The Catholic Spirit - March 12, 2021

MARCH 11, 2021 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

king

Fit for a

Buffalo retreat center offers idyllic setting, chance to spend quiet time with God — Pages 12-13

A statue of Christ greets visitors near the front entrance of Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, also known as King’s House.

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

CHAUVIN TRIAL 5 | BISHOP DEGROOD’S FIRST YEAR 6 | J&J VACCINE MORALITY 10 EQUALITY ACT CONCERNS 11 | NET MINISTRIES ADAPTS 14 | TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT HISTORY 19

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MARCH 11, 2021

PAGETWO Minnesota needs to act now to limit the threat that a traffic stop will upend lives and families of our friends and neighbors. Our immigrant brothers and sisters deserve to live with dignity, not in fear of being separated from their families every time they need to drive somewhere.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda, in testimony Feb. 26 before the Minnesota House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee, on H.F.1163, “Drivers Licenses For All,” a bill to amend Minnesota statutes affecting driver’s licenses so that an applicant does not need to show proof of citizenship or lawful presence in the U.S. Archbishop Hebda said that in the absence of Congress passing comprehensive immigration reform, the bill is an “urgently needed remedy for the approximately 90,000 undocumented people in our state.”

NEWS notes COURTESY ASHLEY DE LOS REYES, HOLY SPIRIT

100 DAYS Teachers and staff of Holy Spirit Catholic School in St. Paul celebrate 100 days of in-person learning Feb. 25. Teachers and students shared treats and 100-second dance breaks throughout the day.

Festivities included fifth-graders using an app on their phones to age photos of themselves while writing about what life might be like when they are 100, and first-graders creating items out of 100 objects.

HE KNOWS THE DRILL Deacon Glenn Skuta drills a hole in a sugar maple tree in Oakdale before placing a tap to collect sap.

He is in his eighth year of collecting sap to boil down into syrup, which he gives to friends and keeps some for his family. While the ratio varies, it can take about 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.

Deacon Skuta “branched out” this year from a tree in his family’s yard to collect sap from two friends’ trees.

A member of Guardian Angels in Oakdale, Deacon Skuta ministers at Corpus Christi and St. Rose of Lima parishes in Roseville.

A former convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul will be used as a temporary shelter for homeless families, under an agreement approved March 5 by the city’s planning commission. The shelter, for about 20 to 25 families with a 100-person limit, will be ready in coming weeks to serve for one year as an Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul’s Project Home shelter, followed by a month-to-month option, said John Viktora-Croke, executive director of operations for the Sisters of St. Joseph.

A new 10-part, online speaker series on St. Joseph launched March 2. “Cuppa Joe: 10 Talks on the 10 Wonders of St. Joseph” includes 20-minute, monthly reflections from local theologians on a “wonder” of St. Joseph — such as “Savior of the Savior” “Silent Witness” — identified by Father Donald Calloway in his 2019 book, “Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father.” Father Tom Margevicius opened the series from St. Joseph in West St. Paul with the topic of St. Joseph as the “Delight of Saints.” Other talks will be filmed from other parishes and chapels in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis with connections to St. Joseph. Talks premiere the first Tuesday of the month at 4 p.m., just in time for afternoon coffee, at archspm.org/cuppajoe. The series honors the Year of St. Joseph underway worldwide.

Looking for ways to deepen your experience of Lent? The archdiocese lists local and national events, online content and reflections at archspm.org/lenten-resources.

Catholic Sisters Week is March 8-14. Events range from a short film series to a virtual walking tour of places in Louisville, Kentucky, that were key to the life of Mother Catherine Spalding (1793–1858), co-founder of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. As part of the week, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul are hosting an online presentation, “Food Access, Urban Agriculture and Justice: Student leadership opportunities with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and St. Catherine University,” 4:30­–5 p.m. March 11. Find it and other events at catholicsistersweek.org.

The Cathedral of St. Paul will host an in-person organ recital 3 p.m. March 14, Laetare Sunday, by Christopher Ganza, its choirmaster and organist. Playing the cathedral’s E.M. Skinner and Aeolian-Skinner pipe organs, Ganza will present Charles-Marie Widor’s “Symphony for Organ No. 6,” which premiered in 1878 and “brings its listeners on an epic journey from darkness into light,” according to promotional materials. Freewill offerings will be accepted. The concert will also be livestreamed at cathedralsaintpaul.org.

BARB UMBERGER | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Many of our churches and chapels display sacred art, including stained glass, statues and textiles. What sacred image at your parish inspires your faith and why? Share your response via email to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with “Readers Respond” in the subject line. Your reflection may be included in a future edition of The Catholic Spirit.

PRACTICING Catholic On the March 5 show of “Practicing Catholic” (formerly “The Rediscover: Hour”), host Patrick Conley interviews Father Daniel Griffith, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis and faculty member at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, about his course on restorative justice. Other guests on the show are Father Jonathan Kelly, on his new role as rector of St. John Vianney College Seminary, and Sister Mary Anne Schaenzer, who discusses the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Office Winter Conference. Listen each week on Fridays at 9 p.m., Saturdays at 1 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. on Relevant Radio 1330 AM. Listen to interviews after they have aired at practicingcatholicshow.com, soundcloud.com/ practicingcatholic or tinyurl.com/practicingcatholic.

The Catholic Spirit is published semi-monthly for The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Vol. 26 — No. 5 MOST REVEREND BERNARD A. HEBDA, Publisher TOM HALDEN, Associate Publisher MARIA C. WIERING, Editor-in-Chief JOE RUFF, News Editor

The Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women is holding its 88th convention this year on Friday, April 30, at St. Patrick in Shieldsville, near Faribault. This year’s theme “Celebrating Life’s Challenges” includes speaker Kate Soucheray, prayer time, an ACCW presentation and networking opportunities, as well as Mass with Archbishop Bernard Hebda. Lunch included with in-person registration. Register online to attend in person ($30) or virtually ($15) at archspm.org/accw2021conv. Deadline is April 14.

The archdiocese’s annual Chrism Mass will be held 10 a.m. April 1, Holy Thursday, at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul. The faithful is invited to the Cathedral for this Mass, where sacred oils are blessed and given to parishes to be used in sacraments over the coming year.

CORRECTION A Nov. 19 story about the first permanent diaconate study center in the country, at St. John’s Seminary in Collegeville, incorrectly reported that Deacon Tom Kasbohm of Brooklyn Center is the sole surviving member of the 10-person inaugural class. At least one other surviving member of the 12-member class, Deacon Jerry Bals, 80, lives in Eastlake, Ohio.

Materials credited to CNS copy­righted by Catholic News Service.

All other materials copyrighted by The Cath­olic Spirit Newspaper.

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MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 3

FROMTHEARCHBISHOP ONLY JESUS | ARCHBISHOP BERNARD HEBDA

Racism and the work of conversion

M

y mother was determined that I would not grow up to be a racist. Given that I was born in 1950s Pittsburgh, that was a rather remarkable goal. Life along the three rivers was characterized by a marked de facto segregation, and there seemed to have been a high tolerance for racial slurs and humor, but that was never the case in our home. I knew from experience that my tongue and tonsils would have a memorable encounter with a bar of Dial soap if I even thought of repeating at home the jokes that I heard in school.

In the aftermath of the riots that gripped Pittsburgh in the late 1960s, my mother would take me with her door-to-door as she solicited pledges for the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. She considered it a great blessing when she would be spat upon, or the door slammed in her face, as fellow parishioners registered their opposition to the then-bishop’s message of racial reconciliation and the diocese’s financial support for programming benefiting the African American community. My mom was unflinching in her resolve.

She could not have been happier when the color barrier was finally broken in our local parochial school, and she was thrilled to invite my first non-Caucasian classmate to our home for lemonade, just days after his arrival.

While some of my contemporaries were forced to stop watching “Mister Rogers” (Pittsburgh Royalty if ever there was any!) after the 1969 episode when he and Officer Clemmons confronted racial taboos by soaking their feet in the same plastic swimming pool, it was precisely then that Mister Rogers became a hero in our home. My mom was “woke” before the term existed.

Racismo y obra de conversión

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i madre estaba decidida a que yo no fuera racista cuando creciera. Dado que nací en la década de 1950 en Pittsburgh, ese era un objetivo bastante notable. La vida a lo largo de los tres ríos se caracterizaba por un marcado hecho de segregación, y parecía haber una gran tolerancia a los insultos y el humor raciales, pero ese nunca fue el caso en nuestro hogar.

Sabía por experiencia, que mi lengua y amígdalas tendrían un encuentro memorable con una barra de jabón Dial, con solo pensar en repetir en casa los chistes que escuchaba en la escuela.

Después de los disturbios que se apoderaron de Pittsburgh a fines de la década de 1960, mi madre me llevaba de puerta en puerta mientras solicitaba promesas de donación para la Campaña Anual del Obispo.

Consideró que era una gran bendición cuando la escupían, o la puerta se la cerraban en la cara, ya que sus compañeros feligreses, registraban su oposición al mensaje de reconciliación racial del entonces obispo, y al apoyo financiero de la diócesis para programas que beneficiarían a la comunidad afroamericana. Mi madre se mostró inquebrantable en su resolución. Ella no pudo haber estado más feliz cuando la barrera del color finalmente se rompió en nuestra escuela parroquial local; y estaba encantada de invitar a mi primer compañero de clase no caucásico a nuestra casa a tomar una

As we pray for our community during this challenging time, let’s be sure to pray as well for each other, that we might deepen our commitment to conversion, accept each other as true brothers and sisters, and never lose hope.

As the trials begin for those charged with the tragic death of George Floyd, and as the cries for justice grow louder, I’ve taken up again an examination of conscience that seeks to root out the sin of racism in my life. While I continue to benefit from the firm foundation that I received from my parents and their convictions, I’m painfully aware that all of us have blind spots when it comes to prejudice — racial or otherwise.

My mom’s parents died when I was a toddler, and my father’s parents had both passed before I was 5.

My memories of grandparents are accordingly shaped primarily by my great-grandmother, who died when I was 11. Born in Poland, she immigrated to Pittsburgh at the turn of the last century. She and my greatgrandfather raised seven kids, supporting the family on a small butcher shop that went under during the Depression. My memories of her are of a very stern woman. When my class read “Hansel and Gretel” in school, I thought instantly of my great-grandmother.

She had a kettle that she heated on an open fire and bottled her own homemade soda pop made from roots. For obvious reasons, I was always a little wary

limonada, pocos días después de su llegada.

Si bien algunos de mis contemporáneos se vieron obligados a dejar de ver “Mr. Rogers” (¡La realeza de Pittsburgh si alguna vez hubo alguna!)

Después del episodio de 1969 cuando él y el oficial Clemens se enfrentaron a tabúes raciales al sumergir los pies en la misma piscina de plástico, fue precisamente luego que Mr. Rogers se convirtió en un héroe en nuestra casa.

Mi mamá ya había “despertado” antes de que existiera el término.

A medida que comienzan los juicios para los acusados de la trágica muerte de George Floyd, y a medida que los gritos de justicia se hacen más fuertes; he retomado un examen de conciencia que busca erradicar el pecado del racismo en mi vida. Si bien sigo beneficiándome de la base firme que recibí de mis padres y sus convicciones, soy dolorosamente consciente de que todos tenemos puntos ciegos cuando se trata de prejuicios raciales o de otro tipo.

Los padres de mi madre murieron cuando yo era un niño pequeño, y los padres de mi padre habían fallecido antes de que yo tuviera cinco años. En consecuencia, mis recuerdos de abuelos están formados principalmente por mi bisabuela, que murió cuando yo tenía 11 años. Nacida en Polonia, emigró a Pittsburgh a principios del siglo pasado.

Ella y mi bisabuelo criaron a siete hijos y mantuvieron a la familia con una pequeña carnicería que se hundió durante la Depresión. Mis recuerdos de ella son los de una mujer muy severa.

Cuando mi clase leyó “Hansel y Gretel”

of anything that she would serve us.

When years later I would be assigned as a priest to her parish (she had long gone to God), I discovered that I wasn’t the only one who had found her to be difficult. The only positive things that I ever heard people say about her was that she had beautiful china and nice hair. There were all kinds of rumors that tried to explain her temperament, and many of them centered on the “fact” that she had been Jewish. My own mother, so proud to be “woke,” passed on as gospel truth that my great-grandmother had been born into a Jewish family and then kidnapped by gypsies. Perhaps my mom, so convicted about racism, wasn’t quite so good in dealing with anti-Semitism or anti-Roma prejudices.

As Providence would have it, the COVID pandemic (and the gift of a DNA test) has given me the opportunity to do a little genealogical research on the internet. My great-grandmother, it turns out, was neither Jewish nor stolen by gypsies. And, wouldn’t you know it, I seem to share more DNA with her family than with any other branch of my ancestors.

I’m mindful these days that our stories, unfortunately, all too often pass on and sustain prejudices that we don’t even recognize. Even those of us who believe we are free from the sin of racism have blind spots that need to be probed. The work of real conversion, always at the forefront in Lent, is difficult; but in Christ we can find the strength and the grace that makes it possible to work for a true transformation of the human heart. As we pray for our community during this challenging time, let’s be sure to pray as well for each other, that we might deepen our commitment to conversion, accept each other as true brothers and sisters, and never lose hope.

en la escuela, pensé instantáneamente en mi bisabuela. Tenía una tetera que calentaba a fuego abierto y embotellaba su propia gaseosa casera hecha de raíces. Por razones obvias, siempre fui un poco cauteloso con cualquier cosa que ella nos sirviera.

Cuando años más tarde me asignaron como sacerdote a su parroquia (hacía mucho que se había ido hacia Dios), descubrí que no era el único que pensaba que era alguien difícil. Lo único positivo que escuché decir a la gente sobre ella fue que tenía una hermosa porcelana y un cabello bonito. Hubo todo tipo de rumores que intentaron explicar su temperamento, y muchos de ellos se centraron en el “hecho” de que había sido judía. Mi propia madre, tan orgullosa de haber “despertado”, transmitió como si fuera una verdad del evangelio, que mi bisabuela había nacido en una familia judía y luego secuestrada por gitanos.

Quizás mi mamá, tan convencida por el racismo, no era tan buena para lidiar con el antisemitismo o los prejuicios anti - Roma.

Como dice la Providencia, la pandemia de COVID (y el regalo de una prueba de ADN) me ha dado la oportunidad de hacer una pequeña investigación genealógica en Internet.

Resulta que mi bisabuela no era judía ni la robaron los gitanos. ¿Y que creen?

Parece que comparto más ADN con su familia que con cualquier otra rama de mis antepasados.

Soy consciente en estos días de que nuestras historias, desafortunadamente, con demasiada frecuencia, transmiten y mantienen prejuicios que ni siquiera

reconocemos. Incluso aquellos de nosotros creemos que estamos libres del pecado del racismo; tenemos puntos ciegos que aún deben ser investigados.

La obra de la conversión real, siempre en la vanguardia de la Cuaresma, es difícil, pero en Cristo podemos encontrar la fuerza y la gracia que hace posible trabajar por una verdadera transformación del corazón humano.

Al orar por nuestra comunidad en este momento desafiante, asegurémonos de orar también los unos por los otros, para que podamos profundizar nuestro compromiso con la conversión, aceptarnos unos a otros como verdaderos hermanos y hermanas, y nunca perder la esperanza.

OFFICIAL Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis:

Effective March 1, 2021 Deacon Kevin Downie, assigned as permanent deacon of the Church of Saint Gregory the Great in North Branch and the Church of Sacred Heart in Rush City. Deacon Downie previously served at Saint Pius V in Cannon Falls and as chaplain for Catholic Cemeteries.

Deacon Kris Ringwall, granted faculties of the Archdiocese. Deacon Ringwall is a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Bismarck.

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SLICEof LIFE

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‘Angel’ SLICEof LIFE among us A cast of

SLICEof LIFE

St. Joseph of Carondelet Sister Avis Allmaras, center, talks with Rose Carter, left, and Irene Eiden at Peace House in south Minneapolis Feb. 27. Sister Avis goes to the center weekly and visits frequent guests like Carter. Eiden, of St. William in Fridley, is a lay consociate of the Carondelet Sisters. Peace House is a day shelter for the poor and homeless.

“It’s a real privilege to know these people and hear their stories,” Sister Avis said. “I could not survive on the streets like they do. There are so many gifted people here.” Said Carter of Sister Avis: “She’s an angel. She hides her wings under that sweatshirt. She truly is an angel.”

Dave Hrbacek/The Catholic Spirit

Celtic saints

From left, Grace, played by Josie Gerlach, talks with St. Aidan of Lindisfarne, played by Don Keller, during a rehearsal at St. Patrick in Edina March 2 of the musical “Sacred Secret,” written and produced by Tim and Julie Smith, St. Patrick staff members. The couple began working on the musical, their seventh, a year ago. It features 18 songs in a storyline that highlights seven Celtic saints, including, of course, St. Patrick, the parish Celebrating sisters namesake. Tim and Julie both make brief National Catholic Sisters Week is appearances in the performance, and they March 8-14. An official component of Women’s History Month and contribute to the background music, with Tim, headquartered at St. Catherine University director of music and liturgy at the parish, in St. Paul, the week celebrates women playing the piano, and Julie, who works part religious and their contributions to the Church and society. View local events, time in music ministry at the parish, playing including two art exhibitions, at the harp and singing. The oldest of their www.nationalcatholicsistersweek.org. five children, Bernadette, helped write the musical and will be part of the orchestra.

Julie said she hopes the performances will show that the saints “are an integral part of our faith journey.” “Sacred Secret” will From condos to castles, be performed March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day) performance exceeds and March 18promise for in-person audiences of up to 250 Kueppers people, with registration required at Kathy DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT for all Your Buying and Sellin stpatrick edina.org.

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MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 5

‘Pray for Minnesota’ Joining faith leaders, Archbishop Hebda prays for peace, justice ahead of Chauvin trial for death of George Floyd

By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit Gathered with more than 100 other faith leaders in a downtown Minneapolis plaza, Archbishop Bernard Hebda prayed for peace and justice on the eve of the March 8 trial of a former city police officer in the police-custody death of African American George Floyd.

“Loving God, you are the source of all that is good in our lives,” the archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis said in the gathering’s opening prayer.

“And so, we come to you with grateful hearts, grateful for the gifts that you’ve bestowed upon those that are gathered here. Grateful for the plans that you have for our cities. Grateful for the way in which you are going to bless us beyond anything that we can imagine.

“We come to you today as a people who thirst for justice, but we hunger as well for peace.”

With security fencing as a backdrop at the North Plaza of the Hennepin County Government Center, where the trial of Derek Chauvin is being held, the gathering was organized under tension felt across the Twin Cities. A sign behind the podium and loudspeakers read “Pray for MN.” Floyd’s May 25 arrest, part of which was captured on video by a bystander and shared through social media, sparked protests and riots across the Twin Cities and around the country.

Chauvin, who is charged with seconddegree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter, was shown in the arrest with his knee on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes as Floyd, handcuffed and face down on the ground, begged to breathe and then became unresponsive. Floyd had been accused of trying to pass a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes.

Chauvin, who is white, was fired after the incident. Three of his colleagues who

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

were part of the arrest also were fired, and they face a joint Aug. 23 trial on charges of aiding and abetting seconddegree murder and manslaughter. All four defendants are out on bond.

Chauvin was also initially charged with third-degree murder, and recent legal moves could result in reinstatement of that charge. Legal complications March 8 delayed jury selection for the trial.

In addition to the prayer gathering, Archbishop Hebda released a video and statement March 5 asking for prayers throughout Chauvin’s trial, which got underway March 9.

“Whether you can take 30 seconds or 30 minutes, let us commit to praying each day for peace in our communities, peace for the Floyd family, and peace for our first responder sisters and brothers working to protect us. Please join me as well in praying for an end to the scourge of racism in our country,” the archbishop said in the video, which is on the archdiocese’s website, archspm.org.

In the video, Archbishop Hebda notes that many people are “fearful about what may happen during the trial and

Annunciation allegation under investigation The Catholic Spirit An employee of Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis is on administrative leave as an allegation of “inappropriate physical contact with a student” is investigated by police.

In a March 4 letter to the school’s families, school leaders said they received the allegation the evening of March 2 and reported it to the Minneapolis Police Department the following morning.

School officials contacted Tim O’Malley, director of the Archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment, and leaders also met with the parents of the student who made the allegation.

“The safety and well-being of our students is paramount, and we ask that everyone in the Annunciation

community respect the confidentiality of those involved in this matter, particularly the student, and respect the investigation process,” school leaders said in the letter, which was signed by Pastor Father William Deziel, Principal Kari Zoebel and Business Administrator Thomas Konz.

The leaders promised to keep the school community informed about the situation and asked for patience “because it is unclear how long the process will take.” They asked for anyone with information related to the incident to contact police, the school’s leaders, or the archdiocese’s Office of Ministerial Standards and Safe Environment.

Annunciation Catholic School is located in south Minneapolis, with about 340 students in kindergarten to grade eight.

its aftermath — no matter what the jury’s verdict will eventually be. And all of that emotion is heightened by the ongoing pandemic that has brought additional death, illness and sadness to our world, country, state, communities and families.”

Archbishop Hebda also called for unity. “We have seen time and again that we do not have the power to bring peace, equality and justice to our world

Archbishop Bernard Hebda leads a prayer during a gathering of pastors and clergy March 7 in downtown Minneapolis at the Hennepin County Government Center organized by #PrayForMN. The organization held the gathering on the eve of the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer charged with the death of George Floyd May 25, 2020.

on our own,” he said. “If there was ever a time to join together and ask our merciful God for his help, this is it.”

The archdiocese also has resources for people seeking to pray for racial justice and peace, at archspm.org/peace and archspm.org/chauvintrial. They include praying a decade of the rosary daily and receiving text messages pointing to additional ways to promote unity and healing.

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6 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

A year into new role, Bishop DeGrood ‘riding the wave of grace’

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit In a faded baseball cap and gray short-sleeved shirt, Bishop Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls waved to a cell phone filming him inside the cab of a combine, harvesting corn.

“Blessings everybody! I’m looking straight ahead because I’m picking corn, which I haven’t done for a lot of years. I’m pretty rusty,” he said over the hum of the combine’s engine.

He explained that he had been thinking of the area’s farmers while driving to Broom Tree Retreat and Conference Center near Yankton, South Dakota, the day before for a day of recollection, and he “had a hankering” to join the harvesting. He connected with a farmer to ride along, and the farmer turned the wheel over to him.

In the video, he told farmers he was praying for them and for a safe harvest.

The video was posted on the diocese’s Facebook page Oct. 22 and garnered considerable attention.

“What a down-to-earth, literally, great bishop we are blessed with!!” one woman commented.

Bishop DeGrood, a self-described “farm boy” who grew up near Faribault and was a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, was consecrated and installed as the bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Feb. 13, 2020, a brilliantly sunny, brisk day. Back at Broom Tree for a regular day of contemplation, he reflected Feb. 18 on his first year as bishop during a “Practicing Catholic” interview with Tom Halden, the archdiocese’s director of communications.

Bishop DeGrood, who was pastor of St. John the Baptist in Savage when Pope Francis appointed him to Sioux Falls, was ordained a bishop just weeks before South Dakota identified its first confirmed case of COVID-19. Summarizing the challenges of 2020 — the pandemic, nationwide racial tension and civil unrest, and a contentious presidential election — Halden asked Bishop DeGrood what his first year has been like.

Bishop DeGrood, 55, noted that in a rural, less populated diocese, the effects of the pandemic and the racial tensions were felt differently than in the Twin Cities. But how he handles the challenges “depends a lot on how focused I keep my eyes on the Lord.”

He said he gained particular insight from a book by Peter Kreeft, a philosophy professor at Boston College who has written extensively on the spiritual life, that talks about “surfing the wave of grace.”

“So, I like to think that is riding the wave of grace,” he said. “I can’t control the wind. I can’t control the

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Bishop Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls is all smiles shortly before a Mass of Thanksgiving Feb. 16, 2020, at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.

should have great peace.”

Bishop DeGrood hasn’t traveled to as many parishes or events as he might have without the pandemic because he didn’t want to cause people to gather. Instead, he’s focused on getting to know his diocese — which covers the eastern half of South Dakota — on an administrative level, he said.

As he learns what his role as bishop requires, “a really consistent prayer life is really helpful,” he said.

“And a couple of the really big keys that helped me this last year were getting up earlier in the morning, taking some time of spiritual reading before I do my Office of Readings — the commitments we make as clergy — Mass, my time of meditation, my rosary,” he said.

“In other words,” he continued, “once I have that well filled up and I’ve got my direction for the day and whatever resistance I have, whatever fears I have, if I can openly give those up to the Lord and just receive his grace and start surrendering my plan, I find the peace settles in. And as long as I stay in that, I’m good.”

Last year, immediately after being asked to take the role of bishop, Bishop DeGrood went to the chapel at St. John the Baptist and prayed, and there he felt confidence that this was God’s will. Recalling that confidence, which he called “a game changer,” has also been helpful to this year, he told Halden. He also has embraced advice to “be himself,” which includes his rural upbringing.

Halden pointed to that combine ride with the farmer near Yankton as one example of the way the bishop’s farm background makes him a good fit for his diocese.

“The gift of being a farm boy — there’s so much natural comfort for me in being with folks in the rural area,” Bishop DeGrood said. “That’s who I am. That’s my background. So that’s a natural confidence, a natural peace. (It’s) easy to talk about. I love being outside.”

At the end of the 15-minute interview, Bishop DeGrood asked for prayers that he would be a “healthy, happy and holy bishop.”

“That’s the key,” he said. “So, if my eyes are on the Lord, all is going to be good. He’ll provide for the good people of God, then they can be healthy, happy and holy.”

wave, but I can respond to the wave and the grace.

So, the wind is the Holy Spirit.

“So, when that Holy Spirit comes to me, am I open? Am I free? Am I trusting God? And so, I’d say that there were times of greater interior peace and freedom, even in the midst of the craziness. But it all depends on how much I was keeping my eyes on the Lord. And when I take my eyes off or look at the problems, of course, then I would crash into the water.”

Beginning an episcopacy at the onset of a Halden’s interview with Bishop DeGrood aired pandemic changed his expectations for the year, he 9 p.m. Feb. 26 on “Practicing Catholic,” a radio acknowledged, but he has found peace in trusting in show produced by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and God’s providence and goodness.

Minneapolis and Relevant Radio 1330 AM. Encore “We just need to be with the Lord,” he said. “And shows aired 1 p.m. Feb. 27 and 2 p.m. Feb. 28, all on yes, it might mean suffering. Yes, it’s going to be Relevant Radio 1330 AM. The interview can be found at 1 1/6/21 2:29 PM trials and uncertainties. But ifCathSpMM-Jan14-2021.qxp_Layout our trust is in God, we practicingcatholicshow .com and on Spotify.

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LOCAL

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 7

Roseville parish hosts ‘Young and Hungry’ livestream forum

By Barb Umberger The Catholic Spirit About 10 years ago, a school principal in northeast Minneapolis contacted a local church to discuss how some students hoarded food in the food line, especially on Fridays. School leaders knew they had a problem: Some students did not have enough food to eat. But, the school didn’t have the resources to address the issue. So, they asked the church to help find a solution.

“The church felt like that was something … reflective of their mission … and Every Meal was born,” said Nate Youngblood, Every Meal (Fighting Child Hunger)’s associate director. “Our mission is to fight child hunger through school partnerships.”

Youngblood was one of four speakers during a 90-minute livestream from Corpus Christi in Roseville Feb. 24 called “Young and Hungry: Youth Hunger in Minnesota and What We Can Do About It.” It was organized by the parish’s social justice committee. The forum explored how the problem of youth and hunger in Minnesota has been exacerbated by COVID-19.

Joining Youngblood were Mary McKeown, president of Keystone Community Services, a multi-service nonprofit based in St. Paul that serves about 35,000 people; Kelly Miller, director of the Department of Indian Work at Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul; and Mary Kristjanson, a junior at Highland Park High School in St. Paul and president of its service club, The Good Club, which is focusing this year on distributing food for school families.

Based in Roseville, Every Meal (Fighting Child Hunger) is the answer to a logistics issue, not a supply issue, Youngblood said. “We know there’s plenty of food … in the United States, and it’s just not getting to people who don’t have it.” His organization’s solution is providing backpacks with food purchased through donations that students in need can take home.

He said his organization wanted to find a way to better serve students, better understand their needs and partner with schools in the process. Students who sign up for the program receive “delicious, nutritious” food that accommodates cultural preferences, Youngblood said. And during the pandemic, the organization has seen the need grow.

“Before COVID, Every Meal was serving about 325 locations, averaging about 23,000 meals a week, he said.

“Once COVID hit, we’re … closer to 38,000 meals a week.”

But at the height of demand for food after schools closed and summer began, the number of backpack meals reached about 100,000, he said.

Last March, schools across Minnesota moved to distance learning. In the fall, many public schools in the Twin Cities area continued distance learning, which meant their students didn’t have access to onsite free or reduced hot lunch programs, compounding the challenge, Youngblood said.

Corpus Christi parishioner Bill Brady, a volunteer board chairperson for Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul, served as moderator of the panel discussion. He said about 70 people participated by video conference.

HOW TO HELP The Social Justice Committee at Corpus Christi sponsors two forums each year: one during Lent and one during Advent.

Committee member Bill Brady said on a recent episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio program on Relevant Radio that the topic of youth hunger was chosen for the Feb. 24 forum because “we’ve heard so much from our friends in the nonprofit world about how the pandemic and the resulting lockdowns … have exacerbated food insecurity across the board and, in particular, among segments of the population that were already at risk: people of color, the indigenous communities and, of course, children and youth.”

COURTESY MARY KRISTJANSON

From left, Kimberly Esso, a school counselor at Highland Park High School in St. Paul, joins students Mary Kristjanson and Ana Mendoza unloading groceries Nov. 19, 2020, before a food giveaway sponsored by the school’s The Good Club. Kristjanson and Mendoza are the club’s co-presidents.

As the session got underway, Brady cited statistics from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, D.C., on the number of households struggling to put enough food on the table. He said that last spring, that statistic spiked to nearly three times what it was before the pandemic.

“And it pretty much stayed there over the summer,” Brady said. “And then it rose higher as we headed into the winter,” noting that’s a time when many people’s budgets are stretched, and families may need to choose between heat or food.

“But the story for children is even worse,” Brady said. “One analysis of census data estimates about 12 million children nationwide live in a household where there isn’t enough food,” he said, “and that is 10 times what it was at the end of 2019.”

While those are national numbers, Brady said Minnesota’s statistics tell “a similar story.”

“Before COVID, experts said one in 11 residents struggled to afford food.

Now they think the number is more like one in eight, and for children, it may be as many as one in five,” Brady said.

“That’s according to Second Harvest Heartland.”

McKeown said Keystone Community Services is one of the largest human service organizations in Ramsey County, which includes the City of St. Paul. It saw about a 13% increase in its services in 2020. “And that was really targeted to people that … had basic needs needing to be supported,” she said.

McKeown cited a January survey with results showing almost 10 million families in the U.S. with children experiencing food insecurity.

She said 31% of Black families, compared to 11% of white families and 27% of Latino families, are concerned about food insecurity.

Before the pandemic, McKeown said, Hunger Solutions, a statewide advocacy organization for hunger relief, found that the number of senior citizens visiting food shelves increased by 31% in 2020.

Young people are particularly affected by food insecurity, McKeown said, “because if their families don’t have enough food, it’s very difficult to go to school and do it virtually, or figure out how to be a learner when your family is worried about whether or not they have

enough food … for you. So that is … some of the … bigger, overarching issues that Keystone is trying to address in some very basic ways.”

Miller said that the mission of Interfaith Action is to mobilize diverse faith and spiritual communities to engage in work that supports “our neighbors’ stability and economic mobility.”

One of the three focus areas at the Department of Indian Work is emergency services, offering clothing, food and shelter. And as one of the Minnesota Department of Health’s COVID-19 community coordinators, the department offers a COVID resource hotline for the American Indian community.

“We’re not as big as some of the other big food shelves because we focus on the American Indian community in the east metro,” Miller said. “Before COVID we were serving about 160 … households a month, and … once COVID hit, those numbers completely doubled.”

Miller said her organization serves youth in two programs. The first is a family-driven food shelf. She noted that the MDH reported that 31% of communities enrolled in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, widely known as SNAP, are American Indian.

With distance learning in place, the organization needed to figure out how to deliver food to families that are homebound with children at home.

Miller’s organization first partnered with Metro Mobility to deliver food to families. “We now have a van (so) we’re able to deliver food to our families,” she said, “which has been a huge help. We’re able to continue that, delivering food to

Individuals who want to help are encouraged to donate food to local organizations with food shelves. Donations can also be made to the four organizations represented at the Feb. 24 forum via the Corpus Christi website, ccmn.org, by clicking on “Donate,” then “Other,” and entering “Youth Hunger Forum.” A $3,000 match will be added from an anonymous benefactor.

— Barb Umberger them in our youth program.”

Last summer, her staff hosted a summer program online and partnered with its food shelf to deliver meal boxes to youth, she said.

Food mobility is also central to Kristjanson’s The Good Club. Students collect nonperishable food and money to buy perishable food for giveaways to students’ families in need. She said care is taken to make sure students and family members feel comfortable picking up food.

“There’s only been a couple students (from her club) at the actual distributions,” she said, noting she realizes some recipients feel a stigma about taking donated food.

“We’re trying to work on making people comfortable so that they can come back when they need to,” she said.

Kristjanson, a Corpus Christi parishioner, said her group’s mission is to provide opportunities for students to help people in need in their community, as well as to educate students about social justice issues “to create a more informed student body that is ready to make change.”

Youngblood said that before COVID, most kids found interaction, routine and a sense of normalcy in school. When the pandemic hit, that was all taken away.

“It’s easy to forget,” he said, “what a radical shift children have gone through in the entire state and … the whole country.”

LOCAL

8 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

Hospital chaplains: Ministering to the suffering, dying and grieving

By Debbie Musser For The Catholic Spirit Editor’s note: This is the third story in a three-part series highlighting some of the 20 ministries supported by the annual Catholic Services Appeal. This year’s appeal kicked off Feb. 13-14.

Learn more at csaf.org.

Bobbie Short recalls her father, Chuck Schuh, as a very holy man who was always evangelizing.

“He loved our Lord so much and people felt so open talking to him; he was always so welcoming about it and there was never any pressure,” Short said. “Dad would find a TV show about a saint, record it and then make copies on VHS tapes to pass out to everybody, saying, ‘Go watch this.’”

So when Schuh — a father of eight, grandfather of 36 and great-grandfather of 49 — passed away in December after contracting COVID-19 at the age of 85, his family was grateful that he was able to receive the sacrament of anointing of the sick before his death.

“As my brother-in-law said, Dad’s been working for this his entire life. He needs to get his last rites,” said Short, 51.

Schuh, a parishioner of St. Augustine in South St. Paul, ran a printing press at St. Paul Stations Engraving. He also held other odd jobs over the years.

“That was to support all of us kids,” Short said. “He was the sweetest, kindest man, and a die-hard pro-life marcher who enjoyed his family, dancing, fireworks, playing Frisbee, following sports and of course, his Catholic faith.”

Short noted that a couple of years ago, her dad was having some physical issues and struggling to walk.

“He also struggled with finding the words he wanted to say; he’d get upset and say, ‘My brain is so bad.’”

In October 2019, Schuh moved into the Prelude Memory Care Cottages community in Woodbury, bringing along a large painting of the road to Emmaus that had graced his dining room for many years.

“Dementia was kicking in, but they were wonderful at Prelude and Dad settled in,” Short said. “Then COVID hit.”

A few cases of COVID-19 went through the facility and Schuh at first escaped contracting the virus. But in late November 2020, after running a fever, he tested positive.

“After a couple of days when he was doing OK, he started to go downhill, and hospice was called in,” said Short.

Enter Father Andrew Jaspers, Hennepin County Medical Center chaplain and a member of the Anointing Corps, a group of priests on call to anoint Catholics who are imminently dying from COVID-19, as a special initiative of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ hospital chaplain program. The hospital chaplain program is supported by the Catholic Services Appeal Foundation.

“I joined the Anointing Corps in May 2020, and have anointed 246 people to date,” Father Jaspers said Feb. 13. Father Jaspers, 42, also serves as sacramental minister at St. Stephen in Minneapolis and as a chaplain in the Minnesota Air National Guard.

“Many people with COVID are struggling alone with their illness and fears, as family can’t be with them,” said Deacon Rip Riordan, 64, who ministers at Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis and is director of clergy personnel for the archdiocese. He has managed the chaplain program since 2004. He also serves as a police chaplain with the St. Paul Police Department.

ELIZABETH FLORES | STAR TRIBUNE VIA GETTY IMAGES

Father Andrew Jaspers, a member of the Anointing Corps, anoints COVID-19 patient Chuck Schuh Dec. 5, as Schuh’s family watched through his room’s exterior window. Schuh died Dec. 9.

ANOINTING THOSE IN NEED

“Even if you don’t have COVID, there are still restrictions in hospitals, and that’s gut-wrenching,” Deacon Riordan said. “The role of the chaplain in the sacrament of anointing is to be with people of faith and remind them that they’re not alone. … God is with them to guide them into glory.”

After Father Jaspers received the call from hospice to minister to Schuh, he met the family in the Prelude parking lot on a Saturday morning. He explained the process, which included setting up phone speakers, and Schuh’s family was able to hear and see the anointing from outside, through a large ground-floor window.

“After anointing him, I said, ‘Chuck, you’re good to go,’” Father Jaspers said. “This is ordinarily a light encouragement that gives closure to a tranquil patient and family. But to my surprise, Chuck began to get out of bed and move towards the door. He was so much like Lazarus at that moment after Jesus raised him.”

Four days later, Schuh passed away.

“We knew the anointing was super important to my dad; you don’t bypass any of those sacraments,” Short said. “Father Jaspers made sure he was good to go, and that meant so much to us.”

To support hospital chaplains and 19 other designated ministries through the Catholic Services Appeal, an annual collection in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, people can make contributions online, in-parish or through the mail.

Twelve hospital chaplains minister to patients, their families and staff in hospitals throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. It’s a specialized ministry requiring priests to be on call 24 hours a day.

“While the pastor and parochial vicar of a parish are the main go-to for pastoral care, it’s not always possible for them to be available for before or after surgery and near-death anointings, due to their parish responsibilities and hospitals spread throughout our large archdiocese,” said Deacon Rip Riordan, who manages the chaplain program.

“Some of these major hospitals also draw Catholic patients from the Dakotas and Iowa who are here for quite a period of time without their family and the support of their pastor and parish,” he said. “Because we’re all brothers and sisters, the funding from CSAF helps support the priest hospital chaplains in their primary role of serving the Catholic community sacramentally. That’s a role nobody else can do.”

“It’s such an important ministry, as it involves connection between God and humanity,” Deacon Riordan added. “That sacramental presence is needed in times of uncertainty. The role of the Catholic Church is healing.”

— Debbie Musser “This year’s theme, ‘Together in Hope,’ is reflective of the idea that we are all one Church, and together we are providing hope on the front lines,” said Jennifer Beaudry, CSAF executive director.

“Together we will reflect a vision of optimism and encouragement with a focus on the three pillars that CSAF supports: serve the poor, support life and strengthen the faith,” she said.

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MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 9

‘It’s progress, not perfection’ Family in Medina parish inspires, seeks to live out Faith Plan

By Joe Ruff The Catholic Spirit Six years ago, Dave Rahe found himself exhausted from work, not focusing enough on prayer and seeking a more intentional faith life.

“I would get up, get dressed as quickly as possible. …

I was working on a complex project. I was exhausted.

I needed to reset, refocus,” said Rahe, 37, recently promoted at his commercial general contracting company to vice president of field operations.

He began carving out time each morning to pray and read Scripture.

“It’s been a great habit ever since,” said Rahe, a member of Holy Name of Jesus in Medina with his wife, Megan, 36, and their four children.

Out of that habit grew another habit — a Faith Plan — that continues to enrich not only Megan and Dave but their entire family, and it is the model for the plan being shared for individuals, families and ministries through the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Synod at Home online gatherings. The five-week, 45-minute segments at archspm.org/synod launched Feb. 18 and run through March 18. They are also archived on the site.

“I felt a call,” that led to the Faith Plan, Dave told The Catholic Spirit of one morning early on in his resolve to pray daily. “How can I spend all this time and energy planning” for work, he wondered, while not allowing enough time for God, his marriage and his children, when they were the most important things in his life?

Dave sought to bring the planning and honing of habits that make work projects hum to his faith life.

Not to encase or pigeonhole it, but to free it with more intentionality and habits that bear fruit for a family of faith, he said.

Using a spreadsheet from work as a template, he brought the idea to Megan, who also felt overwhelmed with their busy schedule, volunteering at school and caring for their children. Things were not going badly, she said, but their lives lacked intention and focus. She loved her husband’s idea.

“It was almost like a ‘thank you,’” Megan said.

“A ‘thank you for bringing this up’ moment. I think I was feeling overwhelmed by the busyness and no intentionality. How do we ground ourselves with three kids? It was the imbalance of doing daily life.”

Now with four children, in grades five, two, kindergarten and a 3-year-old, there is even more to keep track of, including sports and other extracurricular activities, the Rahes said.

The Faith Plan sketched out by their family is prominently displayed in the kitchen, at times on the pantry door, other times placed on the refrigerator. It includes faith goals and a champion within the family

COURTESY RAHE FAMILY, CRYSTAL HEDBERG PHOTOGRAPHY

Megan and Dave Rahe with their children at Burrell Park in Minnetonka in September 2019. Megan is holding Adalyn. From left in front: Matthew, Jonah and Daniel. to shepherd each goal, such as weekly Mass, service projects and prayer time.

Megan said she wants to be certain service is part of their plan. A recent project has been preparing gift bags to hand from their car to people in need on the street, an unfortunate reality that has grown in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said. The kids help pack a protein bar or other item and a prayer note in each bag, she said.

The family’s Mass time is augmented by Dynamic Catholic founder Matthew Kelly’s “The Mass Journal,” with their children sharing thoughts and drawings in the journal during and after Mass as one way to engage them, to grow beyond “checking the box” of attendance, Dave explains in the first video in the Synod at Home series, where the couple share their strategy.

Their children pick up on things during Mass and it stays with them, Dave said. It might be that the priest likes donuts, “but it matters to them, and it helps connect them with listening to the Mass,” he said.

“It’s progress, not perfection,” Megan said. “Nothing is ever going to be perfect, and that’s not what God is asking of us. But he is asking for progress. He is asking that we’re putting one foot forward in whatever we decide to do for him.”

The Faith Plan helps set priorities, the Rahes told The Catholic Spirit. Both parents are athletic: Dave played football and Megan played basketball at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, where they met. Their kids are involved in baseball and other sports.

But faith remains central, and attending Mass might

SYNOD AT HOME Five weeks of 45-minute segments at archspm.org/synod. uFeb. 18 Introduction uFeb. 25 Prayer and the sacraments uMarch 4 Lifelong learning uMarch 11 Generosity and service uMarch 18 Traditions and fun

mean being late to a ballgame or missing a practice, Dave said. The Rahes are upfront about that and coaches take it well, he said.

In another effort to nurture peace and a slower pace, the Rahes often decline social invitations. “We say ‘no’ more than we say ‘yes,’” Dave said. “There is a greater peace and purpose when we do say ‘yes,’ and it bears more fruit.”

The Faith Plan also is meant to bring fun to the family, Dave said. For the Rahes, that includes family night Fridays for games or a movie, and a weekly date night.

“It’s been great to see the response from our kids,” Megan said. “‘Mom and Dad are going on a date night?’

Well, yes we are.”

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10 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

NATION+WORLD Faith amid the ruins: Pope calls Iraqis to affirm kinship under one God

By Cindy Wooden Catholic News Service Pope Francis summarized his “pilgrimage of faith and penitence” to Iraq in a prayer: “If God is the God of life — for so he is — then it is wrong for us to kill our brothers and sisters in his name.

“If God is the God of peace — for so he is — then it is wrong for us to wage war in his name.

“If God is the God of love — for so he is — then it is wrong for us to hate our brothers and sisters.”

Pope Francis’ visit — the first time a pope has traveled to Iraq — began March 5 in Baghdad, where he met with government officials in the opulent presidential palace, once home to Saddam Hussein and then the headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition forces that invaded the country in 2003. With the dictates of protocol handled in less than three hours, the pope moved to the heart of his pilgrimage: visiting places of faith and suffering, bowing in tribute to the innocents who died and embracing survivors.

He put the blame for the death and destruction squarely on the sinful human inclination to define some people as “us” and others as “them.”

That inclination, which all believers must resist, explains why he told government officials and civic leaders March 5, “I come as a penitent, asking forgiveness of heaven and my brothers and sisters for so much destruction and cruelty. I come as a pilgrim of peace in the name of Christ, the prince of peace.”

During the trip, Pope Francis did not mention the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the toppling of the government. And, while he spoke of “terrorism” and war in reference to the 2014-2017 destruction wrought

by Islamic State militants, he did not name the group until he was on the plane returning to Rome.

Even then, his point was not to condemn Islamic State, but to honor the Christians, Yazidis and Muslims who resisted their efforts to set up a twisted, narrow vision of an Islamic caliphate.

“The life of Christians in Iraq is a difficult life, but not just the life of Christians. I just talked about the Yazidis

CNS | PAUL HARING

Pope Francis arrives to visit with the community at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Qaraqosh, Iraq, March 7. and other religions that did not submit to the power of Daesh,” he told reporters, using the militants’ Arabiclanguage acronym.

The strength to move forward, to rebuild and to restore relationships of kinship and respect across religious and ethnic boundaries was a constant refrain during Pope Francis’ trip.

The refrain was loudest amid ruins.

With representatives of Muslim, Christian, Yazidi, Mandaean and other religious communities, Pope Francis made a pilgrimage March 6 to Ur, an

archaeological dig on a dusty desert plain about 10 miles from modern-day Nasiriyah.

There, at the birthplace of the patriarch Abraham, the pope called all believers to demonstrate their faith by treating one another as the brothers and sisters they are.

“From this place, where faith was born, from the land of our father Abraham, let us affirm that God is merciful and that the greatest blasphemy is to profane his name by hating our brothers and sisters,” the pope said.

Standing in Mosul March 7 amid the ruins of four churches that Islamic State fighters had turned into a massive pile of rubble, Pope Francis did not name an enemy but pointed to the “tragic consequences of war and hostility.”

With Islamic State gone and work underway to restore Mosul’s damaged churches and mosques, Pope Francis proclaimed that today “we reaffirm our conviction that fraternity is more durable than fratricide, that hope is more powerful than hatred, that peace is more powerful than war.”

Returning to Rome, he told reporters he had seen photos of the site beforehand but was not prepared for the reality of being there. “I stopped in front of the destroyed church and I just didn’t have any words. It is something you cannot believe, you can’t believe it,” he said. “It is just unbelievable, our human cruelty.”

The first evening of the trip, the pope had met the Iraqi bishops and representatives of the country’s priests and religious in the restored Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Our Lady of Deliverance, sometimes referred to as Our Lady of Salvation.

It is a church, he said, “hallowed by the blood of our brothers and sisters” murdered in a terrorist attack that shook the world. Forty-eight members of the church, including two priests and a 3-year-old child, died Oct. 31, 2010, when militants belonging to a group linked to al-Qaida interrupted a service, detonating explosives and shooting people.

The memory of Iraq’s Christian martyrs, he said, must “inspire us to renew our own trust in the power of the cross and its saving message of forgiveness, reconciliation and rebirth.”

J&J vaccine can be used in good conscience ON MISSION FOR LIFE AND DIGNITY

Be FORMED in our faith

Be INFORMED on the issues

Obianuju Obianuju Ekeocha ObianujuEkeocha Ekeocha

and be sent on mission to TRANSFORM our state!

Archbishop Archbishop José Gomez ArchbishopJosé JoséGomez Gomez

Catholic News Service In a new video, the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Doctrine reiterated that use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine “can be used in good moral conscience.”

“There’s no moral need to turn down a vaccine, including the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is morally acceptable to use,” Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana, said in a two-minute video posted on YouTube March 4.

The bishop cited an earlier Vatican statement that “has made clear that all the COVID vaccines recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience.”

He also repeated comments that he made in a March 2 statement in conjunction with Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, that if a choice of vaccines is available “we recommend that you pick one with the least connection to abortion-derived cell lines.”

“Pfizer and Moderna’s connection is more remote than that of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine,” he said.

“What’s most important is that people get vaccinated,” Bishop Rhoades continued. “It can be an act of charity that serves the common good. At the same time, as we bishops have already done, it’s really important for us to

encourage development of vaccines that do not use abortion-derived cell lines.

This is very important for the future.”

The Johnson & Johnson one-shot COVID-19 vaccine is the third vaccine that has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

In their original statement, the prelates concluded that “while we should continue to insist that pharmaceutical companies stop using abortion-derived cell lines, given the worldwide suffering that this pandemic is causing, we affirm again that being vaccinated can be an act of charity that serves the common good.”

In December, the prelates addressed concerns over what then were the newly approved BioNTech and Moderna vaccines because “an abortion-derived cell line was used for testing them,” but “not used in their production.”

They noted then that cell lines used were derived from fetuses aborted in the 1970s. However, they said March 2, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine raises “additional moral concerns” because it was “developed, tested and is produced with abortion-derived cell lines.”

In their more recent statement, the bishops also quoted the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which judged that “when ethically irreproachable COVID-19 vaccines are not available ... it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses in their research and production process.”

NATION+WORLD

MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 11

Bishops: Equality Act enshrines false anthropology, discriminates against differing views

By Julie Asher Catholic News Service The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act in a 224-206 vote Feb. 25. A couple days ahead of the vote, the chairmen of five U.S. bishops’ committees said its mandates will “discriminate against people of faith” by adversely affecting charities and their beneficiaries, conscience rights, women’s sports, “and sex-specific facilities.”

The bill, known as H.R. 5 and recently reintroduced in the House, also will provide for taxpayer funding of abortion and limit freedom of speech, the chairmen said in a Feb. 23 letter to all members of Congress.

H.R. 5 amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, the credit system and jury duty.

HEADLINES u Bishops say pandemic relief bill must be passed without abortion funding. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops president and the chairmen of seven USCCB committees expressed concerns March 5 about the exclusion of Hyde Amendment language in the House version of the American Rescue Plan, H.R. 1319, a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package approved early Feb. 27. The amendment outlaws federal tax dollars from directly funding abortion except in certain cases. On March 7, the U.S. Senate passed its version of the COVID-19 relief package. u Remains of Father Emil Kapaun, Korean War military chaplain, identified. A U.S. government forensic team announced March 4 it has identified the remains of Father Emil Kapaun, a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, who was an Army chaplain and died in a Chinese prisoner-of-war camp during the Korean War. The native of Pilsen, Kansas, and candidate for sainthood was a U.S. Army Chaplain in World War II and the Korean War. The U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency concluded Father Kapaun was among unidentified soldiers buried in the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii. u Pope taps Newark cardinal as member of Congregation for Bishops. Pope Francis has named Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, a member of the Congregation for Bishops, the office that advises the pope on the nomination of bishops around the world. Cardinal Tobin, 68, takes the place left vacant by U.S. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, retired archbishop of Washington, who turned 80 in November, automatically ceding membership. u Nun protects demonstrators during Myanmar coup protests. Media reported Sister Ann Nu Thawng, a member of the Sisters of St. Francis Xavier, stood in front of Myanmar security forces Feb. 28, the bloodiest day since the Feb. 1 military coup. Eyewitnesses said she got on her knees, raised her hands and implored: “Don’t shoot, don’t kill the innocent. If you want, hit me.” Her actions shocked the agents, who stopped their advance. A tweet said about 100 protesters escaped from police because of the nun.

— Catholic News Service

“Human dignity is central to what Catholics believe because every person is made in the image of God and should be treated accordingly, with respect and compassion,” they said. “This commitment is reflected in the Church’s charitable service to all people, without regard to race, religion or any other characteristic.

“It means we need to honor every person’s right to gainful employment free of unjust discrimination or harassment, and to the basic goods that they need to live and thrive,” they continued. “It also means that people of differing beliefs should be respected.

In this, we wholeheartedly support nondiscrimination principles to ensure that everyone’s rights are protected.”

H.R. 5 “purports to protect people experiencing same-sex attraction or gender discordance from discrimination.

But instead, the bill represents the imposition by Congress of novel and divisive viewpoints regarding ‘gender’ on

individuals and organizations,” they said.

“This includes dismissing sexual difference and falsely presenting ‘gender’ as only a social construct,” they said.

“As Pope Francis has reflected, however, ‘biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex — gender — can be distinguished but not separated.’”

Signing the letter were: Bishop Michael Barber of Oakland, California, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Catholic Education; Archbishop Paul Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of the USCCB Committee for Religious Liberty; Bishop David Konderla of Tulsa, Oklahoma, chairman of the USCCB Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage; and Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities.

“It is one thing to be understanding of human weakness and the complexities of life, and another to accept ideologies that attempt to sunder what are inseparable aspects of reality,” the bishops said, further quoting Pope Francis.

“Tragically, this act can also be construed to include an abortion mandate, a violation of precious rights to life and conscience,” the committee chairmen added.

“Rather than affirm human dignity in ways that meaningfully exceed existing practical protections, the Equality Act would discriminate against people of faith,” they said. “It would also inflict numerous legal and social harms on Americans of any faith or none.”

The measure first passed the House May 17, 2019, in a bipartisan 236–173 vote, but the Senate did not act on the bill after receiving it. President Donald Trump had threatened to veto the measure if it ever reached his desk.

Your Family’s Legacy Starts with a Simple Conversation What do you want your family’s legacy to be?

If you struggle to answer that question, consider this one: What do you want to pass on to your children when you yourself pass on?

You might think of gifting your children an inheritance of money to provide financial support. Or perhaps, you picture an heirloom, an artifact that has been in the family for generations.

Maybe you’re thinking more sentimentally of family traditions that you’ve honored together at countless Christmases or Easters.

You might even be thinking of what could have an impact beyond your immediate family: your faith and values.

The obstacle many face

We know many families that were Catholic for years are now mixed-faith families. Research shows that half of young Americans who were raised Catholic no longer identify as such. Maybe your family has experienced this statistic personally.

But just because your children or grandchildren don’t share your faith now, doesn’t mean they won’t always. And, it doesn’t mean your values can’t still be passed on.

Call us to learn more.

651.389.0300 | ccf-mn.org

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As you listen to their answers, you’ll likely find similarities and common ground. Even if your daughter’s path has strayed from the Church, your faith – and your shared experiences – has likely left an imprint.

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Catholic Community

FOUNDATION OF MINNESOTA

12 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

Where

peace

resides

To learn more about Christ the King retreat center, including the 2021 schedule, visit kingshouse.com.

MARCH 11, 2021 • 13

Strengthening relationship with God amid quiet and beauty at Christ the King Retreat Center

By Debbie Musser For The Catholic Spirit

R

esting on a quiet, scenic bluff overlooking Buffalo Lake, Christ the King Retreat Center provides a sacred setting for meditation and prayer.

“It’s a special place that has a peaceful aura from the moment you first enter — a mental and spiritual oasis,” said Tom Kraus, 52, describing the retreat center, also known as King’s House, which was established in 1952 in Buffalo.

Kraus, a parishioner of St. Peter in Mendota who lives in Mendota Heights with his wife, Paula, and their four children, was invited by a friend to a King’s House men’s retreat in January 2006.

“Paula and I had just had our first child a few months prior, and I was just starting a business, so my initial response was to decline his invitation,” Kraus said.

“But I had attended other retreats by that point in my life and knew how valuable they could be,” he said. “So, with Paula’s support, I decided I would invest in the weekend.”

That retreat became the first of 16 Kraus has attended at King’s House, always in January. “The retreat helps me set my focus for the year and strengthens my relationship with God in preparation for the road ahead,” he said. “The silence at King’s House is particularly precious because our lives are so filled with noise, both literal and figurative.”

King’s House — a chapel, two conference rooms, two dining rooms and 70 double occupancy rooms with private bathrooms — sits on 5 acres. It was a private home purchased for retreats by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in 1951; the Oblates further developed the house in several phases. Legend has it the area was occupied by Native Americans who called it “Dabinawa,” meaning a sheltered, quiet place.

A ministry of the religious order, King’s House offers 30 three-day silent retreats each year with a common theme. “This year’s theme is ‘A Listening Heart,’” said Father Richard Sudlik, 75, director of King’s House who leads the preaching team of two Oblate priests, one Oblate brother and a Franciscan sister.

Father Sudlik noted that non-Catholics are welcome and often present. “We feel that retreat centers are places of refuge and silence for the ‘spiritually serious,’ that they might be a leaven in our world,” he said. “In our Oblate tradition, retreat houses have

been seen as privileged places of evangelization.”

In addition to its own retreats, King’s House hosts a series of retreats offered by a variety of presenters. “We also host many nonprofit groups of different faiths and interests, from Lutheran pastors to groups of quilters and clowns,” Father Sudlik said.

Susan Stabile, 63, a trained spiritual retreat director, leads weekend and one-day retreats at King’s House, including last December’s “The Joyful Announcements of Advent” and an upcoming March retreat for mothers, grandmothers, daughters, sisters and friends called “The Friendship of Women.”

Stabile, a distinguished senior fellow at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis and adjunct instructor in theology at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, said King’s House, with its extraordinary surroundings, offers the perfect setting for spending time with God. “There’s nothing like that extended time, looking out on that lovely lake, to deepen your relationship with God and with Christ,” Stabile said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, King’s House closed March 17, 2020, reopening the second week of June. “We have been coming back to life,” Father Sudlik said.

“Our numbers are smaller and we follow the guidelines of the state of Minnesota and Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, mandating masks and social distancing,” he said.

“We have also entered into the wonderful world of Zoom for both all-virtual and hybrid retreats, with participants at King’s House as well as people viewing from their homes.”

Phyllis Laing, 80, a retired teacher from Maple Grove and parishioner of St. Alphonsus in Brooklyn Center, is pleased that King’s House is back open. “That’s my home away from home,” Laing said, adding that she has gone to 73 retreats there. “‘The Joy of the Gospel,’ ‘Blessed are the Peacemakers,’ ‘Sowing Seeds of Mercy’ — every time I go, there’s something that God wants me to hear,” Laing said.

“I live alone so I have a lot of time by myself, but I need to be someplace in the presence of God,” she said. “When you first arrive at King’s House, bringing all your ‘stuff’ that you want to get rid of, the lake water is churning little whitecaps. I notice by the time I leave, that water has almost always calmed down and is gently lapping. I like to think that’s the graces God is giving you.”

For Paula Kraus, 51, Buffalo Lake is a favorite aspect of King’s House as well. She started going to King’s House retreats in 2014 after her husband and father attended retreats there.

“Personally, I love when retreatants have free time to be in our rooms, overlooking the lake.

This has led to my greatest prayer time,” she said.

“My dad started going to King’s House in the early 1970s and at some point, he stopped,” Kraus said. “But the January before he passed away, he attended the retreat with my husband, Tom. I know Dad had a big thing weighing on him before he went, and he was so grateful to have gone, not knowing that a few months later, he would have a stroke that would take his life.”

“It’s very special to our family that Tom encouraged my dad to go that year and also my brother Dan; that was the start of Dan’s annual King’s House retreat as well,” she said.

TOP TO BOTTOM People gather in the chapel for Mass Feb. 24 at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo.

LOCAL RETREAT CENTERS In addition to Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, the Official 2020 Minnesota Catholic Directory lists five other retreat centers in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Contact the centers directly for retreat availability. Some are currently closed due to COVID-19.

BENEDICTINE CENTER OF ST. PAUL’S MONASTERY 2675 Benet Road, St. Paul A ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery, the Benedictine Center offers a variety of retreats, prayer opportunities and spiritual direction. benedictinecenter.org

CARONDELET CENTER 1890 Randolph Ave., St. Paul A ministry of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet and Consociates, the Carondelet Center is a host facility for retreats and conferences with up to 200 guests. carondeletcenter.org

DUNROVIN CHRISTIAN BROTHERS RETREAT CENTER 15525 St. Croix Trail N., Marine on St. Croix A ministry of the Christian Brothers in the national park of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Dunrovin provides a quiet space for retreats, meetings, conferences, Catholic youth camps and team building events. dunrovin.org

FRANCISCAN RETREATS AND SPIRITUALITY CENTER 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake A ministry of the Conventual Franciscans, Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center offers retreats for men, women and married couples, and days of prayer.

The 2021 retreat theme is “Fear Not: I Am With You Always.” franciscanretreats.net

JESUIT RETREAT HOUSE 8243 Demontreville Trail N., Lake Elmo A Jesuit ministry, the Jesuit Retreat House, also known as Demontreville, offers retreats for men based on the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. demontrevilleretreat.com

Deacon Sean Curtan and his wife, Joan, hold hands as they pray during Mass.

A crucifix hangs in the Garden Court.

Judy Miske of St. John the Baptist in New Brighton prays in the Garden Court.

PHOTOS BY DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

— The Catholic Spirit

14 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

FAITH+CULTURE NET Ministries jumps COVID hurdles to inspire youths online, in-person

By Debbie Musser For The Catholic Spirit

DID YOU KNOW?

I

n a typical year, NET Ministries serves in 110 Catholic dioceses across the U.S., drawing over 100,000 youths to its retreats. But 2020 was anything but a typical year.

“When the pandemic became real last March, we made a tactical decision to bring all of our teams back, sending all our missionaries home and ending the retreat year,” said Mark Berchem, NET Ministries founder and president.

“God said we needed to do this, and I believe it was providential,” Berchem said. “If we had waited, they would have been stuck, as a week later, the entire country shut down.”

Founded in 1981 in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and based in West St. Paul, NET Ministries invites young Catholics ages 18-28 to devote nine months (August through May) serving with the National Evangelization Teams (NET) and putting on youth retreats. In addition to the U.S., NET has been replicated in Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and Uganda.

“The work of NET is relational evangelization,” Berchem said. “Our focus is on sharing the basic Gospel message with teenagers, to awaken faith and bring it alive in their hearts and minds.”

Last summer, as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, NET Ministries

NET Ministries missionaries have ministered to more than 2 million youths and led more than 34,000 retreats. The organization’s name is a nod to Mark 1:17: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men,” and Luke 5:4: “Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch.”

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

NET team leader Anthony Hollcraft leads a small group discussion during a confirmation retreat Feb. 27 at the NET Center in West St. Paul. began making plans to resume travel in the fall to conduct retreats at Catholic parishes and schools.

“We were seeing churches across the country closing their doors, stopping Masses and youth programs,” Berchem said. “This was happening as today’s young people are suffering the highest level of anxiety, depression and loneliness that we’ve ever seen, some from COVID, but some even deeper than that.”

“And we had these young adult team members still wanting to serve, saying ‘I will go. I want to go now,’” he said. “That was inspiring to see.”

The format for NET Ministries retreats, designed for students in grades 6-12, rotates between large group sessions and small groups, using dramas to put the Gospel in visual form, prayer ministry and guided reflection time.

“We worked with three Twin Cities medical doctors to come up with COVID protocols to bring our missionaries and staff together safely in August,” Berchem said. “As we go throughout the country, we follow that guidance, which includes wearing face masks and practicing social distancing, as well as local protocols such as capacity limits in a church.”

Despite the extra safety precautions, retreatants are eager to participate in NET retreats.

“The majority of teens are doing online school and are used to being at home, so they are grateful to be there in person, with the gift of being face-to-face — even if it’s only half-face to half-face with masks,” said Collin Towns, 22, a team leader from Fenton, Michigan.

In addition to in-person retreats, NET Ministries now offers a virtual retreat option. Berchem noted that of the nearly 300 retreats from September through December, 90 were virtual. They’ll double that number for spring, with at least 180 virtual retreats.

Rachel Dolby, 20, of Stayton, Oregon, a NET team leader doing both in-person and virtual retreats, was a little apprehensive about a retreat via screen.

Her concerns have proven to be moot.

“Today’s youth need the message of hope, and Jesus is our hope. We share that Jesus wants a relationship with them, wherever they’re at in their faith journey.”

MEN & WOMEN’S SILENT HOLY WEEK RETREAT “Through the Eyes of our Crucified Savior” Presented by: Fr. Frank Santucci, OMI Due to travel restrictions, Fr. Santucci will be live-streamed via Zoom.

Wednesday, March 31, 2021: Check-in/Registration from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm Retreat begins at 8:00 p.m.

A forum series exploring critical needs in our community as well as hopeful solutions.

Saturday, April 3, 2021: Retreat concludes at 12:15 pm Retreatants can come in-house to participate in the retreat experience or participate in conferences and liturgies from their own home via Zoom.

In-Person Retreat Includes:        

Holy Thursday Liturgy Good Friday Service Sacrament of Reconciliation Adoration of Blessed Sacrament 7 Conferences Stations of the Cross/Scriptural Rosary Opportunity for Individual Spiritual Direction 3 nights’ private accommodations & 8 meals

Join us for a virtual panel discussion

Zoom Retreat Includes:     

7 Conferences Holy Thursday Liturgy Good Friday Service 2 Scriptural Rosaries Stations of the Cross

Retreat Fee: $125.00 per email

Forum on Early Childhood Education

INVESTING FROM THE START

NOW VIRTUAL

Suggested Offering: $250.00 per person A non-refundable deposit of $30.00 must be received with registration in order to reserve a room.

Christ The King Retreat Center 621 First Avenue South; Buffalo, MN 55313 763-682-1394; Fax: 763-682-3453 Website: www.kingshouse.com

Forums are free.

Registration is required.

Look for The Catholic Spirit advertising insert from

CROSS CATHOLIC OUTREACH in all copies of this issue.

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FAITH+CULTURE

MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 15

‘Priesthood gives you a front-row seat to life’

By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit

were drinks for everyone afterwards.

They’re hugging you, “Yay! Man versus bull!” I’ve never seen so many people so happy. But the wisdom of the beard tells me: Never again run with the bulls!

Father Jim Perkl, a 62-year-old Edina native, may be the only priest who both writes icons and rides a motorcycle. As pastor of Mary, Mother of the Church in Burnsville, he encounters the full scope of the human condition.

A You also ride a motorcycle.

Q It’s relaxing. I don’t use it as a mode

of transportation. I take long trips. I have an old-school motorcycle, a 2000 Kawasaki Concours. Small world: a friend of a parishioner got wind that I needed a new engine, and the Cursillo guys and Knights of Columbus pitched in to give me a new engine.

Q Let’s start on a light note. Tell me about your beard.

A Now that my hair is falling out on

top, it grows a lot easier on the chin. I’m hoping it’s a sign of age and growing wisdom. It began back in 1979, when I went on an international studies program through St. Olaf College. My call to priesthood happened at the Pool of Bethesda in Israel. The guys on the trip said, “OK, here we are on this journey. Let’s not shave!” That’s how it began.

Q Did you ever guess that one day as a priest you’d be hopping on a motorcycle?

A Priests are involved in the lives

Q You’ve been writing icons for more than two decades. How did you get started?

A Both my parents had an artistic

ability, but I never developed that. I was at the seminary, St. John Vianney (College Seminary), working as a spiritual director, and I heard that an icon class was being offered.

I’d never picked up a paint brush until that first icon. Iconography is another way of preaching, to proclaim the Gospel to the eye. The preacher is silent and hidden because we don’t sign the icons. In that way, it’s kind of like St. Joseph: He’s a steward of the mysteries of God. And by writing the icon, you can invite people into the mystery.

Q It takes a certain humility to

remain behind the scenes like that.

A Yeah. That masculine character

sometimes gets in the way. You’re remaining hidden, and on the other hand, you’ve also lived these mysteries, particularly through shepherding people and through the confessional, you are experiencing these mysteries, so you are in fact writing an image that’s passed on.

Priesthood gives you a front-row seat to life, and icons help you write what you see.

Q What a thrill to see where that paintbrush leads you!

In

2021,

Are

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

A You discover some surprises! For

example, I did an icon for The St. Paul Seminary, their St. Olaf Room, called the St. Olaf Icon — so I was writing an icon for the men at the seminary.

I was putting little impressions in the gold halo. It was about midnight, and I was really tired, and for some reason the thought came: “Count them! Are you sure you want to put one more impression in there? Maybe it’s done.”

So, I counted them, and there were 84 — the year I was ordained. And those men looking at the ordination are anticipating their own ordination day, when their studies are complete and when life begins.

Q Thirty-seven years in, what has surprised you about priesthood?

A I’m always just beginning. There’s always conversion: conversion of mind, conversion of heart and conversion of life.

Q Does the icon work feel like a gift from God?

A Yes. It’s made me reflect. Icon writing

is a prayerful, quiet process. Pastoral ministry is very extroverted. God has a way of connecting lines, and icons have helped me connect lines.

working in a studio in a friend’s Prior Lake home.

A Because pastors don’t have a ton of

time, I tend to set aside a block or two of time and then a week or two of time and then I just work from getting up until I can’t work anymore.

Q You use egg tempera. How do you guild?

A You breathe into the clay and then

“Each year my retreat is my spiritual ‘tool chest’ for another year”

www.franciscanretreats.net - or call, 952-447-2182 ...find the missing peace

centers like Christ the King and the Franciscan Retreat House. Whether you’re in a group or there as an individual, either way, it’s Jesus wanting to get more deeply into your heart.

Before the pandemic happened, Father Tim (Rudolphi, associate pastor) and I encouraged our parishioners to set aside a prayer place in their homes. Give Jesus a place of rest in the home.

If you’re in the world, Sunday is your day of retreat — and that means worship. The greatest injustice in the world is forgetting to thank God, who provides everything.

Q What else helps you de-stress from

priesthood. Is there a quality required of this vocation that doesn’t come naturally to you?

the demands of pastoral ministry?

A I’m an outdoor guy. I love skiing.

I rollerblade, skate, bike, walk. Right before the pandemic, I was on a sabbatical and walked the Camino.

While in Spain, we were hitting these towns where bulls were running through, and in this third town, I thought, “What the heck! Let’s do that!”

Oh my goodness gracious! We actually got hit by the bull three times! There

Q You seem so well suited to

A The quick answer is listening to

what God is saying. Maybe you’re in the confessional or maybe in pastoral counseling — there’s a lot of stuff going on, so how do we hear the real life that’s going on underneath that?

Listening for the grace that’s in life — there’s a beautiful message that can be discovered.

“We do not learn so much from conversation or argument as from humble recourse to God.”

List?

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the gold is applied. It’s best to have the house at a cold temperature and your mouth dry, but you want warm air coming across the clay. The beard helps warm and soften the clay — so it actually does relate!

To do

You

on your

Q Tell me about your process,

of their people. You don’t join the priesthood to get rich, that’s for sure.

But there’s a wealth that’s a love.

A d Ma

jorem Dei Gloriam

- St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

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16 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Priest in Kenya Partners With Cross Catholic Outreach To Provide Poor With Safe Water After more than 30 years in the priesthood, Father Fabian’s passion for sharing God’s mercy has only grown stronger. Originally from Ghana, he was first sent to Kenya by the Society of African Missionaries in 2002. It was there he discovered one of his life’s greatest callings: bringing water to people who had none.

“That is one of my biggest dreams.

Everyone should have access to clean and good water,” Fr. Fabian said.

plan to bring safe water to a 275-mile stretch of land shared by the Diocese of Machakos and Archdiocese of Mombasa,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach.

“We have completed six water systems so far, blessing about 50,724 people in the region, and we hope to bring safe water to 10 additional communities in the months ahead.”

When Fr. Fabian first enters a new community to assess its situation, he

Fr. Fabian was appalled by the muddy water sources families were using, and he sought help from Cross Catholic Outreach to drill wells and install improved water systems.

Working together, they hope to expand these efforts even more this year.

Over the course of six years, Fr. Fabian has collaborated with Cross Catholic Outreach to complete water system projects for 83,000 people in 27 villages throughout the Diocese of Lodwar. More recently, through the Good Samaritan Water Sanitation Services nonprofit he created to expand his mission, other water projects are being undertaken to benefit the poor in other Catholic dioceses. [See story on opposite page.]

“Fr. Fabian has asked Cross Catholic Outreach to join him in an ambitious

begins by asking a simple question.

“You start by asking, ‘What do you need?’” Fr. Fabian says. “Most of the time water is the first on their list.”

According to Fr. Fabian, meeting a community’s most critical need — water — is the perfect way to share the love of God. One benefit is the way Fr. Fabian works through local parishes, empowering priests to care for their communities by overseeing water projects and appointing village water committees. This strengthens the relationship between the people and

their parish, and many experience a deeper understanding of the abundant life that is available to them in Christ.

Many immediate benefits become apparent once communities gain access to clean water. Improved health and restored faith are often two of the first blessings to reveal themselves.

“It saves the lives of most of these children. It also helps the spirituality of the people, giving them time to go to church,” Fr. Fabian explained. “Priests call thanking you, saying, ‘You can’t imagine how many people are attending Mass!’”

There are other spiritual blessings that come from these projects too. According to Jim Cavnar, U.S. Catholics who help fund the work through Cross Catholic Outreach often share their enthusiasm for supporting mission work and say the experience gives them a greater appreciation for the impact of Catholic charity.

“Most American Catholics want to be more involved in helping the poor in developing countries, but they want to do something specific and meaningful like this,” said Cavnar. “I’m sure they will rally to help Fr. Fabian with the work he has planned — and that they will be blessed by the experience if they do.”

Readers interested in supporting Cross Catholic Outreach water programs and other outreaches to the poor can contribute through the ministry brochure inserted in this issue or send tax-deductible gifts to: Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01654, PO Box 97168, Washington DC 200907168. The ministry has a special need for partners willing to make gifts on a monthly basis. Use the inserted brochure to become a Mission Partner or write “Monthly Mission Partner” on mailed checks to be contacted about setting up those arrangements.

Legacy Giving Provides Catholics With Unique Opportunity To Bless Others If you are like many Catholics born in the 1950s or before, you have probably begun to think about the spiritual legacy your life and actions represent. What did we care about? What did we value?

These are some of the things we hope will be remembered.

“For a growing number of Catholics, this introspection has led to the exploration of ‘legacy giving’ — the use of one’s will, trust, retirement plan or life insurance policy — to leave behind a blessing for others that will reverberate beyond their own lifetime, hopefully

influencing their family and others they cherish,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, an official Catholic relief and development charity with staff dedicated to such estate planning.

According to Cavnar, Cross Catholic Outreach has helped many Catholics establish these legacy gifts and expects them to play a significant role in future ministry missions.

“A will or trust can also reflect a person’s special heart for a country or for an area of need. It can be used to

build houses for poor families or to build classrooms to educate children, for example,” Cavnar said. “Others simply want to help the poorest of the poor and make their legacy gift for that purpose.

It’s their way of saying, ‘As a Catholic, I value life and support works of mercy. I want my family to understand that calling and believe in it too.’ And because legacy gifts can be quite large, they often achieve incredible things. A single one might build an entire school or fund the construction of hundreds of homes. It’s producing an amazing impact and serves

as an incredible testament to the faith of the giver.”

In addition to this service, Cross Catholic Outreach’s staff can also support donors seeking to establish a charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust or special endowment. Financial planners can also obtain information to help those who seek professional counsel or have donor-advised funds.

To learn more about these services, the charity recommends readers visit its special online portal at CrossCatholicLegacy.org.

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MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 17

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

U.S. Catholics Are Blessing the Poor in Kenya

by Addressing Their Urgent Need for Safe Water Gladys Mghoi is helping to raise her grandchildren in Mokine, a small village situated in the Archdiocese of Mombasa. Every morning, she wakes up at around 4 a.m. to start the long and arduous process of collecting water for the day.

“In Gladys’ simple home, there is no tap to turn to get a supply of water.

She lives in an impoverished village, and like most everyone else there, she must travel to a distant source to get the water her family needs,” explained Jim Cavnar, president of Cross Catholic Outreach, a leading relief and development charity assisting Catholic missions in Africa. “It’s tragic, but water scarcity is common in many parts of Kenya. People in remote areas tend to be desperately poor, and their villages have no infrastructure to supply water. To get what they need to survive, they face a lot of hardships.”

In Gladys’ case, quenching the thirst of her grandchildren means a walk of nearly 2 miles to a dry riverbed. There, villagers have dug a hole that allows water to seep up from the ground. It is a slow process, so Gladys and the others who come to the spot often have to wait in line more than an hour to fill their containers with muddy water from the pit.

The walk home with this “reward” is also a challenge because the jerrycan she uses can become very heavy when it is full.

Because of Gladys’ age and health, her older grandchildren usually assist with this exhausting process. When they do, it disadvantages the family again. Water collection often takes so long the children either arrive late to class or miss school altogether.

According to Cavnar, solving the water scarcity problem is a priority for Cross Catholic Outreach because a lack of clean water has a negative impact in so many areas of a poor family’s life.

“One of our biggest concerns is the poor quality of the water they currently collect,” he said. “The muddy stuff is often tainted with bacteria, parasites and the chemical runoff from local farms.”

Gladys is aware of this threat too, but since there is no alternative, she sees no other way to proceed.

“We collect water which is very, very dirty, and then it will become very difficult for us and very unhealthy for our consumption,” Gladys admitted.

“This water is very dirty. It is very murky. At the same time, because we have no option, we have to drink it the way it is.”

As bleak as this situation may seem, Gladys and her neighbors have a reason to feel hopeful. A local priest

Gladys Mghoi and her grandchildren face tremendous challenges obtaining their daily water supply. They currently walk far to collect contaminated water — because they have no other option. With the help of the Church, this hardship can end.

has become aware of the village’s hardships and is working to provide relief through a partnership with Cross Catholic Outreach. [See story on opposite page.] If this project is successful, the challenges she faces in collecting water may soon be over.

“Our goal now is to get the financial backing of U.S. Catholics to fund this special project,” Cavnar said. “If they respond generously, and I believe they will, we can ensure Gladys and her grandchildren have safe water to drink for many years to come.”

Addressing specific needs like this is what Cross Catholic Outreach was

founded to accomplish. For nearly 20 years, the Catholic ministry has partnered with a local Catholic priest, religious sisters or missions to solve the problems of the poor.

“U.S. Catholics have been very interested in helping the poor using our approach because they like funding specific needs and supporting the local Catholic clergy,” Cavnar said.

“They want their donated dollars to have a profound and lasting impact, so water projects are the kind of outreach they like best. Providing safe water addresses many needs — from quenching thirst to restoring health to supporting educational goals. In this case, it will also bring long-awaited relief to precious people like Gladys.”

The grandmother confirmed that fact as she explained yet another reason she

sees the proposed water project as a blessing.

“It is not very safe for me to collect water as an elderly person, but since there is no alternative, we have to risk our lives,” Gladys explained.

“Sometimes because of my weakness, I can fall down. Sometimes there are also wild animals [such as] hyenas in the area.”

These risks will also be eliminated when the water project is completed.

“I can’t imagine the joy Gladys will feel when that tap is installed and the clean water flows freely. But I do know one thing — she and the others in her community will praise God,” Cavnar said. “And what a joy it will be for us too. There’s nothing more gratifying than serving as instruments of God’s mercy!”

How to Help To fund Cross Catholic Outreach’s effort to help the poor worldwide, use the postage-paid brochure inserted in this newspaper or mail your gift to Cross Catholic Outreach, Dept. AC01654, PO Box 97168, Washington DC 20090-7168. The brochure also includes instructions on becoming a Mission Partner and making a regular monthly donation to this cause.

If you identify an aid project, 100% of the donation will be restricted to be used for that specific project. However, if more is raised for the project than needed, funds will be redirected to other urgent needs in the ministry.

18 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

FOCUSONFAITH SUNDAY SCRIPTURES | FATHER CHAD VANHOOSE

Remembering and reliving the story

One of my favorite movies from the past decade is Disney Pixar’s “Inside Out,” which was partially set in Minnesota. In clever and understandable ways, the animated movie tackled some serious anthropological topics (i.e. studying the human person) such as temperaments, emotions, adolescent maturation and memories.

Throughout the film, the perspective of the audience moves back and forth between the interior life and the exterior life of the adolescent protagonist, Riley.

In one lighthearted scene, two of the characters in Riley’s mind journey through “an endless warren of corridors and shelves” called long-term memory. Walking through this maze, the characters meet others who are maintaining the memory storage. Armed with a vacuum cleaner to make room for more memories, the maintenance workers examine four years of piano lessons that are “pretty faded” and quickly determine to “save ‘Chopsticks’ and ‘Heart and Soul’ and get rid of the rest,” sucking the memories off the self and into oblivion!

Apart from this vast expanse of long-term memories exist separate areas of core memories that are crucial in forming Riley’s personality. These core memories start as tender, joyful and soothing moments from the past, but by the end of the story, the audience learns and comes to appreciate that difficult, painful moments also contribute to the maturation of Riley’s personality.

A major takeaway from the movie is the truth that persons are formed by a mix of lived experiences and memories, and we grow from difficult crises when they are paired with the support required

FAITH FUNDAMENTALS | FATHER MICHAEL VAN SLOUN

The confirmed are soldiers for Christ

When I received the sacrament of confirmation a long time ago, the Sinsinawa Dominicans taught me that I would be a soldier for Christ. It is an ancient image that dates to the early Church. It was mentioned by St. Cyril of Jerusalem in 350 A.D. and the Council of Trent in the 16th century, but it is not mentioned much these days, possibly because of its militaristic overtones. The principles underlying this imagery are both enlightening and formative.

Soldiers do not fight alone but in concert with other soldiers as part of an elite fighting force. The confirmed realize that there is strength in numbers, become members of the Army of Light, function as a unit, work together to carry out their mission and protect each other.

Soldiers have a commander-in-chief and superior officers, and they obey their orders. The confirmed have a supreme commander, almighty God, and they completely and dutifully obey the will of God. They have religious superiors, the college of bishops, and they obey their magisterial teaching, as well as local bishops, and they comply with their mandates and instructions.

When soldiers join the military, they go into “the service.”

The confirmed pattern their lives on Jesus, who came to serve.

They spend their lives serving God by serving their neighbors, particularly their family members, but also in their parishes and schools, the wider community and for the betterment of society.

The confirmed gravitate toward service professions.

Soldiers begin with basic training, an intense preliminary

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is re-presented and realized in the Mass, bringing the faithful into close contact with the core memories of Christ and his Church. for human flourishing. This rings true for every human person, and it also strikes a chord when examining the communal experience of a particular group of people.

The readings for this Fourth Sunday of Lent are rich with memories from Israel’s past — Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the desert, peaceful days of stability in the kingdom united by David, and sorrowful days of exile and captivity in Babylon. Yet each of these moments shaped the people of Israel and prepared them for the coming of the Messiah, who would bring lasting salvation and freedom. The sorrowful captivities and joyful liberations became core memories that pointed to Jesus, the son of David and the new Moses who “must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn 3:14-15).

The Mass is called an “anamnesis,” or memorial sacrifice, because it is celebrated at Jesus’ invitation to “do this in memory of me” (Lk 22:19). As a body of believers and members of the household of God, we actively participate in the process of our redemption and enter into the Paschal mystery via liturgical worship, touching and experiencing the realities as they are remembered. The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is re-presented and realized in the Mass, bringing the faithful into close contact with the core memories of Christ and his Church.

During these last three weeks of Lent, I encourage you to recall the core memories of our communal story and live them anew in the practice of your faith. In the sorrowful and joyful moments, encounter the tenderness of God who “so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish, but might have eternal life” (Jn 3:16).

Father VanHoose is pastor of St. Jude of the Lake in Mahtomedi.

period of drills and exercises to gain mental toughness and physical strength to prepare for the challenges that lie ahead. The confirmed gain a solid spiritual mindset with personal prayer, Mass and the sacraments, retreats and spiritual reading, and discipline themselves through their practice of the virtues.

Soldiers arm themselves with the best possible weaponry. The confirmed arm themselves with the Word of God, divine grace, prayer, the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit, and the inspiration of the lives of the saints. They are protected by their guardian angels and their patron saints.

Soldiers are on high alert, in a constant state of readiness, and set to go into action at a moment’s notice. The confirmed are sober and vigilant, alert and on guard, continuously in the state of grace, and act quickly to uphold the truth and do the right thing.

Soldiers fight with courage and bravery, are prepared to suffer, consider surrender unthinkable and are willing to lay down their lives for their country. The confirmed pattern themselves on Jesus who suffered and died for us, and are willing to suffer on behalf of others. The confirmed embrace hardship, sacrifice and remain faithful until the end, even to the point of death.

Soldiers go into the battlefield to carry out a specific mission or objective. The confirmed go into the world to make the name of Jesus known and loved, give heroic witness, and spread and defend the faith.

Soldiers fight with determination against their opponent.

The confirmed fight with valor against the enemy, the devil, temptation and the forces of evil in the world. They also fully engage in the raging battle to conquer the sinful inclinations in their own minds and hearts.

Soldiers are peacekeepers: They restore and maintain peace. The confirmed stop hostilities, bring calm, establish communication, effect reconciliation, repair damage, build mutual respect, uphold the common good, and foster harmony and cooperation.

Father Van Sloun is pastor of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata. This column is part of an ongoing series on confirmation. Find the full series at TheCatholicSpirit.com.

DAILY Scriptures Sunday, March 14 Fourth Sunday of Lent 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 Eph 2:4-10 Jn 3:14-21 Monday, March 15 Is 65:17-21 Jn 4:43-54 Tuesday, March 16 Ez 47:1-9, 12 Jn 5:1-16 Wednesday, March 17 Is 49:8-15 Jn 5:17-30 Thursday, March 18 Ex 32:7-14 Jn 5:31-47 Friday, March 19 St. Joseph, husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22 Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a Saturday, March 20 Jer 11:18-20 Jn 7:40-53 Sunday, March 21 Fifth Sunday of Lent Jer 31:31-34 Heb 5:7-9 Jn 12:20-33 Monday, March 22 Dn 13:1-9, 15-17, 19-30, 33-62 (or 13:41c-62) Jn 8:1-11 Tuesday, March 23 Nm 21:4-9 Jn 8:21-30 Wednesday, March 24 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95 Jn 8:31-42 Thursday, March 25 Annunciation of the Lord Is 7:10-14; 8:10 Heb 10:4-10 Lk 1:26-38 Friday, March 26 Jer 20:10-13 Jn 10:31-42 Saturday, March 27 Ez 37:21-28 Jn 11:45-56 Sunday, March 28 Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Is 50:4-7 Phil 2:6-11 Mk 14:1–15:47 (or Mk 15:1-39)

KNOW the SAINTS ST. CLEMENT MARY HOFBAUER A baker, Czech-born Johannes Hofbauer, after a period of solitary living and wandering between Rome and Vienna, established the Redemptorists north of the Alps and is considered the order’s second founder. He took the religious name Clement Mary and was ordained a Redemptorist priest at age 34. He served in Poland for 20 years, until 1808, when Napoleon suppressed religious orders. He spent the rest of his life in Vienna, battling state control of the Church, establishing a Catholic college and working behind the scenes at the Congress of Vienna. He is the patron saint of Vienna. His feast day is March 15.

— Catholic News Service

FOCUSONFAITH

MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 19

ECHOES OF CATHOLIC MINNESOTA | REBA LUIKEN

Archbishop Ireland and the temperance movement

On March 17, 1873, the Irish of Minneapolis and surrounding areas gathered for Mass, filling the largest church in the city to overflowing.

After hearing Father James McGolrick preach on the history of Ireland and the place of the Irish people in America, they poured out of Immaculate Conception to begin a St. Patrick’s Day parade through the city. At the head of the procession were mounted police, the Emerald Brass Band, Irish Rifles, the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society and the Youth Temperance Army. Temperance in regard to alcohol was a major theme of the celebration.

In fact, temperance regarding alcohol was a central aspect of the Irish Catholic community in Minnesota between 1869 and the 1920s. Father (later Archbishop) John Ireland became a leader of the movement when he established the Cathedral of St. Paul’s chapter of the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society in 1869 with 50 members — and a compelling founding story.

As Archbishop Ireland later told it, seven men were gathered in a saloon in downtown St. Paul on a Friday evening when they realized they were on a dangerous path. “Let us go and see Father Ireland and organize a temperance society,” one exclaimed, and they wrote a petition, convinced the saloon keeper to sign it, signed it themselves and stumbled over to Father Ireland’s house with their paper in hand. Without hesitation, Father Ireland agreed to champion a temperance society. He was continuing a tradition of support from Catholic bishops in Minnesota for total abstinence from a substance that was known to ravage frontier communities.

Named for a Franciscan friar who led a temperance crusade in Ireland, the Father Mathew Total Abstinence Society called members to take a pledge against all

Men and women who traveled from St. Paul to Chicago in 1893 as delegates to the Catholic Temperance Congress pose for a photo. alcohol consumption. Before immigrating to the United States, Ireland had served Mass for Father Theobald Mathew. He recalled taking Father Mathew’s pledge for the first time at age 6, and that Father Mathew sometimes referred to him as “his little teetotaler.”

As a leader in the Catholic Church in Minnesota, he advocated tirelessly for abstinence among priests and parishioners, becoming known as the “Father Mathew of the Northwest.” By 1873, Father Ireland boasted that more than 25 parishes in Minnesota had independently organized temperance societies. He advocated for one at every English-speaking parish in his archdiocese.

Members had to be a minimum of 12 years old, and after 1876, Archbishop Ireland, who became a bishop in 1875, welcomed women in addition to men.

Temperance societies became central fixtures in the community. Archbishop Ireland liked to remind pastors that their parish temperance society was in competition with the local saloon, which drew in customers with free lunches and social activities. In response, parishes began to offer meals, social activities, libraries and public education. Dues-paying members of the Father Mathew Society of St. Paul could also expect the society to provide them with an income while they were ill and to defray their funeral expenses. Churches became the communal gathering place, rather than the pub.

For Archbishop Ireland, this mission was part of a larger project of transforming Irish Catholic refugees into respectable middle-class Americans. Even after

WHY DO CATHOLICS DO THAT? | FATHER JOHN PAUL ERICKSON

The importance of kneeling Q Why do Catholics kneel?

A We are bodily creatures, and as such, bodily signs

matter. Think of kissing, or hugging, or high-fiving or dancing — these are all bodily signs of something that is inside of us or that we want to express to others. All of our postures at Mass and at public prayer have meaning: We stand at attention to listen to the Word of God and to present ourselves as ready for mission, we sit to reflect upon the meaning of this Word in our own lives, and we kneel to give God worship and adoration.

Kneeling is a sign of supplication and vulnerability. While kneeling, we plead with God for what we need and to offer him ourselves. It is especially appropriate to kneel in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

Q Why do Catholics pay for Masses being said for loved ones?

A We don’t! Every sacrament is a celebration of grace, and as such, can

never be refused for lack of funds. However, the fact is that parishes do rely upon donations to operate, to keep the heat on and to allow necessary staff to support their own families. And so parishes ask that when Masses are requested, a nominal donation be made to the parish as a sign of gratitude and support. The Mass has infinite value, and so no amount of money could ever be truly adequate, but a small donation is fitting and always appreciated.

As to why Masses are requested in the first place, we as Catholics believe that the Mass is the most powerful form of prayer there is, and can be offered for any number of intentions, including most often for a loved one, living or deceased. It is an awesome gift to give to someone, and the very best thing one can do for those who have died.

Father Erickson is pastor of Transfiguration in Oakdale. Send your questions to CatholicSpirit@archspm.org with “Why Do Catholics Do That?” in the subject line.

PHOTOS COURTESY ARCHDIOCESAN ARCHIVES

A sketch of Archbishop John Ireland appears on the June 1896 cover of “Temperance Truth,” a New York publication promoting abstinence from alcohol.

Father Ireland became archbishop, he continued to support the temperance movement. He spoke at the national total abstinence convention. When he established Minnesota farm towns to resettle Irish refugees, he insisted they be dry. Archbishop Ireland believed abstaining from alcohol would make the Irish better Catholics and better Americans. German Catholics disagreed. They continued to drink their beer, supporting the booming brewing business in St. Paul.

Luiken is a historian with a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and a lifelong Catholic in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

‘Go to Joseph’ The Catholic Spirit asked our readers what St. Joseph means to them, given the current Year of St. Joseph. The following is one response. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of St. Joseph March 19.

I remember, in my childhood, my mother, who greatly revered the Holy Family and St. Joseph’s virtues of humility and purity, explaining to us the significance of the lilies on his staff.

Then in my adulthood, two Anglican colleagues, witnessing to St. Joseph’s powerful efficacy in answering prayers, got my attention.

That is when I decided to “go to St. Joseph.” When some grim conditions arose in our workplace, we began our day praying together before a statue of St. Joseph, handing the day to him. Thereafter, many good things happened. We also noticed our Buddhist chauffeur placing flowers before the statue.

He was seeking employment overseas, and he was successful. Later, one of the

colleagues became a Catholic.

When I “went to Joseph” first, I received an awesome gift that kept deepening. A tender love for St. Joseph, enmeshed with admiration and trust, took root in my heart. He became my spiritual father as truly as Jesus is my brother and Mary, my mother. St. Joseph is the greatest father that ever walked the earth. Similar to Joseph of Egypt, St. Joseph provides from the granary of God. He saved our Savior from Herod. He protects me, too. He is the perfect model of humility, chastity, courage, unwavering commitment and obedience.

St. Joseph always obeyed God, ungrudgingly accepting tremendous difficulties and dangers related to his lofty mission. He is my “silent hero.” His silence makes his magnificent deeds all the more glorious.

Lilee Perera Nativity of Our Lord, St. Paul “Readers Respond” is a new feature in The Catholic Spirit. Respond to our next question: “What sacred image at your parish inspires your faith; how and why?” in 200 words or less to CatholicSpirit@ archspm.org with “Readers Respond” in the subject line.

TheCatholicSpirit.com/nomeat

20 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

COMMENTARY TWENTY SOMETHING | CHRISTINA CAPECCHI

Learning from Horton: Say what you mean, mean what you say

Dr. Seuss’ fourth book was published in 1940 and met with critical acclaim. It features an elephant whose large ears and long trunk provided the ideal infrastructure for the artist’s distinct lumps and humps.

Today, the homely hero of “Horton Hatches the Egg” feels like a symbol of what we are sorely lacking in a culture that sets us up to be flighty and fickle. Horton’s tale reminds me of a Gospel principle I have found more challenging now that I’m a parent.

His story begins when a lazy bird, Mayzie, becomes bored sitting on her egg and recruits Horton to take over, vowing to return soon. He agrees and pledges loyalty.

Horton’s resolve is tested the first night with a wicked storm.

“This isn’t much fun,” remarks Horton, perched on the nest and soaking wet.

Once Mayzie lands in Palm Beach, she decides to stay. Winter arrives, and Horton is covered in icicles.

“But Horton kept sitting and said with a sneeze, ‘I’ll stay on this egg and I won’t let it freeze. I meant what I said and I said what I meant … an elephant’s faithful 100 percent!’”

From his perch on the egg, Horton endures endless abuse. At each hardship, he repeats his promise as a pep talk: “I meant what I said and I said what I meant … an elephant’s faithful 100 percent!” His identity becomes his mantra.

Horton lands in a traveling circus, and — lo and behold, after 51 weeks of dutifully warming that egg — it begins to hatch just as Mayzie happens

SIMPLE HOLINESS | KATE SOUCHERAY

Managing, not eliminating, stress is the key

It seems truly incredible that we are living history at this very moment. In fact, most people are not aware when they are making history, but there is no mistaking this reality for those of us living through this uncertain time.

For families facing the difficulties in the late 1940s, Rueben Hill, the late American sociologist, created a theory of family stress, referred to as ABC-X. Hill contended that when an event occurred, which was the “A factor” of this model, the resources the family possessed, or the “B factor,” were brought to the fore as they attempted to manage the event. The meaning they made of the event, based on their resources, was the “C factor” of this theory.

The “X factor” was whether the family was able to develop resilience and cope with the situation at hand, or if they went into crisis.

Hill developed his theory in 1949, following the Great Depression and World War II, in which he

In the end, we are defined by the promises we keep.

I want mine to honor the values and people I hold dear.

iSTOCK PHOTO | SEB_RA

upon them. She claims ownership of the egg, which shatters and stuns, revealing a winged baby elephant.

Dr. Seuss asserts the rightness of the outcome: “And it should be, it should be, it should be like that!

Because Horton was faithful! He sat and he sat! He meant what he said and he said what he meant … and they sent him home happy, 100 percent!”

Horton’s statement has since been borrowed by politicians selling straight talk, never bothering to credit Seuss. They could also cite the Bible, where the principle was first articulated. In the Gospel of Matthew, we are presented a teaching on oaths: “Make good to the Lord all that you vow” (Mt 5:33).

And then comes a memorable verse: “Let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more is from the evil one.”

I remember reading this as a girl and finding it simplistic. Yes means yes, no means no — yeah, yeah, yeah, got it.

I find it much harder as an adult, fielding invitations and opportunities that seem fine and lovely but are actually demands on my time and

observed families who were able to manage the stressors these two events presented through the use of the resources they possessed. Their resources included the family’s level of communication, the amount of relational stress they faced, the financial concerns they carried, the level of work-family conflict they encountered, and the amount of parenting stress they dealt with. These factors seem remarkably similar to the stressors faced by so many families of today, as we are managing the effects of the pandemic and the presidential election.

The most important aspect of Hill’s theory is the B factor, or the resources, the family has at hand to manage the stressor, or stressors, they face. These resources typically include the family’s level and depth of faith, the amount of camaraderie the family created prior to the event, and their ability to work together and see the positive aspects of each day, as they offer gratitude in the midst of the event.

Occurrences such as a pandemic and a contentious election are not overcome, but rather endured. As we have managed the impact of the day-to-day changes that happened throughout this past year, we likely noticed we became stronger and more resilient with each day. We got into the groove of this new way of life and began to use new ways of communicating, spending money, talking out conflict and working together in more effective ways.

How have you, or your family members, managed the events of the pandemic and the contentious election? It has been said that a non-reflective life is not worth living. This is the time to think deeply

threats to my priorities. Putting first things first, I’ve come to realize, is no small feat.

As a parent, it’s even harder to say what I mean and mean what I say. My reflex is to respond as quickly as possible — not necessarily as thoughtfully. There have been times I’ve answered a young child without knowing what I have just agreed to.

I’m learning the value of taking a pause to give myself space for thinking — and to let my kids see that. I’m discovering the merit of a response like, “I don’t know yet” and “Let me think about it.” And I’m trying to halt my fast-talking, people-pleasing impulse long enough to size up a commitment before saying yes or no.

In the end, we are defined by the promises we keep.

I want mine to honor the values and people I hold dear. When the going gets tough and I’m covered in ice like Horton, I want to “make good to the Lord,” repeating my promises as a pep talk, embracing my vocation, turning my identity into a mantra — 100 percent.

Capecchi is a writer from Inver Grove Heights.

ACTION STRATEGIES uTake time to reflect on the events of this past year and offer gratitude for the resources you and your family possess that helped you manage the difficulties we faced. uThink about the quality of your Lent and decide today to have a good Lent. about how the experiences of this past year have affected you and made you and your family stronger and more resilient. Rather than focus on what you have lost, take time to focus on what you have gained during this time.

Offer gratitude for even the small things in your life. Spend meaningful time with important people and take the time to tell them how much they mean to you. Spend your money thoughtfully, seeing it as a gift from God to be used wisely. And approach Lent with a prayerful posture, asking God to help you focus on the things he wants you to focus on, and let go of things of little importance. As my mother-inlaw used to ask as Easter approached: “Have you had a good Lent?”

Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a member of St. Ambrose in Woodbury. She holds a master’s degree in theology from The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul and a doctorate in educational leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.

MARCH 11, 2021

ALREADY/NOT YET | JONATHAN LIEDL

Joy in Lent, joy in life

Lent is something of a proving ground.

Because love is demonstrated not in sentiment or feeling but in what we are willing to sacrifice for our beloved, as I heard in a recent homily, the way in which we practice penances during this liturgical season can provide us with a sobering status check. How we are (or are not!) able to live out self-denial during Lent probably indicates something about our capacity for sacrificial love during the rest of the year, too.

But I’d suggest Lent is also an opportunity for insight into how we live out another central aspect of the Christian life: joy.

Laetare Sunday, in particular, is a moment for such reflection. The fourth Sunday of Lent (March 14 this year) takes its name from the first few words of the traditional Latin introit: Laetare Jerusalem. “Rejoice, O Jerusalem!”

And the Church does rejoice, at least in comparison to our normal Lenten somberness: rose-colored vestments are worn instead of the usual violet, and flowers are allowed to adorn the typically stark Lenten altar.

But why is Laetare Sunday an opportunity to rejoice?

On one level, we can view it as a kind of Lenten “hump day,” a reminder that the brunt of the fasting and selfsacrifice is over, and that Easter is finally in sight. In fact, another name for the day is “mid-Lent Sunday.” From this perspective, we rejoice on Laetare Sunday precisely because Lent is almost over, and the “reward” of Easter is right around the corner, if only we continue to pay the “cost” of penance and fasting.

This perspective, though, misses out on a much deeper cause for joy. Although our Easter celebration may be weeks away, the original Easter, Christ’s redemptive death and resurrection, has already taken place. The “light came into the world,” as we hear in the Gospel reading for Laetare Sunday (Jn 3:14-21). God has already redeemed our humanity, he has already definitively defeated sin and death, and because of this, we can experience joy now, the joy of being united to Christ, even in the midst of our Lenten discomfort and hunger pangs.

This joy will certainly culminate on Easter Sunday, but

THE LOCAL CHURCH | SEN. MICHELLE BENSON

A light in darkness A year ago, we faced the beginning of a global pandemic. Our Church reduced the risk of spread by ceasing the sign of peace, emptying holy water fonts and limiting Communion to only the form of the Precious Body. As the novel virus spread, our Churches were shuttered. Our schools were closed. In the midst of Lent, we couldn’t gather to worship.

As we moved through Lent, my days were consumed with learning about this novel virus and helping to shore up our health care providers across the state as they prepared to fight for the lives of Minnesotans. My oldest continued his work, but isolated in his home. Our second son came home from college to continue his studies. My daughter was distance learning with one of our amazing Catholic schools. My husband was helping his employer navigate the unknown that lay ahead.

Unlike many families, we were safe and stable. We practiced gratitude. We went to drive-up confession and watched Mass online. On Holy Saturday, we participated in Mass in our darkened home, passing our vial of holy water and holding blessed candles. As I watched the light flicker across the faces of my children, my heart was full and my eyes welled up with tears. In the darkest days of a global pandemic, my Church had blessed my home and created peace for my family.

Thanks be to God that our Church sought to care for the physical and spiritual needs of the faithful and pushed to

COMMENTARY we can — in fact, we must — begin to live it now. How will our Lenten penances be fruitful if we do them apart from Christ? And what causes joy if not being with the One we love? It’s a point St. Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) makes in his “Summa Theologiae” (ST II-II, q. 28), reminding us that Christ “is present to those who love him, by the indwelling of his grace.”

As this goes for Lent, so it goes for all of life. Far too often, the Christian life is portrayed as one of merely stoic endurance, putting up with a life of suffering and pain, following a set of difficult and even arbitrary rules, all so that we can survive this life and receive the reward of heaven.

This view reduces grace to a mere aid in escaping, denying that we truly and actually participate in the life of God now. It reduces morality to something foreign to and imposed upon our nature, instead of the way of living in freedom in our current state. And it reduces joy to merely the intoxicating sentiments of an escapist fantasy, ignoring that we are already tasting what we will receive in full.

As the theologian and Jesuit priest Henri de Lubac (18961991) said, Christ “came to deliver us from time, but by means of time.” This is the law of the Incarnation. Our journey in this life cannot be disconnected from our eternal destiny, and the factor that links the two together is the love of God. Because of our imperfections and the limitations of a fallen, created world, we do not experience this love now with the radical, infinite fullness we will experience in heaven. Even so, we are experiencing the same Divine Love.

It is both already, and not yet.

Quite frankly, if God cannot be with me now in the midst of my hardships, brokenness and confusion, then he is not God, and is not worthy of my worship. If he is incapable of being with me as I walk through this valley of tears, then why should I expect his love to satisfy me for all eternity?

Of course, God is truly with us now, not merely waiting for us in heaven. He is especially present to us in our sufferings.

In fact, as Jesuit Father George Aschenbrenner, the rector of the Jesuit community at the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, noted, “The cross is the privileged place of union with the Father” — the place where we are stripped bare of everything except the foundational fact that God loves us, and is with us.

And that is the source of our joy, in Lent and in life.

Liedl lives and writes in the Twin Cities.

safely reopen. The feast of Corpus Christi was the first time our family was able to return to in-person Mass. Such joy!

The Catholic Church has been a stabilizing force in our society throughout its 2,000-year history. The actions of our bishops to open churches reminded a dark world that God is present and important. A return to safe in-person worship and a return to sacraments buoyed our families.

Catholic hospitals are at the heart of our health care systems. Catholic shelters provided protection from the virus for the homeless and forgotten. Our Catholic schools welcomed students to learn safely in person, bringing their families not just education, but also support and community.

A recent Sunday, my daughter commented that hand sanitizer is the new holy water. It broke my heart. It is a poignant reminder of what we are missing: singing, handshakes and hugs, group Bible studies, church festivals, doughnuts after Mass and so much more. As we pass the one-year mark of the first diagnosed case of COVID-19, I am deeply thankful for priests, laity, teachers and so many others who supported Minnesota families with Mass and sacraments, education and youth activities that in the midst of a historic pandemic lifted our spirits and kept us connected.

As people of faith, we look for hope and good in the tragedies of this world. The pain of death due to COVID-19 is very real, as is the suffering of isolation from loved ones and the pain of economic hardship, but there is also good.

Our Church and the faithful have been light and hope in darkness and fear.

A parishioner of Epiphany in Coon Rapids who also attends St. Paul in Ham Lake, Benson represents portions of Anoka, Isanti and Sherburne counties in the Minnesota Legislature.

She chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, and is deputy majority leader.

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 21

INSIDE THE CAPITOL | MCC

Migrants, second chances Archbishop Bernard Hebda spoke to the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee expressing the Minnesota Catholic Conference’s (MCC) support for a bill, H.F. 1163 (Winkler), that would allow undocumented immigrants an opportunity to obtain a provisional driver’s license after passing a driving exam.

The archbishop’s Feb. 26 testimony highlighted how, in the absence of federal comprehensive immigration reform, offering legal access to public roadways is one small measure of dignity the State of Minnesota can offer those who simply want to drive to work, school and church without fear of being separated from their families.

He also pointed out the bill’s potential to serve the common good by improving accountability and safety on the road. Archbishop Hebda concluded his testimony by reframing the bill as an opportunity for people to look beyond political identities, saying, “Too often, we let secondary relationships define our identities and how we treat others.

We may see ourselves as American citizens, and immigrants as illegals or aliens. How unfortunate if those labels limit the reach of our solidarity.”

Supporting second chances.

In their document, “Restoration, Rehabilitation and Responsibility” (2000), the U.S. Catholic bishops declared that in matters of criminal justice, “solidarity calls us to insist on responsibility and seek alternatives that do not simply punish, but rehabilitate, heal, and restore.” The bishops encouraged lawmakers to redirect the vast number of public resources away from building more prisons, and toward better and more effective programs aimed at crime prevention, rehabilitation and reintegration.

Locally, MCC has been a perennial sponsor of the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition (MNSCC) and its annual Day on the Hill.

The mission of this volunteer-run organization is to advocate for fair and responsible policies and practices that enable people who have experienced incarceration or other involvement with the criminal justice system to support themselves, support their families and contribute to their communities upon re-entry to society at large. This year’s Second Chance Day on the Hill Feb. 23 focused on building support for a package of bills addressing how juveniles are treated in the criminal justice system, from sentencing to expungements.

“Inside the Capitol” is an update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff during the legislative session.

22 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

W

hy am I Catholic? I’ve never responded to this

question concretely, and I’m not sure if I am able.

The only thing I know for sure is that I have lived

my life as a Catholic and have discovered the love of a

loving Father who embraces me as a beloved daughter.

I was born in Mexico and baptized. As a child, my

parents took me and my sisters to Mass each week. I was introverted and carried a sadness inside of my heart because

MARCH 11, 2021

DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

diagnosis). Esteban’s disease advanced rapidly and he died in less than a year. I remember our receiving the diagnosis: There was a moment of silence and we looked at one another knowing that this was God’s will. Fully accepting God’s will brought me a lot of spiritual peace, and after my husband’s death, I continued to feel joy for having been able to accompany him until his last breath.

Months later, I realized that God had heard my prayer

I needed to know that I was loved. At the same time, there

as a small child seeking to know his holy providence.

was something inside of me that nudged me to look for

Even though the journey has not been easy, God has

consolation and refuge in God. In my prayer, time and

given all that has been needed to forge ahead. Members

again, I would ask God to show me his Divine Providence.

of St. Francis de Sales parish, members of the Emmanuel

I grew up, and when I was 15, I was drawn to the

Community and many others opened their hearts to

ministry of music. I joined our church choir to sing at Mass,

help us. Today I can see with more clarity God’s presence

and during this time I met the man who would become my

that has accompanied me throughout my life, and how

husband. Participating in the choir unconsciously helped

God prepared and fed me through my life’s experiences

me to fill the emptiness that I had felt in my heart.

and the Church’s sacraments to discover the sweet love of

When I was 22, Esteban and I married, and our life soon changed when we immigrated to Minnesota in search of more opportunities for our lives. Living here we dearly missed our families and being a part of a Catholic community that could provide consolation and support.

This need motivated us to form a small choir and integrate into a parish in St Paul.

In 2010, we were introduced to the “Emmanuel

the Father.

Arellano-Castañeda, 46, is a widow and an active member of St. Francis de Sales in St. Paul, where she serves as a sacristan. She is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas’ Certificate of Lay Ministry program in Spanish, and a member of the Emmanuel Community. Arellano-Castañeda has three daughters, Estefany, Melissa and Mónica, and a son, Manuel.

Community” and felt called to participate with this spiritual family. This community is a great blessing in our lives and sustained us when we had to withdraw from the choir at St. Francis de Sales in 2018 because my husband was diagnosed with ALS (an illness without cure that gives the afflicted, on average, two to five years of life after

“Why I am Catholic” is a new ongoing series in The Catholic Spirit. Want to share why you are Catholic?

Submit your story in 300-500 words to CatholicSpirit@ archspm.org with “Why I am Catholic” in the subject line.

MARCH 11, 2021

THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT • 23

CALENDAR PRAYER+RETREATS “Traveling with the Desert Mothers” — March 13: 10 a.m.–noon via Zoom. Hosted by Guardian Angels, Oakdale. Learn wisdom of the ancient Desert Mothers and move through personal desert experiences in prayer, music and conversation. Part of the “Blessed Is She: Celebrating Women in the Church” series. To register, email sbernet@guardianangels.org. guardian-angels.org.

“Heart to Heart: Exploring Women’s Vocations” — March 16: 6:30–8 p.m. Archbishop Bernard Hebda, Bishop Andrew Cozzens, Vocations Director Father David Blume and religious sisters invite women ages 16 to 35 discerning consecrated life to join virtual event. Register at 10000vocations.org.

Lenten Day of Prayer — March 18: 10 a.m.– 12:45 p.m. via Zoom. Hosted by Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, Prior Lake. “Jayne Krim: The Glory of the New Covenant.” Suggested cost $20.

Register at franciscanretreats.net.

Evening of Prayer and Reflection for Men — March 19: 6–7:30 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 Roselawn Ave E., Maplewood. Deacon Joseph Michalak to

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: T HECATHOLICSPIRIT.COM/ CALENDARSUBMISSIONS

present on “St. Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus and our spiritual father.” Presentation 6–7 p.m.

Benediction and prayer 7–7:30 p.m. Reservations required for in-person attendance or via livestream. stjerome-church.org or secretary@stjerome-church.org “Encountering ‘Fratelli Tutti’” series — March 23, Apr. 27 and May 25: 7–8:30 p.m. online. Three dates of this five-part series remain. Online presentations and discussions to discern how Pope Francis’ document can influence and enrich lives. Register at centerformission.org/whats-new.

Lenten Silent Midweek Retreat for Men and Women — March 23-25 at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave S., Buffalo. “Speak Lord, your servant is listening” and “Listening is about being willing to learn.” Register online at kingshouse.com.

Call 763-682-1394 for more information.

Evening of Prayer and Reflection for Women — March 25: 6–7 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 Roselawn Ave E., Maplewood. Theme: “Living Our Lives with Courageous Faith and Contagious Joy” with a focus on women of the Bible. Speaker: Kelly Wahlquist.

Reservations required for in-person attendance or via livestream. stjerome-church.org or secretary@stjerome-church.org Women’s Palm Sunday retreat weekend — March 26-28 at Franciscan Retreats and Spirituality Center, 16385 St. Francis Lane, Prior Lake. Silent retreat. 2021 theme: “Fear Not; I Am with You Always.” Includes scheduled time and open time.

Confession, anointing, Mass, Holy Hour and prayer sessions. franciscanretreats.net NET confirmation retreat weekends — March 27-28 and Apr. 17-18: 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. at 110 Crusader Ave. W., West St. Paul. Retreats for Catholic youth grades 8-12 preparing for the sacrament of confirmation. All confirmation retreat weekends offer the same programming and content. Adoration, reconciliation and Sunday Mass. netusa.org/confirmation

SPEAKERS+CONFERENCES JRLC Day on the Hill: “Make Justice Your Aim” — March 11: 6:30–8:45 p.m. via Zoom. Learn and prepare for Joint Religious Legislative Coalition interfaith legislative advocacy. Keynote speaker Rev.

Paul Slack of Lutheran Social Service. Also includes panelists on health, homelessness and COVID-19 vaccines. jrlc.org Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model for Artisans” — March 12: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. Fourth Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians.” Kevin Ferdinandt, headmaster of St. Agnes School, speaks on Joseph as a “Model for Artisans” following 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. churchofsaintgnes.org/lentenlectures Catechesis of the Good Shepherd Level I Adult Formation — March 13, 17; Apr. 10, 17; May 1, 15: 8:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. at St. Michael, 611 S. Third St., Stillwater. Montessori-based religious formation program rooted in Scripture and the liturgy of the Catholic Church. The method encourages fuller participation in the Mass and assists children with a personal relationship with Christ, the Good Shepherd. cgsusa.org “Islam, Christianity and the Environmental Crisis” — March 16: Noon–1:15 p.m. at the University of St. Thomas, 2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, will survey the relationship of God, humanity and nature from Islamic and Christian views to address the contemporary environmental crisis and help recover a sacred view of the universe. stthomas.edu CCF “Giving Insights” virtual forum — March 16: 7–8 p.m. Organized by Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota. Panel discussion on access to quality early childhood education. Panelists from Ascension Catholic School, Northside Achievement Zone, Securian Financial and HealthPartners. Register at ccf-mn.org/forums.

Lenten Lecture: “St. Joseph, Model in Tribulation” — March 19: 7:30–8:30 p.m. at St. Agnes, 535 Thomas Ave. W., St. Paul. Fifth Lenten Lecture on “St. Joseph, Model for Christians.”

Archbishop Bernard Hebda speaks on Joseph as a “Model in Tribulation” following the 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the upper church. churchofsaintagnes.org/lentenlectures

MUSIC Luke Spehar album release concert — March 13 and 14: 2 p.m. at Open Window Theatre, 5300 S. Robert Trail, No. 400, Inver Grove Heights. “Solace,” Luke Spehar’s fifth album, was recorded in a garage during the COVID-19 shutdown and contains some of Spehar’s favorite hymns and worship music.

In-person and online concert of peace, hope and solace. lukespehar.com “The Sacred Secret of the 17th of March” — March 17 and 18: 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Patrick, 6820 St. Patricks Lane, Edina. Premieres on the feast of St. Patrick. This 85-minute show, written by music director Tim Smith and wife Julie Smith, features 18 songs and highlights several Irish saints, including Patrick and Brigid. Broadway style music makes it family friendly and fun. stpatrick-edina.org

DINING OUT Our Lady of Guadalupe enchiladas — Fridays during Lent except Good Friday. 11 a.m.–6 p.m.

Takeout at 401 Concord St. $20 dozen, $10 half-dozen.

Pre-orders encouraged. olgcatholic.org St. Patrick’s Day Annual Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner — March 14: 9:30 a.m.–1 p.m. at St. Joseph, 23955 Nicolai Ave., Miesville. Corned beef, cabbage, potato, homemade Irish soda bread and regular or gluten-free dessert. Pre-order, takeout only. Order and pay online at stjosephmiesville.com.

Check out Fish Fry and Lenten Meal Guide at thecatholicspirit.com/nomeat.

PARISH EVENTS “Eucharistic Eating and the Global Food Crisis” — March 16: 7–8:30 p.m. at St. Frances Cabrini, 1500 Franklin Ave. SE, Minneapolis. Mary McGann, RSCJ, author of “The Meal That Reconnects: Eucharistic Eating and the Global Food Crisis,” explores the global food and water crises. Register at cabrinimn.org/tegeder-talk-signup.

“Born Anew to a Living Hope: A Study of 1 Peter” — March 17 and 24: 7–8 p.m. at St. Mark, 2001 Dayton Ave., St. Paul. This letter, written by the first pope, serves as a wonderful introduction to what it means to live life in Christ crucified. onestrongfamily.org/biblestudy

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24 • THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT

MARCH 11, 2021

THELASTWORD

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St. Joseph: Woodworker to the rescue?

In 1868, Bethlehem Academy received lifesaving firewood delivery credited to protector saint

I

By Maria Wiering The Catholic Spirit t was a bitterly cold night in the dead of winter 1868, and Bethlehem Academy was nearly out of firewood. The fledgling school in Faribault also served as a home to five Sinsinawa Dominican sisters and several boarding students, and on that night, Sister Gertrude Power, the 20-year-old superioress, sent the boarders to bed early. Then the sisters went to the chapel to pray for help.

The sisters’ handwritten records describe what happened next: “Soon a loud knock was heard at the door. Sister Gertrude, though startled, went bravely to answer the call. On opening the door she found a large, burly looking man who asked her where he should unload the wood which was outside. After Sister had given him direction as to what he should do, quickly and without a word of explanation he unloaded the wood and drove away. To this day no one knows who the benefactor is.”

But the sisters’ congregation has long known whom to credit: St. Joseph. As the story has been recalled over the years, Jesus’ earthly protector has always been associated with the mysterious figure and his providential delivery. Whether those five founding sisters believed the man was Joseph himself or was sent by the saint, records don’t say. It’s presumed that the sisters — then in their 20s and 30s — were praying for St. Joseph’s intercession as they feared the imminent cold, for themselves and the children in their care.

COURTESY SINSINAWA DOMINICANS

Founding Sinsinawa Dominican sisters and their students stand outside Bethlehem Academy in Faribault in an undated photo.

All the congregation’s sisters are aware of the story, said Dominican Sister Lois Hoh, the archivist at its motherhouse in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin. “It’s a fascinating story,” she said.

“There’s really no reason not to believe it.” She acknowledges that some of its tellings have been embellished over the years, but the first version, relayed above, comes from the Faribault sisters’ “annals,” summaries of life in their convent each year. Sister Lois, 75, said she wishes the sisters had written more about the incident.

A few more details about that night — perhaps passed through oral history — are included in “Five Decades,” a 1954 book about the Sinsinawa Dominican’s first 50 years, written by a sisterhistorian. She added that the unknown man brought the wood on a bobsled, and sisters expected a bill to come from their fuel merchant, but one never arrived.

In 1868, Bethlehem Academy was only three years old. The founding sisters were among about 20 total sisters in their young congregation, founded in 1847, and they were the first to leave the motherhouse in southwest Wisconsin to begin a convent elsewhere. St. Paul’s second bishop, Bishop Thomas Grace, himself a Dominican priest, requested that Sinsinawa Dominicans open

a school in Faribault to honor a mother’s dying wish for her young son and daughter to receive a Catholic education. The first five sisters traveled more than 200 miles up the Mississippi River to St. Paul before taking a stagecoach to Faribault.

Today, St. Joseph — whose feast day is March 19 — is Bethlehem Academy’s patron saint, and the school, which includes grades six to 12, honors him with two statues: one outside in a prayer garden and another overlooking a stairway. Sister Lois said it seems her congregation’s sisters have a long history of devotion to the saint. Records show he was clearly called upon decades later

by Sinsinawa sisters in Madison, Wisconsin, desperately in need of new buildings for their expanding school, Edgewood College. There, a chapel is dedicated to the saint, and a studentartist depicted him in a mural.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Theresa Thomas, 84, Bethlehem Academy’s archivist, said she first heard the story as a Bethlehem Academy student.

She said she believes the sisters turned to St. Joseph because he is the Holy Family’s protector, and she thinks the story is worth reflection in this Year of St. Joseph, which the worldwide Church is observing through Dec. 8.

“This is kind of a unique situation that we had, and I think everything is worth revisiting,” she said.

Sister Mary Margaret Murphy, 77, an administrative assistant at Bethlehem Academy, noted the natural connection between a school named for Bethlehem and its founding sisters seeking the intercession of St. Joseph, who provided for Mary and Jesus in seemingly bleak circumstances.

Plus, he’s a carpenter, and the delivery was of wood.

The story “strikes me as exhibiting the deep faith that those early sisters had in the providence of God,” she said. “One of the prayers that we have said as Dominicans over and over is ‘Providence can provide. Providence does provide.

Providence will provide.’”