November 21, 2019 • Newspaper of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis
thecatholicspirit.com
Hearing from youth Archbishop Hebda, Bishop Cozzens ask high school students for thoughts on archdiocese’s future at youth day. — Page 5
Preserving history Benedictine monk receives national honor, statewide recognition for efforts to preserve ancient manuscripts. — Page 6
Ecological sins With planned catechism addition, Pope Francis adds gravity to failing to care for creation. — Page 8
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Legacy honored Recently opened boutique hotel in St. Paul pays tribute to the building’s roots as a convent, art conservatory founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet. — Page 12
Rural life cookbook Catholic Rural Life publishes new edition of “Cooking for Christ: Your Kitchen Prayerbook.” — Page 20
Turkey time!
From left, Jim and Rick Casper, owners of Casper’s Cherokee of Eagan, hold turkey breasts that will be sliced and served at their family’s free, annual Thanksgiving Day dinner for the community. Designed to help people who are in financial straits or simply seeking companionship, the dinner was started in 1983 by their late parents, Bob and Dorothy, who owned the Cherokee Sirloin Room in St. Paul. This year, the event will be held at St. Joseph in West St. Paul, where Jim, Rick and their families are parishioners. See story on pages 10-11.
Bishop Barron urges leaders’ action to reach youth By Carol Zimmerman Catholic News Service
A
uxiliary Bishop Robert Barron of Los Angeles did not just bemoan the fact many young people are leaving the Catholic Church. He said Church leaders need to make it a priority to bring them back. The bishop, chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis, is known in part for his website, “Word on Fire,” and for hosting the documentary series “Catholicism.” He offered a five-step plan of sorts to bring the religiously unaffiliated, or “nones,” back to the fold. The Church should lead with its social justice work, he said, getting young people BISHOP involved with caring for those in need, ROBERT BARRON working in soup kitchens, prison ministries and helping the homeless. Leaders can reinforce this by reiterating messages on social justice from Popes Leo XIII to Francis, he said.
From there, the Church should promote its own writers and artists to show people the beauty of the Catholic faith, he said. Another key step — he said he’s been “banging this drum for a long time” — is to stop dumbing down the faith. The bishop, who first brought up the issue of Church exodus with the bishops at the spring meeting, said young Catholics, or those of any age, should be able to articulate why they believe what they do. For starters, “we have to beef up the intellectual content of our religion classes in Catholic schools, our religious Bishop Cozzens to follow Bishop education programs, RCIA, Barron as leader of USCCB’s Committee confirmation preparation, on Evangelization, Catechesis etc.,” he said. From his own experience, — Page 5 he said he has been asked very basic questions, particularly on the “AMA” (Ask Me Anything) feature on Reddit, an internet news aggregator, about faith, including: PLEASE TURN TO BISHOP BARRON ON PAGE 7
Keep the faith evergreen: Give a gift subscription for Christmas! Through Cyber Monday (Dec. 2) buy a one-year gift subscription to The Catholic Spirit for friends and family for only $15. TheCatholicSpirit.com/CyberMonday