Father Evan Koop, instructor of dogmatic theology at The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, elevates the Eucharist during a Mass celebrated Jan. 17 in The Martyrium (site of the martyrdom) of St. Philip the Apostle in Hierapolis, Turkey. Concelebrating the Mass is Father Scott Carl, vice rector and associate professor of sacred Scripture at the seminary. The priests were on a nearly month-long journey with 25 seminarians following the footsteps of St. Paul through Turkey and Greece. See pages 10-11. COURTESY DEACON RANDY SKEATE
SOMETHING FISHY Father Ben Little, left, pastor of St. John the Baptist in Savage, shows eighth grade students Noah Schneider, second from left, Caleb Carstens (back, partially visible), Kurubel Bereket, Lucas Ansari, and Michael Blake how to fillet a crappie during a session of Kids in the Kitchen at St. John the Baptist Catholic School. Led by Mike Vawracz, food service director of the lunch program at the school, the elective program seeks to help students observe and learn culinary skills. Vawracz worked with fellow employees of Taher Inc., a food service management company under contract with St. John the Baptist and other schools.
AI SUMMIT Bishop Paul Tighe, secretary of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, participates in a panel discussion on “Harnessing AI for the Future of Work” during the AI Action Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris Feb. 10. The summit aimed to establish scientific foundations, solutions and standards for a more sustainable AI that drives progress, environmental protection and the public interest. Pope Francis wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-hosted the gathering with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that ways must be found to ensure artificial intelligence benefits everyone and protects the environment, given the high amounts of energy consumed by data centers. In addition, there is a great need to secure and safeguard a place for “proper human control over the choices made by artificial intelligence programs,” the pope wrote. “I am convinced that, lacking such control, artificial intelligence, albeit an ‘exciting’ new tool, could show its most ‘fearsome’ side by posing a threat to human dignity.”
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Feb. 14
“Practicing Catholic” radio show featured a discussion with Lacy Apfelbeck about developing healthy coping mechanisms and leaning on God during difficult times, and an interview with Father Michael Van Sloun on the impact of his “Faith Fundamentals” column in The Catholic Spirit. The program also included a talk with Lauren Bakke, a member of the Catholic Softball Group leadership team based in Little Canada, who shared her personal faith journey and her growing love of Christ. Listen to interviews after they have aired at archspm org/faith-anddiscipleship/practicing-catholic or choose a streaming platform at Spotify for Podcasters.
Let’s pray for peace, let’s do our all for peace. Don’t forget that war is always a defeat. We are not born to kill but to help people thrive. May we find paths of peace, please in your daily prayers, ask for peace.
Pope Francis during his general audience Feb. 12 in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, while reflecting on the many countries at war, such as Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Myanmar, North Kivu in the Congo, and South Sudan. The pope’s breathing sounded labored and congested. Two days later he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital, where he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and other respiratory tract conditions and continued to be treated as of Feb. 18.
NEWS notes
Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, 76, from the pastoral governance of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, and has appointed Auxiliary Bishop Robert Casey of Chicago as his successor. A native of Iowa, Archbishop Schnurr was bishop of Duluth from 2001 to 2008. The pope has also accepted the resignation of Bishop Walker Nickless, 77, from the pastoral governance of the Diocese of Sioux City, Iowa, and appointed to succeed him Father John Keehner Jr., pastor of four parishes in Ohio. The resignations and appointments were publicized in Washington Feb. 12 by Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.
Pope Francis has urged U.S. Catholics and people of goodwill not to give in to narratives that discriminate against and cause unnecessary suffering to migrants and refugees. “I recognize your valuable efforts, dear brother bishops of the United States, as you work closely with migrants and refugees, proclaiming Jesus Christ and promoting fundamental human rights,” he said in a letter to the U.S. bishops published by the Vatican Feb. 11. Pope Francis said he was writing because of “the major crisis that is taking place in the United States” with the start of President Donald Trump’s “program of mass deportations.” Pope Francis said, “The rightly formed conscience cannot fail to make a critical judgment and express its disagreement with any measure that tacitly or explicitly identifies the illegal status of some migrants with criminality.” The same day, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops thanked Pope Francis for his support for the U.S. bishops’ work with migrants and refugees. “I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all,” Archbishop Timothy Broglio wrote. Catholic bishops in Minnesota released a statement on migrants and refugees, which can be read in full on page 6.
Bishop Michael Izen was among testifiers Feb. 13 on a bill before the Minnesota Senate’s Committee on State and Local Government that would legalize online sports gambling in Minnesota. Speaking via Zoom, the auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said he was testifying against the bill on behalf of his brother bishops of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. In part, Bishop Izen said there is rapidly growing evidence that online sports gambling is a predatory industry that is particularly harmful to young men, families and those who suffer from addiction. “That evidence includes both the tech industry’s ability to manipulate addiction through social media and cell phone usage, along with studies pouring in about what is happening where sports gambling is legal, including increased partner violence, the redirection of savings to pay gambling debts, massive increases in calls to gambling hotlines, and even increases in suicide rates,” Bishop Izen said. Supporters of the legislation have argued in part that sports betting already is taking place, but it is illicit, unregulated and without consumer protection or safeguards. The bill failed to advance out of committee, leaving its future uncertain in the Legislature.
NET Ministries, the national Catholic youth ministry based in West St. Paul, is the on-air prayer partner for Relevant Radio’s Family Rosary Across America at 7 p.m. each Wednesday through April 30. Co-hosts of the rosary will include former NET missionaries who as young adults traveled the country in retreat and discipleship teams to lead retreats and work in parishes and schools to spread the good news to middle- and highschool-age youth. NET Ministries staff members also will be featured. Relevant Radio’s rosary partnership with NET Ministries began Feb. 12. The next airing will be Feb. 26. People tuning into Relevant Radio 1330 AM to pray the rosary can find encouragement in NET Ministries’ vital work with youth and the experiences the missionaries share.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
CNS | COURTESY FRANCE DIPLOMATIE – MEAE
FROMTHEVICARGENERAL
ONLY JESUS | FATHER MICHAEL TIX
The transformative power of the Holy Spirit
With Lent quickly approaching, it’s time to consider what we will do with the season of grace that God is giving to us. In thinking about Lent, I’m reminded of an email that I received from a parishioner last May. The writer, Sarah, shared her experience of Lent with her husband, Brad, and their twin sons, Jack and Henry, who were finishing up their kindergarten year in our Catholic school. It was about this time of year and with the topic of Lent having come up in their class, Jack and Henry came home to ask their parents, “What are we doing for Lent?”
While the family was actively involved at school, they were not as involved at church and going to Mass, so they decided as a family that they would choose to attend Mass on the Sundays of Lent. It was a transformative experience, as Sarah eloquently wrote in her email. Going to Mass became an important part of their lives that fed their souls for the week ahead, as they also looked back in thanksgiving for the blessings of the past week. Often, we hear about doing things in Lent like giving up chocolate, only to look forward to eating the large chocolate bunny at Easter. For Sarah and her family, they didn’t return to their former practice but found an encounter with Jesus Christ and God’s love in the people of the Church who embraced them. They not only wanted to keep coming, but they were ready for another step in faith.
Because of the transformative experience of attending Mass in Lent, Sarah asked several questions in her email. She wrote about Jack and Henry who had never been baptized, and asked how they could receive the sacrament. She wrote about Brad, who was Catholic but had never received the sacrament of confirmation, and she wondered how he could receive the sacrament. Sarah wrote about herself and how she was baptized Lutheran but now wanted to be received into the Catholic Church as well as receive the sacrament of confirmation.
The email sparked a series of processes that included meetings over many weeks with Sarah and Brad to talk
El poder transformador del Espíritu Santo
Con la Cuaresma acercándose rápidamente, es hora de considerar qué haremos con la temporada de gracia que Dios nos está dando. Al pensar en la Cuaresma, recuerdo un correo electrónico que recibí de un feligrés en mayo pasado. La escritora, Sarah, compartió su experiencia de Cuaresma con su esposo, Brad, y sus hijos gemelos, Jack y Henry, quienes estaban terminando su año de jardín de infantes en nuestra escuela católica. Era más o menos en esta época del año y, como el tema de la Cuaresma había surgido en su clase, Jack y Henry llegaron a casa para preguntarles a sus padres: “¿Qué vamos a hacer durante la Cuaresma?”
Aunque la familia participaba activamente en la escuela, no participaba tanto en la iglesia ni en la misa, así que decidieron como familia que elegirían asistir a misa los domingos de Cuaresma. Fue una experiencia transformadora, como Sarah escribió elocuentemente en su correo electrónico. Ir a misa se convirtió en una parte importante de
May this Lent be a time for us to be renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit, who sends each of us to be instruments of God’s love and peace to one another and to our world today.
more about the Church and our beliefs as Catholics. For Jack and Henry, it meant an age-appropriate process for them toward the waters of baptism.
In September of last year, I had the honor of blessing Sarah and Brad’s marriage on their 13th wedding anniversary. In October, I was able to receive Sarah into the Catholic Church and celebrate the sacrament of confirmation for both Sarah and Brad. Tears of joy flowed, and thunderous applause welcomed them as our newest members of the Church.
Accompanying Sarah and Brad were their friends Lindsey and Mike, who joined them at Mass every Sunday after a drive from a nearby suburb. As the question of godparents came up for Jack and Henry, the first choice was Lindsey and Mike since Lindsey had babysat the boys from a young age. Lindsey is Catholic and Mike is Lutheran, so we talked about how this could all be possible. We learned that Lindsey and Mike had never had their marriage blessed, or more properly, validated, in the Church, so the question was raised: Would they want this to happen? They said, “yes!”
So, after preparation and meeting to complete the necessary paperwork and request the appropriate permissions, on a Saturday, Lindsey and Mike had their
sus vidas que alimentaba sus almas para la semana siguiente, mientras también miraban hacia atrás en agradecimiento por las bendiciones de la semana anterior. A menudo, escuchamos sobre hacer cosas en Cuaresma, como dejar el chocolate, solo para esperar con ansias comer el gran conejito de chocolate en Pascua. En el caso de Sarah y su familia, no volvieron a su antigua práctica, sino que encontraron un encuentro con Jesucristo y el amor de Dios en la gente de la Iglesia que los acogió. No solo querían seguir viniendo, sino que estaban listos para dar otro paso en la fe.
Debido a la experiencia transformadora de asistir a la misa en Cuaresma, Sarah hizo varias preguntas en su correo electrónico. Escribió sobre Jack y Henry, que nunca habían sido bautizados, y preguntó cómo podían recibir el sacramento. Escribió sobre Brad, que era católico pero nunca había recibido el sacramento de la confirmación, y se preguntó cómo podría recibir el sacramento. Sarah escribió sobre sí misma y sobre cómo fue bautizada como luterana, pero ahora quería ser recibida en la Iglesia Católica y también recibir el sacramento de la confirmación. El correo electrónico desencadenó una serie de procesos que incluyeron reuniones durante muchas semanas con Sarah y Brad para hablar más sobre
marriage blessed with Sarah and Brad as witnesses. The next Sunday, Lindsey and Mike served as godparents for Jack and Henry. And now, Mike is in the process of being received into the Catholic Church!
So, with Ash Wednesday quickly approaching on March 5, the question again is asked of all of us, “What are we doing for Lent this year?” Lent calls us to open ourselves to the transformative power of the Holy Spirit, who changes lives. The experience of an email from last May reminds me of how the Holy Spirit can change not only one life, but many. Lent is an opportunity for all of us to experience the power of the Holy Spirit at work as we encounter God’s love for us. We encounter God’s love in many ways. We remember that we encounter God’s love in our going to Mass and being open to the experience. We encounter God’s love in the embrace of a community or the kind word of the person sitting in the pew behind us. We encounter God’s love in the invitation of a friend to experience the sacraments in ways that prompt us to serve our neighbors as we put faith into action in our lives. May this Lent be a time for us to be renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit, who sends each of us to be instruments of God’s love and peace to one another and to our world today.
la Iglesia y nuestras creencias como católicos. Para Jack y Henry, significó un proceso apropiado para su edad hacia las aguas del bautismo.
En septiembre del año pasado, tuve el honor de bendecir el matrimonio de Sarah y Brad en su 13.º aniversario de casados. En octubre, pude recibir a Sarah en la Iglesia Católica y celebrar el sacramento de la confirmación para ambos. Lágrimas de alegría fluyeron y un estruendoso aplauso les dio la bienvenida como nuestros nuevos miembros de la Iglesia.
Acompañando a Sarah y Brad estaban sus amigos Lindsey y Mike, quienes los acompañaban en la misa todos los domingos después de un viaje en auto desde un suburbio cercano. Cuando surgió la cuestión de los padrinos para Jack y Henry, la primera opción fueron Lindsey y Mike, ya que Lindsey había cuidado a los niños desde una edad temprana. Lindsey es católica y Mike es luterano, así que hablamos sobre cómo todo esto podría ser posible. Nos enteramos de que Lindsey y Mike nunca habían tenido su matrimonio bendecido, o más propiamente, “validado”, en la Iglesia, así que se planteó la pregunta: ¿querrían que esto sucediera? Dijeron: “¡Sí!”.
Así, pues, con el Miércoles de Ceniza acercándose rápidamente el 5 de marzo,
todos nos hacemos de nuevo la pregunta: “¿Qué vamos a hacer este año durante la Cuaresma?”. La Cuaresma nos llama a abrirnos al poder transformador del Espíritu Santo, que cambia vidas. La experiencia de un correo electrónico del pasado mes de mayo me recuerda cómo el Espíritu Santo puede cambiar no sólo una vida, sino muchas. La Cuaresma es una oportunidad para que todos experimentemos el poder del Espíritu Santo en acción cuando encontramos el amor de Dios por nosotros. Encontramos el amor de Dios de muchas maneras. Recordamos que encontramos el amor de Dios cuando vamos a Misa y estamos abiertos a la experiencia. Encontramos el amor de Dios en el abrazo de una comunidad o en la palabra amable de la persona sentada en el banco detrás de nosotros. Encontramos el amor de Dios en la invitación de un amigo a experimentar los sacramentos de maneras que nos impulsen a servir a nuestro prójimo mientras ponemos la fe en acción en nuestras vidas. Que esta Cuaresma sea un tiempo para renovarnos en el poder del Espíritu Santo, que nos envía a cada uno de nosotros a ser instrumentos del amor y de la paz de Dios entre nosotros y con nuestro mundo de hoy.
iSTOCK PHOTO | THAI NOIPHO
SLICEof LIFE
Celebrating marriage
Patrick, left, and Carrie O’Neill and their children Anna, left, and Benjamin, of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul, attend Mass featuring a celebration of World Marriage Day Feb. 9 in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at the University of St. Thomas (UST) in St. Paul. They got married at the chapel in 2020. “It’s special to be in the church you got married in,” Carrie O’Neill said, “and good to bring the kids to see the church.” Christina Crow, sacramental coordinator for campus ministry, and Jesuit Father Christopher Collins, vice president for mission at UST, came up with the idea several years ago to host a Mass to celebrate World Marriage Day and invite couples who were married in the chapel to attend. Crow was married at the chapel in 2002 and attended this year’s celebration Mass with her husband, Patrick, and their four children. One couple, Stan and Julie Steuter, were married at the chapel nearly 50 years ago and this was their first time back since their wedding day in November 1975.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
Catholic school leaders testify against Gov. Walz’s proposed budget cuts to nonpublic schools
By Josh McGovern
The Catholic Spirit
“I understand Minnesota stands at a crossroads in education,” Quentin Moore, vice president of advancement at Ascension Catholic Academy in Minneapolis, said in addressing the Senate Education Finance Committee on Feb. 5.
The crossroads Moore referred to is a budget proposed by Gov. Tim Walz, released in January, that would eliminate nonpublic pupil aid and transportation aid that includes busing, textbooks, nursing and counseling. A news release from the office of Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan states that the budget cuts include a 5% reduction in special education transportation reimbursement costs, which the governor’s office estimates alone would save approximately $50 million in the next two-year budget cycle while “incentivizing schools to create efficiencies in transportation.”
The proposal caught the attention of 16 independent and faith-based school leaders who testified along with Moore at the Minnesota Senate building in St. Paul. They said the budget cuts to nonpublic schools would negatively impact nonpublic education, including Catholic education, in the state of Minnesota.
“The proposed elimination of the nonpublic pupil aid and transportation aid will have far-reaching consequences, not just for private school families, but for the broader goal of improving academic outcomes across our state. … As someone whose life trajectory was truly changed for the better because of Catholic education, I believe we must approach this issue not as a public versus private debate, but as a question of educational freedom, fiscal responsibility, and ultimately, scholar success and excellence,” Moore said.
According to the Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC), which represents the public policy interests of the state’s Catholic bishops, the proposed cuts would eliminate $540 per student per year in instructional, nursing and counseling aid and an additional $540 per student per year in transportation aid. This could result in increased tuition, financial strain for middle- and low-income families and a loss of safe and reliable transportation.
“The total of all these supports of transportation, textbooks, counseling and nursing services is over half a million dollars each year,” Russ Gregg, founder and head of school at Hope Academy Christian school in Minneapolis, said in his testimony. “Half a million dollars that our families would be unable to provide. I suspect that there must have been an oversight to consider eliminating these vital benefits from some of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Department of Education officials said the proposed cuts were part of fiscal belt tightening, MCC officials
Quentin Moore, vice president of advancement at Ascension Catholic Academy, testifies to the Senate Education Finance Committee on Feb. 5 against Gov. Tim Walz’s proposed budget cuts to nonpublic school aid.
JOSH MCGOVERN THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
said. But nonpublic schools in Minnesota save the state nearly $500 million annually by reducing the burden on public schools, MCC officials have estimated.
Meg Forgette, associate director of educational quality and excellence for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis’ Office for the Mission of Catholic Education, testified that the average cost per student in Catholic education is $8,533. For public schools, the cost is over $18,000 per student.
“With over 30,000 students in our Catholic school system alone, we are saving the state’s education system a significant amount of money every year,” Forgette said. “So why then
would it make sense to cut from the state’s budget these nonpublic education funds? This proposal needs to be removed as it is neither efficient nor effective in bringing more financial vitality to the state of Minnesota as well as it simply being discriminatory against nonpublic students and causing significant equity issues in making it harder for our students in lower-income families to choose a school that fully fits their children’s needs and their family values.”
This point was addressed by Sen. Jason Rarick of District 11, who said, “The one thing that I think we need to ask ourselves as we consider what the governor was proposing, if we cut some of these nonpublic school aids, will that drive some of the students ... to public schools, where we will just be then sending that money there, and not actually saving the state any money, as we think we’re doing by this proposal. And actually, from what we’ve heard, we believe there are actually increased costs for some of these students when they are in a public school, rather than the nonpublic school.”
The MCC is urging Catholic school leaders, teachers and parents to reach out to state legislators to communicate their opposition to the proposed budget. This can be done on the MCC website: tinyurl com/2dukjpzv The MCC also has a guide for school leaders on how to engage with elected officials that is available on the MCC website.
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Minnesota bishops release statement on immigration law and the common good
The Catholic Spirit
Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Auxiliary Bishops Michael Izen and Kevin Kenney, of St. Paul and Minneapolis, and five other Catholic bishops who are members of the Minnesota Catholic Conference released a statement Feb. 7 on immigration law and respect for migrants and the common good.
“Sadly, our nation’s immigration system is broken,” the bishops stated, with elected officials in both major political parties failing to “rise above political calculation and collaborate on a solution rooted in respect for migrants and the common good of the nation.”
Expressing particular concern about President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind policies that had previously limited immigration enforcement at “sensitive” locations such as churches, schools, shelters and hospitals, the bishops said it is “not difficult to imagine how the changed policy could interfere with the exercise of our faith to serve those in need (cf. Matt. 25:35).”
“We repeat our call for citizens to appeal to Congress and the President for comprehensive reform of our broken system that includes resources for improved border security, a generous but prudent welcome of refugees and those seeking asylum that does not overly burden local communities, and pathways to legal status for long-term undocumented residents,” the bishops stated, in part.
Signed as well by Bishops Andrew Cozzens of Crookston, Daniel Felton of Duluth, Chad Zielinski of New Ulm, Patrick Neary of St. Cloud and Robert Barron of WinonaRochester, the full statement is below:
“
When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them.”
Leviticus 19:33 (NAB-RE)
Sadly, our nation’s immigration system is broken. For too long, our laws on paper said “stop, no entry,” while in fact, for economic and political reasons, undocumented migrants were
allowed inside, sometimes with the encouragement of business interests and even our government. As Pope Francis has said, migrants have been too often treated “as pawns on the chessboard of humanity.”
Elected officials in both major political parties have failed to rise above political calculation and collaborate on a solution rooted in respect for migrants and the common good of the nation. This leadership failure has resulted in repeated conflicts at the border and in our communities that have only grown worse.
The Biden Administration’s migration policies exacerbated these problems, and as a response, President Trump has resolved to instigate measures focused primarily on enforcement and deportations. Of particular concern is his decision to rescind the policies that had previously limited enforcement at “sensitive” locations such as churches, schools, shelters, and hospitals. It is often precisely in these places that we, as Catholics, respond to Christ’s command to care for our “neighbors” without discrimination. It is not difficult to imagine how the changed policy could
Migrant farmworkers attend an outdoor Mass Sept. 26, 2019, in Hatch, N.M. The Trump administration said Jan. 21 that it would rescind a long-standing policy preventing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from making arrests at what are seen as sensitive locations, including houses of worship, schools and hospitals.
TYLER ORSBURN OSV NEWS
interfere with the exercise of our faith to serve those in need (cf. Matt. 25:35).
To the extent that the new Administration’s actions focus on detaining and deporting those with criminal records who pose a danger to society, we offer our whole-hearted support. We oppose, however, any campaign of indiscriminate immigration enforcement that threatens to unnecessarily or unjustly separate the families of those we have come to know as our brothers and sisters in Christ.
We repeat our plea to Congress for comprehensive immigration reform to fix our broken system, and we appeal to the Administration for a revised order that would establish that, absent exigent circumstances, no immigration enforcement action may take place on Catholic church or school property without a properly executed warrant.
Keeping Families Together
In the past few decades, millions of migrants have settled in the United States. Many have built their lives in our communities and started their families here. Their children born here, like us, enjoy U.S. citizenship. Many of these immigrants have been long strengthening the fabric of our society and American life.
The reality is that even though we, as a nation, have come to rely on undocumented migrants and their many contributions to our communities, they have far too often been treated as political pawns. Their labor is exploited, and they are threatened with deportation and demonized whenever it is politically expedient. They are forced to live in fear and operate often within the shadows of society and the economy. And now they are at risk even in our Catholic churches and schools. Such behavior is a hallmark of what Pope Francis calls a “throwaway” culture.
be respected, but taking immigration enforcement actions using a simplistic calculus based on an individual’s legal status is unjust. Justice is about establishing right relationships with one another and giving the other their due. Some proportionate penalties for those who have broken the law may be warranted, but many of our migrant brothers and sisters deserve better than swift deportation given their contributions to our society.
Not ‘Open Borders’
The fact that we advocate for comprehensive immigration reform and the just enforcement of laws against those already residing here is not simpleminded advocacy for “open borders.” We recognize that public officials have the responsibility of protecting their citizens and both promoting public safety and putting the needs of their people first. When necessary, governments should institute orderly migration policies, which sometimes require strong border security measures. Walls, for example, can have doors in them for those who need refuge and who exercise the right to migrate.
As the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states, “(p)olitical authorities, for the sake of the common good for which they are responsible, may make the exercise of the right to immigrate subject to various juridical conditions.” A nation is not required to receive all who seek to enter. It may, from time to time, pause immigration and refugee resettlement when necessary to ensure or restore an orderly system free of corruption and abuse, or when the well-being of citizens needs to be prioritized due to limited resources or other concerns. (See, e.g., Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, “The Church and Racism: Towards a More Fraternal Society,” 1988). Among those concerns includes the ability and desire of immigrants or refugees to “respect with gratitude the material and spiritual heritage of the country that receives them, to obey its laws and to assist in carrying civic burdens” (CCC 2241).
It is incumbent, however, on the nation to ensure that it continues to evaluate in justice how, in solidarity, it can welcome the stranger consistent with its duties toward its citizens.
A Human Rights Test
In his book, “Immigration and the Next America,” Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles describes our response to the broken immigration system as an important human rights test for our nation. We repeat our call for citizens to appeal to Congress and the President for comprehensive reform of our broken system that includes resources for improved border security, a generous but also prudent welcome of refugees and those seeking asylum that does not overly burden local communities, and pathways to legal status for long-term undocumented residents.
We encourage the Administration to conduct immigration enforcement prudently, cautiously, and always with human dignity in mind. Central to protecting human dignity is respecting the security and integrity of the family. And families — especially those with minor children and those whose children or siblings are citizens — should not be separated and deported. As church leaders ministering to many of the immigrant families in Minnesota, we see the wisdom in compassionate “families first” policies, such as the “deferred actions” for childhood arrivals (DACA) and for parents of Americans (DAPA) that have been suggested in the past.
We are a nation of laws that must
May Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas, intercede for us so that we can see and respond to each other, immigrant and citizen, through our common identity as children of the one Father, and therefore as brothers and sisters. This is the identity that transcends all others, including legal status.
‘The
WINE continues to flow’
National women’s ministry with local roots celebrates 10 years
By Rebecca Omastiak The Catholic Spirit
At a WINE: Women In the New Evangelization retreat last year, Alyssa Bormes met a woman who had previously been away from the Church for over 40 years.
This woman told Bormes that while she was swimming with a friend, the friend invited her to attend a WINE retreat.
“The invitation happened in the swimming pool, and the woman came (to the retreat), and she went to confession after 47 years. It just completely brought her alive and she’s all in (with her faith),” said Bormes, a writer, emcee and retreat leader for WINE. “We have a front row seat to miracles.”
Kelly Wahlquist, WINE’s founder and president, has seen the power of the invitation firsthand as, over the past 10 years, WINE has grown well beyond its beginnings in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
“We always say that WINE has a charism of unity, and I would say it’s all about the invitation ... one invitation can have an eternal ripple effect,” Wahlquist said. “So, it’s all about inviting women into relationship with other women, so we can have these good, solid Catholic friendships, so we can go deeper in our relationship with the Lord and grow in holiness.”
Reflecting on WINE’s history, Wahlquist said, “It’s a decade of memorable moments. … It’s like a tapestry.” In receiving messages from participants about how WINE has changed their lives, Wahlquist said, “It’s humbling and also there’s a good feeling of knowing that the Lord can use us all, and our gifts, as a vessel of his great love and mercy, to bring others to him.”
The heart of the ministry
Bormes said her conversations with Wahlquist, which included the idea of WINE, first began in 2012.
“We met for coffee, and we absolutely hit it off,” Bormes recalled. “I think we stayed for six hours at a coffee shop and just kept talking and talking,” said Bormes, 59, who teaches Scripture classes at Chesterton Academy in Hopkins and is a member of Holy Family in St. Louis Park.
Wahlquist was taking to heart Pope Francis’ message calling “for a deeper, more profound theology of women.”
“What is the Holy Father asking? What is Jesus asking us as women in the Church?” Wahlquist recalled thinking. She gathered a group of women from around the country who ran women’s ministries and apostolates, and they spent three days in prayer and discernment, including time in an adoration chapel.
Wahlquist said she heard in her heart that “what the Church needed was a movement that elevated women in the truth of their dignity and their vocation.” The group agreed the next step was to gather women together for this purpose. Wahlquist ultimately founded WINE toward the end of 2014.
“WINE is truly about elevating women in their Godgiven gifts so that we can go forth to heal the body of Christ and to build his kingdom on Earth by looking at each person and seeing their dignity,” said Wahlquist, 55, and a member of St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.
The ministry’s acronym stems from the Gospel of John’s account of the wedding at Cana, “where Our Lady tells us to do whatever he (Jesus) says,” Wahlquist said. “Thus, WINE is about doing the will of God and we contend that it is easier to do God’s will when you have your sisters in Christ on the journey with you.”
To aid in this journey, there are several offerings, including book clubs, retreats, conferences and an annual pilgrimage.
Wahlquist said in all its offerings, WINE emphasizes four characteristics: sisterhood, the “aha moments” of the faith grounded in Church teaching, beauty, and Scripture and prayer. That last characteristic undergirds all of WINE.
Participants listen and laugh during a WINE: Women In the New Evangelization event in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
“We really want people to be in the word of God. If you’re going to be a disciple, and if you’re going to be following the Shepherd, you need to hear his voice,” Wahlquist said. “Everything in WINE is drenched in Scripture and prayer.”
WINE helps form participants to be “activated disciples” — a concept also taught at The St. Paul Seminary Catechetical Institute in St. Paul, of which Wahlquist is the director.
“It’s women in the new evangelization, everything that is teaching them how to not only be a disciple, but to actively make other disciples, to mentor other women, to work in their gifts and provide an opportunity for someone to encounter Christ anew,” Wahlquist said.
Alongside the fundamentals, Wahlquist and Bormes said, is a warm welcome.
“When you come to a WINE event or you’re part of a WINE book club ... you’re going to be there saying, ‘I feel like I belong.’ And you really do,” Wahlquist said. “These women (of WINE) are instantly friends; they’re pilgrims on the same journey and they recognize that.”
“We also say that if you come alone (to a WINE event), you’re not going to leave alone — you’re going to leave with friends,” Bormes said.
Tending growth
From the first sold-out conference held on Feb. 14, 2015, within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis — roughly 1,200 people attended — WINE has grown both locally and nationally, Wahlquist said.
“We grew really quickly because it was such an inviting, joyful and unifying ministry,” Wahlquist said. “We have WINE core teams around the country and a fantastic local team.”
The local core team, for example, consists of roughly a dozen women and helps to organize and carry out different WINE events, Bormes said. “The whole thing starts with the charism of joy that infuses our core team and spills out.”
A variety of locations have now hosted WINE conferences, including the archdioceses of New Orleans, Philadelphia and St. Louis as well as the dioceses of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Metuchen, New Jersey; St. Cloud; and San Angelo, Texas.
The ministry’s growing book clubs — which include lectio divina and feature a small group dynamic — have taken root in parishes, homes and online via the ministry’s “Virtual Vineyard.”
Meanwhile, more than 100 writers contribute to WINE online, with reflections posted weekly on Sundays and Wednesdays.
For the parish or diocese staff interested in hosting an event, there’s the Box WINE offering — essentially “a conference or retreat in a box,” Wahlquist said — which contains “everything from marketing to the speakers, to the content, to the agenda, to the program, everything,”
UPCOMING CONFERENCE DETAILS
The Women in the New Evangelization (WINE) Catholic Women’s Conference will be held March 1 at St. Bartholomew in Wayzata.
With its theme of Laboring Joyfully, the conference will be the first in the WINE lineup this year to celebrate the ministry’s 10-year anniversary. It will be the ministry’s 24th conference, said Kelly Wahlquist, WINE’s founder and president.
Following an 8 a.m. Mass, the day will feature keynote addresses from singer-songwriter Marie Miller; Notre Dame Sister Rose Marie Tulacz, a spiritual director, author and photographer who has helped lead fundraising efforts for those in need worldwide; Terri Savaryn, the founder and owner of Sovereign Estate Winery in Waconia; and Wahlquist.
Along with keynote addresses, the day will include music, opportunities to pray with prayer teams, confession, Eucharistic adoration, and a raffle. The conference will wrap up at 3:30 p.m.
The evening before the conference, on Feb. 28, there will be a “Gathering in the Vineyard” WINE event at the church from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Attendees can participate in praise and worship and enjoy conversations with each other and the conference speakers.
Conference details and registration information can be found online at tinyurl com/mr25t4r3. Women who attend with a friend can enter the code “friend” at sign-up for a discount on tickets. WINE is also working with dioceses throughout the United States to host upcoming conferences this year, including an April 12 conference in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut; a July 26 conference in the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and a National Catholic Women’s Conference Nov. 1 in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.
All conference information can be found online at catholicvineyard com/index php/events
to host a fruitful conference or retreat.
WINE’s first children’s book “The Mother of Jesus is Wonderfully Real,” was published in 2021; Bormes wrote the foreword, framing her niece’s experience described in the book.
Bormes said shortly after the book was published, a woman from Texas wrote to WINE that she had read the book to her 3-year-old granddaughter while her daughter-in-law, a non-Catholic questioning the Catholic understanding of Mary, was listening. Later, the woman said her daughter-in-law approached her and asked to learn more about the rosary. “It’s extraordinary,” Bormes said.
Corresponding with the book, there are now Wonderfully Real Storytime events at participating parishes, schools and bookstores. These events highlight WINE’s multi-generational growth; Bormes said WINE events are “multi-layered and they are to bring people in, to bring women in and children in, right where (they’re) at and have an encounter with Christ.”
The journey of faith
Mary Fox Schaefer’s connection with WINE grew from a prayer she offered to Mary at the funeral for her husband, John, who died in 2011. Seeking Mary’s intercession, Fox Schaefer said, “I just asked her to put her mantle over me and protect me, lead me in guiding my children through that time.”
While grieving, Fox Schaefer found comfort in the rosary. Her time in adoration led her to write a Widow’s Rosary, which she recorded through Relevant Radio. At a gathering after Easter Vigil Mass at St. Charles Borromeo in St. Anthony, Fox Schaefer said she talked with Bishop Andrew Cozzens, who was among the clergy who had reviewed her rosary reflection. During their conversation, Bishop Cozzens encouraged Fox Schaefer to connect with Wahlquist and WINE.
“So, it was Bishop Cozzens who pointed me to Kelly Wahlquist and then Kelly introduced me to some other very Godly women who helped me so
COURTESY KELLY WAHLQUIST
War prevents Holy Land trip; seminarians find inspiration
By Susan Klemond For The Catholic Spirit
FFor three weeks in January, 25 seminarians and two leaders from The St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul traveled and prayed in the footsteps of the seminary’s patron saint in Greece and Turkey, experiencing new life in the rich texts of the Scriptures.
Learning about the early Church also deepened their spiritual friendship with St. Paul, who in addition to the seminary is the patron saint of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said two of the seminarians and Father Evan Koop, a formator and assistant professor of dogmatic theology at the seminary who helped lead the trip.
The pilgrims said they also experienced some of the saint’s missionary zeal for evangelization as they found themselves, as Catholics, in the minority in both countries.
Deacon Randy Skeate, a fourth-year theology student preparing with five other seminarians for priestly ordination for the archdiocese this spring, said being where St. Paul made disciples and first planted the faith in the region deepened his understanding of his Christian inheritance and patrimony.
At the same time, Deacon Skeate said, the trip “really invigorated, I think in all of us, our engagement in this new evangelization, even in our own country. … These sites that used to thrive with Christians and then, just over the course of 2,000 years, history changes things quite a bit. What is constant is the need to always proclaim Jesus everywhere in every age.”
From Jan. 2-24, the third- and fourth-year theology students traveled more than 1,500 miles through Greece and Turkey, mostly by bus, to locations where St. Paul preached and made disciples. St. Paul, who is thought to have been about 10 years younger than Jesus was, made three missionary journeys through the region, roughly between 45 and 58 A.D. The journeys are recorded in chapters 11 through 21 of the Acts of the Apostles.
For the past two Januarys, the ongoing Israeli-Hamas conflict prevented the seminary from sending students on the seminary’s customary trip to the Holy Land, said Father Koop, who helped lead this year’s trip with Father Scott Carl, the seminary’s vice rector and associate professor of sacred Scripture.
But the seminarians, including 11 who are studying for the archdiocese, who might initially have felt some disappointment at not having a chance to walk in the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land, received the trip to Greece and Turkey as a gift, Father Koop said. Many said it will enrich their priestly ministries, especially in their understanding of Scripture and as inspiration for their preaching, he said.
Indefatigable St. Paul
Typically, the two classes take separate trips, which helps each class bond, Father Koop said. But this year’s larger group was able to fill a bus, which helped the pilgrims, given the extensive travel involved. St. Paul covered so much ground, he said, that “We were exhausted after just three weeks in an air-conditioned bus with Wi-Fi.”
It was the first seminary trip to the region. The group didn’t follow any one of St. Paul’s journeys exactly, but the seminarians and the two leaders visited Greek sites including Philippi, Thessaloniki and Corinth, for which Bible (New Testament) epistles are named. They also spent time in Athens, the location of the Greek Parthenon.
In Turkey, the pilgrims prayed at St. Paul’s birthplace in Tarsus, traveled to Ephesus where not only St. Paul preached but St. John the Apostle and the Blessed Mother lived, and where it’s believed St. John wrote his Gospel. They also visited the locations of the seven churches addressed in the Book of Revelation.
The seminarians visited a Catholic church, a mosque and the Hagia Sophia, which since its completion in 537 A.D. has been at different periods an Eastern Orthodox church, a Roman Catholic church and a museum. Currently, it is a Sunni Muslim mosque in Istanbul
(formerly known as Constantinople).
The seminarians also had opportunities to meet with Orthodox and Catholic leaders and visit museums and natural wonders in the two countries.
Though visiting sites of the early Church, the pilgrims had to celebrate many of their daily Masses at the site of ruins or in hotel conference rooms instead of Catholic churches because Turkey is predominantly Muslim and the majority of Greeks are Eastern Orthodox, Father Koop said. The group’s Holy Hours of prayer were sometimes taken on the bus rather than before the Blessed Sacrament, he said.
But the group had ample opportunity to pray and reflect at the sites they visited, Father Koop said. They were blessed by good weather overall, and the warmth and hospitality of the people, he said.
In Turkey, one estimate puts Christians now at less than 0.5% of the country’s population of 84 million. About 80% of Greeks are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Spreading hope
No one on the trip, including the leaders, had traveled in the region before, Father Koop said. Though the seminarians didn’t specifically talk about being “Pilgrims of Hope,” the theme of the 2025 Jubilee Year announced by Pope Francis, they were conscious of being on pilgrimage and spreading hope, Father Koop said. For some of the seminarians, that was felt in their first experience of being a small minority in a nation and culture that doesn’t necessarily share the Catholic faith, he said.
“That really was impactful,” he said. “They noticed (that) just when you get that chance to step in(to) a Catholic Church, you actually feel at home.”
Father Koop noted an awareness among the seminarians of non-Christian immigrants in Minnesota. Some expressed a desire to know more about Islam, he said.
Deacon Zach Ochsenbauer said he found it sad that the Turkish government restricted Christian worship speech at some sites that are now government property. But seeing where St. Paul brought the Gospel to people who had not heard it before increased his desire to evangelize people who also might not have heard the good news, he said.
“It was a great experience just to have that fire burning a little bit in my heart (while) also knowing I’m going back to a predominantly Christian nation where most Christians don’t really know the Gospel,” he said.
The seminarians and leaders had an opportunity to “preach without words” when they stopped for a late lunch in a very small town during a long bus trip between the Turkish remains of Derbe and Lystra. When the travelers walked into the town’s only restaurant, most wearing black clerics, the townspeople, including the mayor, came to see them, Father Koop said.
There might not have been much faith sharing during the lunch because of the language barrier but hopefully the seminarians were building bridges across different cultures and faiths, Father Koop said. Being on pilgrimage often gives seminarians opportunities to encounter the Lord, sometimes in unexpected ways, he said.
“I think it helps just in the sense of you visit a site that you’ve always had in your imagination and you read about it in the Bible, and now you see it and it looks very real and maybe it even looks more ordinary than you thought it would,” he said. “It just makes Scripture come alive and you recognize there’s really not that much distance between us and the first Apostles and the type of world that they lived in.”
Strengthened in faith
Deacon Skeate said he had a profound experience of realizing persecution was possible when he toured the first site on the trip, Philippi in Greece, where St. Paul was imprisoned, as described in chapter 16 of Acts. “On the very first day of this pilgrimage, we were
inspiration in the footsteps of St. Paul
that and property. people burning going most When including during hopefully pilgrimage the that very come type of the
stepping in the exact footsteps that Paul stepped,” he said. “This was the prison building that he was imprisoned in and miraculously let go from because of an earthquake and he used that as an opportunity to convert the prison guard (who) was despairing because he didn’t do his job, keeping the Christians in prison. Visiting that prison cell of St. Paul really set the tone for the whole rest of the pilgrimage. ... This was the real spot we’ve inherited this faith from.”
Deacon Skeate noted the persecution that was occurring when St. Paul ministered and evangelized in the region. “They weren’t publicly able to worship outdoors or go into a lot of the public squares, into the temples, and have Mass there because it was a persecuted faith. And so how did the first Christians worship? They gathered in homes and secret places outside of the city, outdoors and just kind of away so that they could still worship, but it had to be a lot more in secret. We experienced a very similar situation when we were out there,” he said.
He added that in God’s providence, Christians have inherited from Jesus a call that includes persecution. “This faith (is) from him,” he said. “One day we might be imprisoned for our witness to Jesus and Paul is a model of that for us. Even in his sufferings and imprisonment and a lack of understanding completely God’s plan for him, he still rejoiced in that place and (proclaimed) God’s praises.”
Deacon Skeate said he traveled to Rome instead of the Holy Land in January last year as a third-year seminarian, along with the fourth-year seminarians. From that trip he gained a sense of the Catholic Church’s universality. On this year’s pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey, he said he saw the beginnings of the Church. Visiting the places St Paul traveled also helped him understand St. Paul’s life, Deacon Skeate said, including the roughly 10 years the Apostle spent being formed in his faith after his conversion in 36 A.D., before beginning his missionary journeys. That was not unlike
the seminarians’ own years of formation for priesthood, he said. The pilgrimage also helped him and the other seminarians see how St. Paul conformed his life to reflect Christ’s, despite his flaws.
“And that’s exactly what priestly ministry is,” Deacon Skeate said. “We’re called to allow Jesus to come into our hearts and our minds and live within us and not just be an idea that we follow abstractly. Paul exemplified this.”
Deacon Ochsenbauer said he was also inspired by visiting sites he knew from Scripture. “It’s almost like a memory tool in a certain way,” he said. Learning about St. Paul’s weakness, he said, made him less afraid of his own weaknesses and gave him confidence that God will work through them.
In Ephesus he recalled that in Acts, chapter 19, St. Paul made inroads with his preaching only to incur the ire and persecution of silversmiths whose idolmaking businesses were threatened by the Christian message denouncing idolatry.
“The amount of work that Paul did to bring the Gospel to others and the suffering that he went through really struck me and definitely I want to emulate that in my own life,” Deacon Ochsenbauer said. “We didn’t go to Turkey to preach the Gospel and in a lot of ways the government, from what we heard, doesn’t really allow that very much or there are some restrictions on what you can say and do. So, it’s kind of sad to go to those places.”
But Deacon Ochsenbauer said he was glad to have a chance to preach at Mass in a cave chapel in the Turkish region of Cappadocia, where St. Basil of Caesarea, a bishop who is also considered the father of eastern monasticism, preached during the fourth century.
“It was really cool thinking, this is (approximately) where Basil preached the Gospel, and how many people he inspired. In thousands of years (people) continue living a monastic life, and also just the people who lived in that area, the farmers or the townspeople, would have been influenced by his preaching the Gospel.”
FAR LEFT Deacon Benjamin Peters (Diocese of WinonaRochester) proclaims the Gospel during Mass at what was Derbe, Turkey, with Father Evan Koop (left) presiding, seminarian Riley Becher (Diocese of Winona-Rochester) serving, in the presence of seminarians Stanley Asjes (Diocese of Des Moines) and Sebastian Spencer (Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis), center, and other seminarians.
UPPER LEFT Deacon Jordan Danielson (Diocese of WinonaRochester) proclaims the Gospel during Mass with celebrants Father Scott Carl (left) and Father Evan Koop (back right). Seminarian Riley Becher (Diocese of Winona-Rochester) is serving. They were at the Baptistry of St. Lydia in Krinides, Greece.
LOWER LEFT Seminarians Mónico Heredia Esquivel, (Diocese of Boise in Idaho, left) and Riley Becher (Diocese of Winona-Rochester, right) venerate a piece of the pillar on which Jesus was scourged. The relic is in Istanbul.
PHOTOS COURTESY DEACON RANDY SKEATE
The seminarians had opportunities throughout the pilgrimage to practice and offer each other support in their preaching. The fourth-year seminarians preached homilies at the group’s daily Masses while the thirdyear seminarians practiced preaching in the evenings. Gaining a better understanding of the Apostle Paul’s life and ministry as well as the timeline and geography of his travels will help the future priests’ preaching, Father Koop said.
The seminary might include some locations in this year’s pilgrimage in future January trips, including a potential trip focused on the work of Sts. Peter and Paul, Father Koop said. But to encourage bonding, the seminary prefers that each class take its own trip, he said.
While he hopes third-year theology seminarians can return to the Holy Land in the future, Father Koop noted that also as priests many of them will eventually have opportunities to travel there with parish groups and others.
Deacon Ochsenbauer said one thing he brought back from his pilgrimage to Greece and Turkey this year is a recognition of the need to preach the Gospel in and out of season, as Christ exhorts in Scripture. As he approaches ordination, Deacon Ochsenbauer said he also wants to better understand how to present the kerygma, or the basic Christian message of salvation in Christ, that many need to hear. He added that he might someday like to return on mission to Turkey to share the Gospel.
“‘Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,’ is emblazoned on the front of the facade” of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul, he noted.
“The Church’s mission, its very bones, are evangelization and preaching the Gospel,” Deacon Ochsenbauer said. “Her message and our message, because our message is the Church’s, will be met with success, with opposition and persecution, but eventually the Church will go on and bring many souls to Christ.”
FAITH+CULTURE
‘You don’t need a
By Christina Capecchi For The Catholic Spirit
bigger house’
“A home is much more than a house,” said Dia Boyle, 65, a mother of three and longtime member of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul. “A home is designed to foster human flourishing.”
She’s been speaking on the topic to parishes, women’s and other groups since 2012 and was told by audience members, again and again, that she should write a book. “I put it off for quite a while and then finally I realized, ‘Yeah, I’ve got something to say,’” Boyle said. “And at 65, I have time to do this.”
The result is a compact paperback titled “The Thoughtful Home,” released last year by Scepter Publishers. It was written for the younger women in her life, including treasured friendships through the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, where her husband, John, is a professor in the Catholic Studies department. Boyle can be reached at her website, diaboyle com
Q Tell me about the writing retreats you and John take.
A We always go to a place on a lake near Ely, and it’s always an Airbnb. We spend one or two weeks there, and we have a whole routine –– it starts with daily Mass, then writing, then kayaking, and we always end the day with a glass of wine and dinner and take the evenings to be together.
I wrote most of this book at Farm Lake. I use an approach from a program called Optimal Work where you work in sprints. I’d set a timer for 90 minutes and write till the timer went off and then take a break. Problems are solved when I’m in the kayak or on a walk, when I’m not intensely thinking about them.
Q You’ve written many columns and essays along with a book on the Cathedral (of St. Paul in St. Paul). But this book was different, wasn’t it?
A This book was my passion. It came out of me. I never called myself a writer until now. I realized, “People aren’t done at 60.” There are a lot of examples of women who didn’t start being serious about their careers until middle age –– and they did great! I was nowhere near ready to write a book when my children were very young.
Q How does a Catholic view of homemaking differ from the Instagram version?
A Instagram is virtual. It isn’t contact with reality. And a Catholic view always must lead back to, or flow from, the Incarnation: God took on human flesh. Not a concept –– a reality. We see crumbs on the counter and dishes in the sink, so we turn to Instagram, where things are clean, instead of wiping up the crumbs. Catholic is wiping up the crumbs — and maybe saying a tiny, quick prayer while doing it for your little girl or your sick mother-in-law.
Q You write about downsizing and why a smaller house served your family better, reminding readers that a bigger house isn’t necessarily better.
A Will this mean we will need to work more or be anxious and stressed out about income? (Will we) not be able to pay for Catholic school tuition? Will this mean I have to clean twice as much? Will it mean my kids find it easy to be isolated, and I find it hard to know what they’re doing?
When we moved, our second house was about 70 percent (the size) of our first house. It took a little courage to downsize, but it was also a relief because it made life much simpler. The younger kids could walk to school. We made some money in selling our bigger house, which made high school tuition a bit less stressful. And then maintenance of that house was also less money. The first house was grander, and we didn’t need a grander house. I’m not an extrovert, so a small kitchen suits me. I’m a pretty messy cook, so the smaller size is good. More counter space would mean more mess.
Q You’ve also survived without a huge mudroom.
A My cramped little coat closet, typical of an older St. Paul home, actually trains family members to be patient and to help each other.
Q I love that shift in perspective.
A A lot of things we do as homemakers can be seen as drudgery, and they can also be seen as an opportunity to be available to the family –– or to think, if you’re alone. We don’t like drudgery, and we always want more space. But if we start to see, “You know what? This could be good. This could be an opportunity” –– that helps a lot. It’s not just that we’re enduring. Good could come out of this.
Q The book also explores the role of technology in the home.
A It helps to establish criteria for the home. Mine boil down to a few: Does this increase human contact or is it an obstacle to human contact? Does this foster conversation and paying attention to each other or discourage it? The smartphone is an obvious culprit, but so is too much stuff, too much space or privacy, too much individualization of activities or schedules, too little need for sharing.
Q You talk about internet access as it relates to human dignity, describing the effort parents make to establish boundaries as “heroic.”
A I’d recommend Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation.” He’s had a lot of success getting parents to band together so their kids aren’t the only ones with screen restrictions. Schools are listening to him. It’s very hopeful.
Look, the porn industry is huge and powerful and very sneaky and has targeted your children –– and you! But even without porn, what is on screens is virtual, not real –– and we were made for the real. Without real human contact and contact with material reality, with stuff, we wither up and don’t flourish.
Q You end the book on a hopeful note: It’s not too late to make your house a more thoughtful home, “little by little.” You write: Set the phone down, clear off some clutter, set out a fruit bowl.
A I love my readers, and I have so much compassion for them. This is hard work. Seek out colleagues in the work of making a home. Talk to each other. We’re so isolated, and we think we’re the only ones who aren’t good at this or that. Get together for coffee, go shopping together, stand around in the back of church after daily Mass and catch up. The other day I got in a conversation with an old friend about mildew in our bathroom grout. She sent me a photo of her bathroom tile before and after using a product she recommended. This is professional development — and also friendship.
Q What are your hobbies?
A I like to make things from nothing. I like cooking from scratch. I like to figure out how to make pasta or ricotta cheese. I like gardening because I like to produce things. I’m more interested in vegetables than flowers. I like to knit. I knit the same thing a baby sweater over and over again because I have all these young women in my life who need baby gifts. I decided: “I’ve got to figure this out. I don’t want to go to Target buying something every time.” I do three or four a year.
Q When you’re in making mode, are you in a state of flow, a term from psychology?
A Yes, flow is a good word for it. When I wrote the book, I realized, “This is what they mean by flow.”
Q What do you know for sure?
A On my kitchen backsplash there’s a tile –– a gift from a godson –– that says in Portuguese, “The Lord walks among the pots and pans.” I find him waiting patiently for me in all the details of ordinary life.
DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT
FOCUSONFAITH
Drawn into the space of mercy
Frodo Baggins never met Gollum before he set out on his journey in “The Lord of the Rings,” but he still had a rather poor opinion of Gollum.
Gollum possessed the One Ring long before Frodo and became wretched because of it. This leads Frodo to say, “I do not feel any pity for Gollum. He is worse than a villain. He deserves death.” Gandalf the wizard points out to Frodo, “You have not seen him.” Frodo responds, “No, and I don’t want to.” Fast forward a few hundred pages and long into Frodo’s journey, he finally meets Gollum. Frodo’s friend Sam tries to convince him that they need to get rid of Gollum somehow, even by killing him. Yet Frodo remembers Gandalf’s words and advice, and responds, “Now that I see him, I do pity him.”
I find this change in Frodo remarkable. He goes from wanting to kill one he thinks of as an enemy, to having pity on him. He has this change of heart simply because he finally sees Gollum. Gollum is no longer just an idea in Frodo’s mind. He’s a living being, with a sad story of his own that has led him to become the way he is. And this moves Frodo to pity him who, not long before, he thought worthy of death.
COMMUNION AND MISSION | FATHER JOHN PAUL ERICKSON
Moving beyond familiarity
One of the many fruits of the Second Vatican Council was a much stronger emphasis on the inspired word of God within the celebration of the sacraments of the Church.
Most important of these sacraments is, of course, the holy Mass, which now features much more Scripture than it did before 1969. But other sacraments also benefited from this renewed emphasis on Scripture. Baptism, the anointing of the sick (formerly known as extreme unction), and reconciliation are all now rooted much more explicitly within a proclamation of God’s inspired word.
The sacraments are celebrations of saving faith, and faith begins with hearing. And so, it is the spoken revelation of God’s love and life, which is the word of God, sharper than any two-edged sword, that penetrates the hearts of men and women, opening the space where grace can liberate and bring life. Into this space floods the sacramental life of the Church.
Unfortunately, for far too many of us, the Liturgy of the Word at Mass is often just something we feel we need to endure until the reception of holy Communion. This is probably true for many reasons. We live in a distracted age, where images are often needed to engage the mind trained to scroll and stream. Much of Scripture can also be quite obscure, and its references and style can be very foreign to our ears. Often passages require some explanation and context to fully understand, and even the preacher can be rather deficient in his ability to illuminate the text. And then there is the challenge of familiarity. While few believers would ever say that familiarity with Scripture has led to contempt, having heard the same parables of Jesus year after year, it can be quite easy for us to tune them out. “Yeah, I’ve heard that one…” And having convinced ourselves that we know what the passage means, or that we will never know, we just stop listening. How similar these attitudes and pitfalls can be to our relationships with one another. Every human person is a miracle, a creature made in the image and likeness of God with a destiny that is eternal. And yet so often we encounter one another with an attitude that betrays our unwillingness to listen. Our lives are so frenetic (by our own choice, let
This pity proved to be decisive for the fate of all in Middle-earth (read “The Lord of the Rings” to find out how)!
This change in Frodo is a great example of what it means for us to love our enemies as Jesus teaches us. I think it’s often the case that those we think of as our enemies are people whom we have never met. We might not actually call them enemies, but we probably can think of people or groups that we are set against, opposed to, or disagree with. But often they’re an idea in our minds. It’s easy to not like an idea. When thoughts or feelings of hatred or animosity come up against an idea, it’s not really an issue. It’s a lot harder when we actually meet someone who would be our enemy. Now it’s not an idea in my mind; it’s a real person who will be affected by my thoughts, words, feelings and actions toward them — just like me. This human encounter moves us to a human response. Frodo calls it pity; we might call it mercy.
This is the beginning of following Jesus’ teaching. Moving from the idea to the person opens us to a real encounter and draws us into the space of mercy. Once we step into that space, Jesus directs us to action. It doesn’t have to be a tremendous thing, but there is some action that we can do when our hearts move into that space of mercy. We can speak well of them, pray for them, or be ready to help them. These simple actions come from our recognizing that this is not an idea I’m dealing with, but a real person, just like me.
Be not afraid to encounter those who might be considered an enemy and to be ready to show mercy to them. It’s difficult but entering that space of mercy is becoming more united to the merciful heart of Jesus who loves his enemies. For “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners (i.e. enemies) Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8).
Father Aamodt is chaplain for Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria.
it be said), we find it nearly impossible to slow down and listen to one another. Most of the time, we’re just waiting for the other person to stop talking so we can tell them what we think or move on to the next thing.
Then, like Scripture, there is the obscurity issue. People are complicated, with histories and wounds and motivations born of a thousand different influences. Because people are complicated and their lives messy, we can easily just tune them out, unwilling to pay the price of time and effort that is needed to truly love them.
Finally, there is that familiarity trap. This is of course most problematic in those relationships that have existed in our lives for some time, like relationships with spouses, siblings, lifelong friends or longtime coworkers. We really think we’ve figured them out, and we begin to be unwilling or even unable to truly hear them. Pope Francis has reminded us that our God is a God of surprises. But do we also recognize that our neighbors are capable of surprising us, too? Or have we placed them in a box, labeled it, and rest assured that we’ve got this one figured out.
The solutions to both problems are the same. First, we must ask the Lord for the grace to truly listen, both to Scripture and to one another. We must ask him for the grace to see one another, each of us unique, irreplaceable and a vessel of grace. We also should take some time to study –– there are many Scripture studies out there that if we took some time to engage with them, our understanding of Scripture would increase. So, too, with one another –– we need to try to understand where the other is coming from. This kind of studying is different than the studying we engage in to understand Scripture. To “study” another human being, we take the time to try to think of what they are going through, how they might perceive things, and why they act as they do. This is not to excuse bad behavior or to justify wrongs. No personal struggles can legitimize sin. But to love the other means we must try to see the other, in all their foibles and nobility.
As for the pitfalls of familiarity with both one another and Scripture, one remedy is to try to remember that Scripture, like my fellow human being, is not here to entertain me or to keep me interested. Scripture and neighbor, every neighbor, must be encountered as a call to change oneself, or rather, to let God form and change us. We find Scripture and neighbor boring oftentimes because we are boring, stubborn and closed-minded, comfortable with our own insights and prejudices. The root of apathy is within our own heart.
And so may the Lord open the ears of our hearts so that we may fruitfully receive his word, a word spoken in flesh and in truth, in proclamation and person.
Father Erickson is parochial vicar of Nativity of Our Lord in St. Paul and interim chairman of the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission.
DAILY Scriptures
Sunday, Feb. 23
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 1 Sm 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23
1 Cor 15:45-49 Lk 6:27-38
Monday, Feb. 24 Sir 1:1-10 Mk 9:14-29
Tuesday, Feb. 25 Sir 2:1-11 Mk 9:30-37
Wednesday, Feb. 26 Sir 4:11-19 Mk 9:38-40
Thursday, Feb. 27 Sir 5:1-8 Mk 9:41-50
Friday, Feb. 28 Sir 6:5-17 Mk 10:1-12
Saturday, March 1 Sir 17:1-15 Mk 10:13-16
Sunday, March 2 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Sir 27:4-7 1 Cor 15:54-58 Lk 6:39-45
Sunday, March 9 First Sunday of Lent Dt 26:4-10 Rom 10:8-13 Lk 4:1-13
KNOW the SAINTS
ST. AGNES OF BOHEMIA (1205-1282) St. Agnes’ parents were the king of Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic) and the sister of Hungary’s king. Their ambitions for Agnes to marry royalty were dashed by death, the machinations of other royals and Agnes’ devotion to Christ. Finally, after several engagements, Agnes was able to dedicate herself to God. She built a Franciscan friary and hospital in Prague, then a convent for the Poor Clares, which she joined in 1236. She spent her remaining years in prayer and service. She was canonized in 1989 on the eve of the Czech “velvet revolution.” Her feast day is March 6.
COMMENTARY
CATHOLIC OR NOTHING | COLIN MILLER
Expecting the kingdom of God
“Oh, I’m a communist,” said the 18-year-old, a little sheepishly. This young man was wearing a button with a symbol I didn’t recognize, and that was his response when I asked him about it.
I had been sitting in the park with some friends. People were stopping by with supplies for those experiencing homelessness who had set up tents in the park. It was Powderhorn Park in south Minneapolis, at the time one of the most actively political places in a progressive and activist city.
That there were self-proclaimed communists, however few, was a sign to me that we were living, once again, in a time when it was not unusual for people to express their expectations that some sort of brand-new social order is just over the horizon.
This was the summer of 2020. Minneapolis was the center of unrest following the death of George Floyd. Donald Trump and Joe Biden were in the middle of controversial and politically polarized election campaigns, and COVID-19 protocols and debates were continuing. The world had a sort of apocalyptic, anything-could-happen feeling.
That feeling has not completely gone away. Even five years later, it seems the political rhetoric about what is at stake, especially if the “wrong side” wins, gets more extreme. I’ve heard stories of people on both the right and the left who have made plans — real, serious plans like buying houses and seeking citizenship — to move to foreign countries anticipating either a socialist or a fascist revolution.
I raise these trends for two reasons.
First, because in coming months I am going to
CATHOLIC WATCHMEN | DEACON GORDON BIRD
Strengthened
by Christ’s real presence
Early in the Catholic Watchmen movement I did not realize how often the term watchman appears in sacred Scripture.
Yet I soon discovered that it is referenced around 30 times in singular or plural form, found most frequently in the Old Testament prophetic books and the Psalms.
Watchmen were guardians of the faith for the people of God, those who would “stand in the breach” (Ezek 22:30). Modern-day watchmen are to pray, read the Bible daily, be a spiritual father, attend Mass regularly, serve others, go to confession monthly and have regular fellowship with a band of Christian brothers. Of these disciplines, especially attend Mass regularly.
Why the Mass? It is a weekly Sunday obligation (at a minimum). In addition, compelling, active discipleship means that as Catholic men we are to follow disciplines that witness to the love of God and love of neighbor, acting on the two greatest commandments that Jesus gave us. We press on with that biblical responsibility by the way we live for the glory of God, starting with our highest prayer. Men who lead, provide and protect the faith for their family, friends and those in need, and especially spiritual fathers who gain spiritual strength at the Mass, truly ignite the real presence of Jesus in their
highlight the way that Jesus, too, was calling for a regime change in his own day. And it wasn’t just a religious or a spiritual change either, not just a change that was to take place in the heart. It was a historical, material, social change, every bit as wide-ranging and this-worldly (however much it transcended this world) as our current movements today. Some people are calling for an alternative way of living, and Jesus was doing nothing less.
Second, I raise it because Christians increasingly feel compelled to take sides, precisely because they rightly think that their faith should make a difference, even a radical difference, at that level. As we’ll see, I won’t be suggesting that we should directly politicize the faith in the conventional sense of what usually passes for politics today, nor that we should create, as has sometimes been tried, a Catholic Party in hopes of gaining access to the levers of power.
But what we have too often not recognized is that the Gospels are the story of the founding of a real historical social movement, one you likely have already joined: the Church. Jesus called this new community “the kingdom of God.”
We, however, are used to saying that by this he meant a spiritual kingdom. I’ll come back to that.
Last month, I ended a long arch giving a pretty
lives. It helps men feed themselves and others in their sphere of influence. This is why the highest prayer of the Church — the Mass — is a major focus at the 2025 Archdiocesan Catholic Men’s Conference hosted by the Catholic Watchmen.
Men of Christ — Strengthened by His Real Presence is the theme. In lockstep with Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter released over two years ago, “You Will Be My Witnesses, Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room,” parishes across our archdiocese are implementing the chief shepherd’s current year two plan with its emphasis on the Mass. The archbishop states, “our focus turns to the Mass — particularly, the Eucharist as the source and summit of Christian life.” Our active and vibrant lives as Catholics need to reflect this.
The conference will run from 7 a.m. for registration to 1 p.m. March 22, at Epiphany in Coon Rapids. In the morning, before Mass is celebrated by Archbishop Hebda, there will be opportunities to participate in the sacrament of confession, visit booths and visit with each other, and have some quiet time.
Auxiliary Bishop Kevin Kenney will concelebrate the Mass, be at the conference and lead us in adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Breakfast will be available after the opening Mass. Luke Spehar’s musical talent will pave the way transitionally and effectively as we move through the conference.
To register, please use this link: secure acceptiva com/?cst=NYiYxd
As we proceed through the day in solidarity, men at the conference will hear from Edward Sri, a nationally acclaimed speaker, author and co-founder of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students) ministries. Sri also is provost and professor of theology and Scripture at the Augustine Institute in Colorado. Several best-selling books by this family man will be available for purchase. His two talks will address being spiritually fed and strengthened by Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist to better live virtuous and vibrant lives of faith.
The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel. Mk 1:15
bleak evaluation of our technological society. I ended that column by saying that, if what I had written was anywhere near the mark, the only remedy could be something like a new society, a new economic vision, a whole new world that could be an alternative to the one we live in. And it would indeed have to be not just spiritual, but it would have to have a set of common practices, an economic, a social and even a political vision as practical, quotidian and all-encompassing as the technological society and its radical monopolies. We would have to have some sort of counter-cultural community to join.
It would have to be so much more, that is, than a spiritual kingdom.
Yes indeed, and the plan for coming columns is to show how this is exactly what Jesus was up to when he walked into Galilee and announced, “The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe in the gospel.” It’s exactly that alternative community that he initiated, in other words, when he founded the Church.
Miller is the director of the Center for Catholic Social Thought at Assumption in St. Paul. He is the author of “We Are Only Saved Together: Living the Revolutionary Vision of Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker Movement,” published by Ave Maria Press.
Please spread the news to men you know. “As iron sharpens iron” (Prov 27:17) men will be strengthened to provide, protect and lead as disciples of Jesus.
Deacon Bird ministers to St. Joseph in Rosemount and All Saints in Lakeville and assists with the archdiocesan Catholic Watchmen movement. See heroicmen com for existing tools supported by the archdiocese to enrich parish apostolates for ministry to men. For Watchmen start-up materials or any other questions regarding ministry to men, contact him at gordonbird@rocketmail com
PIVOTAL PECS
“I have enjoyed sharing my faith and growing in my faith with other couples from St. Mike’s (St. Michael, Prior Lake). Some of the relationships I’ve had with the couples in our groups have been due to a common interest, our church choir, for example, and WINE (Women in the New Evangelization). Yet, the friendships have grown in a much deeper way. When you share in these groups, from a faith-based lens, the intimacy in the relationships grows exponentially. The videos we’ve used from the archdiocese; our great host couple, Joan and Val; using questions to encourage our discussions and sharing from others have all contributed to my spiritual growth and desire to learn more about our faith.”
Michelle Ludowese, 55, St. Michael, Prior Lake
Archbishop Bernard Hebda is encouraging the faithful to experience the small-group model Parish Evangelization Cells System (PECS) in their parishes. Designed to strengthen parish life through small groups and encourage parishioners to share their faith and hope in Jesus Christ with each other and then the broader community, it is having an impact. At last count, there are nearly 1,800 groups and more than 16,000 participants in 138 parishes across the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
See the opportunities to join a small group at archspm groupvitals com/groupFinder
ABIDE IN HIM | ANGELA JENDRO
Time alone together
Time alone with our Lord is essential to intimacy with him. In addition to daily connection, periodic spiritual retreats can deepen one’s relationship with him tremendously. Most parishes offer Advent and Lenten mini retreats that can be perfect opportunities to step away from our busy lives and draw inward. To hear the voice of God, we must silence the chaos of competing noises for a period. To know God more deeply, we must first clean out the competing clutter in our minds. Spiritual retreats invite us into the inner sanctuary of our heart, veiled from the world, where loving intimacy can take place.
St. Augustine asserted that “Contemplation in fact is the reward of faith.” As Jesus said, “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.” It speaks to the relational character of the Christian life. Faith requires following Christ in trust and putting him before all else. This purifies our hearts by placing us in a disposition of openness and receptivity to the Lord, in contrast to our fallen tendency to grasp and control. Contemplation is then a fruit of intimacy; the Lord reveals himself more as we grow in love and can receive him more. Oftentimes we think of contemplation as an intellectual pondering about an idea to gain greater knowledge or clearer understanding. Christian contemplation however is a relational seeing, or as the Catechism describes: “Contemplative prayer seeks him ‘whom my soul loves.’”
Moreover, living in the world, being “strangers in a strange land,” we can naturally grow weary and discouraged. King David wrote about this in Psalm 73. He described knowing that God was good and faithful but growing despondent at the seemingly unfair and persistent prosperity of the wicked. In typical Davidic honesty, he admitted “But, as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped, because I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the
WINE: 10 YEARS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Mk 1:35
prosperity of the wicked.” (Ps 73:2-3).
However, he took his discouragement to the Lord in prayer, going to God in the sanctuary. Stepping away from the world, and drawing near to God in faith, the Holy Spirit cleansed his perception and illumined his mind to see as God sees. “Though I tried to understand all this, it was too difficult for me, till I entered the sanctuary of God and came to understand their end.” (Ps 73:16-17).
The immediacy of our physical life on Earth can sometimes make us forget God’s eternal point of view. The Lord reminded David that although hedonists seemed to have it all without consequences, in the eternal scheme of things that which they loved would soon be at an end and they would have nothing. In contrast, love of the Lord and his love in return lasts forever. This in turn refreshed David’s soul, renewed his strength, and restored his enthusiasm for the Lord. He then exclaimed, “Whom else have I in the heavens? None beside you delights me on earth. Though my flesh and my heart fail, God is the rock of my heart, my portion forever.” (Ps 73:25-26). When we enter the Church, when we spend time with Christ in the
much in my faith journey,” said Fox Schaefer, 59, and a member of St. Joseph in West St. Paul. “Mary took care of me, without a doubt.”
Fox Schaefer’s journey with WINE continued on a 10-day WINE and Shrine pilgrimage through Italy she took with her daughter, Maddie, in June 2016. It was Fox Schaefer’s first time in Europe.
“It was nothing (like what) I would have experienced had I gone there on my own,” Fox Schaefer said. “We saw so much more because we were a part of it (WINE) and I just loved being with my daughter, I highly encourage any other women out there that can go with their daughters. It was just a fabulous experience together.”
Wahlquist said when WINE began offering its pilgrimage nine years ago, members of the ministry knew “that it was going to be powerful.”
“We have women who have come with us two, three, four, five times,” Wahlquist said. “I always say, if I had to sum up our WINE and Shrine pilgrimage in one sentence, I would take it from Dolly Parton in ‘Steel Magnolias,’ where she says, ‘laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.’ Because there’s so much laughter, and there’s so much healing, and there’s so much joy, and there’s so much fellowship, and there’s so much receiving of God’s mercy that happens on these pilgrimages.”
Fox Schaefer — who remarried and now volunteers at various WINE events, participates in its book clubs and reads its online reflections — encourages women to consider participating in WINE: “You can never have too many wonderful women in your life.”
‘Going to all four corners’
With a series of events on this year’s calendar, WINE will build upon its 10 years; Wahlquist and Bormes agree that leaning into prayer for direction will guide the ministry forward.
“I think what we do in WINE is make an offering: I will serve you (God), what will you have me do? And then we just go, and we rely on the Holy Spirit leading us,” Bormes said.
“I think we’re going to keep going to all four corners,” Wahlquist said. With encouragement from Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew to “go, therefore, and make disciples,” Wahlquist said, “I think we’re just continually spreading ... the WINE continues to flow.”
Eucharist, when we open our minds and hearts to God at a retreat, it re-orders us from the temporal back to the eternal.
Venerable Fulton Sheen wrote that “Christianity begins with being, not with doing.” Our lives on Earth require so much work, even out of love for the Lord, but it all emanates first from our relationship with him. Christ himself modeled this for us. He of all people could have said his work was too important to take a break. And yet, with frequency and regularity, the Gospels recount: “Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.” (Mk 1:35). What would it look like for you to break away? How might you seek him whom your soul loves? He desires to refresh your soul, too.
Jendro teaches theology at Providence Academy in Plymouth and is a member of St. Thomas the Apostle in Corcoran. She’s also a speaker and writer; her website is taketimeforhim com
Editor’s note: Please find Laura Kelly Fanucci’s February “Faith at Home” column at thecatholicspirit com
iSTOCK PHOTO | KIEFERPIX
ANOKA
St. Stephen — Meatless Lenten meal, 4:306:30 p.m., March 7, 28, April 11. 525 Jackson St. Adults ages 12 and over: $16, ages 6-11: $8, ages 5 and under: free. Includes fish tacos, chips and salsa, dessert, beverages and cheese pizza. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. ststephenchurch.org
BELLE PLAINE
Our Lady of the Prairie Knights of Columbus — Fish bake, 4:30-6:30 p.m., March 21, 28, April 4, 11. 200 E. Church St. Freewill offering. Includes breaded and unbreaded baked fish, salad, au gratin potatoes, roll, beverage and dessert. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m. 952-956-4072.
BLAINE
St. Timothy Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., Feb. 28, March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 707 89th Ave. NE, inside the Hospitality Center. Adults: $16, seniors ages 60 and over: $14, ages 6-12: $8, kids 5 and under: free. Includes baked cod or deep-fried pollock, baked beans, creamy coleslaw, french fries, choice of beverage and bread. Buffet, take-out available.
BLOOMINGTON
Nativity of Mary — Fish fry, 4:30-8 p.m., March 21. 9900 Lyndale Ave. S. $15 in advance, $17 at the door. Includes fried cod, fries, coleslaw, beans, bun and a variety of desserts. Sit-down, takeout available. 952-881-8671.
St. Bonaventure — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 14, April 11. 901 E. 90th St. Adults: $16, ages 6-12: $7, ages 5 and under: free, takeout: $15. Includes fried ocean perch, fresh-baked hot rolls, au gratin potatoes, coleslaw, beverages and soft serve sundaes. Sit-down, takeout available. saintbonaventure.org/fish-dinners.html
St. Edward — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 14. 9401 Nesbitt Ave. S. Adults: $15, Family 4 Pack: $50, under 5: free. Includes beer-battered cod, fries, mac and cheese, coleslaw, green beans and dessert. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m. 952-835-7101, stedwardschurch.org
BROOKLYN CENTER
St. Alphonsus — Soup supper, 6-8 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, April 4, 11. 7025 Halifax Ave. N., Door 2, CSSR Hall dining room. Buffet meal. Stations of the Cross: 5 p.m. (Vietnamese); 6 p.m. (English); 7 p.m. (Spanish). Stalsmn.org
BUFFALO
St. Francis Xavier Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4:30-8 p.m., March 28. Bison Creek Bar and Dining, 1207 N. Highway 25, Buffalo. Adults: $15, ages 9 and under: $10. Includes fried fish, baby red potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, bread sticks, chicken strips (for those who can eat meat on Fridays), milk, coffee and water. Buffet meal. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. stfxb.org
CANNON FALLS
St. Pius V — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 21. 410 Colvill St. W. Adults: $15, ages 5-12: $5; ages 4 and under: free. Includes Alaskan pollock (fried or baked), baked potato, sour cream, butter, fresh lettuce salad, dinner roll, mac and cheese, homemade cookies and beverages. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 4:30 p.m. 507-263-2578, stpiusvcf.org
CEDAR LAKE
St. Patrick — Fish fry, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Feb. 28, April 11. 24425 Old Highway 13 Blvd., Jordan. Adults and ages 13 and over: $18, ages 4-12: $6, ages 3 and under: free. Includes fried and baked cod, french fries, au gratin potatoes, mac and cheese, coleslaw, beans, bread and dessert. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 4:30 p.m.
Fish Fry & Lenten Meal Guide
CHANHASSEN
St. Hubert — Fish fry, 4:30-6:45 p.m., March 14, 21, April 11. 8201 Main St. Adults: $16, seniors: $14, family: $42, children: $7. Includes baked and fried fish, baked potato or cheesy hash browns, green beans, coleslaw and bread. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 952-934-9106, sthubert.org
CHASKA
Guardian Angels — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 214 W. Second St. Adults: $17, ages 6-12: $7, ages under 5: free, family: $50. Includes beer-battered or dry-rubbed deep-fried fish, baked lemon pepper fish, green beans, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, potato salad, dinner rolls, dessert, coffee and milk. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. 952-227-4000, gachaska.org
CLEARWATER
St. Luke Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 17545 Huber Ave. NW. Ages 13 and over: $15, ages 12 and under: $6. Includes fried fish, cheesy hashbrowns, baked beans, dinner rolls, cookies and bottled water. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. churchofstlukes.com
COON RAPIDS
Epiphany — Fish fry, 4:30-6:30 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 11001 Hanson Blvd. NW. Adults: $15, ages 4-12: $6, seniors 62 and over: $12, ages 3 and under: free, immediate family group: $60. Sit-down meal. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 763-755-1020, epiphanymn.org/events-at-epiphany/lenten-fish-fry
DELANO
St. Maximilian Kolbe — Gourmet Lenten dinner, 4:30-7:30 p.m., March 28. 125 Bridge Ave. E., The Jerome Event Center. Advanced ticket: $20, at the door: $25. Includes fried fish, baked cod, seafood pasta, homemade mac and cheese, steak fries, coleslaw, rolls, coffee and lemonade.
St. Maximilian Kolbe — Soup supper, 6 p.m., March 7, 14, 21. 217 2nd St. S., St. Peter Campus, enter through door 12 from parking lot. Stations of the Cross: 5:30 p.m.
EAGAN
St. John Neumann, Dakota County Elks and Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 14, 21, 28, April 11. 4030 Pilot Knob Rd. Adults’ meal: $18, kids’ meal (for ages 8 and under): $5. Adults’ meal includes walleye, potato and coleslaw. Kids’ meal includes mac and cheese and animal crackers. Sit-down, takeout available.
EDINA
Our Lady of Grace — Fish fry, 5-8 p.m., March 21. 5071 Eden Ave. Price: $15. Includes fish, pasta, baked potato, coleslaw, bread and cake. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6 p.m. 952-474-8868, olgparish.org/olg-news-events/mensclub-fish-fry-2025
EXCELSIOR
St. John the Baptist — Fish fry, 4:30-7:30 p.m., March 14, April 11. 638 Mill St. Adult: $15, ages 12 and under: $10. Includes battered cod, baked potato, coleslaw, dinner roll, dessert, mac and cheese, and beverage. Sit-down, takeout available. 952-474-8868, stjohns-excelsior.org
FARMINGTON
St. Michael — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, April 11. 22120 Denmark Ave. Price: $15. Includes fried fish, green beans, mac and cheese, Tater Tots, coleslaw, dinner roll and cookie. Sit-down, takeout available.
FOREST LAKE
St. Peter — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 1250 South Shore Drive. Adults: $15, ages 6-12: $8, ages 5 and under: free. Includes fried cod, baked tilapia, meatless pasta, grilled cheese sandwich, fries, potatoes, Texas toast, coleslaw, mixed vegetables, dessert, water, lemonade, milk, chocolate milk and coffee. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 651-982-2200, stpeterfl.org/lent
HOPKINS
St. Gabriel the Archangel — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 21, April 4. 1310 Mainstreet. Adults: $15, seniors 65 and over: $12, ages 6-12: $12, 5 and under: free. Buffet, take-out available. 952-935-5536.
HUGO
St. Genevieve — Fish fry, 4:30-7:30 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 14383 Forest Blvd. N. Adults: $14, seniors 60 and over: $11, ages 6-12: $9, ages 5 and under: free. Includes fried Icelandic cod, baby red potatoes, french fries, mac and cheese, coleslaw, pickle, roll, cookie and beverage. Buffet, takeout available. stgens.org
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS
St. Patrick — Fish dinner, 4:30-6:15 p.m., March 7. 3535 72nd St. E. Adults and ages 6-17: $15, ages 5 and under: $5. Adults’ meal includes baked cod, cheesy potatoes, coleslaw, dinner roll, dessert and beverage. Kids’ meal is mac and cheese. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m.
LAKE ST. CROIX BEACH
St. Francis of Assisi — Soup supper, 6-7 p.m., March 21, April 11. 16770 13th St. S. Freewill donation. Multiple varieties of meatless soups served with fresh bread, coffee, tea and water. Sit-down, buffet. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 651-436-7817, stfrancislscbmn.org
LE SUEUR
St. Anne — Fish fry, 3:30-7:30 p.m., March 14. St. Anne’s School, 511 N. Fourth St. Adults: $16, ages 5-11: $8, ages 4 and under: free. Includes fried fish, baked potato, coleslaw, bread and beverage. Sit-down meal.
LINO LAKES
St. Joseph of the Lakes — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 14, 21, 28. 171 Elm St. Adults: $15, children: $7, immediate family package: $45. Includes pan fried or baked cod, tomato-basil soup, roasted potatoes, green beans, creamy coleslaw, bread and a variety of homemade desserts. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m. 651-784-3015, mystjoes.me
LONG LAKE
St. George — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, April 11. 133 N. Brown Rd. Price: $12, ages 5 and under: free. Includes deep-fried cod, coleslaw, all-you-can-eat french fries, dinner roll and fixings. Sit-down meal. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 952-473-1247, stgeorgelonglake.org
LONSDALE
Immaculate Conception — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 14, April 4. 112 SE Alabama St. Adults: $16, ages 6-12: $8, ages 5 and under: free.
MAHTOMEDI
St. Jude of the Lake — Fish fry, 5:30-7:30 p.m., April 4. 700 Mahtomedi Ave. Adults: $15, seniors ages 62 and over: $10, kids: $7. Includes baked tilapia, breaded baked cod, red potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, dinner roll, dessert, drinks available for extra charge. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. stjudeofthelake.org
MAPLE GROVE
St. Joseph the Worker Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 28. 7180 Hemlock Lane N. Price: $15 per person, $40 per family. Includes battered fried and baked fish, coleslaw, mac and cheese, brownie, water, lemonade and coffee.
MAPLEWOOD
Presentation of Mary — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 1695 Kennard St., school gym. Large fish meal: $17, small fish meal: $14. Includes fried fish, baked potato, coleslaw, dinner roll, tartar sauce, butter and lemon. Soup options are also available. Sit-down, takeout. Stations of the Cross: 6 p.m. 651-842-6010, presentationofmary.org
MENDOTA
St. Peter — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 28. 1405 Sibley Memorial Highway. Freewill offering, supports the Uganda Mission Projects. Fish fry: tilapia, roasted new potatoes, coleslaw, mac and cheese, green beans and dessert. Buffet meal. 651-452-4550, stpetersmendota.org
MENDOTA HEIGHTS
Holy Family Maronite — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 1960 Lexington Ave. Price: $15. Includes baked fish, green beans in tomato sauce served over a bed of Lebanese rice, fried cabbage, flat bread, garlic sauce, homemade desserts. Buffet meal. holyfamilymaronitechurch.org
MINNEAPOLIS
Annunciation — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., April 11. 501 W. 54th St. Adults: $12, seniors: $10, family: $40, ages 6-12: $9, ages 5 and under: free. Includes deepfried pollock, coleslaw, baked potatoes, bread and cookies. Grilled cheese for kids. Beverages include complimentary milk, coffee and lemonade, beer and pop available for purchase. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. annunciationmsp.org/church/free-food-distribution Basilica of St. Mary — Soup supper, 1-2 p.m. and 6:30-7:30 p.m., March 5. 1600 Hennepin Ave. Freewill offering. Includes soup, bread and beverage. Buffet meal. mary.org
Christ the King — Soup Supper, 6-7:30 p.m., March 5, 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9. 5029 Zenith Ave. S. Freewill offering. Includes a variety of eight different soups, salad, dessert and lemonade. Sit-down meal. 612-920-5030, ctkmpls.org
FISH FRY & LENTEN MEAL GUIDE
CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Holy Cross — Soup supper, 4:30-7 p.m., March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9. 1630 Fourth St. NE. Includes a different soup each week. Sit-down meal. 612-930-0860, ourholycross.org
Our Lady of Lourdes — Fish fry, 5-7:30 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 1 Lourdes Place. Adults: $12, seniors over 65: $10, kids: $5. Includes fried fish, french fries, coleslaw, assorted beverages and dessert. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 5 p.m. 612-379-2259, lourdesmpls.org
Our Lady of Peace — Soup supper, 6-6:30 p.m., March 7, 21, April 4. 5426 12th Ave. S. Free. Includes meat-free soups and bread. Sit-down, buffet available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. olpmn. churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1172127
Our Lady of Peace — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 14, 28. 5426 12th Ave. S. Adults: $17, seniors ages 62 and over: $15, ages 3-12: $11 (prices subject to change). Includes fried fish, coleslaw, mac and cheese, scalloped potatoes, rolls, carrots and cookies. Sit-down, takeout available. olpmn. churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1600986
St. Helena — Meatless Lenten meal, 5-6:30 p.m., March 14, April 11. 3204 E. 43rd St. Adults: $10, kids: $5, family meal: $25. Includes fish tacos, fresh salsa, chips and desserts. Buffet, takeout available. sainthelenampls.org
St. John the Baptist Byzantine — Meatless Lenten meal, 4:30-7 p.m., March 14, 28. 2201 Third St. NE. Price: $15. Includes potato pancakes, four or more meatless soups, bread, lemonade, coffee and dessert. Sit-down meal. 612-789-6252, byzantinemn.org
St. Olaf — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., April 4. 215 S. Eighth St. Adults: $15, ages 5-10: $7, ages 4 and under: free, family pack: four for $40. Includes baked fish, coleslaw, garlic mashed potatoes, pickle, dinner roll, fruit, sweet treats. Buffet meal. SaintOlaf.org MINNETONKA
Immaculate Heart of Mary — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 28, April 4, 11. 13505 Excelsior Blvd. Adults: $15, ages 12 and under: $8. Includes baked fish, fish tacos, salad bar, au gratin potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, rolls, cookies and beverage. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 952-935-1432.
MONTICELLO
St. Henry Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 21, April 4. 1001 E. Seventh St. Includes fish fillets, potatoes, sides, buns and dessert.
MOUND
Our Lady of the Lake Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 6, 14, April 4, 11. 2385 Commerce Blvd. Adults: $17, seniors 65 and over: $15, ages 5-12: $7, ages 5 and under: free. Includes six jumbo deep-fried shrimp, french fries or baked potato, coleslaw, applesauce, cookie and beverages (kids get three shrimp and mac and cheese/fries). Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. ourladyofthelake.com/calendar-1
NEW BRIGHTON
St. John the Baptist — Soup supper, 6-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 4, 11. 835 Second Ave. NW. Freewill donation (suggested: $10). Includes soup, breadsticks, lemonade, water and desserts. (Some soup suppers will also include mac and cheese, dates TBD.) Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 651-6338333, stjohnnb.com/calendars/upcoming-events
St. John the Baptist — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 21. 835 Second Ave. NW. Adults: $12, ages 6-12: $8, ages 5 and under: free, family deal: $45. Includes fish, mac and cheese, Tater Tots, coleslaw, bread and butter, bars/cookies, lemonade, water and coffee. Sit-down meal. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 651-633-7404, stjohnnb.com/calendars/upcoming-events
NEW PRAGUE
St. Wenceslaus — Fish fry, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:307 p.m., March 7. 215 Main St. E. Adults: $15 presale, $17 at the door, ages 5-10: half price of adult ticket, ages 4 and under: free. Includes fried fish, cheesy potatoes, creamy coleslaw, dinner roll and cookie. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 952-758-3133, npcatholic.org
NORTH ST. PAUL
St. Peter Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4. 2600 Margaret St. N. Adults: $15, seniors: $14, ages 7-12: $5, ages 6 and under: free. Includes baked and deep-fried cod, green beans, mac and cheese, au gratin potatoes, coleslaw, breadsticks, coffee and milk. Gluten-free and carryout options available. Sit-down, takeout available. churchofstpeternsp.org
NORWOOD YOUNG AMERICA
Ascension — Fish fry, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., March 7. 323 Reform St. N. Adults: $16.50, ages 6-12: $6, ages 5 and under: free. Includes crispy Alaskan pollock, potato, coleslaw, baked beans, beverages and dessert. Sit-down, takeout available. 952-467-3351, ascensionstbernardparishes.org
OAK GROVE
St. Patrick — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 19921 Nightingale St. NW. Adults and teens: $15, seniors: $12, ages 6-12: $7, ages 5 and under: free, family price: $55. Includes fried fish, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, mac and cheese, green beans, buns, water, coffee, juice (everything is all-you-can-eat). Sit-down, takeout. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m. st-patricks.org/events/fish-frytime/?asl_highlight=fish+fry&p_asid=1
OAKDALE
Guardian Angels — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 8260 Fourth St. N. Sit- down: $20, carryout and volunteer dinners: $16, seniors ages 65 and over: $16, ages 6-10: $10, ages 5 and under: free, curbside dinners pre-order online: $16. Includes haddock (fried or baked), red potatoes, green beans, mac and cheese, coleslaw, roll with butter, lemon, tartar sauce, dessert, soda, milk and water. Sit-down, takeout. 612-810-5566, guardian-angels. org/event/23879143-2025-03-14-fish-fry-dinner
Transfiguration Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 7, 21, April 4. 6133 15th St. N. Ages 13 and over: $15, ages 6-12: $5, takeout: $12, family: $50. Fried and baked fish, potato options of baked potato, french fries, and Tater Tots, coleslaw, cookie, coffee and juice. Sit-down, takeout. transfigurationmn.org
Transfiguration Knights of Columbus — Soup supper, 5-7 p.m., April 11. 6133 15th St. N. Freewill offering. Includes tomato soup, grilled cheese, french fries, coffee and juice. Sit-down. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. transfigurationmn.org
PRIOR LAKE
St. Michael — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 7, April 11. 16400 Duluth Ave. SE. Ages 14 and older: $18, seniors: $15, ages 5-13: $8. Includes lightly breaded Alaskan pollock or baked cod, potato wedges, mac and cheese, coleslaw, green beans, corn, dinner rolls, coffee, milk and dessert. Sitdown, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 6:30 p.m. stmichael-pl.org
RED WING
St. Joseph — Soup supper, 5:30-6:30 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 435 W. Seventh St. Freewill offering. Includes two to four different meatless soups, bread, jams, water, lemonade and coffee. Buffet meal. Stations of the Cross: 5 p.m. stjosephredwing.org
ROBBINSDALE
Sacred Heart — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28. 4087 West Broadway Ave. N. Adults: $15, ages 4-10: $6-$8, 3 and under: free. Includes meal options of 1) fish fillet, baked potato, green beans,
coleslaw, garlic bread; 2) fish sandwich, baked potato, coleslaw; 3) fish sandwich and spaghetti; 4) large spaghetti and garlic bread. Kids’ meal options are child-sized spaghetti and fish meals. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. shrmn.org
ROGERS
Mary Queen of Peace Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4:30-6:30 p.m., March 14, April 4. 21304 Church Ave. Adults: $16, kids: $9. Includes baked cod, baked potato, baked beans, mac and cheese, coleslaw, dinner roll, cookie and beverage. Kids’ meal includes either mac and cheese or one piece of fish. Sit-down, takeout. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 763-428-2585, mqpcatholic.org/category/news-events
ROSEVILLE
St. Rose of Lima — Soup supper, 5:30-6:30 p.m., April 9. 2072 Hamline Ave. N. Free. Includes soup, salad, homemade sourdough bread and dessert. Sit-down meal. Saintroseoflima.net
SHAKOPEE
Sts. Joachim and Anne Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 2700 17th Ave. E. Adults: $15, ages 6-10: $7, ages 5 and under: free. Includes fried and baked fish, au gratin potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, coleslaw, bread and desserts. Buffet, takeout available. ssjacs.org/fish-dinner
SHIELDSVILLE
St. Patrick — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 7525 Dodd Road. Freewill offering. Includes baked or fried cod, au gratin potatoes, mixed vegetables, coleslaw, beverage and dessert. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. on March 28 and April 11. 507-334-6002, spshieldsville.org
SHOREVIEW
St. Odilia — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m. March 7, April 11. 3495 Victoria St. N. Adults: $15, ages 4-11: $10, ages 3 and under: $5. Includes fried or baked fish, fish tacos, coleslaw and fries or potatoes. Sit down, buffet available. stodilia.org
SOUTH ST. PAUL
St. John Vianney — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 840 19th Ave. N. Adults: $15, ages 5-12: $5, ages 4 and under: free. Includes fried fish, vegetables, baked potatoes or french fries, macaroni and cheese, roll, salad, coffee, lemonade and dessert. Beer and wine separate. Buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 3:30 p.m. sjvssp.org
ST. LOUIS PARK
Holy Family — Fish fry, 5-6:30 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 5900 West Lake St. Adults: $12, kids: $6. Baked or fried fish, coleslaw, mac and cheese, cheddar biscuits and green beans. Sit-down meal. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 952-929-0113, ST. PAUL
Holy Childhood — Soup supper, 6-7:30 p.m., March 14, 28. April 11. 1435 Midway Pkwy. Includes choice of two soups, salad and dessert. Sit-down, buffet available. Stations of the Cross: 5:30 p.m. holychildhoodparish.org
Nativity of Our Lord — Fish fry, 5-8 p.m., March 28, April 11. 1900 Stanford Ave. Adults: $15, kids: $8, household: $50. Sit-down, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 5:30 p.m. nativitymen.org/ fish-fry
Our Lady of Guadalupe — Meatless Lenten meal, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., March 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 401 Concord St. Eat-in prices options include large plate: $15, small plate: $13; takeout options: enchiladas only at $28 per dozen, $14 per half-dozen. Meal includes homemade cheese enchiladas, rice, beans, chips and salsa and dessert. Sit-down, takeout available. 651-228-0506, olgcatholic.org
St. Mark — Fish fry, 5-7 p.m., April 11. 2001 Dayton Ave. Includes fried cod, fries, non-alcoholic drinks and cookies. Buffet meal.
St. Matthew — Fish fry, 4:30-7:30 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11, 18. 510 Hall Ave., Door 5 at the back of the church. Fish dinners: adults: $16, ages 5-12: $8, ages 4 and under: free. Non-fish dinner: adults: $14, ages 5-12: $7, ages 4 and under: free. Fish meal includes fried or baked wild caught Alaskan pollock, baked potato, vegetable, coleslaw, roll and dessert, coffee, milk, water. Non-fish meal includes spaghetti, garlic bread and dessert or grilled cheese, potato, vegetables, coleslaw, roll and dessert. Beverages include coffee, milk and water. Beer, wine, pop available for purchase. Sitdown, takeout available. 612-269-9471, st-matts.org
St. Pascal Men’s Club — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 1757 Conway St. Adults and kids ages 12 and over: $16, kids ages 6 to 11: $8, kids ages 5 and under: free. Includes fried and baked cod, coleslaw, mixed steamed vegetables, au gratin and seasoned fried potatoes, mac and cheese, dinner roll, pudding, coffee, water, milk, bottled water and pop. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. 612201-2942, stpascals.org
St. Stanislaus — Soup supper, 5:30-7 p.m., March 12, 19, 26, April 2, 9. 398 Superior St. Freewill offering. Includes various soups with bread and/or crackers. Buffet meal. 651-224-7998, ststans.org
St. Thomas More — Fish fry, 5:30-7:30 p.m., March 28, April 11. St. Thomas More Catholic School, 1065 Summit Ave. Adults: $17, ages 5-12: $9; ages 6 and under: free. Includes fried cod, french fries, mac and cheese, coleslaw, dinner rolls, peach cobbler, cookies and lemonade. Beer, wine and soda available for purchase. Buffet meal. Stations of the Cross: 5 p.m. morecommunity.org/fishfrys hfcmn.org
STILLWATER
St. Michael and St. Mary — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 611 Third St. S. Ages 13-64: $17, ages 65 and over: $16, ages 7-12: $5, ages 6 and under: free. Includes beerbattered cod loin, parsley buttered potatoes, coleslaw, green beans, dinner roll, beverages and kids’ menu items. Sit-down, takeout available. Stmichaelandstmarystillwater.org
WACONIA
St. Joseph Knights of Columbus — Fish fry, 4-7 p.m., March 7, 14, 21, 28, April 4, 11. 41 East First St. Adults: $16, ages 6-12: $7, ages 5 and under: free. Sit-down, takeout available. stjosephwaconia.org
WAYZATA
Holy Name of Jesus — Fish fry, 4:30-7 p.m., March 21, April 11. 155 County Road 55. Adults and ages 11 and over: $15, ages 4-10: $10, ages 3 and under: free. Includes fried fish, baked fish, baked potato, mac and cheese, coleslaw, dinner roll, cookie, water and lemonade. Other beverages available for a freewill donation. Buffet meal. Stations of the Cross: 7:15 p.m. hnoj.org/fishfry
WHITE BEAR LAKE
St. Pius X — Fish fry, 4-6 p.m., March 14, 28, April 11. 3878 Highland Ave. Adults: $17, seniors: $15, ages 6 and over: $7, ages 5 and under: free. Sit-down, buffet, takeout available. Stations of the Cross: 7 p.m. churchofstpiusx.org
ZUMBROTA
St. Patrick — Sunday ham dinner, 10:30 a.m.-1 p.m., March 16. Adults and kids 13 and over: $16, ages 6-12: $6, ages 5 and under: free. Dine-in and takeout available.
‘Fruits of the Vine’ and the Church’s economic impact on Minnesota
The Catholic Church in Minnesota has long been a beacon of faith, service and community.
Beyond its spiritual and moral leadership, the Church is also an economic powerhouse, providing billions in services that uplift communities and reduce the burden on taxpayers. To better quantify this impact, the Minnesota Catholic Conference commissioned “Fruits of the Vine: The Economic Impact of the Catholic Church in Minnesota.” This report provides a first-of-its-kind look at how Catholic institutions contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of our state.
Why publish an economic impact report?
Often, discussions about the Catholic Church focus solely on her moral and theological positions. While these are at the crux of the Church’s mission, her presence extends far beyond Sunday Mass, because our faith compels us to serve all people — not just Catholics — in tangible ways that meet their daily needs. From health care and education to social services and charitable outreach, the Catholic Church operates as a vital support system for Minnesotans of all backgrounds.
“Fruits of the Vine” compiles and analyzes the Church’s role as an essential public asset. While communities frequently offer incentives to attract industries that bring jobs and services, Catholic institutions already generate billions in economic activity without seeking subsidies, while providing crucial services that strengthen Minnesota’s social fabric.
This report provides a first-of-its-kind look at how Catholic institutions contribute to the economic and social well-being of our state.
the Church’s contributions and understand the value of protecting religious organizations’ ability to serve in accordance with their mission.
The Church’s $5.4 billion economic footprint
The findings in “Fruits of the Vine” are staggering, revealing that Catholic institutions in Minnesota generate an estimated $5.4 billion in economic benefits
annually across multiple sectors.
uIn health care, Catholic hospitals and organizations contribute $3.27 billion in direct expenditures each year.
uCatholic education provides an estimated $700 million in annual benefits for over 40,000 pre-K through 12th grade students, and when higher education institutions are included, the total economic impact reaches $1.45 billion.
uSocial services and charitable efforts are equally significant. Parishes and Catholic organizations assist more than 100,000 Minnesotans monthly through food, clothing and financial aid, while groups like the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus contribute over 500,000 volunteer hours annually.
uCatholic events — such as weddings, funerals and festivals — attract over 900,000 attendees each year, generating a “magnet effect” worth $56 million, with the Cathedral of St. Paul alone drawing 100,000 visitors.
uAdditionally, Catholic construction projects support local jobs and businesses, adding $57 million in direct economic benefits annually.
A call to support the Church’s mission
The Catholic Church is a cornerstone of Minnesota’s economic and social well-being. Through education, health care, charity and cultural events, the Church provides services that support over 1.2 million Minnesotans each year, alleviating financial strain on government programs and strengthening local economies.
We hope this report sparks meaningful conversations among policymakers, business leaders and citizens about the importance of preserving the Church’s ability to serve. Catholic institutions do not seek special privileges — only the freedom to continue their mission without unnecessary restrictions. As Minnesota faces pressing social and economic challenges, the Catholic Church stands ready to be part of the solution — just as it always has been.
To read the full “Fruits of the Vine” report, visit mncatholic.org/fruitsofthevine.
Inside the Capitol is a legislative update from Minnesota Catholic Conference staff.
Vatican cardinal heads to Lebanon to express pope’s solidarity, prayers
One out of four people living in Lebanon is a refugee, and the majority of children born in refugee camps are unregistered at birth, said Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The challenges facing refugees and those who host them are enormous, he told Vatican News Feb. 18 ahead of a trip to Lebanon Feb. 19-23.
“There is a lot of insecurity, and it is a quite terrible fact that the majority of children born in camps are not registered. So many minors are undocumented and, therefore,
vulnerable to human trafficking and child labor,” he said.
During his trip, the cardinal will meet with migrants, displaced persons and refugees receiving assistance from Caritas and the Jesuit Refugee Service.
“It is important to bring the Holy Father’s closeness to the refugees and
all those who represent them,” he said.
“It is also important to make a gesture of thanks and support to the Lebanese people who proportionately bear the greatest burden of any country in the world,” he said.
“One in four residents in Lebanon is a refugee. This is an example for a world that tends toward xenophobia.”
Quiet, Peace and Prayer
A deeper connection awaits you at the Jesuit Retreat House through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola.
Weekend preached and five to eight day directed silent retreats for women, men, couples, those in recovery and Spanish speakers
Accommodation includes single ensuite rooms located on 21.5 acres of scenic lakefront property with walking trails and inviting places to pray during all four seasons.
Additional facilities include Campion Farmhouse/ Hermitage for private retreats and other meeting spaces for outside groups.
Scan the QR code to learn more and to register.
The purpose of publishing this report is to ensure that policymakers and the public recognize
iSTOCK PHOTO | REDUNNLEV
Catholic News Service
CALENDAR
PARISH EVENTS
Ave Verum Corpus — Feb. 21: 7-8:30 p.m. at St. Nicholas, 51 Church St., Elko New Market. Experience Christ’s peaceful presence at an exquisite pairing of Eucharistic adoration and classical sacred music, with guest homilist Father Michael Miller. StnCC net/ave-verum-CorpuS
Used Book Sale — Feb. 22: 8 a.m.-3 p.m. at St. Stephen, 525 Jackson St., Anoka. $2 per book, 50 cents for children’s books. Shop for fiction, non-fiction, spiritual reading, romance, westerns, cookbooks or children’s books. StStephenChurCh org
Holy Trinity Mardi Gras Celebration — Feb. 23: noon-3 p.m. at Lion’s Community Center, 105 Broadway St., Goodhue. Freewill offering for Mardi Gras-themed food with American cuisine options. Featuring family activities and a cornhole tournament with prizes; first place prize $200, second place prize $150, third place prize $100.
A Wee Bit Early St. Patrick’s Day Dinner — Mar. 1: 6-8 p.m. at St. Peter, 1405 Sibley Memorial Highway, Mendota. Irish meal of Guinness Irish stew, colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage), soda bread, Irish coffee, dessert and nonalcoholic beverages. Freewill offering. Bar serving Irish beer and wine. Live music by the Irish band Legacy. $15 for adults, $7 for those under 17.
StpeterSmendota org
Tea on the Hill: A Cathedral Women’s Association Event — Mar. 1: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. All women are invited to join us for an elegant afternoon of fellowship, fine teas and friendship sponsored by the Cathedral Women’s Association. CathedralSaintpaul org/tea-on-the-hill
WORSHIP+RETREATS
Chapter Two Marriage Prep Retreat — Feb. 22: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. at St. Paul, 1740 Bunker Lane Blvd. NE, Ham Lake. Chapter Two Marriage Prep Retreat, serving the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and surrounding dioceses, is for couples where one or both are entering into a second marriage due to the death of a spouse or divorce (after annulment). tinyurl Com/2nndaf4v
Mass of Thanksgiving with Bishop Kevin Kenney — Feb. 26: 6:15 p.m. at Our Lady of Peace, 5426 12th Ave. S., Minneapolis. Join us for a grace-filled evening as we welcome Bishop Kevin Kenney to celebrate a special Mass of Thanksgiving. This will also be a Jubilee Mass for the Year of Jubilee in the Church. A light reception will follow in the Parish Hall. tinyurl Com/yvneydah
Lenten Women’s Silent Retreat: “Pilgrims of Hope” — March 4-5: 8 p.m., March 4 to 1 p.m. March 5, at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. This retreat
is an opportunity to experience fellowship and grow in faith and spiritual renewal during this holy year of grace; praying that you find peace and hope in your relationship with Jesus, our Lord. Includes two nights’ private room and five meals. kingShouSe Com/eventS
First Friday Adoration — March 7, April 4, May 2: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Minnesota State Capitol, 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul. In the Governor’s Dining Room (B420) located on the basement level of the Minnesota State Capitol, pray for our elected officials at their place of work. mnCatholiC org/eventS
Married Couples’ Retreat: “Pilgrims of Hope” — March 7-8: 8 p.m., March 7 to 1 p.m., March 8, at Christ the King Retreat Center, 621 First Ave. S., Buffalo. “Hope does not disappoint.” Our hope is in Jesus Christ who laid down his life conquering sin and death. Join us during this Jubilee Year and time of grace to affirm your belief in the hope that is Jesus Christ. $50 deposit. kingShouSe Com
CONFERENCES+WORKSHOPS
Empowered Catholic Leadership Weekend — Feb. 21-23 and April 25-27: 7-9 p.m. (Feb. 21, April 25), 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Feb. 22, April 26), 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. (Feb. 23, April 27). At SPO National Offices, 2520 Lexington Ave. S., Mendota Heights. The Empowered Catholic Leadership Weekend is for leaders in any area of life who want to lead with clearer vision, more interior freedom, and greater influence. tinyurl Com/mu6yaxak
Ars Celebrandi Workshop — March 1: 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at St. Therese, 18325 Minnetonka Blvd., Deephaven. A workshop for all parish liturgical ministers (lectors, cantors, musicians, Communion ministers, and those involved with OCIA). RSVP for March 1 at tinyurl Com/2pa4jktu
WINE Women’s Conference — March 1: 8 a.m.3:30 p.m. at St. Bartholomew, 630 Wayzata Blvd. E., Wayzata. The 10th annual WINE: Women’s Conference, “Laboring Joyfully — A Decade in the Vineyard” includes Mass, inspirational talks, confession, adoration, shopping, and prayer with a prayer team. Optional Friday gathering with speakers. tinyurl Com/2djjtS7f
SPEAKERS+SEMINARS
Spring Speaker Series: “Land and Labor, City and Homestead: Working Towards a Local Economy” — Feb. 20, 27, March 6, 13: 6:30 p.m. at Assumption, 51 Seventh St. W., St. Paul. How can small farms, urban homesteads, crafts, gardens, chickens, good work, and local economies help us build stronger communities and be better Christians? Come find out at our four-week Spring Speaker Series. tinyurl Com/mS55zm5n
Available in Cathedral area: tinyurl.com/Albans55104 EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Part-time Law Office Typist in West St. Paul, Minnesota: Produce legal documents including Wills, Trusts, Briefs, Pleadings, and Reports. Administrative support to attorneys and paralegals. In addition, a paralegal or legal assistant is also needed with similar duties but expanded to include research and composition of documents and other related duties. QuickBooks experience preferred. Contact John Trojack 651-451-9696 or complete “Contact” on our website: TrojackLaw.com.
Parish Lenten Mission: The Journey as Pilgrims of Hope — Feb. 25 and 26: 6-7:30 p.m. at St. Stephen, 525 Jackson St., Anoka. Our presenter, Peter “Graceman” Le, will share his remarkable story of overcoming suffering and hardship. Please join us as he inspires us through the Light of Christ to face our own challenges this Jubilee Year as Pilgrims of Hope. StStephenChurCh org
Double Feature Event with Jason Evert — March 2: 6-9:15 p.m. at St. Vincent De Paul, 9100 93rd Ave. N., Brooklyn Park. A family-based event that invites parents, teens, and all adults to learn about God’s plan for love and to consider what is the meaning of sex, gender, and the human body, combining two of Jason Evert’s presentations, “Purified” and “Gender and the Theology of Your Body,” with a time of prayer and adoration for everyone with the sacrament of reconciliation available. Register at tinyurl Com/362wvmp3
ONGOING GROUPS
Calix Society — First and third Sundays: 9-10:30 a.m., hosted by the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave., St. Paul. In Assembly Hall, Lower Level. Potluck breakfast. Calix is a group of men, women, family and friends supporting the spiritual needs of recovering Catholics with alcohol or other addictions. Questions? Call Jim at 612-383-8232 or Steve at 612-327-4370.
Career Transition Group — Third Thursdays: 7:308:30 a.m. at Holy Name of Jesus, 155 County Road 24, Medina. The Career Transition Group hosts speakers on various topics to help people looking for a job or a change in career and to enhance job skills. The meetings also allow time for networking with others and opportunities for resume review. hnoj org/Career-tranSition-group
Fire on the Hill — Third Saturdays: 5:15 p.m. Mass followed by praise and worship at the Cathedral of St. Paul, 239 Selby Ave, St. Paul, until May 17.
Gifted and Belonging — Fourth Sundays: 6:30–8 p.m. at St. Matthew, 510 Hall Ave., St. Paul., and Second Fridays, 6:30-8 p.m. at Maternity of Mary, 1414 Dale St. N., St. Paul. Providing Catholic fellowship for young adults with disabilities, seen and unseen. Gather together to share a time of prayer and reflection, followed by games and social activities. Invite friends, and bring a caregiver as needed. For more information on monthly activities and/or volunteer opportunities, call Megan at 612-456-1572 or email giftedandbelonging@gmail Com
Natural Family Planning (NFP) — Classes teach couples Church approved methods on how to achieve or postpone pregnancy while embracing the beauty of God’s gift of sexuality. For a complete list of classes offered throughout
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Part-Time Registered Nurse – Options for Women East: We’re hiring a compassionate RN with experience in Obstetrics (a plus) to join our team. Paid position with flexible hours. Contact Jennifer Meyer at 651-776-2328 or edjm@optionsforwomeneast.com.
HARDWOOD FLOORS
Comfort Crafter Hardwood Floors Winter’s here! Enhance the comfort of your home this season with new or refurbished hardwood floors. Chris 612-442-7571
PAINTING
For painting & all related services. View our website: PAINTINGBYJERRYWIND.COM or call (651) 699-6140. Michaels Painting. Texture and Repair. MichaelsPaintingllc coM. (763) 757-3187
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 issue date.
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the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, visit arChSpm org/family or call 651-291-4489.
Quilters for a Cause — First Fridays: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at St. Jerome, 380 Roselawn Ave. E., Maplewood. Join other women to make quilts to donate to local charities. Quilting experience is not necessary but basic machine skills are helpful. For more information, call the parish office: 651-771-1209. faCebook Com/profile php?id=100087945155707
Restorative Support for Victims-Survivors — Monthly: 6:30-8 p.m. via Zoom. Open to all victims-survivors. Victim-survivor support group for those abused by clergy as adults — first Mondays. Support group for relatives or friends of victims of clergy sexual abuse — second Mondays. Victim-survivor support group — third Mondays. Survivor Peace Circle — third Tuesdays. Support group for men who have been sexually abused by clergy/religious — fourth Wednesdays. Support group for present and former employees of faith-based institutions who have experienced abuse in any of its many forms — second Thursdays. Visit arChSpm org/healing or contact Paula Kaempffer, outreach coordinator for restorative justice and abuse prevention, at kaempfferp@arChSpm org or 651-291-4429.
Secular Franciscan Meeting of St. Leonard of Port Maurice Fraternity — Third Sundays: 2:15-3:45 p.m. at St. Olaf, 215 S. Eighth St., Minneapolis. General membership meeting of Secular Franciscans who belong to the Fraternity of St. Leonard of Port Maurice. Any who are interested in living the Gospel life in the manner of St. Francis and St. Clare are welcome.
ITEMS FOR
THELASTWORD
Center offers retreats for women to learn the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius
By Josh McGovern The Catholic Spirit
Marked by success in bringing retreatants closer to God, the “Spiritual Exercises” of St. Ignatius of Loyola, published in 1548, are the basis for a special offering of women’s retreats through the Ignatian Spirituality Center in St. Paul. Participants say the retreats are intense and effective in shaping one’s life spiritually.
The exercises — as described by staff at the center, which is based on the University of St. Thomas campus — provide a framework of meditations and reflections developed by St. Ignatius to deepen one’s relationship with God and one’s commitment to be actively involved in God’s plan for the world. St. Ignatius, founder of the Jesuits in 1540, developed the “Spiritual Exercises” from 1522 to 1524 based on his own conversion. The center has been offering the retreats for women at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo for two years.
While the exercises are divided into four weeks, Anne Grabriel, a parishioner of Christ the King in Minneapolis and a longtime member of the Ignatian Associates — a community of lay men and women who practice Ignatian spirituality and serve vulnerable populations — said they’re not necessarily four actual weeks.
Susan Stabile, an Ignatian trained spiritual director and retreat director who serves as senior distinguished fellow at the University of St. Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, explained that while retreats based on the spiritual exercises are often given in retreat house settings over a period of 30 days, retreats based on the exercises can be given in many forms. Stabile is a board member of the Ignatian Spirituality Center. She also finds retreat directors for the retreats for women.
One way to experience the exercises, for example, is a retreat in daily living that can last up to nine months, with people meeting with a director weekly.
The retreats for women presented through the spirituality center last four days. They include talks from retreat directors and silent time for prayer and reflection. “These are silent retreats,” said Denise D’Aurora, a participant in Ignatian spirituality retreats for the past 16 years. “Being silent, there’s a certain intensity in what your prayer is like, the sense of being in a more intense contact with God.”
“In the exercises, one starts by getting in touch with God’s love for them,” said Stabile. “We’re all invited to participate in God’s work in the world.”
As described on the Ignatian Spirituality Center website, the first week involves praying for the grace of “embracing ourselves as loved sinners.” The second week explores the humanity and divinity of Jesus as
IGNATIAN RETREATS FOR
WOMEN
APRIL 24-27
Weekend Retreat — Jesuit Father Paul Lickteig, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine Chapel and St. Francis Xavier Church in Cincinnati. Father Lickteig has been actively involved in Ignatian spirituality for over 20 years.
MAY 20-22
Midweek Retreat — Jesuit Father Kevin Schneider, who serves in residence at the Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo but offers retreats for schools, communities and other Jesuit retreat houses in the upper Midwest.
OCT. 23-26
Weekend Retreat — Notre Dame Sister Susan Kusz, who is in her 10th year of ministry at the Jesuit Retreat House in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. She has almost 30 years of experience in retreat work and spiritual direction.
NOV. 4-6
Midweek Retreat — Jesuit Father Peter Etzel, associate pastor at St. Thomas More in St. Paul, also offers retreats and spiritual direction for the Ignatian Spirituality Center.
written in the Gospels and praying to know him more intimately. The third week recognizes how a deep personal identification with Jesus inspires people to want to be with him in his suffering. The fourth week, more abstractly, is when the individual walks in joy of the resurrected life.
D’Aurora said the hallmark of the exercises is the idea that God can be found in all things. For example, D’Aurora prays an examen, a prayer important to St. Ignatius, each day before she goes to sleep to recognize the moments when God was present. This prayer focuses her attention on gratitude for all the day’s gifts. Beyond learning about Jesus, D’Aurora said the exercises help her have a relationship with him, which helps her look for ways in which she is summoned to follow him.
Established in 2022, the Spirituality Center grew out of the Ignatian programs and retreats that were offered at St. Thomas More in St. Paul, a Jesuit parish in the Twin Cities.
Before 2016, the Wisconsin province of the Jesuits sponsored two Ignatian retreats per year for women in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. When Jesuit Father Warren Sazama was appointed pastor of St. Thomas More in St. Paul in 2016, the province asked him if the parish would take over the retreats, which it did.
Currently, four women’s retreats based on the exercises are held each year through the Ignatian Spirituality Center. Paul Krenzelok, the center’s executive director, said there are about 190 retreatants per year. The women’s retreats operate similarly, but not identically, to the men’s retreats held at Demontreville, Krenzelok said.
Judy Quayle, a parishioner of St. John the Baptist in New Brighton who has experienced the retreats, said God desires union with everyone. Quayle said it’s important for retreatants to make themselves available to do God’s will, otherwise “they just come (to a retreat) and go away and don’t do anything.”
She called retreats like this one a rejuvenation.
“It’s that shot in the arm kind of thing,” Quayle said. “You need to remember all the good things that are happening in your life and be motivated to continue to look for God in your life.”
For Grabriel, Ignatian spirituality is intertwined with her life. Finding God in all things means aligning her will with God’s will for her.
“Then to constantly be reminded that I am a loved sinner, that is, for me, probably the deepest thing I take away,” Grabriel said. “I try not to make decisions, at least decisions of any import, without using Ignatian spirituality to help me discern. It is a way of life. You can’t compartmentalize spirituality and the rest of your life. It is so intertwined, inextricably intertwined.”
D’Aurora said the retreats have been the most significant contributor to her faith life.
For years, Demontreville Jesuit Retreat House in Lake Elmo was the only retreat center in Minnesota that offered retreats based on St. Ignatius’ exercises. The retreats, though, have been offered only for men. Demontreville has men’s retreats for 47 weekends out of the year, and since its inception in 1948, every weekend has been full, said Jesuit Father Thomas Lawler, director of the retreat house. For Demontreville, there is simply no availability throughout the year for women’s retreats. Though not directly associated with Demontreville, Father Lawler said the Ignatian Spirituality Center has been helpful in offering women the opportunity for Ignatian retreats.
Stabile, who has been involved in running retreats like these for almost 20 years, said she sees major healing in people’s image of God and their sense of value to God and his plan.
“There are people (who) understand as a theoretical matter, the concept of (God’s) ‘call,’ but feel themselves too insignificant to be a part of God’s plan,” Stabile said. “That’s one of the things that Ignatius is trying to dispel. Nobody’s insignificant. Everybody’s a part of God’s plan. And that’s a pretty major thing to come away from a retreat with. The healing image of God is a really important one, too, because there are an awful lot of people out there with incredibly unhealthy images of God, and if they can’t embrace God’s love for them, it’s very hard for them to be that love in the world.”
