This, he seems to indicate, is the only way that vocations will return,” he said. Cardinal Czerny told journalists that while there is no mention in the pope’s document of ordaining married men to the priesthood or of women deacons, the pope “has not resolved them in any way beyond what he has said in the exhortation.” Pope Francis urged bishops, especially in Latin America, to encourage those who wish to be missionaries “to opt for the Amazon region.” Much like in past exhortations, the pope drove the point home in the footnotes. “It is noteworthy that, in some countries of the Amazon Basin, more missionaries go to Europe or the United States than remain to assist their own vicariates in the Amazon region,” he said. While the shortage of vocations is an issue felt throughout the Church, even the severe shortages in places like the United States pale in comparison to their Amazonian counterparts. The Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, for example, has an estimated 900,000 Catholics and a total of 103 priests, which is an average of one priest for every 8,737 people. It has one of the lowest priest-to-Catholics ratios in the United States. In comparison, the Diocese of Caxias do Maranhao, Brazil, has only 25 priests for a population of 825,000 Catholics, an average of one priest for every 33,000 people. In his exhortation, the pope said that priests are essential for the full life of Catholic communities since they are the only ones who can consecrate the Eucharist and grant absolution in the sacrament of reconciliation. “If we are truly convinced that this is the case, then every effort should be made to ensure that the Amazonian peoples do not lack this food of new life and the sacrament of forgiveness,” he said. Nonetheless, Pope Francis also called for a renewal “of both initial and ongoing priestly formation” before considering other suggestions. — Catholic News Service
people would like to keep thinking that nothing is happening,” Pope Francis wrote. Yet, he said, “from the original peoples, we can learn to contemplate the Amazon region and not simply analyze it, and thus appreciate this precious mystery that transcends us. We can love it, not simply use it, with the result that love can awaken a deep and sincere interest. Even more, we can feel intimately a part of it and not only defend it.”
HEADLINES u Reconciling oneself to God leads to healing, pope says in Lenten message. Lent is a time for deeper dialogue with God through prayer, for renewed gratitude for God’s mercy and for increased compassion for people whose lives are under attack, Pope Francis said. Also, people must not only show generosity through charitable giving, but they should also work for a real structural change to today’s “economic life,” the pope said in his annual message for Lent, which begins Feb. 26 for Latin-rite Catholics. The Vatican released the text Feb. 24. Contemplating the great mystery of the death and resurrection of Jesus and putting it at the center of one’s life “means feeling compassion toward the wounds of the crucified Christ present in the many innocent victims of wars, in attacks on life from that of the unborn to that of the elderly, and various forms of violence,” the pope said in his message. Read the message at https://bitly/32ynEK0. u Jean Vanier had ‘manipulative’ sexual relationships with six women. The founder of the ecumenical L’Arche communities that provide group homes and spiritual support for people with intellectual disabilities used his status to have “manipulative” sexual relationships with at least six women, concludes an internal investigation commissioned by the organization. It reports “sincere and consistent testimony covering the period 1970-2005” from six adults, none of whom had disabilities. Vanier, who died in 2019, asked the women to keep their relations secret. The alleged acts with Vanier took place in Trosly-Breuil, France, where L’Arche was founded in 1964 and where Vanier and Father Thomas Philippe, Vanier’s spiritual director, lived almost permanently until their deaths. Father Philippe also sexually abused adult women who were not disabled; the organization learned about it in 2015, 22 years after the priest’s death. In a Church trial in the 1950s, the priest was banned from exercising any public or private ministry. The investigation reveals the depth of the relationship between Vanier and Father Philippe and says Vanier lied when he said he was unaware of the canonical sanctions against his mentor. u Pope, bishops discuss possible themes for 2022 synod. Pope Francis has decided the next general assembly of the Synod of Bishops will be held in the fall of 2022, but he has not announced the theme for the gathering, the Vatican said. Meeting with the pope Feb. 6-7, members of the ordinary council of the Synod of Bishops formally presented the pope with three possible themes and discussed the work accomplished by the council after the synod on young people in 2018, the Vatican said Feb. 15. While the themes proposed at the February meeting were not disclosed, the Vatican said the ordinary council did feel “the need to urgently express its solidarity with brothers and sisters involved with the tragedy of forced migration.” u Papal academy invites tech giants to support ethical guidelines for AI. The Pontifical Academy for Life has invited the leaders of Microsoft and IBM — two of the world’s leading developers of AI software — to sign a charter calling for an ethical framework and guidelines for the field of artificial intelligence. They were invited to a Vaticansponsored event Feb. 28 dedicated to “human-centric artificial intelligence” and to sign a joint “Call for AI Ethics.” The appeal will ask that particular “ethical principles be present in AI products that they develop, sell and use,” a papal academy member said Feb. 25. u As COVID-19 spreads, Holy Land Catholics concerned, but sites still open. After Israel reported that 18 people from a recent South Korean tour group were infected with COVID-19, a coronavirus, a spokesman for the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said officials were concerned how the diagnosis would affect Lenten and Easter pilgrimages. Israel has banned all flights from South Korea and Japan and said it would arrange a special flight for the approximately 1,000 South Koreans currently in Israel who are waiting to return home. Meanwhile, in northern Italy, the biggest two days of Venice’s “Carnevale” were canceled as were Ash Wednesday services and funeral Masses throughout the diocese. The number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country had risen to 219, including five people who died. The majority of cases were in the northern Italian region of Lombardy, whose capital is Milan. — Catholic News Service
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 9A
FAITH+CULTURE
1940s radio plays about Christ’s life continue to inspire C.S. Lewis was among fans By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit
B
enedictine Sister Virginia Matter fondly remembers listening to children’s radio programs on Saturday mornings as a youngster in the 1940s. “We didn’t have a television,” she said. “When I listened to the radio, I learned to use my imagination and envision what was going on,” said Sister Virginia, spiritual director at the Benedictine Center of St. Paul’s Monastery in Maplewood, which provides opportunities for spiritual direction, formation and retreats. “It was delightful.” Her memories resurfaced Feb. 11 when she participated in a group reading of excerpts from “The Man Born to be King,” a book of 12, 45-minute plays for children about Christ’s life originally performed on BBC radio in Great Britain from December 1941 to October 1942. The plays were written by Dorothy L. Sayers, best known as a writer of mystery novels but also a poet who wrote books about the Christian faith and translated Dante’s “Divine Comedy.” She was a friend of C.S. Lewis, who read “The Man Born to be King” every Holy Week. Katy Wehr, a Catholic musician, former faith formation coordinator at St. Mark in St. Paul and member of Holy Family in St. Louis Park, presented opening remarks on Sayers and led a 90-minute session during which the dozen participants read parts from several scenes in Sayers’ plays. They sat at conference tables pulled into a “U” to create an intimate, conversational setting. “Hearing (the speakers) reminded me of when I was a child listening to the radio,” Sister Virginia said. During the readings, she imagined each of the characters and life lived in the time of Christ. Wehr earned her doctoral degree in divinity in 2017 at the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.
Her dissertation was titled “Bible and Theology at Work: The Creative Energy of Dorothy L. Sayers’ ‘The Man Born to be King.’” Sayers’ purpose, Wehr said, was to help participants picture each character as a real person. The plays were intended to be heard, not read. “She wanted people to know that those in a Gospel story are not just people in a story,” Wehr said. “These were real people who lived real lives. They encountered Christ in real ways, whether meeting him on the street, hearing about him or hearing him teach.” Lent is a great time to read — or hear — the plays, Wehr said. “The plays try to show a bigger story of Christ’s coming, of who Christ is. That the Nativity is not just one event that happened, but the beginning of the story that ends with the Crucifixion and Resurrection.” The event at the Benedictine Center was one way to encourage more people to read the plays, Wehr said. “When they do, it makes them think about the Gospel stories in a new, more experiential way,” she said. The plays were controversial in their time. In 1941, by law in England, performances involving Jesus were to show him as a light from above or a voice heard offstage. When snippets about the plays were released before full airing, some feared that portraying Jesus interacting with others would sound blasphemous. Similarly, audiences were accustomed to actors speaking words directly from Scripture. Hearing that Sayers’ characters would speak conversational, contemporary English created an uproar. One newspaper headline read: “BBC radio plays in American gangster slang.” In Sayers’ plays, the disciples spoke in British dialects. The character of Matthew, for example, was written to speak in a cockney accent. Sayers’ intention was to emphasize that “Jesus was for everyone,” Wehr said. Sayers wanted to break through what she called “stained-glass window decorum,” Wehr said. “These are real people.”
“
People always surprise me by their deep reactions to different lines or ideas in the plays, and I get more out of the plays each time, too. Katy Wehr
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
PLAY EXCERPT The Virgin Mary on the road Christ walked to Calvary: “I know now what he is, and what I am ... I, Mary, am the fact; God is the truth; but Jesus is fact and truth — he is reality. You cannot see the immortal truth till it is born in the flesh of fact. ... From the beginning of time until now, this is the only thing that has ever really happened.” Play 11, “The King of Sorrows” from “The Man Born to be King: A Cycle of Plays on the Life of Jesus Christ” by Dorothy L. Sayers (Ignatius Press, 1990). Once the plays hit the radio waves, they were received positively, she said. The 12 plays cover Christ’s life from his birth to his death and resurrection. For example, plays nine through 12 depict the Last Supper, Jesus’ trial, his crucifixion and resurrection, including the disciples’ reaction to all that was happening. A longtime fan of Sayers’ mystery novels, Erin Sim of St. Albert the Great in Minneapolis said she participated in the reading to learn more about the
theological side of the author’s work. Sim said she especially admired how Sayers’ wording humanized the characters. “It gives them more life than Scripture does,” she said. “That appealed to me.” The last scene read at the Benedictine Center described Jesus reuniting and breaking bread with his disciples after his resurrection. It brought the characters to life, Sim said. “These people had lost their teacher, their friend,” she said. For example, “they understand the subtle hierarchy in a group of friends. ‘Of course, it hurt you the most, John. You were the closest to him.’” “People always surprise me by their deep reactions to different lines or ideas in the plays,” Wehr said, “and I get more out of the plays each time, too.” Wehr said Catholic theater, the arts and literature can do a lot to nurture spiritual growth. “God speaks to us in many different ways,” she said. “Even if people are not musicians, actors or dancers, God can use attending the arts to speak to us. And for people who are not artistic, often using the arts and our faith together becomes a kind of prayer.”
Catholics ‘unfriend’ social media, choose ‘digital detox’ for Lent By Tim Swift Catholic News Service No selfies. No cat videos. Not even an artfully composed photo of avocado toast. Come Ash Wednesday, Feb. 26, Sheila Wheltle’s social media accounts will go dark for 40 days. Her last post will read: “Gone for Lent ... See you at Easter.” More Americans are embracing the concept of a “digital detox” as social media becomes more ubiquitous and at times more harmful. Still others are disconnecting with a Catholic twist. Wheltle, a parishioner of St. Mark in Catonsville, Maryland, uses Facebook to connect with old friends. She grew up in Philadelphia and later moved to California. She loves how Facebook keeps her in touch with those far-flung friends, but she’s also set it aside for the past nine years during Lent. “As an extrovert, it really is a lot of
fun,” Wheltle told the Catholic Review, the media outlet of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. But she said, “Facebook is also a major distraction and time waster.” The tradition of giving up small pleasures for Lent, like sweets or coffee, goes back to the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying. Father Mark Bialek, pastor of St. John in Westminster, Maryland, said as Lent approaches he is hearing from more of his parishioners this year about the need to unplug. “It does seem to be a priority this year,” Father Bialek said. “You want to pick something that’s going to bring you closer to God, something that helps lessen all the distraction and noise. And certainly social media is a lot of distractions and noise.” Greg Hoplamazian, a professor of emerging media at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, said it is not surprising to see people consider digital
detoxes amid recent headlines about the negative effects of social media. Hoplamazian said platforms such as Facebook and Instagram want users engaging with their services constantly, but that’s not always a positive thing. “Social media platforms are really designed to hold our attention. That’s been the main focus: keep people on the platform longer,” Hoplamazian said. “But we might not get a lot of benefit. We lose free time. We lose the space for our minds to really just think and wander and be creative.” Hoplamazian said studies have shown that notifications from social media can actually trigger a rise in the feel-good chemical dopamine in the brain, giving people further incentive to stay online. Even though Wheltle admitted she’ll be missing some things over Lent — such as wishing some friends a happy birthday — she said the time off is worth it. “I’m sure others pick up the slack,” she said of
those Lent birthdays. Wheltle is a member of the Walking With Purpose group at St. Mark, which is now focusing on finding a sense of balance in everyday life. “The saved time can be spent completing undone tasks around the house, perhaps cooking more but also, as it is Lent, working on my prayer life and reading Scripture more,” Wheltle said. Father Bialek said even though social media provides more connections, too much of it can hurt the most meaningful ones, such as relationships with family and God. Hoplamazian said a break from social media can not only benefit people during the time away, but when they return. “There’s this fear of missing out that keeps people engaged, but when they step away and they realize, ‘Oh I didn’t really miss out on anything important,’” he said.
10A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FAITH+CULTURE
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Celebrating sacramental marriage in Waconia By Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit
T
here was a buzz before the 5:15 p.m. Mass Feb. 22 at St. Joseph in Waconia, as seven couples with corsages and floral bouquets gathered for the processional with Father Stan Mader, the pastor. After walking up the aisle to the sanctuary, Father Mader told the congregation that this Mass would be called “My Big, Fat Catholic Wedding.” Playing on the title of a romantic comedy released in 2002, Father Mader explained that seven couples who had been married in civil ceremonies would have their marriages convalidated — celebrating the sacrament of marriage according to the rites of the Church — during the Mass. He came up with the idea several months ago while talking with parish staff members about how to reach out to married couples. They searched their parish and school files to identify couples who had not gotten married in the Church, then invited them to have their marriages convalidated during Mass. Nine couples accepted, with seven able to make the Feb. 22 event. “Behind it all is wanting to support sacramental marriage,” Father Mader said. To prepare, couples were offered a three-hour session on marriage in the Church, and parishioners were notified of the event in the parish bulletin. A parishioner donated money to put on a dinner after Mass. Another parishioner, Dana Young, a professional photographer, volunteered to photograph the couples. And, one of the 14 involved in the ceremony, Regina Treml, a professional florist, provided bridal bouquets. “I just thought that way we could make it more of a ceremony,” said Regina, 48, owner of Belladonna Florist in Eden Prairie. Regina and her husband, Tony, were married in 2003 and have a son, John, who is a sixth-grader at St. Joseph Catholic School. “We wanted to get the marriage blessed, especially with John going through the school and learning more about the sacraments,” Regina said. In addition to having his marriage convalidated, Anthony Hauck became
Catholic during the Mass. He was confirmed and received first Eucharist, and in between those sacraments had his 14-year marriage to Trishia blessed. “It’s very overwhelming,” said Anthony, 43. “It’s been a long time in the making ... . It feels great.” Clare and Charlie Urbia were just married in December. Clare, 38, and a lifelong Catholic, talked to Father Mader shortly after their civil wedding, and was invited to the Feb. 22 Mass. “I was just thrilled to reconcile this with the Church,” Clare said. “You want to be in that state of grace when you receive the Eucharist. I just really wanted to do that.” For Justin and Amy Olivieri, the impetus for participating was their daughter, Angelina, 9, who started going to the parish school in December. “She really wanted to know more about God,” said Amy, 42. “We weren’t doing our job in that. When we toured
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Father Stan Mader blesses seven couples whose marriages were convalidated at Mass Feb. 22. the campus and the school, she loved it. So, really, this was driven by her.” Anne Reiner came to the Mass with her family. She said she felt “uplifted” watching the couples have their marriages convalidated. “I just think
marriage is something that kind of falls by the wayside these days,” she said. “So, I think ... even though they’ve been civilly married, to take that extra step to make it a sacramental marriage is just heartwarming.”
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 11A
FROMAGETOAGE
Preparing for the needs of an aging Minnesota By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit
“G
ood fences make good neighbors,” Robert Frost wrote mischievously in his poem, “Mending Wall.” Anna and Curtis Pribula of Fridley might beg to differ. Both attended Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Annual Social Justice Assembly Feb. 6, which this year focused on aging and was held at St. Catherine University in St. Paul. Titled, “In the Twilight of Life: Community, Poverty and Inequality in Aging,” the presentation centered on barriers people encounter when aging without a support system, the roles poverty and inequality can play, and the impact it has on the community. The number of seniors in Minnesota will grow significantly in the next decade, experts told the gathering of about 150 people. Catholic Charities and other organizations are using that kind of data to help meet anticipated needs for services, such as transportation and medical care. At the same time, informal caregivers, typically family members and friends, will continue to play a vital role in caring for seniors, experts said. Just ask the Pribulas, members of St. Lawrence Catholic Church and Newman Center in Minneapolis. At age 71, they understand how seniors might need help from outside services or informal caregivers, typically family members or friends. Younger neighbors shovel their snow and bring in their mail when they’re not home. They took Curtis to rehabilitation appointments after hip replacement surgery. “And my mother is 95, so we see it
from two perspectives,” Curtis said. The need for informal caregivers is expected to nearly double by 2040, said keynote speaker Allison Liuzzi, research manager at St. Paul-based Amherst H. Wilder Foundation and project director of foundation-led efforts under Minnesota Compass to track social and demographic trends. Other statistics from Liuzzi: uIn 2018, in 45 Minnesota counties, at least one in five residents was 65 or older. By 2030, seniors will represent one in five residents in 80 counties. uOne-third of older adults in households live alone. uOne-third of older adult-headed households pay too much for housing. uOne-third of older adults have at least one disability. Panel members included the moderator, Peter Cox, a reporter who covers issues related to seniors for Minnesota Public Radio; Melea Blanchard, program supervisor for Catholic Charities’ services for the elderly who are homeless; and Pahoua Yang Hoffman, executive director of the Citizens League in St. Paul. Blanchard said a growing older adult population and a crisis in affordable housing drive the need to talk about issues surrounding aging and poverty. “Our program is seeing both an increase in older adults needing our emergency shelters and an increase in the vulnerability of these individuals,” she said. There are more people with memory loss in shelters, for example, and a growing trend in “solo aging” — people who by choice or circumstance are without traditional family support, Blanchard said.
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Our program is seeing both an increase in older adults needing our emergency shelters and an increase in the vulnerability of these individuals. Melea Blanchard
LEARN MORE Catholic Charities’ Homeless Elders Program Working with Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Best Practices and Resources cctwincities.org/wp-content/uploads Citizens League What Does Home Look Like as We Age? callinghomemn.org Minnesota Compass
As executive director of the Citizens League, Hoffman said, she works to help shape public policy to meet people’s needs. Noting that her employer understands when she needs time off to take her mother to medical appointments, Hoffman said she is talking with other Minnesota employers about adopting similar policies. Those at the gathering, including supporters of Catholic Charites, representatives from partner agencies and people from the broader community, also held table discussions and participated in a Q&A session. Daniel Pollock, assistant commissioner for Continuing Care for Older Adults at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, said he attended the assembly to support community engagement. Pollock said he appreciated the information that was shared, including concerns about access to affordable transportation, and the personal conversations in small groups. “They were grappling with the burden of caregiving and wondering what (more) we can do as a state … to support family caregivers, particularly informal caregivers,” he said.
Aging Overview led by Wilder Research. mncompass.org/aging/overview Minnesota Public Radio Aging in Minnesota in 2019 Peter Cox, Angela Davis and Karen Zamora Search “Aging in 2019” at mprnews.org
GET INVOLVED Catholic Charities Advocacy Workshops 7:30–9 a.m. March 4 St. Olaf 215 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis Or: 7:30–9 a.m. March 25 St. Paul Opportunity Center 422 Dorothy Day Place, St. Paul (Optional tour of the new building, 9–9:30 a.m.) RSVP: 612-647-2586 or joan.miltenberger@cctwincities.org Homeless Day on the Hill 9 a.m.–3 p.m. March 11 Central Presbyterian Church, 500 Cedar St., St. Paul and State Capitol, 75 Rev. Martin Luther King Drive, St. Paul Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless Contact Sumaya Hassan at 651-645-7332 or sumaya@mnhomelesscoalition.org
12A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FROMAGETOAGE
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Church must recognize the gifts of older Catholics, pope says By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service
O
ld age “is not a disease, it’s a privilege,” and Catholic dioceses and parishes miss a huge and growing resource if they ignore their senior members, Pope Francis said. “We must change our pastoral routines to respond to the presence of so many older people in our families and communities,” the pope told Catholic seniors and pastoral workers from around the world. Pope Francis addressed the group Jan. 31 near the end of a three-day conference on the pastoral care of the elderly sponsored by the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life. The Catholic Church at every level, he said, must respond to the longer life expectancies and changing demographics evident around the world. While some people see retirement as marking the time when productivity and strength decline, the 83-year-old pope said, for others it is a time when they are still physically fit and mentally sharp but have much more freedom than they had when they were working and raising a family. In both situations, he said, the Church must be there to offer a helping hand if needed, benefit from the gifts of the elderly and work to counter social attitudes that see the old as useless burdens on a community. When speaking with and about older Catholics, the Church cannot act as if
Pope Francis greets an elderly woman as he meets with people of the Banado Norte neighborhood in Asuncion, Paraguay, in this July 12, 2015, file photo. CNS
their lives only had a past, “a musty archive,” he said. “No. The Lord also can and wants to write new pages with them, pages of holiness, service and prayer.” “Today I want to tell you that the elderly are the present and tomorrow of the Church,” he said. “Yes, they are also the future of a Church, which, together with young people, prophesies and dreams. That is why it is so important that the old and the young talk to each other. It is so important.” “In the Bible, longevity is a blessing,” the pope noted. It is a time to face one’s fragility and to recognize how reciprocal love and care within a family really are, he said.
“Giving long life, God the Father gives time to deepen one’s awareness of him and to deepen intimacy with him, to draw closer to his heart and abandon oneself to him,” the pope said. “It is a time to prepare to consign our spirit into his hands, definitively, with the trust of children. But it also is a time of renewed fruitfulness.” In fact, the Vatican conference, “The Richness of Many Years of Life,” spent almost as much time discussing the gifts older Catholics bring to the Church as it did talking about their special needs. The conference discussion, the pope said, cannot be an “isolated initiative” but must continue at the national,
diocesan and parish levels. The Church, he said, is supposed to be the place “where the different generations are called to share God’s loving plan.” Just a few days before the feast of the Presentation of the Lord Feb. 2, Pope Francis pointed to the story of the elderly Simeon and Anna who are in the Temple, take the 40-day-old Jesus into their arms, recognize him as the Messiah and “proclaim the revolution of tenderness.” One message of that story is that the good news of salvation in Christ is meant for all people of all ages, he said. “So, I ask you, spare no effort in proclaiming the Gospel to grandparents and the elderly,” he said. “Go out to meet them with a smile on your face and the Gospel in your hands. Leave your parishes and go seek out the elderly who live alone.” While aging is not a disease, “solitude can be an illness,” he said. “But with charity, closeness and spiritual comfort, we can cure it.” Pope Francis also asked pastors to keep in mind that while many parents today do not have the religious formation, education or drive to teach their children the Catholic faith, many grandparents do. “They are an indispensable link in educating little ones and young people in the faith.” The elderly, he said, “are not only people we are called to assist and to protect in order to safeguard their lives, but they can be protagonists of evangelization, privileged witnesses of God’s faithful love.”
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 13A
FOCUSONFAITH SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER TROY PRZYBILLA
Protecting our identity as children of God Several years ago my car was broken into, and they stole a bag that contained all of my personal information. I began the process of trying to remember everything I needed to do and everyone I needed to call in order to protect myself from even more problems. If you have ever had this happen to you, you know how vulnerable it feels when someone steals your personal information. There is a lingering fear that the thieves will also try to steal your identity. Identity theft is a massive problem today. Companies make billions of dollars trying to help protect us from identity theft. In fact, I’m still paying a monthly payment for my protection. Although we like to think it’s a modern problem, it’s nothing new. I once heard someone say that Satan is the author of identity theft. In the Gospel we hear Satan tempting Jesus. We often focus on the three temptations, but underlying them all is a temptation against Jesus’ identity. Satan says, “If you are the Son of God …” (Mt 4:3, 6). He is trying to sow seeds of doubt into Jesus’ identity as the only beloved Son of the Father. But Jesus is firmly rooted in his identity. Just before he went into
the desert he was baptized and heard the Father say, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt 5:17). The Father says these same words — “You are my beloved, with whom I am well pleased” — to everyone who is baptized into his beloved Son. In fact, our Heavenly Father continuously speaks these words to us. St. John reminds us of this when he writes, “Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are” (1 Jn 3:1). Satan wants to steal this identity from us. He does it in a way similar to how he did it with Jesus. He plants seeds of doubt. We’ve all heard his sinister whispers: “If you are a child of God, then why did he let that happen to you?” “If you are a child of God, then why doesn’t he answer your prayers?” “If you are a child of God, then why does he let the one you love suffer?” We’ve all experienced these or similar temptations. It’s important to recognize them for what they are; attempts to steal our identity. Satan does this because he knows that once he has stolen our identity as children of God, we are vulnerable to having a lot more stolen from us. Therefore we need to protect our identity. To do this, we don’t need expensive protection plans. All we need is the truth of our identity as children of God that we received through our baptism into Christ Jesus, who came to reconcile us to the Father and paid for it all by the price of his blood. Father Przybilla is pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony.
Many years ago, I was preparing to speak at a women’s conference, the topic of which was strengthening our Christian friendships. About two days before my talk — I was just putting a few finishing touches on it — I suddenly started to get this nagging feeling that I was to include a section on loneliness. It would take some reworking. I called a mentor of mine and asked, do you think this is weird? Should I go there? A wise and practical woman, she told me to keep praying about it, asking that God would increase or decrease my desire to include this section according to his will. So, I did. I had been working on this issue of loneliness for some time. I confess I struggled with it even up to about age 40. Not everyone experiences this, but for those who do, you know what I’m talking about — it can be a crushing, hidden kind of cross. But by the time of this conference, I was on the other side of it. As I got older, it just started to lift for a whole host of reasons, not least of which I found myself much more active in my charisms. It’s virtually impossible to be lonely when operating in a God-given charism. As the day drew closer, my desire to include a few points on loneliness grew unmistakably stronger — and in particular the gifts that loneliness brings, among them this radical invitation to enter into Christ’s loneliness and to keep him company there. At the end of my presentation, a woman came up to me, arms outstretched, crying. She asked, “Can I hug you?” I said, “Sure,” and she fell into my arms for a moment and quietly wept. She pulled back and paused — she almost couldn’t get this next thing out. “My son has autism,” she said, and she leaned in again. I just held her thinking that was the end of her story. But then she pulled back again and said, “The other day, he came to me and he said ‘Mama, I’m so lonely.’” She paused and then added, “I didn’t know how to speak to him about his loneliness until today. You gave me the words to speak to him about his loneliness.” I will never forget that moment. Zephaniah promises that the Father himself sings over us, indeed, “The Lord, your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love, he will exult over you with loud singing, as on a day of festival” (Zeph 3:17). I do not doubt for a moment that the joy that went through me in this woman’s testimony was nothing short of the Father’s song hovering over me, reverberating through
Sunday, March 1 First Sunday of Lent Gn 2:7-9; 3:1-7 Rom 5:12-19 Mt 4:1-11 Monday, March 2 Lv 19:1-2, 11-18 Mt 25:31-46 Tuesday, March 3 Is 55:10-11 Mt 6:7-15 Wednesday, March 4 Jon 3:1-10 Lk 11:29-32 Thursday, March 5 Est C:12, 14-16, 23-25 Mt 7:7-12 Friday, March 6 Ez 18:21-28 Mt 5:20-26 Saturday, March 7 Dt 26:16-19 Mt 5:43-48 Sunday, March 8 Second Sunday of Lent Gn 12:1-4a 2 Tim 1:8b-10 Mt 17:1-9
YOUR HEART, HIS HOME | LIZ KELLY
The song the Father sings
DAILY Scriptures
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Monday, March 9 Dn 9:4b-10 Lk 6:36-38
Teach, me, oh Lord. Train my ear to listen for your voice rejoicing over me in and through the renewal in your love that you offer so abundantly.
Tuesday, March 10 Is 1:10, 16-20 Mt 23:1-12 Wednesday, March 11 Jer 18:18-20 Mt 20:17-28 Thursday, March 12 Jer 17:5-10 Lk 16:19-31 Friday, March 13 Gn 37:3-4, 12-13a, 17b-28a Mt 21:33-43, 45-46 Saturday, March 14 Mi 7:14-15, 18-20 Lk 15:1-3, 11-32 iSTOCK PHOTO | PUNNARONG
my very heart. Every single minute of loneliness I had suffered was instantly and entirely transformed into pure gift. And this is part of how Jesus heals us. Not by relieving us of our pain and suffering, not by removing our crosses, but by giving them meaning, purpose, a place to go and grow so that they may be used and redeemed, transformed into heaven’s joy, lavishly flung out over the universe in the glory of heaven’s song and the laughter of its occupants: angels and saints and an exultant, Warrior-Father. Teach, me, oh Lord. Train my ear to listen for your voice rejoicing over me in and through the renewal in your love that you offer so abundantly. And for those who are lonely, let them hear you, too. Show them how to offer their loneliness to you, so you might turn it into a healing song of gladness. Kelly is the award-winning author of seven books, including “Jesus Approaches” and the “Your Heart, His Home Prayer Companion.” She travels the country leading retreats and speaking. Visit her website at lizk.org. Father Michael Van Sloun’s column “Faith Fundamentals” will not appear this month. Find his Eucharist series under the “Faith” tab at TheCatholicSpirit.com.
Sunday, March 15 Third Sunday of Lent Ex 17:3-7 Rom 5:1-2, 5-8 Jn 4:5-42
14A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
COMMENTARY
FAITH IN THE PUBLIC ARENA | JASON ADKINS
LETTERS
Blaine Amendments and bigotry
The U. S. Supreme Court is currently deliberating a case involving a Montana state constitutional provision steeped in historic anti-Catholic bigotry. The justices’ decision could drastically impact the future of school choice programs across
the country. In late January, the justices heard Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue. The court must determine whether the Montana Department of Revenue violated the U.S. Constitution when it denied students (such as the Espinoza family) access to a legislatively enacted school choice program because they wished to use the scholarship funds to attend a private religious school. The department denied program eligibility to religious schools based on the state’s constitutional ban on state aid to “sectarian” organizations, known as the “Blaine Amendment.” The case has significant implications. First, it is hoped that states’ Blaine Amendments, enacted during a time of anti-Catholic bigotry, will be effectively struck down. Second, if the case offers a positive outcome, one more barrier will be removed to the enactment of school choice programs that help students attend private schools, and which empower families to find schools that best serve their needs, regardless of income or ZIP code. Although the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld such school programs against federal constitutional challenges, a ruling in favor of the Espinozas and other families will inoculate school choice programs against most state constitutional challenges.
Anti-Catholic activists A wave of anti-Catholic bigotry exploded in the United States after the Civil War as many Catholic immigrants poured into the country. Because public schools required instruction in a generic form of Protestantism, Catholics set up their own schools. They also believed that they were entitled to public funds to maintain schools consistent with their faith. These schools, in turn, became political targets by those who believed that Catholicism posed a threat to liberty and American values. In 1876, anti-Catholic activists, including the “Know Nothing” party (a large faction within the Republican Party of the time) and the American Protective Associations, proposed a federal constitutional amendment barring aid to schools “under the control of any religious sects” (that is, Catholic schools, but also any non-Protestant religious sects). That proposal had the aid of President Ulysses S. Grant, and a champion in Sen. James G. Blaine of Maine (yes, Blaine, Minnesota, is named for this famous crusader). Legal historian Philip Hamburger documents in his book “Separation of Church and State” how Blaine Amendments were a means of ensuring public funds would not assist in the propagation of the Catholic faith so that the United States would retain its Protestant identity and its values free from foreign interference, that is, the pope. The federal “Blaine Amendment” failed, but a wave of them were enacted as state constitutional amendments. Some states were required to include a Blaine Amendment as a condition of being granted statehood. Today, 37 states have Blaine Amendments in their state constitutions, including Minnesota.
Faith and works?
Join fellow Catholics at the Capitol this legislative session. The Minnesota Catholic Conference is providing multiple opportunities for Catholics from across Minnesota to come together to become informed of the important issues that Minnesotans face this session, interact with legislators as advocates for life, dignity and the common good, and intercede on behalf of lawmakers through prayer and devoted advocacy.
Capitol 101 Take time to pray together for legislators and learn about some of the major issues they’re facing this session. Set up a meeting with legislators afterwards. 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon April 16 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. May 7
The Advocacy Hour Drop in at any time to advocate and spend time in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. There will be a private room set up inside the Capitol for adoration. We’ll also help find legislators and provide information on a couple key issues that they’ll be deciding at the end of the session. 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. May 6
Prayer service for National Day of Prayer To mark the National Day of Prayer, join Catholics from across Minnesota for a prayer service and rosary in the Capitol Rotunda. Set up a meeting with legislators while there. 4:30 – 5 p.m. May 7
At the Supreme Court The Espinoza case started in 2015 when the Montana Department of Revenue created a rule, based on the Blaine Amendment, barring families from using the state’s opportunity scholarship tax credit program to attend religious schools. This rule was created despite the fact that tuition money comes from private donors (who receive the tax credit) who give to charitable organizations, which then give scholarships to students. In other words, there is no direct state aid to religious schools. The Espinozas, along with two other families, sued the Department of Revenue because they wished to participate in the program and attend private religious schools. When the Montana Supreme Court upheld the religious schools’ exclusion, the families’ lawyers, the Institute for Justice (disclosure: my former law firm), brought the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it was heard Jan. 22. A ruling in favor of the families would be good news here in Minnesota. Our state Supreme Court has already interpreted our Blaine Amendment very narrowly, tossing, for example, Blaine Amendment challenges to programs such as the post-secondary enrollment option. But the ACLU and Education Minnesota have warned the Legislature that school choice programs are unconstitutional. The Espinoza case would put that issue to bed and clarify that the Blaine Amendment is not a barrier to school choice programs that allow students to attend private religious schools. That would be a big win for students and a blow to the anti-religious bigotry of yesterday and today.
We are nearing a half-century of legalized unborn human abortion in this Christian majority country. Catholics are the people of faith and works. St. James wrote, “Faith without works is dead.” We show our faith with prayer in January for the unborn each year and then show our works, voting for pro-abortion political candidates in November. Catholics are the largest voting group that vote party loyalty, assuring permanence of legalized unborn dissection. Everett C. Dehmer Cathedral of St. Paul, St. Paul
Keep ideology out of it How ideology infiltrates religious teaching — four examples in one edition (Feb. 13): Your interview of the Benedictine University professor scheduled to speak at St. Thomas offers an opinion of integrating Muslims into American (Christian and secular) culture that while loving, ignores the realities of Muslim “honor killings” of females and recurring incidents of terror. The proposed Israeli peace plan is little more than a screed denouncing the plan and the president. There is no mention of the actual environment of “Palestinian” (i.e. West Bank/Gaza/PLO/Hezbollah/Brigades/ Iran/etc.) players shooting rockets into Israel and vowing to erase Israel off the map. A nun present at the State of the Union address as a guest of a Democrat congressman expresses her negative opinions about the president while the president’s remarks at the Prayer Breakfast are panned for treating his opponents like the sister treated him. Catholic media cannot serve Catholicism and political ideologies any more than the “two masters” (God and mammon) mentioned in Matthew 6:24. Jim Beers St. Joseph, Rosemount
Survey only part of the picture I found the questions in the Disciple Maker Index survey both interesting and disappointing, both because of what was and what was not asked. I realize that too long would have been counterproductive, but nothing was asked about volunteering and in what capacity. Nothing was asked about our adult children and their faith life. Nothing was asked about why we do or do not support our parish financially. I would love to have seen a question about “are you attending a parish which is not assigned to your geographic area and if so why?” Nothing was asked about underserved groups within the parish such as people who have disabilities, two questions about our youth other than Catholic school questions. As a rubber band Catholic (cradle, left as a young adult, came back, left for other reasons, came back, staying because well, it’s complicated), I have plenty of opinions. One being that what we ask about in surveys is what we care about. To me, this says people “downtown” don’t really know what is going on, especially in the rural parishes. I love our archbishop, but he is one man and can only act on the information he is given. I would like to suggest that the survey will only give him part of the picture. And if the listening sessions are structured in the same way, he is still going to get only part of the picture. Rebecca Susag St. Joseph, Miesville
Jason Adkins is executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference.
Editor’s note: The Catholic Spirit gave Father Joseph Bambenek, Archdiocesan Synod assistant director, an opportunity to respond. He shared the following: The primary feedback received during Year One of the Synod process is the written feedback given at the Prayer and Listening Events, in which over 6,000 people have already participated, sharing, among other things, their prayerdiscerned thoughts on what is going well and what are the challenges and opportunities in the archdiocese in an open-ended format. The DMI is a national survey in which the archdiocese is participating that will provide valuable supplemental feedback to the archbishop and the Synod process. Such instruments do not lend themselves to the qualitative feedback that Ms. Susag desires to give. I would encourage her to attend the Prayer and Listening Event being held on Leap Morning, Feb. 29, at St. Pius V in Cannon Falls, a parish clustered with her home parish.
Editor’s note: The Catholic Watchmen column by Deacon Gordon Bird will appear online only this month. To read it and past Catholic Watchmen columns go to thecatholicspirit.com/ category/commentary/catholic-watchmen.
Share your perspective by emailing CatholicSpirit@archspm.org. Please limit your letter to the editor to 150 words and include your parish and phone number. The Commentary page does not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Catholic Spirit.
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 15A
CALENDAR Valley — Mar. 5: 6:30–8 p.m. at Chesterton Academy, 1835 Northwestern Ave., Stillwater. chestertonscv.org.
FEATURED EVENTS
Retreats
Prayer and Listening Events — Join Archbishop Bernard Hebda for prayer, discussion and sharing about the blessings and challenges in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis as it prepares for the 2021 Synod. Upcoming events:
First Friday Night of Prayer — Fridays through June 5: 7–8:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd, 145 Jersey Ave. S., Golden Valley. goodshepherdgv.org. Taize prayer — First Fridays: 7:30 p.m. at St. Richard, 7540 Penn Ave. S., Richfield. Moving prayer centering on sung psalms and periods of holy silence. strichards.com.
Married couples retreat — Feb. 28-Mar. 1 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. kingshouse.com. Dare to Live Catholic: Women’s Retreat — Feb. 29: 8 a.m.–1 p.m. at Blessed Sacrament, 2119 Stillwater Ave., St. Paul. Speaker Pamela Patnode. 651-738-0677 to register. blessedsacramentsp.org. “Standing with Mary at the Foot of the Cross” women’s Lenten retreat — Feb. 29: 8:45 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. John the Baptist, 680 Mill St., Excelsior. stjohns-excelsior.org. Encounter the Holy Spirit Retreat — Feb. 29: 7 a.m.– 3 p.m. at St. Michael, 11300 Frankfort Parkway NE, St. Michael. holyspiritacademy.org. Lenten Day of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina — Mar. 4: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. Presenters Father James Deegan, OMI, and Sister Brenda Rose Szegedy, OSF. kingshouse.com. Lenten Day of Prayer: “The Transfiguration” presented by Jayne Krim — Mar. 5: 9:30 a.m. at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. franciscanretreats.net. Men’s silent weekend retreat — Mar. 6-8 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. kingshouse.com. Lenten retreat for Catholic health care professionals — Mar. 7: 7:30 a.m.–noon at Little Sisters of the Poor, 330 Exchange St. S., St. Paul. curatioapostolate.com. Half-day Lenten retreat: “Let Go and Let God” — Mar. 7: 9 a.m.–noon at The Women’s Club, 410 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis. leagueofcatholicwomen.org. Women’s silent Lenten midweek retreat — Mar. 10-12 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. kingshouse.com. Lenten Day of Prayer: “The Woman at the Well” presented by Debbie Koop — Mar. 12: 9:30 a.m. at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. franciscanretreats.net. Women’s Lenten retreat — Mar. 14: 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at Immaculate Conception, 4030 Jackson St. NE, Columbia Heights. Presenter Ann Marie Cosgrove. 612-916-8365. iccsonline.org. Ignatian men’s silent retreat — Thursday-Sunday most weeks at Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House, 8243 Demontreville Trail N., Lake Elmo. demontrevilleretreat.com.
Schools
Conferences/workshops
Open House for Chesterton Academy of the St. Croix
Order Franciscans Secular (OFS) — Third Sundays:
Feb. 27: 6–9 p.m. at Our Lady of Grace, 5071 Eden Ave., Edina. Feb. 29: 9 a.m.–noon at St. Pius V, 410 Colvill St. W., Cannon Falls. Minnesota: Our Common Home — Wednesdays Mar. 4-Apr. 8: 7–8:30 p.m. at Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. Hosted by Cathedral Young Adults. All ages invited. Catholic response to cultural challenges such as environmentalism, atheism, technocracy, sexual promiscuity and gender identity confusion. Minnesota: Our Common Home — Thursdays March 5-April 16: 6-7 p.m. at St. Olaf, 215 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis. Six-week series on integral ecology, serving as Catholic stewards. Father Kevin Kenney and Mary Kennedy, Forliti Gathering Room. Light supper. Freewill donations. saintolaf.org/commonhome. Father Dosh Speaker Series: “Evangelization in the 21st Century” — March 17: 6–9 p.m. George Weigel at St. John the Baptist, 680 Mill St., Excelsior. st.johns-excelsior.org.
Music “We Choose Love” concert — Mar. 1: 7–8 p.m. at Guardian Angels, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. guardian-angels.org.
Dining Out Pancake breakfast — Mar. 1: 10 a.m.–noon at St. Casimir, 934 Geranium Ave. E., St. Paul. Pro-life fish fry and Baja fish tacos benefit — Mar. 6: 4–8 p.m. at Immaculate Conception, 202 SE Alabama St., Lonsdale. Belgian waffle breakfast — Mar. 15: 8:30 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. at St. Michael, 22120 Denmark Ave., Farmington. 651-460-6060. stmichael-farmington.org.
Prayer/worship
1 p.m. at Catholic Charities, 1200 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis. Learn about this lay group of Catholic men and women following the example of St. Francis. 952-922-5523. Long-term Success through Long-term Care — Feb. 27: 6:30–7:30 p.m. at Mary, Mother of the Church, 3333 Cliff Road E., Burnsville. RSVP to Natalie at cybartagencymail2@kofc.org or 952-686-7720. twincitieskofc.org. The Churches of Rome — Feb. 27: 6–8 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus, 155 County Road 24, Wayzata. A pictorial tour of Rome’s churches with Greg Pulles, author of “Sacred Places: Rediscovering the Churches of Rome.” Presented by KC Council 13096. Called and Gifted workshop — Feb. 29: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. at St. Patrick, 19921 Nightingale St NW, Oak Grove. Linda at 763-753-2011 or lmabel-thomas@st-patricks.org. Two-Week Prayer of the Heart Workshop — Mar. 2 and 9: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. Odilia, 3495 Victoria St N, Shoreview. stodilia.org. Long-term Success through Long-term Care — Mar. 5: 6:30–7:30 p.m. at St. Charles Borromeo, 2739 NE Stinson Blvd., Minneapolis. RSVP to Natalie at cybartagencymail2@kofc.org or 952-686-7720. twincitieskofc.org. Mentor Workshop: Fully Engaged and FOCCUS — Mar. 7: 9 a.m.–4 p.m. at Archdiocesan Catholic Center, 777 Forest St., St. Paul. archspm.org.
Speakers
Lecture series on “The Sexual Revolution, the Catholic Church and God’s Plan for Life and Love” — Fridays Feb. 28-Apr. 3: 7:30–9 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave., St. Paul. churchofsaintagnes.org. Alexi Sargeant: Speaker at Open Window Theatre — Feb. 29: 10:30 a.m. at 5300 S. Robert Trail No. 400, Inver Grove Heights. Alexi Sargeant, game designer, to present on the value of fantasy in the Christian imagination. openwindowtheatre.org. “The Encyclicals and Faithful Citizenship” — Feb. 29, Mar. 7 and Mar. 14: 5:30 p.m. at St. Peter, 6730 Nicollet Ave. S., Richfield. First night in this speaker series to talk about Catholic teaching in relation to political promotion. stpetersrichfield.org. “Visions of the Afterlife” — Mar. 1: 4–6 p.m. at St. Thomas the Apostle, 2914 W. 44th St., Minneapolis. Prayer, reflection, Lenten Vespers and a talk by Father Michael Joncas. “Addition and the Faith Community” — Mar. 9: 5:45–8 p.m. at St. Joan of Arc, 4537 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis. Presenter Bob Albers. saintjoanofarc.org. “God and Modernity,” a Catholic Studies Thought and Culture Lecture — Mar. 12: 6:30 p.m. at University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Presenters
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/ CALENDARSUBMISSIONS MAIL: “Calendar,” The Catholic Spirit 777 Forest St., St. Paul, MN 55106 Prof. Msgr. Martin Schlag, director of the John A. Ryan Institute, and Alan W. Moss, endowed chair for Catholic Social Thought. stthomas.edu. “Staying Centered” with Matt Birk — Mar. 14: 8:30–11:30 a.m. at Guardian Angels, 8260 Fourth St. N., Oakdale. RSVP requested.guardian-angels.org.
Other events Operation Andrew Dinner — Mar. 3: 6–8 p.m. at Archdiocesan Catholic Center, 777 Forest St., St. Paul. Hosted by Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Father David Blume, director of vocations, an event for men ages 16–50 discerning priesthood. 10000vocations.org. Sidewalk Counseling Training — Mar. 5: 7–9 p.m. at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 720 13th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Hosted by the Sanctity of Life Ministry at Bethlehem Baptist Church and presented by Pro-Life Action Ministries. debra.braun@plam.org or 651-797-6364. plam.org. Miriam Dinner — Mar. 10: 6–8 p.m. at Holy Cross, 1621 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis. Hosted by Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Father David Blume, director of vocations, an event for women ages 16-35 who are discerning consecrated life. 10000vocations.org. “The World Over” at Open Window Theatre — through Mar. 15 at 5300 S. Robert Trail No. 400, Inver Grove Heights. openwindowtheatre.org.
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INSURANCE Home, Auto, Business, Life, Annuities, Medicare, Disability, Long Term Care. Luke Bauman, www.baumaninsure.com 763-972-6198 PAINTING For painting & all related services. View our website: PAINTINGBYJERRYWIND.COM or call (651) 699-6140. Merriam Park Painting. Professional Int./ Ext. Painting. WP Hanging. Moderate Prices, Free Estimates.Call Ed (651) 224-3660. Michaels Painting. Texture and Repair. MichaelsPaintingllc.coM. (763) 757-3187. PRAYERS NOTICE: Prayers must be submitted in advance. Payment of $8 per line must be received before publication.
Knotty Pines Resort, Park Rapids, MN. 1, 2 & 3 bdrm cabins starting at $565/week. www.knottypinesresort.com (800) 392-2410. Mention this ad for a discount! VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY HOUSEHOLD MANAGER The Stillwater Catholic Worker Community is seeking an energetic and compassionate woman to manage and live at Our Lady Queen of Peace House, a home for women and their children in transition. Room and board included with this volunteer position. Details available at STMICHAELSTILLWATER.ORG or by calling Marlay Smith 651-324-3115. WANTED TO BUY Estate & Downsizing: I buy Van Loads and Bicycles. Steve (651) 778-0571.
CatholicHotdish.com
16A • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THELASTWORD
ABOVE From left, fourth-grader Luke Hanley, teacher Jill Ryan, second-grader Dexter Thao and fifth-grader Gabbi Conroy of St. Jude of the Lake Catholic School in Mahtomedi work at the tilapia tank in the school’s science lab Feb. 12 to gather fish that they will measure to document growth. ABOVE RIGHT Fifth-grader Finnley Maas measures lettuce. BELOW RIGHT From left, second-grader Oliver Shipman and fifth-grader Grace Clark water plants grown conventionally in soil-filled planters along the classroom wall.
Energized by water
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Students create an ecosystem in the classroom Story and photos by Dave Hrbacek The Catholic Spirit A group of elementary students gathered around teacher Jill Ryan in the science lab at St. Jude of the Lake Catholic School in Mahtomedi Feb. 12. After listening to her instructions, they joined in a loud cheer to kick off their classwork: “One, two, three — aquaponics!” A word perhaps unfamiliar to other students their age, this term to describe a modern farming concept excites and motivates St. Jude students — and keeps them eagerly coming to class every day. That enthusiasm was evident during class as they scurried with purpose to various parts of the lab, using notebooks and laptops to record data centering on the growth of two organisms — fish and vegetables. In a tank as high as some of the students’ foreheads, more than 100 tilapia swam freely, with students gathered around to net them, measure them and gingerly return them to water designed and treated for optimal growth. This is the centerpiece of a $7,500 grant procured by Ryan and the school last summer, funding both the fish tank and nearby rectangular rafts used to grow lettuce, beans, peppers and herbs. Together, they form an aquaponics system that students and teachers hope will result in a fish fry at the end of the school year. The vegetables will be served in the school cafeteria and donated to a food shelf the parish supports. It’s part of an overall effort to offer unique learning opportunities for children and better
prepare them for the world they will face as adults, not to mention boost enrollment in the school. Three years ago, when Carrie Hackman became principal, there were 37 students in the prekindergarten to fifth-grade school, which only a few years earlier had its middle school closed. Now, there are 75, and each of them will spend time in the second-floor science lab working with the aquaponics system throughout the school year. “We hope it’ll be around for a very long time,” Hackman said of the aquaponics system. “We’ve invested a lot into it. We’re growing the opportunity, pun intended.” Ryan, her husband, Derek, and their three boys assembled the system in August, with hoses connecting the tank and rafts. About 250 gallons of water circulate between them daily, with waste from the fish fertilizing the plants, and the plants purifying the water that returns to the fish tank. The tilapia arrived in early September, joining another separate tank in the classroom filled with trout donated by Trout Unlimited. Science classes feature multiple grade levels, with the fifth-graders leading the way. Also found in the science lab is a turtle named Nick that students are able to feed and handle, plus planters along the wall that grow vegetables in the conventional manner. The goal is for every student to be well versed in aquaponics. “It’s such a great hands-on experience for the kids,” Ryan said. “I think it (aquaponics) is good for everybody to know about. This could be the future of farming.” It also could be the future of education. Some fifth-graders at St. Jude will move on to HillMurray School in Maplewood, which also has an aquaponics system. Grace Clark, one of the St. Jude students headed to Hill-Murray for sixth
grade in the fall, said she is considering a career in aquaponics. “I really like that we’re growing all this cool food and how we get to eat it when it’s all done growing,” she said. “I like how I get to come into school every day and I get all excited about the aquaponics system.” Fifth-grader James Gonzalez said his favorite part is testing the water of the tilapia tank for substances such as nitrate, nitrite and ammonia. He likes fishing and is looking forward to the opportunity to try some classroom-raised tilapia, which by then should be about the size of an adult human hand. “I hope they taste good,” he said. Hackman said she likes coming to the lab, something all teachers in the school do occasionally throughout the year. During class Feb. 12, she helped one student measure the growth of lettuce plants. “I look at all of this and I think it’s pure joy — and it’s beauty,” she said. “I love watching them up there (in the science lab). It’s one of my favorite things to do. ... I’m up there every day.” Ryan doesn’t have set times for her students to go from her normal classroom on the first floor to the science lab on the second floor. Sometimes, she surprises them by closing her door and placing a sign on the outside that reads: “Meet in the Science Lab.” “The kids know it’s a science lab morning and they are so excited,” she said. “They run up here, put their stuff in their locker and come right in here. ... They know the drill.” Along the way, faith lessons are taught, which center on God’s creation and being stewards of what he has made. It all adds up to one simple reality for students and staff. “This is these kids’ happy place,” Hackman said. “It’s also our happy place.”
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
February 27, 2020 • 1B
HOMEGROWN BISHOP
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farm boy near Faribault is now a bishop in a rural diocese that reflects his own roots. Bishop Donald DeGrood, anointed with holy chrism oil and ushered in with a litany of prayers to the saints, is the newly ordained leader of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Detailed in this
special section are the Feb. 13 ordination Mass in Sioux Falls and a Feb. 16 Mass of Thanksgiving in St. Paul; the family, friends, priests and parishioners who watched him grow and whom he helped lead; as well as the symbols and meaning of his new office.
— Pages 1B-12B
Bishop DeGrood
2B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
‘A missionary Church’ At ordination, Bishop DeGrood called upon to make missionaries, disciples By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
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or Bishop Donald DeGrood, his episcopal ordination was “like a huge lightning engagement of the Holy Spirit,” he said Feb. 13. Speaking to the congregation at the end of the Mass at which he was ordained a bishop and installed in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, he connected his particular experience to that of the whole Church. “Our good God is so very faithful in giving us the sacraments, through which we all receive various graces based on our vocations,” he said. A native of rural Faribault and most recently the pastor of St. John the Baptist in Savage, Bishop DeGrood, 55, was consecrated a bishop by Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Co-consecrators were Bishop DeGrood’s predecessor in Sioux Falls, now-retired Bishop Paul Swain, and his best friend from St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Auxillary Bishop Andrew Cozzens. About 800 people filled the Cathedral of St. Joseph, including 14 bishops and more than 120 priests and 30 deacons. About 150 people watched the two-and-ahalf hour Mass in the cathedral’s hall. Filling the cathedral with music were the Cathedral of St. Joseph Choir, The Cathedral Men’s Schola and the O’Gorman Brass Quintet. It was the first episcopal ordination at the cathedral since its 2011 restoration. A Latin inscription arches over the sanctuary, “Gloria in excelsis Deo, et in terra pax hominibus bonae voluntatis” — the angels’ words to the shepherds the night of Jesus’ birth: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will.” Bishop DeGrood told the congregation that should be “our mission as we go forward.” Alluding to a reflection earlier in the Mass on the missionary nature of the Church provided by
TOM HALDEN | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Bishop Donald DeGrood shows the apostolic mandate by Pope Francis appointing him to lead the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, as part of his Feb. 13 ordination Mass at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls. Archbishop Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States, Bishop DeGrood continued: “We are not only to be disciples, but to be missionary. We must bring that good news, especially in a day and age that we’ve been very tried. ... It’s time for great healing, a time for great renewal in the Lord. And it’s all going to be through that spiritual power that God wants to give us.” As the ninth bishop of Sioux Falls, Bishop DeGrood oversees 119 parishes with an estimated 110,000 Catholics. Delegates from the parishes attended the ordination. Also present in their ceremonial attire
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were the Knights of Columbus and members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. Two priest chaplains assisted Bishop DeGrood: Father Troy Przybilla, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, and Father Roy LePak, a retired priest, both of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Before the ordination rite, Archbishop Pierre read the mandate from the Holy See, and Bishop DeGrood presented the apostolic letter first to Archbishop Hebda and other bishops present, then to the faithful CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE in the pews, holding it high as he walked down the cathedral’s aisles. In his remarks to then-Bishop-elect DeGrood, Archbishop Pierre noted that his episcopal appointment was announced on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “Although the responsibilities of the episcopal ministry are great, we are consoled by the words of the Virgin to Juan Diego: ‘Listen, and let it penetrate your heart. Do not be troubled or weighed down with grief. Do not fear any illness or vexation, anxiety or pain. Am I not here, who am your mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I not your fountain of life? Are you not in the falls of my mantle, in the closing of my arms? Is there anything else you need?’” Although bishops have many responsibilities, Bishop-elect DeGrood’s experience had prepared him for his vocation, Archbishop Pierre said. And, as a farm boy, “you have a studied work ethic, which will serve you well in the vast diocese,” he said. “You will also discover that the soil here is fertile for cultivating vocations and new disciples of the Lord Jesus. The Holy Father wants a missionary Church, and his holiness is counting on you to lead the people of Sioux Falls to be both disciples and missionaries, following the example of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who serves as a reminder that God never ceases to visit his people, and when he does visit them, he brings them joy and salvation.” During the ordination rite, Archbishop Hebda asked Bishop-elect DeGrood about
Bishop DeGrood his resolve to fulfill the responsibilities of a bishop, and Bishop-elect DeGrood laid prostrate before the altar as the congregation sang a litany of saints. The bishop-elect then kneeled before Archbishop Hebda, who laid his hands on his head. One by one, the other bishops came forward to lay their hands on his head. Then, two deacons held the Book of the Gospels over the bishop-elect’s head as Archbishop Hebda sang the prayer of consecration. Archbishop Hebda and the coordaining bishops, Bishop Cozzens and Bishop Swain, removed their miters, and Archbishop Hebda anointed Bishop DeGrood’s head with holy chrism oil. Archbishop Hebda handed Bishop DeGrood the Book of the Gospels and presented him with his ring, miter and crosier. Bishop DeGrood then took his seat in the cathedra, or bishop’s chair, as the ordained bishop of Sioux Falls. Bishop DeGrood’s crosier was presented by two of his brothers. It holds special significance: It was carved by Paul Sirba, a professional woodcarver and a nephew of the late Bishop Paul Sirba of Duluth, who died of a heart attack in December. Sirba crafted a crosier for Bishop Cozzens for his 2009 ordination, and he carved Bishop DeGrood’s crosier from oak from Bishop DeGrood’s family farm and ash from his spiritual father’s property in northern Minnesota. The congregation received two cards: One explained the bishop’s coat of arms, and the other carried an image of the Holy Family in their home by Rafael Flores along with an original prayer, “God is love,” that reflects Bishop DeGrood’s episcopal motto.
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3B
‘CREATIVE RESTORATION’ A servant not a ruler, a man of discernment, who is unafraid to touch the wounds of Christ, and an apostle of listening are among the graces and part of the calling of a bishop. And they are among reasons the Lord called Bishop-elect Donald DeGrood to lead the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said Archbishop Bernard Hebda in his homily shortly before ordaining him bishop. Archbishop Hebda began with humor. “I sure hope you slept better last night than I did,” he said, addressing Bishop-elect DeGrood. “I hope it doesn’t make you nervous that I’ve never anointed a bishop before.” A search of YouTube and Google didn’t provide any guidance, the archbishop continued. But in the end, he realized that like any recipe, the ingredients will make it good, he said. “And I’m convinced the Lord has given us just the right ingredients,” Archbishop Hebda said. The archbishop said the Lord had long been preparing Bishop DeGrood for his new role, citing his experience as a pastor who reached out to people in pain from abuse and ill health, as a spiritual counselor, and a guide to fellow priests. He drew a metaphor from the surrounds of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, built in 1919 and designed by E.L. Masqueray, the same architect who designed the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul and the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, and “creatively restored” in 2011 by architect Duncan Stroik
in collaboration with Bishop Paul Swain, then the leader of the diocese. “While the cathedral work was successfully finished, the ‘creative restoration’ of Christ’s Church is a project that is never finished,” Archbishop Hebda said. “In every age and generation, it falls to the Church and her leaders to plumb the mind of the Divine Architect, and address the needs of the present day in a way consistent with his thinking and outlook. We constantly need leaders who put on the mind of Christ and shepherd as he shepherded, building on the foundation that is Jesus himself in a way that is both faithful to the timeless truth that Jesus revealed and creatively responsive to the needs of present day society.” He continued: “To carry out this delicate task, the Church looks for leaders who personally know Jesus inside and out and who radiate his love in a way that is authentic and convincing, men who draw their strength from Jesus and have conformed their lives to the one who came to serve rather than to be served, the one who was humble enough to be born in a manger, the one who could forgive even from the cross.” Archbishop Hebda cited Pope Francis’ guidance on the need for bishops to be servants, men of discernment with a willingness to touch the wounds of Christ, and a willingness to listen. “Be assured of our prayers, both mine and all those in this cathedral, as you begin this important ministry,” the archbishop said. — Joe Ruff
Bishop DeGrood
4B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Pre-ordination vespers A time to pray for submission to God’s will By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like.” James 1:22-24.
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oining family, friends, clergy, and religious men and women at his pre-ordination vespers service, Bishop-elect Donald DeGrood reflected on the call to do God’s will, even when it is difficult. “I think of all the times in my life I intended to do something, desired to do something” but didn’t follow through, Bishop-elect DeGrood said in his homily Feb. 12, the evening before being ordained bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Expanding on James 1:19-25, which addresses acting on God’s word and was read at vespers, he said God is present to help, and the Lord invites people to conform more closely to his will. But prayers for God’s strength must include a willingness to act. “It must be something that moves
COURTESY MICHAEL G. BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
Bishop-elect Donald DeGrood addresses the congregation at his pre-ordination vespers service Feb. 12 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. from the mind and is acted upon,” he said. Sometimes action takes the form of prayer and apparent inaction, Bishopelect DeGrood said. He told the congregation at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls about a telephone call he received more than an hour before vespers began. It was from a priest he greatly admired, his
pastor while growing up as a member of St. Lawrence in Faribault, Father Francis Pouliot, who has been retired from full-time ministry since 2005. Voice weakened by Parkinson’s, Father Pouliot thanked the bishop-elect for taking the call. He said he wanted to be present for the ordination, but his health wouldn’t allow it, Bishop-elect DeGrood said.
“He said, ‘We must do God’s will,’” Bishop-elect DeGrood said. They discussed how it was God’s will that Father Pouliot be home, but present in spirit, much like the communion of saints are an unseen but active presence. “He was my inspiration: a simple, humble, country priest,” Bishop-elect DeGrood said. “It is what I have desired to be. And yet — I should have never answered that phone,” he continued, smiling ruefully, referring to the telephone call he received in December from Archbishop Christophe Pierre, papal nuncio to the United States, telling him of his appointment as bishop. Again, there comes a time to act, whether it means staying back or pushing forward, Bishop-elect DeGrood said. “Brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this solemn vigil tonight, as we take time before the Lord, let’s pray for the grace to let the Lord configure our hearts to his own, so that his will is done in our life, whatever that is, whatever the ask. “Even to be home, in a small apartment, of a priest who had such an impact on my life. Knowing this is God’s will for him. He is here with us. God is with us,” he said. “Let us give glory and honor to God and pray for the grace to put into practice what the Lord stirs in our hearts.”
Bishop DeGrood
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 5B
GUEST COMMENTARY | FATHER TOM MARGEVICIUS
Keeping watch over the flock Just what happened when Father Donald DeGrood was ordained a bishop on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls, South Dakota? Visibly, Archbishop Hebda and a dozen other bishops extended their hands over him, prayed a long prayer, poured sacred chrism oil over his head, put a ring on his finger, a miter on his head, and a crosier in his hand. After this, Bishop DeGrood took his seat in the “cathedra,” the bishop’s throne in the cathedral. Spiritually, the Second Vatican Council teaches that the bishop received “the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders, that fullness which is called the high priesthood, the acme (summa) of the sacred ministry.” What does that mean? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called ‘ordination,’ that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders.” When a deacon is ordained, the Church empowers him to do things the nonordained do not do. Priests are ordained to do what deacons cannot do: preside at Mass, confession and anointing. And bishops can do what priests can, and
more yet: ordain men, consecrate chrism and perform numerous tasks specially entrusted to them. This has been continuing ever since biblical times. While on Earth, Jesus chose Apostles. After Pentecost, they spread the Gospel around the world, picking other men to succeed them. These men then ordained their successors, and this pattern continues today. Bishop DeGrood takes his place in that line of bishops who “in virtue of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line,” as Vatican II says. That’s what it means to call our Church “apostolic.” Bishop DeGrood was ordained by Archbishop Hebda, who was ordained by Archbishop Vigneron, who was ordained by Cardinal Maida, who was ordained by Archbishop Laghi … There’s even a website tracing the lineage all the way back to the 1600s, catholic-hierarchy.org. Our English word “bishop” comes from the Greek “episcopos,” which means elder or overseer. It gives us our word “episcopal.” The word shows up in various New Testament passages (Acts 20:28; 1 Tm 3:2), though his administrative role in the early Church was still being developed. By the time of St. Ignatius of Antioch (110 AD) the three offices were well-established: bishop, priest and deacon. But it would be a mistake to reduce the bishop’s role to administration. Pope
in the name of Jesus Christ his Son, by whom he has been established as teacher, priest and shepherd; in the name of the Holy Spirit, who gives life to the Church and by his power strengthens us in our human weakness.” As a symbol of his keeping watch over the flock, a bishop carries a crosier, which comes from the same root word as “cross.” It is also sometimes called a staff, modeled after the long stick a shepherd uses to keep his sheep together. Bishop DeGrood designed his crosier using both symbols: it has the traditional shepherd hook shape, and in the curve of the hook is a crucifix, which recalls that he cares for the flock in the name of Jesus the Good Shepherd, who laid down his life for the sheep on the cross. At the ordination in Sioux Falls, DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT Archbishop Hebda processed in carrying his own crosier and took a seat in the Bishop Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls, South cathedra in the sanctuary. But after Dakota, accepts his crosier from Father Tom Margevicius at the bishop’s Feb. 16 Mass at the Bishop DeGrood was ordained, Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul celebrating his Archbishop Hebda stepped down and Bishop DeGrood, carrying his own ordination as a bishop three days earlier. crosier, took his place in the cathedra and assumed leadership from that point St. John Paul II taught that most forward. important was the bishop’s care for the May Christ the Good Shepherd give Church in the name of the Trinity: Bishop DeGrood the grace he needs as he “Every Bishop in his ministry is begins his role as chief shepherd of the committed to keeping watch over the Catholic Church in Sioux Falls. whole flock with love, for he has been placed in their midst by the Spirit to Father Margevicius is director of worship govern the Church of God: in the name for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and of the Father, whose image he represents; Minneapolis.
Bishop D
6B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
‘I am forever grateful for him’ Catholics from all corners of the archdiocese make trip to Sioux Falls to honor Bishop DeGrood
become.”
By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
Also there was Ben Hoffman, who, like Brian, was among the people Bishop DeGrood called Dec. 12 to share the news of his appointment. With him was his wife and son, his mother, Joy Hoffman, and his three younger sisters. Bishop DeGrood selected Ben, Joy and Ben’s sisters to join some family members and the diocese’s cultural representatives to carry up the gifts before the eucharistic prayer. The role was an honor for Ben, who credits Bishop DeGrood with having an important role in helping him and his family heal from clergy sexual abuse they suffered at Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul. “I know how much he means to me, so to see him ask him to do things like that shows that he loves me more than I ever thought,” he said. Hoffman, 26, was also among speakers who shared about Bishop DeGrood during a dinner event the evening before the ordination. He said he focused on a bishop’s role as a shepherd. “When he found me, I was a very, very lost sheep, and the journey he took me on and the mentorship, and him always pushing me and getting (me) outside my comfort zone and everything he did for me is truly why I’m here today, why I’m Catholic,” said Hoffman, a parishioner of Transfiguration in Oakdale. He’s an amazing He laughed and added: “I made pastor. He has a heart for a nerdy Lord of the Rings reference, with him being Gandalf God’s people, and you can and me being Bilbo and him just bringing me back to the Shire, just tell he’s a man of prayer, bringing me back home. It was very unexpected, and I am forever and that’s always been a grateful for him.” Pro Ecclesia Sancta Sister Emy great witness to us — Ychikawa attended with other everything that he does sisters from her community, including Sister Eileen Leon, who for God’s people flows proclaimed the second reading. Bishop DeGrood invited them to from his love for the Lord. serve at St. John the Baptist in Savage about a year and a half ago. Sister Emy Ychikawa “He’s an amazing pastor. He has a heart for God’s people, and you can tell he’s a man of prayer, and that’s always been a great witness to us — everything that he does for God’s people flows from his love for the Lord,” she said. “That always comes with joy — he’s a very joyful person. We’re very grateful for his witness.” At the ordination Mass, Sister Emy said she felt “God’s presence working in our humanity, choosing us as instruments of his grace.” And from that grace, she said, God’s power flows to a COURTESY MICHAEL G. BRO ministry she knows will be fruitful. “You can tell it comes ABOVE Bishop DeGrood walks with Bishop Andrew from the Holy Spirit who gives that grace through the sacrament,” she said. “You could tell Bishop (DeGrood) was as he blesses the faithful at his ordination Mass. Be Bishop Emeritus Paul Swain, who preceded so humbled.” Bishop-elect DeGrood as the leader of the Diocese Maria Santos attended the Mass with three of her children, Bolanle, Babs and Bolade, all in their 20s. The RIGHT Deacons hold the Book of the Gospels over Santos were Bishop DeGrood’s parishioners at St. John the Bishop DeGrood’s head as Archbishop Bernard He Baptist, and they livestreamed much of the Mass from their left, prays the prayer of consecration. phone for their sister Bolaji, who watched from Minnesota while at home with her young children. “He’s our friend,” Maria said. “He was like family to us.” “He was really big on including everyone and just being really welcoming,” added Bolanle, 26. “He came for dinner a few times and just spent time with our family. ... We were honored that he invited us. ... It was amazing to see him being recognized about how great he is.” “That man loves Jesus,” Maria said. “I always think of him as a saint — a living saint.”
O
n June 18, 2015, a special prayer intention entered Nicole Bettini’s heart: to pray a daily “Memorare” for then-Father Donald DeGrood, who was her confessor. The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis was facing significant challenges — bankruptcy, two bishops’ resignations and criminal charges alleging it failed to protect children from clergy sexual abuse — and then-Father DeGrood had been asked to make his part-time role as Vicar of When he found me, Clergy full-time. As his role expanded, a priest I was a very, very lost Bettini knew made the comment that Father DeGrood would one sheep, and the journey day be a bishop. She felt the Lord say to her, “Pray for him. Pray he took me on and the (for) all that I’m asking of him now and in the future. I need holy mentorship, and him bishops.” always pushing me and A consecrated virgin in the archdiocese, Bettini prayed that getting outside my comfort “Memorare” faithfully, never forgetting the part about him zone and everything he did being prepared to be a bishop. She didn’t tell him, however, until for me is truly why I’m here after Pope Francis made the today, why I’m Catholic. appointment. “He’s just a wonderful spiritual father,” said Bettini, 42, emotion Ben Hoffman evident in her voice. Bettini was among an estimated 950 people who attended Bishop DeGrood’s episcopal ordination and installation as the ninth bishop of Sioux Falls Feb. 13. Of the attendees from the archdiocese, many know the bishop from his time as pastor of their parishes in Forest Lake, St. Paul and Savage, or from his time ministering at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. Brian Steehler, 38, is among the latter. He and his wife, Laurie, 32, were among several families with young children at the Mass. Their oldest is 2-year-old Donovan, named in honor of Bishop DeGrood. Laurie said they were dating when Brian told her he wanted to name his first son after thenFather DeGrood. COURTESY MICHAEL G. BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY Brian had spent two years at the Bishop Donald DeGrood embraces Ben Hoffman seminary, and nowafter Hoffman brings up the gifts during Bishop Bishop DeGrood DeGrood’s ordination Mass at the Cathedral of St. was his spiritual Joseph in Sioux Falls Feb. 13. director his final year. With Father DeGrood’s help, Brian discerned he wasn’t called to priesthood, but he was called to a deeper conversion of heart. “If it wasn’t for his ministry, I would have been a Catholic, but I wouldn’t have been a tenth of the Catholic that I am today,” said Brian, a parishioner of St. Mark in St. Paul. “In that sense, I owe him what my life has
“
So, when he and Laurie had their first child, a son, they named him Donovan in Bishop DeGrood’s honor. The 2-year-old met his namesake for the first time the day of the ordination. The Steehlers traveled from their home in St. Paul to Sioux Falls for the liturgy, bringing with them Donovan and his 11-month-old sister, Annemarie.
“
DeGrood
OWN PHOTOGRAPHY
p Andrew ation Mass. preceded e of Sioux Falls.
p Bernard Hebda,
FEBRUARY 27, 2020 • 7B
Bishop Donald DeGrood,
Prayers for your ministry from the families of St. Patrick’s of Shieldsville
Bishop DeGrood
8B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
‘He loves his flock’ Parishioners reflect on Bishop DeGrood’s varied ministry By Jessica Weinberger For The Catholic Spirit
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rayerful. Approachable. Genuine. Compassionate. Humble. Newly ordained Bishop Donald DeGrood’s former parishioners said he was set apart from the beginning as they reflected on his parish assignments in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. His charismatic homilies and personable approach attributed to his rural roots built passionate faith communities as he consistently modeled how to seek God’s will. Above all, he immensely loved his flock. Anita Van Esser, a parishioner of St. Peter in Forest Lake, where Bishop DeGrood served as pastor from 2004 to 2013, recalled how genuinely interested he was in every person and faith journey. “It wasn’t just how you were. He wanted to know how you were doing on your road to salvation,” she said. He empowered the laity and encouraged parishioners to seek spiritual advisers, enroll in the Archbishop Flynn Catechetical Institute in St. Paul and attend retreats, she said. Bishop DeGrood was influential in a resurgence in daily Mass attendance and confession that’s continued since his departure, Van Esser said. “He was always trying to make you a better person and to understand your faith,” she said. Kelly Adrian, a parishioner at Bishop DeGrood’s most recent parish assignment, St. John the Baptist in Savage, said her faith grew immensely since he became pastor in 2017. “With his homilies, it was like, oh my gosh, this is what I needed today — like he was speaking right to me,” she said. Kelly and her husband, Mark, sought his individual counsel as they faced challenges with infertility and the adoption of their daughter. Bishop DeGrood listened intently to them with compassion and encouraged them to seek God’s will, they said. “He was really genuine and made me hopeful that if you follow God’s will, you can find happiness,” Mark said.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Bishop-elect Donald DeGrood greets Quy Pham after Mass at St. John the Baptist in Savage Dec. 15. Bishop DeGrood’s vision and strategic plan, guided by prayer and the Holy Spirit, set the foundation for a noteworthy legacy at St. John the Baptist. His vision, “All in now, so we are all in Heaven,” became a rallying point for increasing parishioner engagement, bolstering youth participation and community building. He regularly incorporated the “all in” message into his homilies as he encouraged parishioners to invest in their faith and in parish life. Carrie Otto serves as the parish council chair and recalled how ambitious his approach was as he desired for the parish to reach its fullest potential. Through the roll-out, he remained Christ-centered, she said. “He was so incredibly consultative and wanted to consult with people he knew had diverse perspectives and expertise,” Otto said. “He had this amazing ability to take that consultation and then trust in God with guiding the final decision.” Carrie’s husband, Josh, said he enjoyed how Bishop DeGrood let his sense of humor show through videos for social media, and through personal stories that resonated with people in the pews. “The last several weeks after Mass, he would have a
The Donahue Family expresses its
Congratulations
to Bishop Donald DeGrood
420 10th Street SW • Faribault, MN 55021 www.donahuesgreenhouse.com • Phone: 507.334.7156
receiving line that would go through the atrium,” Josh said. “He was always present for people, and you could see how much he cared for people in the parish.” That included the students and staff in the K-8 parish school, where he was often seen sitting among the young people at lunch time. When he’d lead morning prayer for staff and see a student walk by, Bishop DeGrood would invite him or her to join. It was one of the many ways that he brought people together and developed an inclusive culture, said Principal Phil Singwald. A strong supporter of Catholic education, Bishop DeGrood was well-loved by students and staff, Singwald said. No matter how busy, he would make time to build connections and help everyone be the best they could be, personally or professionally. “He’s a very strong leader and accomplished so much in such a short amount of time here. But you knew this was not his end stop,” Singwald said of his mentor. Patti Knecht, leader of the family apostolate Servants of the Cross, based in Dellwood, met Bishop DeGrood when he was pastor at Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul from 2013 to 2015. He soon became spiritual director for the group, known for its Living Stations of the Cross. Having grown up in the Sioux Falls diocese, Knecht was overjoyed when she received a call from Bishop DeGrood shortly after his appointment with a humble request for prayers. To her, he was the right choice, she said, noting his appreciation for relationships and community, and even his ongoing references to the Lord of the Rings. As the group’s spiritual director, he prayed specifically for the apostolate and aided in nonprofit logistics and retreat planning, attending when his schedule allowed, she said. “He’s brought such goodness in my life and the life of this family ministry,” Knecht said. “He’s just genuine and real. He loves his flock.” When he was appointed bishop, she felt reassured that the Lord is guiding the Church with respected and holy leaders. Bishop DeGrood now has a permanent place on her prayer list. “South Dakota has been profoundly blessed by his appointment,” she said.
Bishop DeGrood
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 9B
Symbols of service
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ach bishop designs a coat of arms to reflect his role. The following is the description of Bishop Donald DeGrood’s coat of arms. The left half of the shield comes from the seal of the Diocese of Sioux Falls. The coat of arms and description are reprinted with permission from the Diocese of Sioux Falls. The descrription is edited for style.
The seal of the Diocese of Sioux Falls In the seal there are three symbols: flowing water, a cross on a staff and a snake wound around the staff of the cross. The flowing water indicates the Sioux River upon which the diocese is established and the cathedral city is located. The cross stands for the Catholic Church, which is located on the banks of the Sioux. The snake wound around the staff of the cross indicates the efforts of the Church to counteract evil by bringing the “Good News” of the Gospel to the people of the plains. Taken together the symbolism of the Seal of the Diocese of Sioux Falls is this: “This is the Church in the land of the Sioux by the waters of the Big Sioux River.”
Bishop DeGrood’s Coat of Arms The colors Blue symbolizes Mary. It also points to the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” in Minnesota where Bishop DeGrood was born and was ordained a priest. It is also a reminder of the blue color that is used on the seal of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Green symbolizes the Earth, where Christ came down from heaven to save us. Black on the cross reminds us of Jesus’ sacrificial love and that every disciple is called to die to self so they can live for Christ: “The grain that falls to the ground and dies bears much fruit” (Jn 12:24).
The symbols The symbols represent both the humanity and the divinity of Christ and how that relates to the human and spiritual components of humanity. The carpenter’s square and the sheaf of wheat represent the human aspect of Christ and humanity. The letter “M,” chalice and stole represent the sanctified elements of divine life that flow from God into humanity through grace. The black cross reflects the central theme of the sacrificial love of God. This was chosen because of the motto, “God is Love,” expressed in 1 John 4:8 and further explained in 1 John 4:10: “In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins.” It is also a reminder that the fullness of life is found when it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Gal 2:19-21), for the Christian journey is always to be about conforming ourselves to Christ crucified (Phil 3:10). As missionary disciples we are reminded in John 14:13: “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his
friends.” Every saint, like Mary, St. Joseph, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. John of the Cross, St. Theresa of Avila, St. Therese of Lisieux and St. John Vianney, received the love of God and shared it with God and others in a sacrificial manner, which serves as an inspiration to Bishop DeGrood. These saints and every disciple are called to follow Jesus’ example of sacrificial love through humble service as witnessed by Jesus when he washed his disciples’ feet before celebrating the last supper: “I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13:15). The sheaf of wheat is composed of five stalks of wheat. The five heads of wheat are the fruit of the sacrificial marital love (five sons) that came forth from God and Bishop DeGrood’s parents. Having grown up on a farm near Faribault, Minnesota, and appointed to be the bishop of the largely rural Diocese of Sioux Falls, agricultural imagery is a reflection of his agricultural roots and future ministry. The wheat stem symbolizes St. Thomas Aquinas who, at the end of his life, after having received a vision of Christ on the cross, turned to his “Summa Theologica” and said, “It is but straw.” This is to be a reminder that all we do in this world is simply straw compared with the amazing love God has for us. The chalice and confessional stole represent the ministry of St. John Vianney, a farm boy who became the patron saint of parish priests, co-patron of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and patron of St. John Vianney College Seminary, and personal patron of Bishop DeGrood. The chalice is to show the centrality of the Eucharist (sacrifice of the Mass) as the source and summit of the Christian life (CCC 1324). The stole is to display the importance of God’s mercy extended to those in need of healing. The carpenter’s square symbolizes St. Joseph as the foster father of Jesus, patron of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, and Bishop DeGrood’s deceased father. It is also a reminder of the importance and dignity of human labor reflected in the many generations of immigrant laborers in the United States. It is a remembrance that Jesus was born into a human family, and that we too are invited into the life of the Holy Family in Nazareth. The carpenter’s square also is a reminder to Bishop DeGrood of his father’s labor of love through prayer, family life,
manual labor on the farm and promoting Christian values. The angle of the carpenter’s square has the meaning of a rafter which holds the roof of the Church, having then a meaning of protection. This, coupled with the letter “M” and the cross, is to be a full representation of the Holy Family in Bishop DeGrood’s coat of arms. The letter “M” is a direct tie to the papal coat of arms of Pope St. John Paul II. He was the pope who most influenced the vocation and priestly service of Bishop DeGrood. It is also a reminder of the importance of the motto of Pope St. John Paul II, “Totus Tuus” (“all yours”), which reflects the central role Mary had in the life of Pope St. John Paul II, as well as Bishop DeGrood’s severely-disabled uncle Donnie Noy, who inspired Bishop DeGrood to rely upon Mary’s spiritual motherhood. The letter “M,” along with the carpenter’s square, are simple symbols to display that the life of Nazareth, the life of every Christian, is to be one of great humility, simplicity and love with absolute reliance on God, so we can be like Mary who allowed the ordinary things of life to become extraordinary through God’s grace.
May the Lord bless you Bishop Donald DeGrood Diocese of Sioux Falls
The parishioners and staff wish you congratulations and prayers. From your home parish of Divine Mercy in Faribault.
TheCatholicSpirit.com
10B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Bishop DeGrood
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Their son and brother, a bishop By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
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t the reception following the ordination Mass, Joanne DeGrood sat at a table with Judy Cozzens, the mother of Bishop Andrew Cozzens. Both women are now members of the “MOB” — mothers of bishops, Judy said with a laugh. But the women’s connection, Judy explained, goes back to their sons’ first year of seminary and their close friendship. Joanne, 89, was visibly tired, and as she tried to articulate the range of emotions she had felt that day, Judy — whose son was ordained an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 2013 — helped her find words. “It was a great experience, for one thing,” Joanne said, noting that she was still processing the day. One of the most striking parts of the Mass was at the beginning, when Bishop Donald DeGrood processed down the aisle and stopped to hug her. “That was hard,” she said. “It’s your son.” She felt like she had given him away once when he became a priest, and she was doing that a second time. “It’s just the great love that we have for each other,” she said. She understands deeply what he’s leaving behind to do God’s will — “all of a sudden you have to leave your family and all of your friends
you’ve made over the years and start over. That’s a tough situation.” But, she said, “I know he’ll do well. There’s no doubt about it.” On her jacket she wore a small pin with the Virgin of Guadalupe on it — a gift she and Judy both received when they became mothers of priests. And now it has new significance, with the announcement of Bishop DeGrood’s appointment made on the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dec. 12. Bishop DeGrood’s father, Robert, died in 2003. All four of his brothers — three older and one younger — attended the ordination Mass. Along with Joanne, two of them — the oldest, Dave, and Pete, No. 3 — had spent time in Arizona with Bishop DeGrood two weeks before the ordination. All of the brothers live in rural Faribault and attend Divine Mercy in Faribault. Pete, 56, said he felt like the ordination was almost surreal. “It’s almost at times like it’s not even real, it’s just so special,” he said. “Yet, it is, because I know he’s fully capable of it by far. But it’s just so hard to believe it’s happening. “But I think it’s going to be a really great fit for him, because just the community,” he continued. “I see the way people interact with him and the way he interacts with them. It just seems like it’s something that’s already
COURTESY MICHAEL G. BROWN PHOTOGRAPHY
Bishop Donald DeGrood embraces his mother, Joanne DeGrood, following his episcopal ordination Feb. 13 at the Cathedral of St. Joseph in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. happened, it’s so perfect. And he’s very much at peace with doing this.” During the ordination rite, two of the brothers, Joe and Pat, carried into the sanctuary Bishop DeGrood’s crosier. It was carved from an oak tree from their parents’ farm near Faribault. “When he sat down at the bishop’s
chair, it became reality,” said Pat, who at 47 is the youngest brother. They also liked how Archbishop Bernard Hebda directed his homily to Bishop DeGrood, who was seated in the sanctuary. “It was like he was teaching his student,” Pete said.
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Bishop DeGrood
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 11B
‘Someone we trust’ Sioux Falls priests know Bishop DeGrood from seminary days By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit
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oncelebrating Bishop Donald DeGrood’s ordination Mass were more than 120 priests from the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and the Diocese of Sioux Falls. Among them were some priests who knew the bishop as a spiritual director from their years at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. Father Jordan Samson is among them. Pastor of Christ the King in Sioux Falls, for one year he lived down the hall from Bishop DeGrood at the seminary, located at the University of St. Thomas, before then-Father DeGrood was assigned to St. Peter in Forest Lake. “When he got named (bishop), I was like, ‘Oh, I know that guy,” Father Samson said with a laugh. Prior to this, “I don’t think I’ve had a personal connection to someone named a bishop.” Father Anthony Urban, 35, was ordained for the Diocese of Sioux Falls alongside Father Samson, also 35, in 2011. The pastor of two parishes in southeastern South Dakota, he also attended SJV. He too had a deep respect for the now-bishop’s ministry there. “He’s someone we trust,” he said. “I remember he would preach Monday mornings usually, and he was just a very trustworthy person at the seminary. He was there to be a shepherd as a priest ‘on the floor’ and as a spiritual director, and now it’s on a much bigger scale, being a spiritual father for our whole diocese.” A spiritual director from 2000 to 2004 at the seminary, then-Father DeGrood’s reputation was that of “a man of prayer, a steady presence, someone you can count on, reliable,” Father Samson said. He “waged a war on the snooze button, too,” he
‘OBI-WAN DEGROOD’ In 2004, Father Rolf Tollefson succeeded then-Father Donald DeGrood as a spiritual director and formator at St. John Vianney College Seminary in St. Paul. He said that the priest was known as “Obi-Wan DeGrood,” a riff of the Star Wars Jedi master Obi-wan Kenobi. “Because he was a spiritual master — that’s what the guys called him,” said Father Tollefson, pastor of St. Hubert in Chanhassen, who was among about 125 priests who concelebrated the ordination Mass Feb. 13. And Bishop DeGrood is a spiritual master, Father Tollefson affirmed, dropping another nickname: “The mystical master.”
added, as the priest encouraged the college-aged men to grow in discipline. And he was good at racquetball, they said. “What you see is what you get,” Father Urban said of Bishop DeGrood. “There’s nothing flashy,” just sincerity. Bishop DeGrood was Father Samson’s formator, and as a seminarian, Father Samson also found solace in their shared farm backgrounds. “It was a really comforting presence for me, I remember,” he said. Father Urban noted he sees similarities between Bishop DeGrood and his predecessor, Bishop Paul Swain, now officially retired. They’re “men of prayer, men of discernment,” he said. Even though Father Samson and Father Urban know their new bishop from seminary, they’re still heeding his advice to all of his priests that they “wait and see what you get” and not make assumptions. “In a certain sense, you don’t know the decisions he’ll have to make and how difficult it might be,” Father Samson said. “But as a man, I’m glad he’s the one we’re able to point to as our bishop.”
Congratulations Bishop Donald DeGrood
Our prayers and support are with you.
thecatholicspirit.com
Bishop DeGrood
12B • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
a MASS of THANKSGIVING
At Cathedral of St. Paul, new bishop says ‘there’s nothing like being in love with God’
ABOVE Bishop Donald DeGrood talks to children during the homily of his Mass of Thanksgiving Feb. 16 at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.
By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit
C
alling children to the front of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, Bishop Donald DeGrood talked directly to them of God’s love and courageously following God’s will at his Mass of Thanksgiving Feb. 16 — just three days after he was ordained bishop of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. “I can tell you this, in my experience, there’s nothing like being in love with God, and loving ourselves the way God loves us and loving others the way he loves them. So let’s ask God to fill us with wisdom, fill us with love, so we can go out and courageously do whatever he wants us to do,” Bishop DeGrood said in his homily. Back in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, which he called home as a youngster growing up on a farm near Faribault, as a seminarian and as a priest, Bishop DeGrood was greeted by a congregation of more than 1,200 people — from preschoolers to seniors, many from parishes he once served. He said he didn’t want to leave everyone he knows and loves — his family and friends, deacons, priests and others, but the Lord called him and assured him that his grace would be enough. God calls everyone to his will, and gives love and joy even in the midst of sacrifices to see his will through, Bishop DeGrood said. Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis ordained Bishop DeGrood as the ninth bishop of the Sioux Falls diocese. Archbishop Hebda and Auxiliary Bishop Andrew Cozzens joined Bishop DeGrood at the Thanksgiving Mass. In his priestly ministry, Bishop DeGrood was a pastor, the archdiocese’s Vicar for Clergy and held other roles in the archdiocese. He served as pastor of
LEFT Bishop DeGrood elevates the Eucharist during the prayer of consecration at the Mass. PHOTOS BY DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
St. Peter in Forest Lake, Blessed Sacrament in St. Paul and St. John the Baptist in Savage. Renee and Brian Krautkremer were not surprised that Bishop DeGrood invited students to come up front during his homily and to help bring up the offertory gifts. Their fifth-grader, Grace, and secondgrader, Paige, who attend St. John the Baptist School, were among those who gathered near Bishop DeGrood during the homily. “He often gets kids involved and is great at talking to them at their level,” Renee said. “We’re happy for him,” she said, “but he will be hard to replace.” At the end of Mass, Bishop DeGrood said, “I won’t say goodbye, but ‘til we meet again,” whether on earth or in heaven. He added that everyone’s presence was a great gift to him. He encouraged everyone to stay close to the Lord and on the path that leads to heaven. After Mass, hundreds made their way downstairs to greet Bishop DeGrood in the Cathedral’s Hayden Hall. The line stretched up the stairs to the cathedral narthex, and some waited more than an hour for their
chance to visit with the bishop. Leslie and Micah Darling were among the wellwishers. They drove 13 hours from Texas to attend the Feb. 13 ordination in Sioux Falls and the Mass of Thanksgiving at the cathedral. They became Catholics last fall at St. John the Baptist, along with their two children, Avonlea, 10, and Fisher, 3. “He has become one of the most special people in our lives,” Leslie said. “He helped us walk into the Church on Oct. 19, so he spent a lot of hours with us, loving us and teaching us more than we ever thought we could know about the Catholic faith, and stuff that we’ll store in our hearts forever. We think he’s going to be a saint.” The Darlings moved to Texas just weeks after joining the Church, but they plan to move back to the Twin Cities next month. “We just realized this is where we need to be,” Micah said. They already have a trip planned to South Dakota this summer, which will include a stop to see Bishop DeGrood. “We’ll come and visit him as often as he lets us,” Micah said.