The Courier - January 2019

The

COURIER

St. Thomas Aquinas January 28

January 2019

Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org

The History Behind

The Feast

By ADELAIDE MENA

of the

Epiphany

Can Americans Today Afford to Have Kids?

By MICHELLE LaROSA

This article was originally published by Catholic News Agency on Jan. 26, 2017.

WASHINGTON D.C., Jan. 6, 2019 (CNA/EWTN News) - While the hustle and bustle of Christmas ends for many people on Dec. 26, throughout Christian history Christmas lasts for 12 days – all the way until Jan. 6.

This feast marking the end of Christmas is called “Epiphany.”

In the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, Epiphany celebrates the revelation that Jesus was the Son of God. It focuses primarily on this revelation to the Three Wise Men, but also in his baptism in the Jordan and at the wedding at Cana.

In the Eastern rites of the Catholic Church, Theophany – as Epiphany is known in the East – commemorates the manifestation of Jesus' divinity at his Baptism in the River Jordan.

While the traditional date for the feast is Jan. 6, in the United States the celebration of Epiphany is moved to the next Sunday, overlapping with the rest of the Western Church’s celebration of the Baptism of Christ. [This year, Epiphany was celebrated on Jan. 6, which fell on a Sunday.]

However, the meaning of the feast goes deeper than just the bringing of presents or the end of Christmas, says Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo, a Melkite Catholic priest and founding executive director of the Virginia-based Institute of Catholic Culture.

“You can't understand the Nativity without Theophany; or you can’t understand Nativity without Epiphany.” The revelation of Christ as the Son of God – both as an infant and at his baptism – illuminate the mysteries of the Christmas season, he said.

“Our human nature is blinded because of sin and we’re unable to see as God sees,” he told CNA. “God reveals to us the revelation of what’s going on.”

their own traditions and liturgical significances, these feasts share more than the same day.

“The Feast of Epiphany, or the Feast of Theophany, is a very, very early feast,” said Fr. Carnazzo. “It predates the celebration of Christmas on the 25th.”

In the early Church, Christians, particularly those in the East, celebrated the advent of Christ on Jan. 6 by commemorating Nativity, Visitation of the Magi, Baptism of Christ and the Wedding of Cana all in one feast of the Epiphany. By the fourth century, both Christmas and Epiphany had been set as separate feasts in Origins of Epiphany some dioceses. At the Council of Tours in 567, the Church set both While the Western celebration of Epiphany (which comes from Christmas day and Epiphany as feast days on the Dec. 25 and Jan. Greek, meaning “revelation from above”), and the Eastern celebra- 6, respectively, and named the twelve days between the feasts as tion of Theophany (meaning “revelation of God”), have developed the Christmas season.

Epiphany, cont'd on pg. 17

Washington D.C., Dec. 9, 2018 (CNA) - When Alicia Hernon realized she was pregnant with her eighth child, her first reaction was to start crying.

“I thought, ‘Our car is too small, our house is too small, we’re going to have to move’,” she said.

But while the process was a difficult one, she and her husband Mike were able to make ends meet and went on to welcome two more children into their family.

And it was worth it, the Hernons told CNA. While raising children has required financial sacrifices, Alicia said, “I know we have become better people because of that.”

The Hernons are far from alone in wondering how they will be able to afford children. In fact, the vast majority of Americans raising children are facing financial difficulties, according to the 2018 American Family Survey, released last week.

Of those who have children at home, 73 percent say they worry about being able to pay at least one monthly bill, and 44 percent have faced an economic crisis in the last year – being unable to pay an important bill or going without food, medical care or housing due to financial difficulty, the survey found.

For both men and women who do not currently have children, the cost of raising a child was the top consideration in deciding whether to become parents, ranking ahead of current relationship status, desire to raise a

Kids, cont'd on pg. 17

INSIDE this issue

2018 Fall Confirmations page 6

What Is Incarnational Evangelization?

Let's Get Practical page 9

page 12

Pope Francis Watch

Articles of Interest

Embrace 2019______________________________4

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Pope Francis and the Call to Holiness (Part II)_5

The Courier Insider

2018 Fall Confirmations___________________6 Learn How to Forgive_____________________8 What Is Incarnational Evangelization?_______9 Catholic Schools Updates___________________10 Let's Get Practical________________________12 Pope Francis speaks at Mass for Epiphany on Jan. 6, 2019. Credit: Danial Ibanez, CNA

Pope: Like Magi, Follow Christ's Light

By HANNAH BROCKHAUS

VATICAN CITY, Jan. 6, 2019 (CNA/EWTN News) - To be clothed in the divine light of Christ, follow the example of the three magi, who put aside worldly power and success and rose to follow the star to Jesus, Pope Francis encouraged Sunday at Mass for Epiphany.

“We need to arise, to get up from our sedentary lives and prepare for a journey,” he said Jan. 6. “We also need to shine, to be clothed in God who is light, day by day, until we are fully clothed in Jesus."

“Yet to be clothed in God, who like the light is simple, we must first put aside our pretentious robes,” he continued. “Otherwise, we will be like Herod, who preferred the earthly lights of success and power to the divine light.”

“The Magi, instead, fulfil the prophecy.

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ears ago, the Courier was delivered in bulk to churches for parishioners to pick up after Masses, rather than individually to homes.

Today, as we continue to evaluate our stewardship of diocesan resources, Courier staff is exploring the benefits and drawbacks of bulk mailings as one option for Courier delivery.

If you prefer to receive the Courier at home, you still can! Let us know, and we'll keep sending it to you, regardless of other changes we may make to our delivery method.

If you'd rather pick up the Courier at church, we'd like to know that as well.

Please send your response along with your name, parish and reader ID (number directly above your name on the mailing label) to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester The Courier 55 W Sanborn St. Winona, MN 55987 OR nreller@dowr.org Thank you!

Courier Staff January, 2019 w The Courier

They arise and shine and are clothed in light.

They alone see the star in the heavens: not the scribes, nor Herod, nor any of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.”

In a homily at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, Pope Francis reflected on the three magi, or wise men, who bearing gifts, came to see the Child Jesus in Bethlehem.

“Let us ask ourselves this question: at Christmas did we bring gifts to Jesus for his party, or did we only exchange gifts among ourselves?” he asked. “If we went to the Lord empty-handed, today we can remedy that.”

Today’s feast asks Catholics to imitate the magi, the pope said. “They do not debate; they set out. They do not stop to look, but enter the house of Jesus. They do not put themselves at the center, but bow down before the One who is the center. They do not remain glued to their plans, but are prepared to take other routes.”

“Their actions reveal a close contact with the Lord, a radical openness to him, a total engagement with him. With him, they use the language of love, the same language that Jesus, though an infant, already speaks. Indeed, the Magi go to the Lord not to receive, but to give,” he stated.

As the Christmas season comes to a close, do not miss an opportunity “to offer a precious gift to our King, who came to us not Magi, cont'd on pg. 15

The Holy Father's Intention for

January 2019 Evangelization That young people, especially in Latin America, follow the example of Mary and respond to the call of the Lord to communicate the joy of the Gospel to the world.

Divorced by Another______________________13 A "Bigger Agenda?"______________________14 Diocesan Headlines________________________15 Diocesan Calendar_________________________18 Officials The Most Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of the Diocese of WinonaRochester, announces the following appointments: Parochial Administrator Rev. Luis Vargas: appointed Parochial Administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Rochester, effective December 8, 2018.

Leave of Absence Rev. James Seitz: Pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Rochester; resigned as pastor and granted a leave of absence, for reasons of health, effective December 7, 2018.

DOW-R Finance Council Mr. Paul Tieskoetter: appointed to a five-year term on the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Finance Council, effective January 1, 2019.

Minnesota Catholic Conference Ms. Haidee Todora: appointed to the Minnesota Catholic Conference Education Committee for a three-year term, effective November 27, 2018.

Winona Athletic Board Mr. James Miller: reappointed as the Diocese of Winona-Rochester representative on the Winona Athletic Board for a seven-year term, effective December 5, 2018.

Child Abuse Policy Information The Diocese of Winona-Rochester will provide a prompt, appropriate and compassionate response to reporters of sexual abuse of a child by any diocesan agent (employees, volunteers, vendors, religious or clergy). Anyone wishing to make a report of an allegation of sexual abuse should call the Victim Assistance Coordinator at 507454-2270, Extension 255. A caller will be asked to provide his or her name and telephone number. Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester is committed to protecting children, young people and other vulnerable people in our schools, parishes and ministries. The diocesan policy is available on the diocesan web site at www.dow. org under the Safe Environment Program. If you have any questions about the Diocese of Winona-Rochester’s implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, please contact Mary Hamann at 507-858-1244, or mhamann@dowr.org.

The Courier is the official publication of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester 55 West Sanborn, P.O. Box 588, Winona, MN 55987 Vol 110 - 1

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Defend Human Life and Dignity ear Friends in Christ,

Defending Human Life

On January 22, we once again remember the tragic outcome of Roe vs. Wade, which legalized abortion in America. After 46 years and millions of children killed in the womb, it is easy for us to get discouraged and give up hope. However, we must remember that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that in the end truth will prevail and life will triumph over death.

Last year, when Pope Francis spoke about the 10 Commandments in his weekly Wednesday audiences, he reminded us that it is clear in the fifth commandment, “thou shalt not kill,” that we are not to take any life, and that the way to measure the worth of human life is by, “the love God has for it.” This runs counter to how our culture judges the value of life by worldly standards, such as money, power, and success. Thus, when there are difficult situations such as a severe prenatal diagnosis, a child conceived in rape, or simply a

Rejoice in Hope Bishop John M. Quinn Bishop's Calendar

baby due to be born at a difficult time, it is our duty to reach out and give concrete support to the mother and family, and show by our actions that both her and her baby’s life are precious in God’s sight.

This January, there are many ways that you can show your support for life and the end to abortion. There is the annual March for Life in both Washington D.C. and St. Paul; here in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester there will be a Prayer Service for Life in Fairmont on January 27; and all throughout the diocese there are many opportunities to pray for the end to abortion and work to support those who are experiencing unexpected and / or difficult pregnancies. May our love for others reflect the love of the Triune God, as we cherish every human life.

Welcoming the Stranger (Immigration Sunday)

In our culture today, immigration, migration, and the welcoming of refugees are political and divisive issues. For Catholics, however, it is important to leave aside political ideologies and focus on the human dignity of each person, and how our faith calls us to respond to those around us with love and compassion.

The Holy Family intimately knew the struggles of being migrants and refugees, as they were required to travel to Bethlehem for the census, and fled to Egypt when the Christ Child’s life was in danger. Today, there are countless families who are similarly forced to relocate in order to secure safety for their family, or because of actions by the government, military, or rebel forces. Pope Pius XII, in his 1952 apostolic exhortation Exsul Familia (The Family in Exile), holds up the Holy Family as an example for all families facing such difficult situations: “The… Holy Family of Nazareth… is the archetype of every refugee family.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph, living in

exile in Egypt to escape the fury of an evil king, are, for all times and all places, the models and protectors of every migrant, alien and refugee…” (Exsul Familia Introduction).

Every January, when the Church celebrates Epiphany, U.S. Catholics also observe Immigration Sunday, as an occasion to draw attention to the plight of our brothers and sisters fleeing their homelands to find safety and a better life. In the face of divisive political arguments, it is important to remember that immigrants and refugees are not “statistics” or “issues,” but fellow persons with human dignity.

The U.S. Bishops, in their 2003 document Strangers No Longer, outlined five principles which should be kept in mind and govern policy on immigration.

These principles balance respect for the dignity of all those coming into our country, as well as the need for national security and sovereignty. They are: the right for people to be able to find job opportunities in their land of origin, so there is no need for them to leave; the right for people to migrate in order to support themselves and their families; the right for nations to control their borders while also striving to provide for the common good of all; the right for refugees and asylum seekers to have protection and safety; and the right for all people, including undocumented immigrants, to have their human rights and dignity upheld and protected.

As we celebrate Christ’s coming among us as a vulnerable human child, let us always remember that all people are made in the image and likeness of our Triune God and deserve to be afforded basic human rights, and the love and care of those who have the ability to help them in their times of need.

Catholics at the Capitol

Catholics at the Capitol will be held Tuesday, February 19, and

is a day for Catholics from all across Minnesota to gather at the state capitol for a day of prayer, education, and advocacy.

Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about issues currently facing Minnesotans, and gain the tools necessary to more effectively advocate for life and human dignity with those representing us in the state legislature. Whether you have years of political advocacy experience, or have never before gotten involved in grassroots politics, I encourage you to take this day to engage with fellow Minnesota Catholics and your state congressmen and women.

Pope Francis has said that, “a good Catholic meddles in politics, offering the best of himself, so that those who govern can govern.” I hope you are able to join Catholics from all the dioceses and legislative districts in Minnesota for this opportunity to expand your knowledge of how Catholics can help to shape politics, and defend life and human dignity in our culture.

U.S. Bishops Retreat

Following additional revelations this past summer regarding clergy sexual abuse and subsequent cover up by priests and bishops, Pope Francis recommended that the U.S. bishops gather for a time of prayer and retreat. Thus, taking the suggestion of our Holy Father, the bishops of the United States will be gathering January 2-8, at Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago, for a time of prayer and reflection as brothers in the episcopate. As a sign of the importance and necessity with which Pope Francis regards this retreat, he has offered the services of the preacher to the Papal Household, Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, O.F.M. Cap., who will lead the bishops retreat as retreat director.

As the Catholic Church in the United States continues to struggle with the ongoing sexual abuse scandal, this week of retreat

January 2-8, Wednesday - Tuesday All Bishops’ Retreat - Mundelein Seminary, Chicago

January 18, Friday 10 a.m. - Holy Hour 11 a.m. - Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting

January 26, Saturday 4 p.m. - Mass and Happy and Holy Marriages Dinner - Crucifixion Church, LaCrescent

January 14, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU

January 20, Sunday 10 a.m. - Mass and Installation of Pastor Fr. John Wilmot - St. Mary of the Lake Church, Lake City

January 27, Sunday 9 a.m. - Mass - St. Casimir Church, Winona 5 p.m. - Prayer Service for Life - St. John Vianney Church, Fairmont

January 15, Tuesday 10 a.m. - Annual Meeting with Ascension Health - Winona January 16, Wednesday 9:30 a.m. - Holy Hour 10 a.m. - Priest Pension Plan Board Meeting 4:45 p.m. - Vespers and Mass - IHM Seminary January 17, Thursday 10:31 a.m. - Telephone Guest on Real Presence Radio 11:30 a.m. - Holy Hour 12 p.m. - DOW-R Finance Council

January 21, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU 10:30 a.m. - 5 pm - Seminarian Interviews at IHM Seminary - Winona January 23, Wednesday 11 a.m. - Clergy Personnel Committee Meeting - Winona January 24, Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Seminarian Interviews at IHM Seminary - Winona 1 p.m. - IHM Seminary Finance Council Meeting

January 28, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU 10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Seminarian Interviews at IHM Seminary - Winona January 29, Tuesday 11 a.m. - Mass and Lunch - Catholic Schools Week - St. Felix Church, Wabasha January 30, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - Mass and Lunch - Catholic Schools Week - Sacred Heart Church, Adams

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will be a muchneeded opportunity for the bishops to reflect on the current crisis facing the Church and the best path forward, in an atmosphere of prayer and discernment. I ask that you please keep me and all my brother bishops in your prayers as we embark upon this important time of retreat.

Please pray that our Triune God may grant us wisdom in discerning our next steps forward, as we seek to bring healing and reconciliation to all the victims of clergy sexual abuse, and the entire Catholic Church in the United States.

In February 2019, our Holy Father Pope Francis will convene the Presidents of the Episcopal Conferences from all the countries of the world in Rome, to address the sexual abuse crisis in the Church. I ask that we join our hearts together in prayer for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon this gathering. Given the diversity of language, cultures, customs, and laws throughout the world, these discussions will be challenging. Come, Holy Spirit!

When news about this gathering in February becomes available, it will be reported to you in the Courier and on the webpage of our diocese.

Thank you for your continued faith and dedication during this difficult time. Blessed are all of you.

From the Bishop

�

Sincerely in Christ,

Most Rev. John M. Quinn Bishop of Winona-Rochester

January 31, Thursday 10 a.m. - Mass and Lunch - Catholic Schools Week - Lourdes High School, Rochester 1 p.m. - Holy Hour 2 p.m. - Bishop’s Cabinet Meeting February 1, Friday 10 a.m. - Mass - Catholic Schools Week Basilica of St. Stanislaus Kostka, Winona 7 p.m. - Confessions at Cor Jesu February 3, Sunday 10 a.m. - Mass - Resurrection Church, Rochester February 4, Monday 8 a.m. - Teach at SMU February 9, Saturday 4:30 pm – Unite Mass – Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester

January, 2019 w The Courier

Embrace 2019

Catholic Charities

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With Joy, Faith, Love and Determination �earWeFriends, live in turbulent and unsettling

times. We seem to speak more of what divides us than of the underlying values that unite us. We can all too readily become vindictive, harsh, and petty.

At Catholic Charities, our staff and volunteers strive to be a counterpoint to the tone and tenor of our times. We strive to double down on our mission, which is to serve the poor and marginalized, advocate for social justice, and call all people to the ministry of Christ.

Combining that determination with great joy, faith, and love, we embrace both the challenges and opportunities of 2019.

What follows is an update on our programs as we begin the new year.

Family and Individual Counseling

Our therapists help families and individuals address issues and concerns that are causing a high degree of stress in their lives. Our therapists help clients change unhealthy patterns of acting, thinking, or feeling that work to sustain problems, to more positive patterns that work to reduce or eliminate problems.

In the summer of 2018, we added a part-time therapist in our Austin office, Angela Loecke, a clinical psychologist with expertise in the field of geriatrics.

Building on that momentum, I am confident that we will add a full-time therapist in our Rochester office early in 2019.

Active Aging

The Health and Wellness segment of our Active Aging program offers volunteer-led, evidence-based exercise classes that promote health, strength, balance, and socialization for seniors. The programs, which are offered free of charge, meet a great need of the growing senior population in our 20 counties.

We anticipate that our Health and Wellness classes will continue to grow in communities throughout our diocese. We expect to exceed last year’s total of more than 1,700 people participating in our classes.

January, 2019 w The Courier

Financial Literacy Our Financial Literacy program provides low-income and vulnerable populations with basic financial knowledge instrumental to daily living. We provide participants with the information, skills, tools, and resources they need to improve their understanding of financial systems so that they can secure and maintain a better quality of life through proper money management.

While we provide education on budgeting, borrowing, savings, and the banking system, we go beyond that. We examine how our emotions, culture, peers, and family influence our spending habits and how we manage money on a daily basis.

Last year, we served 389 individuals. We hope to exceed that number this year by increasing the number of classes offered through our Rochester office. The resources to do that will likely come through grants from private foundations. While nothing is assured, we remain optimistic.

Guardian/Conservator

Our Guardian/Conservator program provides valuable assistance to people who can no longer make decisions that are necessary in order to protect themselves or their finances. Appointed by the courts to serve as the guardian/conservator, Catholic Charities is given the responsibility to manage the personal and financial affairs of these vulnerable people.

We expect that demand for services in this program will increase in 2019, just as they did last year, when we assisted 100 individuals.

Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption

Catholic Charities offers free, confidential support to those who are pregnant. We help women and men thoughtfully decide between either parenting or adoption so they can confidently pursue the best plan for themselves and their babies.

We anticipate that the number of people served will remain strong in 2019. Last year, we served more than 1,300 people.

Our Licensed Social Workers continue to staff our Pregnancy Helpline (1-800-222-5859) 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. We remain the only Catholic agency in the state of Minnesota that is licensed to do adoptive placements.

Robert Tereba

Executive Director Catholic Charities of Southern Minnesota

Onward and Upward Onward and Upward, an initiative of our Pregnancy, Parenting and Adoption program, helps low income single parents and pregnant women complete their postsecondary education, secure employment, and begin earning, for the first time ever, a livable wage. The goal is to help these young families break the cycle of poverty and achieve financial stability and self-sufficiency.

Onward and Upward started by assisting only those studying nursing at Rochester Community and Technical College. We have expanded the fields of study that applicants can pursue in order to qualify for the program, and we have made the financial assistance available through the program more timely and significant. These changes position the program to serve even more young families in 2019.

Parish Social Ministry

The Parish Social Ministry program of Catholic Charities (PSM) helps the parishes in our diocese live out the principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). The program provides leadership, education, guidance, and service to the people and institutions of our diocesan church in their task of bringing the church’s social mission to life.

We have added a PSM coordinator to serve the parishes in the Mankato Deanery. We already have a PSM coordinator in the Worthington Deanery.

A key initiative of the PSM program is to develop and foster small base communities at the parish level.

The groups meet once a week for six or eight weeks to pray, read, share, and reflect on Scripture, Church documents, or the Catechism. Three cycles of this process are completed in the span of a year.

Through this process and guided by the Holy Spirit, parishioners will grow in faith and in missionary discipleship. They will become alive in the Spirit and they will transform their lives, their parishes, and their communities.

On that note, I bring this piece to a close. You can learn more about these and other Catholic Charities programs, by visiting our website www.ccsomn.org Thank you for your prayers and support of Catholic Charities. And may God bless you and strengthen you in your compassion, generosity, and works of service to others!

I. “The Lord Calls” (#10-#13)

Todd Graff

Director of Lay Formation & RCIA tgraff@dowr.org

A Christian cannot think of his or her mission on earth without seeing it as a path of holiness, for "this is the will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Each saint is a mission, planned by the Father to reflect and embody, at a specific moment in history, a certain aspect of the Gospel.

-Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate, #19

�reetings in this Christmas Season of Joy and Hope!

Back in the November issue, I began my summary of, and reflection on, Pope Francis’ recent Apostolic Exhortation, Gaudete et Exsultate (Rejoice and Be Glad) – “On the Call to Holiness in Today’s World.” And I promised to explore this document in the coming months to allow our Holy Father to guide us in an exploration of, and reflection on, what holiness looks like in the life of a Christian disciple today.

First, a quick review to introduce the document… Pope Francis states the purpose of his apostolic exhortation quite simply:

My modest goal is to repropose the call to holiness in a practical way for our own time, with all its risks, challenges and opportunities. For the Lord has chosen each one of us "to be holy and blameless before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). (#2)

What follows are five short chapters in which the Pope reflects on different dimensions of the call to holiness.

In my previous column, I looked at the initial paragraphs of the exhortation in which Pope Francis offers his reflections on saints: both those in Heaven “who encourage and accompany us,” and those “next door” who we see and are inspired by in our day to day lives.

I would now like to move through the rest of the first chapter, section by section. The chapter is titled, “The Call to Holiness.”

Pope Francis first states, in this section, that the call to holiness is addressed to everyone, without exception. And, he quotes this rather familiar passage from the Second Vatican Council:

[A]ll the faithful, whatever their condition or state, are called by the Lord – each in his or her own way – to that perfect holiness by which the Father himself is perfect (Lumen Gentium, #11).

He then stresses that the Lord addresses this call to holiness to each of us individually and personally – i.e., in our own particular experiences and circumstances. In our walk of faith, each of us must “discern his or her own path.”

We should not seek to copy, nor become discouraged by, examples of holiness in the life and tradition of the Church that may seem “unattainable” for us.

And, in fact, such attempts may “lead us astray” from the particular and personal path of holiness that God is calling us to travel.

He summarizes this point: “We are all called to be witnesses, but there are many actual ways of bearing witness.”

II. “For You Too” (#14-#18)

Building on the points above, Pope Francis then reflects on growth in holiness according to our own vocation and situation in life. It is not necessary for us to “withdraw from ordinary affairs,” or to be “a bishop, a priest or a religious,” in order to be holy.

“We are called to be holy by living our lives with love and by bearing witness in everything we do, wherever we find ourselves.” This comes only from allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to work in our lives.

We must open all of our lives to God’s grace and “turn to him in every situation.”

The way of holiness will grow at times “through small gestures” (e.g., refusing to gossip about another, listening to our children “with patience and love," etc.), and at other times through the “great challenges” that we will encounter in our lives.

In all the experiences we have, we can seek “to perfect in an extraordinary way the ordinary things we do in life” (quoting St. Francis de Sales, Treatise on the Love of God).

III.

“Your Mission Christ” (#19-#24)

in

Our opening quote above is taken from this section, which offers a beautiful and profound

reflection on how by being united to Christ we become the “word …that God wants to speak to the world by [our] life.”

Each of us “is a mission” which finds its fullest meaning in Christ and can only be truly understood through him.

In uniting ourselves personally “to the Lord’s death and resurrection,” we come to share intimately in his own life and ministry. And, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ’s love is revealed and incarnated in our care for the outcast, in our welcome to the stranger, in our reaching out to the lost and forsaken. “In the end, it is Christ who loves in us, for ‘holiness is nothing other than charity lived to the full’” (quoting Pope Benedict XVI, April 13, 2011, General Audience).

5 Lay Formation & RCIA

Pope Francis and the Call to Holiness (Part II)

IV. “Activity that Sanctifies” (#25-#31)

Pope Francis then teaches us that we cannot understand Christ “apart from the kingdom he came to bring.” And so, in being united and identified with him as his disciples, we must demonstrate “a commitment to build with him that kingdom of love, justice and universal peace.”

It is not spiritually healthy for us “to love silence while fleeing interaction with others, to want peace and quiet while avoiding activity, to seek prayer while disdaining service.” “Pastoral engagement” is not a “distraction” from our “path to growth in holiness and interior peace.”

Our call is to integrate our activities in this world into our spiritual lives, to be “contemplatives even in the midst of action.”

V. “More Alive, More Human” (#32-#34)

Finally, as he concludes this chapter, Pope Francis echoes his predecessor, Pope Saint John Paul II, in calling for us to embrace our path to holiness with trust and confidence in the Lord: Do not be afraid of holiness. It will take away none of your energy, vitality or joy. On the contrary, you will become what the Father had in mind when he created you, and you will be faithful to your deepest self….

Do not be afraid to set your sights higher, to allow yourself to be loved and liberated by God. Do not be afraid to let yourself be guided by the Holy Spirit. Holiness does not make you less human, since it is an encounter between your weakness and the power of God’s grace.

Deo Gratias!

We need a spirit of holiness capable of filling both our solitude and our service, our personal life and our evangelizing efforts, so that every moment can be an expression of self-sacrificing love in the Lord’s eyes. In this way, every minute of our lives can be a step along the path to growth in holiness.

-Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate, #31 January, 2019 w The Courier

Faith Formation

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2018 Fall Confirmations

Sept. 9 - Bishop Quinn at St. Mary Church, Chatfield; with St. Columban Parish, Preston (1)

Sept. 16 - Bishop Quinn at Good Shepherd Church, Jackson; with St. Joseph Parish, Lakefield; St. Francis Xavier Parish, Windom; Sacred Heart Parish, Brewster; and Sacred Heart Parish, Heron Lake (2) Sept. 29 - Bishop Harrington at St. Theodore Church, Albert Lea; with St. James Parish, Twin Lakes (3) Sept. 30 - Bishop Harrington at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Currie; with St. Gabriel Parish, Fulda; St. Ann Parish, Slayton; and St. Columba Parish, Iona (4) Sept. 30 - Bishop Quinn at St. Bernard Church, Stewartville; with St. Bridget Parish, Simpson (5) Sept. 30 - Bishop Quinn at Holy Spirit Church, Rochester (6) Oct. 7 - Bishop Quinn at St. Mary Church, Ellsworth, for Confirmation and Last Mass (7)

Oct. 7 - Bishop Quinn at St. Leo Church, Pipestone; with St. Joseph Parish, Jasper; and St. Martin Parish, Woodstock (8); and St. Adrian Parish, Adrian; Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish, Wilmont; and St. Anthony Parish, Lismore (9); and St. Catherine Parish, Luverne (10) Oct. 28 - Bishop Quinn at St. Mary Church, Worthington (11) Nov. 17 - Bishop Quinn at St. John the Baptist Church, Mankato (12); with St. James Parish, St. James; and St. Mary Parish, Madelia (13)

Nov. 18 - Bishop Quinn at St. Teresa Church, Mapleton; with Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Easton; St. John the Baptist Parish, Minnesota Lake; St. Casimir Parish, Wells; St. Joseph Parish, Good Thunder; and St. Matthew Parish, Vernon Center (14) Dec. 1 - Bishop Quinn at St. Mary of the Lake Church, Lake City; with St. Patrick Parish, West Albany (15)

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Peter Martin

Director of Faith Formation and Life, Marriage & Family pmartin@dowr.org

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�e are proud of all of our young adults who were recently confirmed! We pray for a continued outpouring of the gifts of the Holy Spirit upon you all!

We look forward to the good work God will continue in you as together we work to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We pray that you will receive the grace to continually witness to Christ in your life. The world needs you to confess the name of Christ boldly, and to never be ashamed of the Cross!

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Learn How to Forgive �e doesn’t deserve it.”

Missionary Discipleship

ings occur. The bondage of unforgiveness is often unknown because people live with it so long, they “She needs to admit she’s wrong think the bondage is part of what it means to be first.” human. But it is not. Christ created us for freedom, “I could never forget what hapand the most atrocious act against us or a loved pened. So I can’t forgive it.” one does not destroy that promise and hope of a “I don’t want to give them the idea life lived in the freedom of Jesus Christ. The past that it was not so bad.” reality may be no less awful—you may have been “I just can’t do it. It hurts too sinned against in a terrible way—but that freemuch. It’s not possible.” dom is possible, real, and in sight. The path to it One of the most misunderstood involves forgiveness. realities of any Christian’s life of disOne of the most important pieces to realize is cipleship is the importance of forgivethat you are not forgiving alone. Jesus Christ can ness. Too many people don’t know lend you the power to forgive. Forgiveness, in the what it means, how to do it, and that end, is a spiritual act, a prayerful act. And Christ our spiritual life may depend on it. wants to help you forgive. There is no need to We especially don’t know the key that bareknuckle the process on your own. makes it possible: that Jesus Christ Then why is forgiving another person somewill help us. thing we avoid, dismiss, or dread?

We also tend not to realize that While it can be challenging, cooperating with living in unforgiveness is a real bondage, and God’s grace through the process of forgiveness is sometimes a felt torment. You may have heard easier when we are in a prayerful space, with othstory after story of people who have forgiven and ers praying in support. This is one reason we are found liberation in their lives; they are more open offering a retreat titled Practicing and Teaching to happiness, freer to love, even physical healForgiveness this January and February.

Within this retreat we will embrace periods of sacred silence and prayer as we Have you returned to sacramental reconciliation explore: after being away for years? Are you willing to tell oth1. what it means and does not mean ers your experience of that, through writing or through to forgive, video?

We are looking for a handful of people willing to share 2. how to forgive another person in the beauty of return to this sacrament for a Lenten initiaa prayerful way as an act of will empowtive reaching out to those who are not practicing their faith. ered by the grace of God, and Please contact Susan Windley-Daoust ASAP for a confi3. how to teach others to forgive. dential inquiry and more information: swindley@dowr.org . “

Peace is not just a dream but a gift within our reach. Living in freedom is possible, and this is part of the good news we should be equipped to share with others.

If you live in the western region of the

Windom Retreat Registration Due January 11 January, 2019 w The Courier

Susan Windley-Daoust

Director of Missionary Discipleship swindley@dowr.org

Catholic in Recovery is a nonprofit ministry that seeks to serve those suffering from addiction and unhealthy attachments.

If you are interested in attending a Catholic in Recovery group in the diocese, email Susan Windley-Daoust for a list of communities.

If you are interested in learning more about beginning a Catholic in Recovery group at your parish, please contact Susan as well. We are especially in need of someone who would consider leading a group on pornography recovery (and this may be an online group).

All inquiries are confidential. More i nfo o n C a t h o l i c i n Re cov e r y at www. catholicinrecovery.com .

diocese, you will want to attend the forgiveness retreat on January 25-26 at Shalom Hill Farm in rural Windom. The retreat begins Friday at 6pm and ends at 2pm Saturday. The retreat leaders are Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust and Dcn. Bob Yerhot.

If you live in the eastern region of the diocese, you will want to attend the forgiveness retreat on February 15-16 at Alverna Center in Winona.

This retreat begins at 7pm Friday and ends at 3pm Saturday. The retreat leaders are Dr. Susan Windley-Daoust and Fr. Jeff Dobbs.

For registration, cost, and more information, please go to www.dowr.org/calendar.html , or contact Camille Withrow at cwithrow@dowr.org .

What Is

Incarnational Evangelization?

Youth & Young Adults

Aaron Lofy

Director of Youth & Young Adults, alofy@dowr.org

�

n my last two articles in the Courier, I have laid out the foundation of how to start evangelization activity.

In November, I wrote that we are all called to the mission of evangelization and need to pray to hear our own “marching orders." Last month, I wrote about intercessory prayer, which is very powerful and allows the Holy Spirit to work in you as He prepares the way for you to act upon your “marching orders."

This month is where the practical piece of evangelization starts, and it starts with understanding incarnational evangelization.

Incarnational evangelization is what God had in mind when he sent Himself, in the person of Jesus, to us so we can have a relationship with Him. Let’s take a look into what this phrase means by breaking down the words…

Incarnation: God became man and dwelt among His people Evangelization: Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to the ends of the world This is what Jesus did with his apostles; he went “camping” with 12 men for 3 years. These 12 men followed Jesus everywhere, witnessing everything he did.

They learned and experienced everything they could from being around Jesus day and night. Jesus proclaimed God to these men through these teachings and experiences in those 3 years. Jesus gave us this model for evangelization. The first thing for us to learn is how to encounter people.

Encountering others has changed drastically in the last 10 years. With the latest technology of social media and the cell phone, we have forgotten how to encounter and communicate. If we are truly convicted that people need to know who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we need to make it a priority to talk with people faceto-face. A relationship with Jesus is not something we should take lightly, because these decisions we make

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have eternal consequences on our souls.

Below is one guide to use while encountering others (taken from https://focusoncampus.org/content/how-to-evangelize-incarnational-evangelizationmobile): INVITE

The acronym INVITE can help guide you to make a sincere gift of self in your conversations with others.

Introduce: Extend your name to the other person first: “Hi, I’m...” Your name is an extension of yourself.

As Pope St. John Paul II tells us: “Man, who is the only creature on earth which God willed for itself, cannot fully find himself except through a sincere gift of himself.” Offering a simple hello and your name is the best approach strategy.

Name: “What’s your name?” Learn their name and commit it to memory. Use it as many times as possible in the immediate conversation: It helps you build a connection with the person and sinks their name deeper into your memory. If their name fades from your mind during the encounter, ask it again and reinforce your own: “One more time, your name was...? Thanks, I’m...”

Value them as a person: This is a critical “how” step. Recognize that each individual is a unique creation who has a story and a divine purpose. Reminding yourself that this person has value because of who they are in and of themselves makes meeting new people go much more smoothly. You can show this value by listening more than you talk! It’s a small but profound way to be a gift to them.

Interest: What are their interests? Ask about hobbies, sports, books, movies, or other things that they enjoy. Seek to learn something new from every new person you meet. Look for things you hold in common and discuss them.

Tribe: Ask about their family, hometown, or places they have lived. Asking about siblings can be less fraught than asking about parents, as sometimes questions about family can touch on sensitive situations, so keep your senses on high alert. If you hit something uncomfortable, tread lightly or try to move away from those topics until a friendship has matured to the level of deeper discussion and sharing, unless they want to dive in. Be prudent here.

End or Evangelize: This step is critical! Ever met someone new where the initial conversation outlasted its comfort? These are awkward encounters, and suddenly they become challenging to continue or even end.

A good indication that you have hit this point: if, after a pause, someone breaks the silence with a “so, do you come here much?” or you find yourself backtracking to the Interest or Tribe area.

INVITE has a flow; going against the current can lead to a seemingly never-ending conversation. Avoid these feedback loops like the plague, as they may make one or both of you hesitant to connect again. Work hard to end smoothly without completely exhausting all the topics; everyone will walk away happier. Here’s an easy way to wrap up: As the conversation begins to lag, look for an opportunity to announce the end: “John, it was very nice to meet you! Maybe we can connect again in the future. (Could I get your number so I can give you a call when we are going to play basketball?)”

The Holy Spirit is always at work. Be open as Philip was, when the Spirit led him to the Ethiopian eunuch.

You be the judge: They might be giving every indication of a need for hope in their life. An encounter with Jesus could just be the beginning. “Could I share something with you that has made a big difference in my life?”

January, 2019 w The Courier

Catholic Schools

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Rochester Catholic Schools Are

Always Praying Marsha Stenzel

Superintendent of Catholic Schools mstenzel@dowr.org

Submitted by CATHY FOX-DILLON

�at rom the ringing of the playground bell to the buzzer the varsity game in the gymnasium, we pray! On

any given day at Rochester Catholic Schools, you may find students and staff gathered in prayer. Our daily conversations with God are long and short, spoken and sung, out loud and in silence, a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer, and sometimes as simple as one word that never fails: Jesus. The invocation of the holy name of Jesus is powerful and moves us closer to the truth and God’s presence. From the classroom to the celebration of the Eucharist, the practice of prayer is intuitive as we journey through our busy days. Freely, our prayers are filled with never-ending adoration, humble repentance, petitions for self and others, and in gratitude with thankful hearts knowing that prayer changes all things. Our practice of prayer effortlessly spills over to actions and good works, which lead us back to constant and heartening conversation with God in prayer.

Saint Francis of Assisi School

Our Catholic faith is rich with prayer traditions and forms. One prayer form that our school community prays on the second Tuesday of each month is Exposition, Adoration and Benediction of the Most Blessed Sacrament. We begin with the priest exposing the Blessed Sacrament after Mass. The Body of Christ is placed in a monstrance as we sing O Salutaris Hostia.

This song is part of the Liturgy of Hours composed by St. Thomas Aquinas for the feast of Corpus Christi. It is an act of adoration of Christ the Saving Victim who opened wide the gate of heaven to man below. During the day, each grade comes to church for a minimum of 15 minutes to gaze upon Christ - truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. We ponder, pray and reflect as we listen to what God is saying to each of us individually. This time of Adoration is open to the public and is a gift to our school community as we step aside from our busyness to rest in God’s presence. Later in the afternoon, the entire school community gathers in church to pray Benediction. As the priest incenses the Blessed Sacrament, we sing Tantum Ergo Sacramentum. This song is an act of adoration of the Word-made-flesh, where faith supplies for what the senses cannot perceive. The priest leads us in prayer, then a humeral veil is placed on the shoulders of the priest, and taking the monstrance, he makes the sign of the cross over all present. We pray the Divine Praises,

January, 2019 w The Courier

and Act of Reparation, then the Blessed Sacrament is reposed as we sing Te Deum, a song of praise to our Triune God. The addition of Eucharistic Adoration to our prayer life is made possible through the generosity of our priests, who commit to leading us in this special time of prayer. The school children grow in their ability to sit in silence and reflection. What a gift this prayer time has been for us - and for our school, parish and faith community!

-Principal Barb Plenge

St. John the Evangelist/St. Pius X

Prayer is an amazing gift from the Lord. As a Catholic school, we incorporate this gift into everything we do on a daily basis. Shortly after the first school bell rings, each student prays with his/her classmates. We offer prayers of thanksgiving for the wonderful treasures and people we have in our lives. We pray to ask for strength and guidance. We pray to confess our sins and ask for (and accept) the Lord’s forgiveness. We pray to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is our lord and savior. Prayer is not just something we learn about in religion class.

Prayer is incorporated into every class, every meeting, and everything we do. We pray the rosary as a group.

As a school community we do this through the “Living Rosary” at each campus of St. John the Evangelist/St. Pius X Catholic School. Through this student-led activity,

we strengthen our community and show our love for the Virgin Mary. At Rochester Catholic Schools, we have the opportunity to use the gifts and talents that our Lord has blessed us with. We get to celebrate the Eucharist as a community and share the good news with each other. We get to spread the word of the Lord through our actions. We get to strengthen our belief that each person is a child of God, deserving of respect. We convey Christ’s love in a school that prepares all students spiritually, socially, emotionally, and academically. Our churches, families, and school combine as one supportive community.

-Principal Matt Langsdale

Holy Spirit Catholic School

Prayer is as necessary as the air, as the blood in our bodies, as anything to keep us alive – to keep us alive to the grace of God. -St. Teresa of Calcutta

Prayer is the foundation of all that we do at Holy Spirit Catholic School. Our acts of service without prayer are just random acts of kindness, and our study without prayer results in merely acquiring knowledge and skills for our own good, not using them to build the Kingdom of God. To inspire a life of prayer in our students, we, the faculty and staff of Holy Spirit Catholic School, humbly strive to deepen our own prayer lives. We firmly believe that if we don’t commit to a life of fervent prayer, we will be unable to lead our students on the journey to the heart of Christ.

We cultivate a culture of prayer among our faculty and staff by: • Praying together each morning as a community.

We come together as we are - broken, exhausted, anxious, and joyful - to praise God in thanksgiving, to lift our needs to God, and to offer support for one

another, deepening our understanding of what it means to be the Body of Christ.

•

Reflecting on podcasts from Fr. Mike Schmitz. On a weekly basis, staff members have the opportunity to listen to Fr. Mike’s Sunday homily given at the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. At staff meetings, faculty members meet in small groups to reflect on and discuss Fr. Mike’s homilies with the assistance of a study guide. These conversations not only build our community, but strengthen our knowledge of the faith and how to live it in our everyday lives.

• Offering weekly resources and reflections. Each week, the school principal writes a personal reflection highlighting the intersection of faith and life in our world. Links to uplifting and informative videos help to educate staff members about the Catholic faith and to provide hope that there is light amidst the darkness that, at times, seems to envelop the world.

It is often said, “You can’t give what you don’t have.”

At Holy Spirit, we aim to deepen the faith and prayer life of our faculty and staff so that they can give students the gift of faith and the discipline of prayer to last a lifetime.

-Principal Chris Smith

Lourdes High School

Like all classes, lesson plans start with prayer but you won’t find a traditional prayer in Mr. Schreiber’s English class. Taking prayer to another level, students filled a whiteboard with note cards of favorite Scriptures that would come to life through prayer. Working together in small groups, students were challenged with creating a corporate prayer or personal devotional that was biblically based on Scripture. The exercise also taught and reinforced what students already knew about blending quotations into a surrounding text. In

-LHS English Teacher John Schreiber

Student Prayer – Freshman Class

by Olivia Skogen, Charlotte Hunt, Manuel Martinez, and Lizzie Pike

We praise your glory, power and goodness. We thank you for showing us the way to follow you “in the way [we] live, in [our] love, faith, and [our] purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).

God, help us to be humble and “seek [your] face and turn from [our] wicked ways” (1 Chr. 7:14).

Dear God, help us through our lives and help us to overcome the struggles we face every day.

Give us the strength not to worry. Help us to remember that “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present [our] request[s] to God” (Phil. 4:6).

Thank you, Lord, for being the savior and source of power, “for without [you] [we] can do nothing“ (John. 15:5).

Student Prayer - Junior Classes

by Marcus Cramer, Alex Sperry, and Lauren Murphy

We praise You, Lord, that you go “before us and will be with [us]; [you] will never leave [us] nor forsake [us]. Thank you that we [do not need to] be afraid, [and] do not [need to be] discouraged” (Deut. 31:8).

Forgive us when we sin, when we fail “to believe in the one [You have] sent” (John 6:24).

Lord, when we turn from you in our frustrations, help us to “seek peace and pursue it” (Ps. 34:14)

so that we can find calm in our everyday lives.

Sometimes we are afraid to believe in you, Lord, during hard times, but we only need to remember that You “go before [us], [and] shall fight for [us]” (Deut. 1:29-30).

Student Prayer – Senior Class

by Sam Boes and Julia Cordes Lord,

Thank You for spilling out Your generosity unto us. You teach us to be generous, allowing us to live fully, as we know that “a generous person will prosper” and that “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Prov. 11:25). By serving to us an example of altruism, You allow us to know and achieve Your will by serving our brothers and sisters on Earth.

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• Engaging in prayer for our students. Every staff member has been assigned six to eight preschool through eighth-grade students to lift up in prayer as often as they are able. We do this to consecrate our students to the Lord - to protect them, to watch over them, to keep them safe, healthy, and close to the heart of Christ. We want our students to be surrounded and held in loving prayer throughout their day.

other words, they needed to take part of the verse and incorporate it smoothly into a larger concept, but, of course, staying true to the idea of the verse. Following proper grammatical and writing practices, the group often needed to use square brackets to indicate a change in tense or a change in pronoun to allow the verse to flow naturally into the larger sentence, and the students needed to punctuate correctly and reference according to Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines.

What emerged from this simple, short project were some very well-written prayers that showed insight and spiritual maturity.

Heavenly Father, we know that You have a plan for us, and we know that we are forever in Your care.

However, we often stray from trusting in You. Forgive us for worrying about what is to come, even though we know that worrying cannot “add a single hour to our life” (Luke 12:25). Forgive us for losing faith in Your plan.

Please reveal Your everlasting wisdom to us. We know that “wisdom is like honey for [us]” (Prov.

24:14). Therefore, make our stomachs full.

Through you, we know that “there is a future” (Prov. 24:14). Grant us but a taste of Your wisdom so that we may live eternally with You. As we are to reflect Your will on earth through our actions, we know we must live “so [our] life reflects the heart” (Prov. 27:19). We work to exemplify Your values as we walk through life.

Surely, the only true answer is found in You. Amen.

Cathy Fox-Dillon provides administrative support for the director of Rochester Catholic Schools.

January, 2019 w The Courier

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Let's Get Practical �et’s get practical. What are the

Vocations

real-life concerns that young people have when entering seminary or religious life?

Here I am not speaking about the obvious reality that the only way to increase the number of vocations is to help young people follow Jesus more closely. This comes through teaching young people about God’s plan for their life, helping them grow in a community of faith that increases their knowledge of the Scriptures and Church teachings, teaching them how to pray, and encouraging them to make firm resolutions to live for God above and before any other thing in life. I am speaking in this article about the young person who is striving to grow as a faith-filled disciple. What real-life questions arise as a young man or woman is striving to discern God’s plan for the next step in living out His will?

A real practical concern that arises is his financial situation. Depending on the individual’s situation regarding any debt they may have already accrued (usually from education but sometimes from buying a home or car), this is a very practical concern. As they look ahead at paying for tuition and room and board for their seminary formation, this can be a somewhat paralyzing reality to face.

Individuals are often asked to pay off substantial debts before entering formation as well. This practical concern has many

practical remedies, but I have found it remains a rather large existential conundrum that can Rev. Jason Kern cause families or young men and women to Director of Vocations doubt their ability to move forward in God’s jkern@dowr.org will. I always encourage young people to remember that money is a practical concern and not a spiritual concern. God always opens talents? Will I be bored or otherwise unhappy? the pathway forward. If this concern is present Am I really worthy of this call? What if I fail in a young person, get them in touch with their and disappoint everyone? What if I change my vocations director, who knows what resources mind down the road? Will I be are available to assist with this able to be close to my family? obstacle.

Each man or These are the fears in various Another practical concern is forms that each person must look woman must around the family of origin and into and not run from. Each man how they will either support or face their fear or woman must face their fear by not support their son or daughter as they discern God’s will. by realizing that realizing that the ultimate truth they long for is found in Jesus Parents have become one of the Christ, and He will truly satisfy the largest obstacles to their chil- the ultimate longings of the heart. God alone dren’s discernment as they fear truth they long suffices. Trust in Him to lead you their son or daughter will not be and to show you the way forward. happy or will never give them the for is found in A final practical concern is surgrandchildren they themselves Jesus Christ, rounding the recent scandal. In my have dreamed of. Parents themconversations with young people selves must remember that God and He will about how this affects their disis the true path toward fulfillcernment so far, the answer is that ment and love and always has our truly satisfy the either they want to be a part of the best interest in mind. God calls longings of the solution and it confirms their call, some to a unique calling and to or they acknowledge that while witness to His love in the world heart. their parents might express conthrough this radical commitcerns they know that this isn’t the ment. While this is no Church they have come to know and want to small sacrifice for the family, it help lead others to Jesus and not get bogged comes with blessings in this down by all the negative news. Young people life and in the life to come are being given a gift of resiliency and are in eternity. being called by God to answer His call and be The largest practical courageous to witness to the holiness of life concerns surround the fears that is needed at this time in the Church. that arise in each individual's heart. These are questions Cast your cares upon the LORD, who will give like: How can I truly know if you support. He will never allow the righI am called? Will I be lonely? teous to stumble.

Will I be loveless? Can I be happy -Ps 55:23 without a wife/husband and chilGod will take care of those who trust in dren? Will I lose my autonomy and Him. In your concerns, trust in Him and He individuality? Will I be wasting my will act! Give Him both the practical real-life concerns and the theoretical fears that arise in your heart. God answers our prayers.

January, 2019 w The Courier

Divorced by Another Dear Jenna, There is a young acquaintance who has been divorced by his wife. He spent a full year and a lot of money trying to convince her to not go through with the divorce and to stay in the marriage, but she went through with it anyway. Mark 10:11-12 says, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and the woman who divorces her husband and marries another commits adultery.” I would interpret this to mean that the man is free to remarry because he was the one divorced by his wife. If this is not the case, does that mean that the Church continues to punish him by not allowing him to marry again?

�ear Roy,

–Roy McCabe

First of all, I would like to say how sorry I am to hear of your friend’s divorce. Situations like this one are truly tragic. However, the short answer to your question is that, although your acquaintance was not the one who caused or initiated the divorce, simply being the abandoned spouse in this kind of scenario does not automatically grant one the right to remarry.

Mark 10:11-12 is communicating a few things to us. First of all, it tells us that divorce—as in, the real ending of a once-valid marriage—is simply not possible. Jesus tells us that attempted remarriage following a divorce is actually not a second marriage, but is rather adultery. If such a relationship is in fact adultery, i.e. the infidelity of one

spouse against the other, this means that the unrelated to marriage (e.g., faking a first marriage is still binding in God’s eyes. marriage for financial gain or to secure Secondarily, by calling divorce and remarriage a favorable immigration status, etc.). “adultery,” Jesus is underscoring the sinfulness On the other hand, partial simulaof such relationships and warning us not to enter tion is when a person excludes some into them. essential aspect of marriage, traditionWhat this passage of the Gospel is not telling ally referred to as one of the “goods” us is that adultery somehow ends a marriage, (or, in Latin, the bona, or bonum in the or that the innocent party in this kind of broken singular) of marriage. From a technical marriage is free to act as if he or she is no longer canonical perspective, there are four married. “goods” of marriage. The three most But, this certainly is not meant as a “punishbasic are: fidelity, permanence, and ment!" Rather, the inability for divorced couples openness to new life. A fourth bonum (who have not received a declaration of nullity) of marriage is often identified as “the to remarry is simply a logical consequence of good of the spouses,” which means how we as Catholics understand the essential respect for one’s spouse’s human dignature of marriage. That is, if we truly believe nity and a fundamental desire for their that a valid, consummated sacramental martrue well-being. riage is an absolutely permanent union, it only For a marriage to be invalid on makes sense that someone once married would account of partial simulation, at the be bound to the obligations of marriage as long time of the exchange of matrimonial consent a as the other spouse is alive, even if the person must make a “positive act of the State regards them as “divorced” will”—or, in other words, they must Do you for civil purposes. If the Church have a specific and deliberate que hav sti e c o a a were to regard adultery or intention in their mind—to not n n abo y o u on law u any other sinful behavior as fulfill one of these essential t that to s w o u l d truly ending a marriage, this aspects of marriage. Basically, e h e r e answ l i k e would severely undermine partial simulation is when a j c o o e ? E m ered our beautiful teachings on bride or groom more or less per@ a i the enduring permanence “fakes” one of their wedding l with dow r. o r g " of marriage. vows.

C o que stio u r i e r That being said, in Of course, because judges n " in the some relatively rare cases, and tribunal staff can’t read subj ect adultery can be a sign that minds or souls, proving partial line . the marriage in question was simulation during a nullity trial never valid in the first place. One can be difficult. Still, one thing that ground for invalidity is “simulation” comes into question in these kinds of (see can. 1101 §2), in which at least one cases is whether the supposed simulator of the parties in a marriage “…by a positive act of actually had a motive to simulate (since people the will excludes marriage itself, some essential don’t just “fake” one of their wedding vows for element of marriage, or some essential property no reason); and also whether they had a motive of marriage." Total simulation is excluding for having a marriage ceremony in the first marriage itself, such as when someplace (since again, there would have to be some one enters into a sham marriage particular reason for bothering to have a wedin order to secure some benefit ding if you secretly knew ahead of time that you wouldn’t be “all in” for the marital relationship).

Another thing canon lawyer-judges look for is whether the supposed simulator has a demonstrable history of behavior which is consistent with the kind of partial simulation that is alleged in a given nullity case.

So, if a petitioner in a marriage nullity trial comes to us recounting stories of his wife’s adultery, depending on the unique circumstances of the particular case at hand, this might prompt us to investigate whether it’s possible the marriage could be null on account of partial simulation against the good of fidelity on the wife’s part. But in such a scenario, the adultery itself is merely a “symptom.” That is, it might—or might not—indicate the underlying “disease” of an invalid marriage.

Ask a Canon Lawyer

Jenna Cooper

Tribunal Coordinator & Judge jcooper@dowr.org

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Faith in the Public Arena

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After 2018, Does the Church Have

A "Bigger Agenda?"

�n the aftermath of this summer’s revelations of

sex abuse and cover-up in the Church, there is a tendency for Catholics to slip into an either-or way of thinking about how to respond: either we cannot “get back to work” until we have adequately addressed the crisis, or we cannot spare the time to respond to the scandals because the

Pray for and Meet Your Legislators On Tuesday, February 19, 2019, Catholics from across Minnesota are coming together for life and human dignity at Catholics at the Capitol.

This day of prayer, inspiration, education, and advocacy will equip you to be an effective witness for life and dignity in the public arena.

You will hear the inspirational witness of actor Jim Caviezel, Archbishop Charles Chaput, music missionary Danielle Rose, and EWTN radio host Gloria Purvis.

You will also learn about policy issues affecting life and dignity, and then meet with your legislators at the State Capitol.

Seating is limited so don’t delay! To register and to find more details on busing, the day’s schedule, student pricing, ways to spread the word, and sponsorship opportunities, visit: www.CatholicsAtTheCapitol.org.

Registration closes on Sunday, February 3 at 11:59 p.m.

January, 2019 w The Courier

Sarah Spangenberg

Communications Associate Minnesota Catholic Conference

Church’s mission is too urgent.

But this is a false dichotomy; what we need is an integrated response, marked by conversion, deeper faithfulness, and increased love of God and neighbor.

A Bigger Agenda?

“The Pope has a bigger agenda,” Cardinal Blase Cupich recently responded to a reporter’s question about the abuse crisis. “He’s got to get on with other things—of talking about the environment and protecting migrants and carrying on the work of the Church. We’re not going to go down a rabbit hole on this.”

Some have responded to Cupich’s comment (and others like it) by arguing exactly the opposite: that the Church should not invest its resources in anything else until the abuse is cleaned up. Catholic teaching and missionary credibility has been so undermined, so the argument goes, that it all must be put on hold until we solve this particular problem.

In both cases, something essential is abandoned: on the one hand, the urgent need for reform within the Church; on the other, the equally urgent call of Christ to proclaim the Good News and to serve our neighbor.

Although it seems we must choose one side or the other, this is actually not the case. It is not an either-or scenario. Rather, we need deep renewal in the Church—renewal that can root out sin and corruption, reform broken structures, and restore our relationships with God and our neighbor.

We Are Still Called to Serve

To be clear, there is no task more urgent right now—no bigger agenda—than for the Church to purify itself and restore its credibility; there are practical steps to be taken. Implementing new structures of accountability is necessary.

Removing persons from ministry who harm

others (or protected those who did) is necessary. Atoning for sin and combating a culture of corruption is essential.

But we are not dispensed from worshipping God and loving our neighbor while doing so. Our standing orders to serve the poor, teach the faith, evangelize, and administer the sacraments are still in effect. What good would it do, for example, if the Church cancelled its Sunday liturgies until further notice while we respond to the crisis?

“The work of the Church” must indeed go on. We are still responsible to contribute to the common good by witnessing to the faith, proposing a way of life informed by the Gospel, and serving the most vulnerable in our midst. And that includes engaging our public officials to enact policies that serve human dignity.

Politics is, after all, an important mode of service and one of the highest forms of charity, as Pope Francis outlines in his 2019 World Day of Peace message.

Overcoming the Crisis with Greater Love

Although “one-stop” solutions to the challenges we face as a Church are often appealing, they rarely bring about lasting change. It would be unwise to go into lockdown mode, sacrificing apostolic work, teaching and preaching, social ministries, and public engagement in the meantime.

In other words, we have to continue to preach the Gospel in word and in deed. With humility, for sure—but still we must bring the Gospel to every periphery and place in the ways that the Church has always done, most notably through the works of mercy.

Civic engagement, in particular, is an important expression of our love and faithfulness to God, His people, and the world in these difficult times. We do, in fact, as Cardinal Cupich noted, need to keep working in the public arena on environmental initiatives, on comprehensive immigration reform, and on passing good laws that protect life and support human flourishing.

This is not ignoring the ecclesial crisis and embracing some “bigger agenda.” Instead, by coupling much needed internal reform with our sustained presence in the public square, we can restore the evangelical credibility of the Church and thereby fulfill the call to be light and salt to the world.

Obituaries

Sr. Irene Feltz (Leon Marie), SSND, 91, professed in 1951, died December 15, 2018, at Good Counsel in Mankato.

A native of Winona, she attended St. Stanislaus grade school and Cathedral High School and graduated from the College of St. Teresa in 1949. She entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1949 and professed first vows in 1951.

Sister M. Lucia Aschenbrener, SSND, 90, professed in 1950, died December 28, 2018, at Good Counsel in Mankato.

A native of Spokane, WA, she entered the School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1947 and professed first vows in 1950.

She served as a primary and middlegrade teacher in Catholic schools in three states. In the Diocese of WinonaRochester, she taught at Ss. Peter & Paul, Mankato (1971-76). Her last 35 years of ministry were spent in St. Cloud, where she taught, tutored, visited the homebound and companioned the elderly.

An accomplished artist, she was known especially for her watercolor paintings and her ability to transform photographs into very realistic pencil sketches.

She is survived by her nieces and nephews and their families; her friends, colleagues and former students; and her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates. She was preceded in death by her parents, Casper and Leona (Werner) Aschenbrener; her sisters, Ann Hill, Elaine Salvesen, Maree Smith and Sylvia Elkin; and her brothers, LeRoy and Casper.

The funeral liturgy, with Fr. Eugene Stenzel as presider, was held January 4 in Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel, followed by burial in the Good Counsel Cemetery.

Magi,

cont'd from pg. 2 in worldly pomp, but in the luminous poverty of Bethlehem,” Pope Francis urged. “If we can do this, his light will shine upon us.”

Following Mass, Pope Francis led the customary Sunday Angelus from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square. In his reflection, he focused on the birth of Jesus, “symbolized by light.”

Quoting from the Book of Isaiah, Francis said, “Arise, be clothed with light, for your light is coming, the glory of the Lord shines upon you.”

“This invitation, today, also resonates for us who have celebrated the Birth of Jesus and encourages us to let ourselves be reached by the light of Bethlehem,” he said.

Noting how the coming of the magi contrasts with Herod and the scribes of Jerusalem, who had hard hearts, he said that even today many have closed their hearts to people in need.

The magi, however, bowed before Jesus, offering him their

gifts of gold, incense and myrrh, “because the search for the Lord implies not only perseverance on the path, but also generosity of the heart,” he explained.

Then, returning to their own country, the magi went by another way, he said, adding that this happens during personal conversions too. “Every time a man or a woman meets Jesus, he changes his ways, comes back to life in a different way, he is renewed.”

“Us too, let’s make a little silence in our heart and let ourselves be illuminated by the light of Jesus that comes from Bethlehem,” he said. “We do not allow our fears to close our hearts, but we have the courage to open ourselves to this light that is gentle and discreet.”

15

In the Diocese

Sister Margaret (Marg) Kiefer, OSF, 94, a Franciscan Sister of the Congregation of Our Lady of Lourdes, Rochester, died at Assisi Heights on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

Margaret Ellen Kiefer was born September 29, 1924, in Elwood, IN, to John and Sarah (Russell) Kiefer.

She entered the Sisters of St. Francis in 1947 from St. Joseph Parish, Elwood.

Sister Marg made first vows in 1949 and perpetual vows in 1952. She received a bachelor’s degree from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, in 1946 and a master’s degree from St. Mary’s University, Winona, in 1960.

For 22 years, Sister Marg taught secondary education at several Catholic schools in southern Minnesota: St. John, Caledonia; St. Mary, Sleepy Eye; MacGill Institute, Lake City; Sacred Heart, Waseca; and Cotter High School, Winona. She also was a secondary education teacher at Notre Dame High School in Portsmouth, OH, and Sacred Heart High School in Norfolk, NE. Following her years of teaching, Sister Marg served in pastoral ministry in various locations: Hartford City, IN; Catholic Worker Farm in New York; Alabama Prison Project, Montgomery; Catholic Worker House in Colorado Springs, CO; and also in a soup kitchen and hospitality House in Colorado Springs. Sister Marg found her deeper calling in missionary ministry to the poor of other cultures: San Miguel, Estanquelas, El Salvador 1988-92; Santo Domingo and San Miguel, Peru 1988-92; Sondor Huancabamba, Chulucanas, Peru 1996-99; and Colegio Anexo San Francisco de Asís, Bogotá, Colombia 2000-15. She retired to Assisi Heights in 2015 and continued to serve the homeless as she was able at Dorothy Day House. She enjoyed meeting people and participated in many activities and programs at Assisi Heights.

Sister Marg is survived by her Franciscan Congregation, with whom she shared life for 71 years, and several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her parents; brothers, Mark, Jeremiah and Edward Kiefer; and sisters, Gretchen Kiefer and Marqueena KieferCleaver.

The Funeral Mass was Thursday, December 13, in Lourdes Chapel, followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery, Rochester.

She served first as a Catholic high school teacher, primarily of Latin and Spanish, until 1983. Her second ministry was that of missionary to Patzun, Guatemala, from 1983-87.

She then provided community service at the SSND Generalate in Rome until 1992. At that time, she was appointed archivist for the Mankato SSND province, a position she held until 2006. During her retirement years, she volunteered in the archives and spent one year as an English teacher with SSNDs in Hungary.

She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Manhart of Caledonia; her nieces and nephews and their families; her friends, colleagues and former students; and her sisters in community, the School Sisters of Notre Dame and SSND Associates.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Leon and Mary (Skorlinski) Feltz; sisters Modesta (Maud) Kiesling, Helen Grulkowski, Esther Fehrman, and Marion Wamhoff; and her brothers, Edmund, Henry, Joseph, Albert and Leon.

The funeral liturgy, with Fr. Eugene Stenzel as presider, was held December 20 in Our Lady of Good Counsel Chapel.

Burial of her cremains will follow in the Good Counsel Cemetery at a later date.

The Courier Crossword

By W.R. CHESTER

Down

5. Highest hymn of praise

4. Altar alert

Across

2. Uncreated energies 6. Highly Respectable 8. Not Timothy

11. Virtuous hinge

12. Ecclesiastical community 13. Fathers of Asia Minor

14. Martin County patron

1. Vocational beckoning 3. Papal note

7. Proper chant

9. God made manifest

10. Posthumously taught an Ox 12. Symbol of Faith

Answers in next month's Courier!

15. Secondary Episcopal founder

January, 2019 w The Courier

16

Stand Under Area CCWs Pack t h e N C C W Boxes of Joy Umbrella

By JEANETTE FORTIER

�any years ago, a friend gave me

In the Diocese

an advertisement from a magazine. It was of a framed picture that read: "If the three wise men were three wise women, they would have brought…" I’ve lost the advertisement, but I remember the first gift was a casserole. You can use your imagination as to what the other gifts might have been! I think of those wise men, all they encountered and endured to find Christ. I imagine as well, how they had to work together to reach Bethlehem.

In reading “National Council Of Catholic Women: The First 75 Years” by Ruth L. O’Halloran, I’m learning about other wise men and women: Paulist Father John J. Burke, who started to organize Catholic women; Fr. John M. Cooper, who hired women field workers to fan out across the country to gather information about Catholic women’s organizations (By October of 1918, those field workers found 4,470 groups, not including individual parish organizations.); and the wise bishops and archbishops who sent women to represent their dioceses for the first national meeting on March 4, 1920.

What did those wise men give us? An umbrella!

The national organizing of women was not established to take away the identity of existing groups; it was to give them a “common voice and an instrument for united action.” Coming together under the umbrella of NCCW empowered these women to respond as Catholics to needs in society.

And what about wise women? I’ll give you three: Gertrude Hill Gavin (daughter of St. Paul’s James Hill) headed the constitution committee; Mrs. O’Toole (from St. Paul) made the motion to have the constitution adopted); and Agnes Regan served as the first executive secretary of NCCW. These women displayed intelligence, dedication, and labored without pause for the establishment and success of the Council. These women gave us the gift of NCCW. In 2020, NCCW will celebrate its 100th anniversary. The Diocese of Winona-Rochester did not affiliate until 1942; we have a few years to go before our 100th. There are many wise men in our midst: our diocesan moderators Frs. Leo and Urban Neudecker, Msgr. Roy Literski, Fr. LaVern Trocinski, and Msgr. Tom Hargesheimer. The many wise women? Our area presidents; Cindy Heimer (Austin), Diana Scott (Blue Earth), Linda Thesing (Caledonia), Martha Arnold (Owatonna), Jackie Mickow (Rochester), Cindy Meling (Slayton), and Barb Hussong (Worthington). The gifts they bring?

Spirituality, Leadership, and Service.

Make the journey. Don’t go it alone. You’re welcome to stand under my NCCW umbrella. Bring your gifts. Mary, the Mother of God, welcomes you.

It will be a wondrous adventure!

Jeanette Fortier is the president of the WinonaRochester Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

Contact her at fortierjeanette@gmail.com to learn how you or other women at your parish can become involved in the Council of Catholic Women.

January, 2019 w The Courier

By CINDY HEIMER

AUSTIN--For a second year, the Austin Area Council of Catholic Women participated in the Cross Catholic Outreach Box of Joy project.

Cross Catholic Outreach is an official Catholic mission with a focus on helping the priests and nuns serving overseas fulfill their mission of helping the poor.

The goal of the project is to help American Catholics send Christmas presents to the poorest children of the world. The gifts that are sent have a profound impact, showing desperately poor children that they have value and reason for hope.

This year the Worthington Area Council of Catholic Women also participated in the project. St. Patrick’s

Join the MCCL March for Life

By BILL POEHLER

�unborn atholics who would like to help save the lives of children and to protect their mothers from the

devastation of abortion can make a real difference on Tuesday, Jan. 22, when the annual MCCL March for Life will begin at 12 p.m. on the State Capitol grounds.

The 2019 March for Life, sponsored by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL), commemorates the 46th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton U.S. Supreme Court decisions that legalized abortion throughout all nine months of pregnancy. These rulings have resulted in the deaths of more than 60 million unborn children, including more than 635,000 in Minnesota.

“Abortion is the greatest human rights issue of our time,” said MCCL Executive Director Scott Fischbach.

“We encourage Catholics throughout Minnesota to

Catholic Church of LeRoy wholly embraced the project and collected 101 boxes from its parishioners. An impressive 435 boxes were collected and shipped this year. Cross Catholic’s goal nationally is 75,000 boxes.

The boxes are filled with small toys and other basic items such as soap, toothbrush-toothpaste, small clothing items or possibly hard candy. Many families and church communities enclosed family pictures, cards and letters explaining about their families and community.

Children in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Nicaragua who have never had a new shirt to wear or a new toy will experience Christmas.

The gifts show God’s unconditional love and spark joy in a poor child’s life. Such acts of love change lives.

Mostly importantly, the Box of Joy is symbolic of God’s greatest gift, his Son Jesus Christ. Another year will allow us to continue this joyous work – please join.

Cindy Heimer is the president of the Austin Area Council of Catholic Women.

speak up for the sanctity of human life by participating in the MCCL March for Life.”

Each year on Jan. 22, citizens march and call on lawmakers to enact protective legislation. Citizens can encourage their lawmakers to attend the MCCL March for Life. Prominent pro-life state and national officials are expected to attend the march.

Every pro-life voice is needed to demonstrate that the pro-life movement is as strong as ever! Help make this the largest, most effective MCCL March for Life by attending this one-hour event with your family and friends. Marchers will be provided with pro-life signs on the Capitol Mall. In case of severe weather, check the MCCL website (www.mccl.org) and Twin Cities news outlets or contact MCCL at mccl@mccl.org or 612-8256831.

Remember: The MCCL March for Life begins at 12 noon on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at the State Capitol. Buses will come from across Minnesota; watch your local paper for details. For more information, visit www.mccl.org, e-mail mccl@mccl.org or call 612-825-6831. See you there!

Bill Poehler is the communications director for Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life

Marchers gather at the Minnesota State Capitol for the 2017 MCCL March for Life on Jan. 22, 2017.

Kids,

cont'd from pg. 1

Epiphany, cont'd from pg. 1

Over time, the Western Church separated the remaining feasts into their own celebrations, leaving the celebration of the Epiphany to commemorate primarily the Visitation of the Magi to see the newborn Christ on Jan. 6. Meanwhile, the Eastern Churches' celebration of Theophany celebrates Christ’s baptism and is one of the holiest feast days of the liturgical calendar.

Roman Traditions

The celebration of the visitation of the Magi – whom the Bible describes as learned wise men from the East – has developed its own distinct traditions throughout the Roman Church.

As part of the liturgy of the Epiphany, it is traditional to proclaim the date of Easter and other moveable feast days to the faithful – formally reminding the Church of the importance of Easter and the resurrection to both the liturgical year and to the faith.

Other cultural traditions have also arisen around the feast. Dr. Matthew Bunson, EWTN Senior Contributor, told CNA about the “rich cultural traditions” in Spain, France, Ireland and elsewhere that form an integral part of the Christmas season for those cultures.

In Italy, La Befana brings sweets and presents to children not on Christmas, but on Epiphany. Children in many parts of Latin America, the Philippines, Portugal, and Spain also receive their presents on “Three Kings Day.” Meanwhile, in Ireland, Catholics celebrate “Women's Christmas” – where women rest from housework and cleaning and celebrate together with a special meal.

Epiphany in Poland is marked by taking chalk – along with gold, incense and amber – to be blessed at Mass. Back at home, families will inscribe the first part of the year, followed by the letters, “C+M+B+” and then the last numbers of the year on top of every door in the house.

The letters, Bunson explained, stand for the names traditionally given to the wise men – Casper, Melchior and Balthazar – as well as for the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat,” or, “Christ, bless this house.”

In nearly every part of the world, Catholics celebrate Epiphany with a Kings Cake: a sweet cake that sometimes contains an object like a figurine or a lone nut.

In some locations, the lucky recipient of this prize either gets special treatment for the day, or they must then hold a party at the close of the traditional Epiphany season on Feb. 2.

These celebrations, Bunson said, point to the family-centered nature of the feast day and of its original celebration with the Holy Family. The traditions also point to what is known – and what is still mysterious – about the Magi, who were the first gentiles to encounter Christ. While the Bible remains silent about the wise men’s actual names, as well as how many of them there were, we do know that they were clever, wealthy, and, most importantly, brave.

“They were willing to take the risk in order to go searching for the truth, in what they discerned was a monumental event,” he said, adding that the Magi can still be a powerful example.

Lastly, Bunson pointed to the gifts the wise men brought – frankincense, myrrh and gold – as gifts that point not only to Christ’s divinity and his revelation to the Magi as the King of Kings, but also to his crucifixion.

In giving herbs traditionally used for burial, these gifts, he said, bring a theological “shadow, a sense of anticipation of what is to come.”

Revelation of God

17

In the Diocese

child of one’s own, and difficulty of balancing family and career.

Anthony Granado, director of the Office of Domestic Social Development for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that while the data may seem surprising, it is consistent with other recent studies on the economy and American families.

He pointed to a 2017 study by the Federal Reserve showing that 40 percent of Americans would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency expense, without borrowing from someone or selling a possession.

While the economy has turned around since the Great Recession, Granado told CNA, this doesn’t show the whole picture.

“If you’re only looking at GDP as your sense of economic progress in the country, you’re missing how the unemployed, underemployed and poor people are faring in the country,” he said.

Although unemployment rates are at historic lows, Granado said, many of the jobs that have been created have been low-wage or part time jobs, with few to no benefits.

And while there has been an uptick in overall U.S. wages, the largest wage growth has come for the top 10 percent of Americans, he said, while those with lower incomes have seen their wages increase at a slower rate than the cost of living.

Recent data from the Department of Labor indicates that the cost of living in the United States is increasing at its fastest pace in a decade. Soaring costs of college tuition have left many graduates with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt, and increasing housing, health care and child care costs in many parts of the country compound financial struggles.

“Therefore, you have in effect a loss of wages, a loss of buying power. This is clearly affecting families…average and lower income people are not doing as well,” Granado said.

“If you don’t have the economic means or the benefits through your employer to help provide those things, people are definitely going to be dis-incentivized to have children, which is a bad thing, because we want to promote flourishing families.”

Family structure may also be playing a role in financial well-being, as marriage rates have declined in recent years.

“Marriage is definitely associated with greater financial stability for families,” said Dr. Scott Stanley, research professor and co‑director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver.

This is partly because “those with better resources are much more likely to marry than those with less,” but the nature of marriage is also relevant, he told CNA. A February report from the Institute for Family Studies – where Stanley serves as a senior fellow – found that only 50 percent of children in the U.S. are currently being raised by both their married biological parents throughout childhood.

Of the other 50 percent, nearly half are being raised by just one parent. The IFS report also highlighted the “abundant evidence” that children fare better when both of their biological, married parents raise them throughout childhood.

“Married couples have usually formed a much clearer commitment to a future together than cohabiting, non-married couples,” Stanley said. “Having a future together reinforces approaching money (and life)

as a team. Hence, the greater commitment to a future makes it more likely that a couple will manage money effectively and develop assets for the future.”

In addressing the complex causes of financial insecurity, there is no silver bullet, Granado said.

“Everyone has a role to play in the common good,” he explained. This includes individuals, families, organizations, companies, and government.

“There is a definite positive, proactive role for the government, the public authority,” Granado said. “This has been a hallmark of Church social teaching for centuries.”

This does not mean that the Church advocates for a state-centered society, he clarified – there is a need for charitable acts and individual responsibility.

“But at the end of the day, even if you look at the numbers Catholic Charities has across the country, there are so many people [in need], they are not able to help everybody, they just don’t have those resources,” he said.

“So long as people are not making the wages necessary to care for themselves and their families, there has to be something there to assist them.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has been calling on the federal government to address wages and other factors causing families to struggle, Granado said.

“We’ve been looking at things like affordable housing, access to nutrition programs, labor questions, criminal justice reform.”

The Hernons – who today have 10 kids and run The Messy Family project and podcast – offered suggestions for those who want to have children but are concerned about their financial situation.

They cautioned against allowing materialism and the allure of Pinterest-perfect purchases to blur the lines between wants and needs.

Kids can share bedrooms, clothes and toys, and a 16-year-old does not need their own car, Alicia said. Shopping at thrift stores and making gifts instead of buying them are other creative ways that families can save money, she added.

As the kids get older, they also contribute, the Hernons said. By the time their kids reach their mid-teens, they pay for their own cell phones, non-essential clothes and video games. This not only eases the financial burden on the family, but also teaches the children hard work, responsibility, and wise money management.

Families may need to forego expensive vacations and opt for simple birthday celebrations, such as a water balloon fight in the backyard rather than an expensive party, the Hernons said. But ultimately, these sacrifices are what make parents into better people.

They advised couples to discuss finances before marriage to make sure they are on the same page about their goals. They also recommended living on a single income when a couple is first married, so one parent can more easily stop working or cut back on hours once children are born.

Trusting God is also critical, they said.

“One of the things I’ve found is that saying yes to God’s gift of life has always come with blessings,” Mike reflected.

Ultimately, he said, the Church must remind society of the true value of children and family life.

“I think that we [as a culture] have lost a real sense of the joys of family life, in that we are seeing the financial burden first, rather than the joy in it,” he said. “As Catholics, we need to do a more effective job of sharing and celebrating the joy of family life.”

Fr. Hezekias Carnazzo explained to CNA the significance of the feast of the Theophany – and of Christ’s Baptism more broadly – within the Eastern Catholic churches.

“In our Christian understanding in the East, we are looking at creation through the eyes of God, not so much through the eyes of Man,” Fr. Carnazzo said.

In the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, he continued, there is special divine significance.

With this feast day, the pastor explained, “God has come to reclaim us for himself.” Because of original sin, he continued, humanity has inherited “a human nature which has been dislocated from its source of life.”

Parts of creation such as water have also been separated from their purpose and connection to God’s plan for life, Fr. Carrazzo said, because its original purpose is not just to sustain our bodies, but our souls as well.

“With the fall, however, it has been dislocated from its source of life, it is under the dominion of death- it doesn’t have eternal life anymore. So God comes to take it to himself.”

“What Jesus did was to take our human nature and do with it what we could not do – which is, to walk it out of death, and that’s exactly what He did with His baptism.” As it is so linked to the destruction of death and reclaiming of life, the Feast of Theophany is also very closely linked to the Crucifixion – an attribute that is reflected in Eastern iconography of both events as well.

The feast of the Theophany celebrates not only Christ’s conquering of sin through baptism, but also God’s revelation of Christ as his Son and the beginning of Christ’s ministry. “The baptism of the Lord, just like the Nativity, is not just a historical event: it’s a revelation,” Fr. Carrazzo said.

To mark the day, Eastern Catholics begin celebrations with Divine Liturgy at the Church, which includes a blessing of the waters in the baptistry. After the water is blessed, the faithful drink the water, and bring bottles of water to bring back to their homes for use and not only physical but spiritual healing, he explained. Many parishes hold feasts after Liturgy is over. In many Middle Eastern cultures, people also fry and eat awamat – dough that is fried until it floats, and then is covered in honey.

During the Theophany season, priests also try to visit each home in the parish to bless the house with Holy Water that was blessed at Theophany. Fr. Carrazzo invited all Roman Catholics to come and become familiar, “to be part of a family,” and join in celebrating Eastern Catholic traditions.

January, 2019 w The Courier

SUBMISSION to the calendar Please note: submission deadline is the 10th of the month prior to the month of publication.

All submissions must be sent electronically to nreller@dowr.org by the deadline to assure receipt and possible inclusion in the events calendar.

Thank you for understanding that, due to space limitations, not all events nor story submissions will fit; however, we strive to include as many as possible.

A current list of events is also available at www.dowr.org.

Regular Prayer Mass for Life & Marriage is held at St. Mary Church in Winona the first Thursday each month at 8:30 a.m.

Holy Hour of Prayer for Life, Marriage & Religious Liberty is held first Saturday each month 8:30-9:30 a.m. (after Mass for Life & Marriage) in the Cathedral's Adoration Chapel, 360 Main Street, Winona. The Blessed Sacrament is exposed and a rosary offered. All welcome.

Prayer Vigil & Public Witness Against Abortion is held 3-4 p.m. Tuesdays in front of Semcac Clinic (delegate of Planned Parenthood) at 76 W 3rd Street in Winona. Contact: Patty 507-429-4636 Masses of Reparation for Sins in the Diocese are held daily in parishes throughout the diocese. Info: cb@wabashaemail.com Cor Jesu is held at the Cathedral in Winona, 7-9 p.m. the first Friday each month, September through May. Cor Jesu is an evening of Eucharistic Adoration, Confessions, and music in honor of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All are welcome to attend! For more details, search for Winona Cor Jesu on Facebook, visit cascwinona.org/prayer/corJesu, or call Kristopher Kaufman (859-7601619) or Steven Lehn (507-312-9041).

Traditional Latin Mass Chatfield, St. Mary, 1st & 3rd Sun. 1 pm Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul, Sundays 4:15 pm Wabasha, St. Felix, Saturdays 9 am

The Televised Mass

Other Events Co-Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Rochester January 13, Sunday Cello and organ duo recital at 2:30 p.m. The Syvati Duo will offer a recital including works by Vivaldi, J.S. Bach, Rheinberger and Piazzolla. This duo, made up of cellist Rebecca Hewes and organist Julian Collings, is the only regular cello and organ duo in the United Kingdom and has gained an outstanding reputation around the world. Open to the public. Freewill offerings accepted.

St. Charles Borromeo Church, St. Charles January 17, Thursday Filming of the Diocesan Televised Mass. 10 a.m. filming Mass to air 2/3 with Fr. Tim Biren. 11 a.m. filming Mass to air 2/10 with Fr. Tim Biren.

1 p.m. filming Mass to air 2/17 with Fr. Bill Kulas. 2 p.m. filming Mass to air 2/24 with Fr. Bill Kulas. All are welcome. Help us present a full church to our viewers!

Church of the Resurrection, Rochester January 18, Friday Catholic Evangelization Outreach presents Scott Schwalbe, who will tell his witness story at 7 p.m. Scott's conversion has been gradual. He now realizes that God was always there, and, when he was open, God rushed toward him. Light refreshments will follow Scott's story. Childcare will be provided. No cost, no registration, and all are welcome. 1600 11th Ave SE in Rochester.

Offered as a service for the homebound every Sunday on the following stations: KTTC, Channel 10 (Rochester) at 9 a.m.; KEYC, Channel 12 (Mankato) at 7:30 a.m; & KEYC-DT2, Digital Channel 12.2 or Charter Channel 19 (Mankato) at 9:30 a.m.

Donations for the continuation of this program may be sent to: Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Attn: TV Mass, PO Box 588, Winona MN 55987.

Hispanic Priests / Sacerdotes Hispanos Padre José Morales Capellán en la Mayo Clinic, Rochester Tel. 507-266-7275 Padre Luis Alfonso Vargas Vicario Parroquial de St. Francis of Assisi, Rochester frluisvargasdw@gmail.com Tel. 507-288-7313 Padre Javier Ibarra IVE Párroco de SS. Peter and Paul, Mankato Tel. 507-388-2995 ext. 103

Padre Miguel Eduardo Proaños Vicario Parroquial de St. Mary, Worthington frmiguel2005@yahoo.com Tel. 507-375-3542 Padre Raul Silva Vicario de la Pastoral Hispana en la diócesis de Winona Y Párroco de Queen of Angels, Austin PadreRaulSilva@gmail.com Tel. 507-433-1888

Spanish Mass Schedule Albert Lea, St. Theodore Mankato, Ss. Peter & Paul St. Charles, St. Charles Borromeo 11 am Sun. 1 pm Sun. 7 pm Sat. Austin, Queen of Angels Owatonna, Sacred Heart St. James, St. James 11 am Sun.; 5:15 pm Fri. 11:45 am Sun. 12 pm Sun. Windom,St.FrancisXavier Lake City, St. Mary Pipestone, St. Leo 11:30 am Sun. 6:30 pm each 3rd Sat. 2:30 pm Sun. (bilingual) Worthington, St. Mary Madelia, St. Mary Rochester, St. Francis 7 pm Sat.; 11 am Sun.; 7 pm Sat. Noon Sun. & 7 pm Thurs. 6:30 pm Tues. & Fri. January, 2019 w The Courier

St. Thomas More Newman Center, Mankato January 19, Saturday Mankato Area Pre-Cana 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. Prepare for married life by taking time to reflect on various aspects of the marriage relationship. Open to any couple interested in an in-depth preparation for marriage in a quiet and congenial atmosphere, and any newly married couple who did not have the opportunity to attend a marriage preparation program before their wedding. $125 per couple.

Registration: www.dowr.org/eventdetails/543. Contact Anna (anna. weidner@mnsu.edu) with questions or concerns.

Pax Christi Church, Rochester January 24, Thursday We are still accepting registrations for our DivorceCare program, which offers help for those suffering the effects of marital separation or divorce. The first of 13 sessions begins Thursday, Jan. 24 and meets weekly from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Pax Christi. Program workbook costs $15.

Register with Dick Frost (finehire2@ gmail.com). For an overview of the program, visit divorcecare.org.

Shalom Hill Farm, Windom January 25, Friday Practicing and Teaching Forgiveness Retreat from Friday evening until Saturday mid-afternoon. Learn why Christians are urged to forgive, how we forgive with God's help, and how to help others forgive. Led by Susan Windley-Daoust and Deacon Bob Yerhot. $30 registration fee.

Contact Susan (swindley@dowr.org) to register.

St. John Vianney Church, Fairmont January 27, Sunday Prayer Service for Life 5 p.m. Bishop Quinn will lead the prayer service.

All attending welcome to a meal afterward (6 p.m.) at Hope Cafe, a ministry of St. John Vianney Church.

January, 2019 w The Courier

January 2019

• The Courier