August 2022
MONTHLY DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER
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Please feel free to put the Sunday TV Mass
August 21-22 ♦ Beginning of the Year Retreat for Parish Youth Ministry and Faith Formation Leaders – The beginning of the year retreat for those who lead faith formation and youth ministry is scheduled for Sunday, August 21 - Monday, August 22 at the Central Minnesota TEC Center in Belle Prairie. The retreat theme is: “It is WELL with my soul.” More details will be emailed to parish leaders at the beginning of August. Visit: https://stcdio.org/cem-events/ to learn more. Registration can be completed at https://forms.gle/BdiTTgrNQD3eNG9A9.
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Diocesan listening consultations have ended and information is being recorded and sorted by the Diocesan Synod Team. The diocesan synthesis to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was sent and received on June 30. There are several next steps in the synod process. All diocesan syntheses were due on June 30. The next stage in the worldwide process is a region synthesis. We belong to region 8 which includes the six dioceses of Minnesota, two dioceses in North Dakota, and two dioceses in South Dakota. At the local level, we are planning to make our diocesan synthesis public, including having it available to whomever would like it on whatever platform. We are in the process of editing, finding printers, and researching ways to best distribute the synthesis. It will be coming soon.
— Diocesan Synod Team
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NATIONAL EUCHARISTIC REVIVAL |
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Check out the newly updated webpage at stcdio.org/eucharistic-revival/. Here you will find news, resources, events and happenings, adoration times and locations and information about the people involved in this initiative. There are many ways to be a part of this endeavor, whether through prayer or action. Contact us with ideas and questions at [email protected].
SAVE THE DATE – Oct. 5 – A Regional Ministry Gathering is being planned in Fergus Falls. This is a joint event with the Diocese of Crookston. Bishop Andrew Cozzens, bishop of Crookston and chair of the National Eucharistic Revival for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, will be the keynote speaker and will share with us his vision for the three-year initiative. More details to come.
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Chancellor ♦ Jane Marrin ♦ (320) 251-2340
Sometime in September you will be receiving an email notice from the Official Catholic Directory with a request to update the information for your parishes, schools and/or organizations. It will no doubt come from an address such as, [email protected]. This is official and safe for you to open. It will go to the person who was listed as the contact person in the report last year. At times the subject matter has been listed as “tax information” or “tax status”. It is safe to open.
All changes are now done online and completed by the individual parishes, schools, etc. As the Chancellor of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, I must approve each entry but can only do so electronically. It is an immense help if you take the time to complete and submit your information, so I thank you in advance for doing so!!
Enjoy this beautiful Minnesota summer. Jane
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Parish request
Looking for pews. The Church of St. Henry in Perham is building an adoration chapel in their new school building. They are looking for eight pews for the new chapel. If you have an excess of pews or know of someone who might, please contact Fr. Tom Skaja at the parish at (218) 298-0585.
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NOTES FROM THE DIOCESAN OFFICES |
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David Fremo ♦ (320) 251-0111
Catholic School Updates – “You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.” These great words of wisdom are from Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton.
We are indeed in the midst of possibilities and challenges in Catholic education. To embrace them both, I look forward to the year ahead with a focus on supporting growth in Catholic identity and vitality through study and planning and taking action with school leaders. We will work with “Charism and Culture: Cultivating Catholic Identity in Catholic Schools” by Dr. Tim Cook of Creighton University, and dive deeper into the National Standards and Benchmarks of Effective Catholic Schools (NSBECS), both of which are published by NCEA.
We welcome our new partnership with the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE)! School leaders are invited to kick-off the year at the CSCOE Summit, October 18-19. Much more will be shared at that time. Members of the CSCOE team visit each school this summer and fall.
We pray for our Catholic school families, educators and communities – for an inspiring and joyful start to the 2022-2023 school year!
Emmaus Institute – Registrations are still being taken to begin classes this fall in English or Spanish. An online application can be found on the Emmaus Institute website: https://stcdio.org/emmaus-institute/. Some of the classes being offered are Christology, Moral Theology, and Sacraments. If you have any questions, please contact Kristi Bivens at [email protected] or (320) 251-0111.
Silence is a Bridge to God: A Contemplative Retreat and Prayer Group – Do you find yourself struggling to hear the quiet voice of God in all of the noise of the world? Are you longing for stillness? Contemplative prayer practices can lead us to a deeper awareness of the God who dwells with each of us. Beginning with a retreat on Friday, September 16 from 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., participants will be introduced to contemplative prayer. The retreat will be followed by six sessions to experience different forms of contemplative prayer in more depth. These will be Fridays: September 23 & 30, October 14, 21, & 28, and November 11 from 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. The retreat and all sessions will include lunch. This event will be held at St. John's University. Space is limited to 10 people. It is important to attend all sessions. For questions or to register, contact Kristi Bivens at [email protected] or (320) 251-0111. Sponsored by Bridge-Builders for a Thriving Mission grant and Catholic Education Ministries.
September 1 – New Catechetical Leader Day – This day will be held from 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Diocesan Pastoral Center. It is designed to welcome those new to their parish faith formation or youth ministry position within the last few years. Participants will learn and share about best practices and resources, about diocesan offices, ministry schedules and events, ongoing learning opportunities, safe environment, and general need-to-know information when beginning in ministry. Participants are asked to RSVP by following this link: https://forms.gle/xq1YTMktE9wsXBh68. Feel free to reach out to Kent Schmitz at CEM at (320) 251-0111 ext 4 or emailing [email protected].
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Joe Towalski ♦ (320) 258-7624
Stewardship Day: Diocesan Stewardship Day is Friday, September 16. This one-day retreat will include presentations, reflection time and celebration of the Eucharist. The featured speaker will be Father Michael Troha, a priest in the Diocese of Cleveland for 42 years. After attending a Msgr. McGread Stewardship Conference in Wichita in 2005, he began to put into practice what he learned. Over the years, Father Troha has successfully developed stewardship as a way of life at his parishes. The parishes he's served have experienced increases in spiritual growth, parishioner ownership, parishioner involvement and financial giving. For more information, visit: https://stcdio.org/stewardship. To register: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/53D7LW6
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Bethany Tollefson ♦ (320) 251-2700 Ext. 51637
Save the dates:
● September 28 – Virtual Mental Health First Aid for Faith Communities: 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
● November 3, 4, 10, & 11 – Foundations of Faith Community Nursing class: 2:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
(Thursdays) 8:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (Fridays)
● November 29 – Advent Devotional
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Bailey Ziegler ♦ (320) 258-7655
The Diocese of St. Cloud is hiring for two positions. If you know anyone with the gifts for either of these roles, please let them know how to apply:
• Director of Worship
• Community Organizer/ Latino Social Ministry Associate (joint hire with Catholic Charities)
Job Posting Service – Is your ACC, parish, or school hiring? Your positions can be posted on the Diocese of St. Cloud website for free. Send your postings in the body of an email or Microsoft Word format (PDF is not recommended) to the Human Resources office at [email protected].
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Patrick Flynn ♦ (320) 252-4721
Natural Family Planning Instruction for August & September 2022
A First Instruction in the Billings Ovulation Method will be offered in:
• Alexandria: Monday, August 15 & September 19 at 6:30 p.m.
• Little Falls: Tuesday, August 2 & September 6 at 7:30 p.m.
• Long Prairie: Monday, August 22 & September 26 at 7:00 p.m.
• Rice: Monday, August 1 & September 12 at 6:30 p.m.
• Sauk Centre: Thursday, August 18 & September 22 at 6:30 p.m.
• St. Cloud: Monday, August 22 & Thursday, September 22 at 6:30 p.m.
• St. Michael: Tuesday, August 2 & September 6 at 6:00 p.m.
• Wadena: Friday, August 26 & September 23 at 5:30 p.m.
August 5-7 – Retrouvaille weekend – Held at the Best Western Dakota Ridge Hotel in Eagan, MN. Thinking about separation or divorce? Hurting? Angry? Feel helpless? Retrouvaille is a lifeline for troubled marriages. Couples learn the tools to rediscover each other and heal their marriage. 100% confidential. Find out more information and register at http://www.helpourmarriage.org.
August 24 – Respect Life Luncheon – This event will be held at the Pastoral Center, St. Cloud. Respect Life grants are distributed once a year to crisis pregnancy centers and entities that uphold the dignity of life. By invitation, members from those entities are invited to attend a luncheon so they can be honored and supported for the work they do.
September 10 – Engaged Couples Retreat – This event will be held at Sacred Heart in Sauk Rapids from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. See our website for more details: https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/ or call (320) 252-4721 with questions.
September 17 – Catholic Women’s Conference – This event will be held at the Church of St. Mary in Alexandria from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This year’s theme is Eucharist – God’s Greatest Gift and our keynote speakers are Marge Steinhage Fenelon and Leah Jacobson. Join women of all ages and walks of life for a “faith lift”. There will be opportunities for additional breakout sessions, Mass with the bishop, reconciliation, display tables and vendors along with lunch and refreshments. Find more information by visiting https://stcdio.org/event/catholic-womens-conference-2022/. **We need priests to hear confessions. Confessions will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Email Janet at [email protected] if you are able to help.
September 23-25 – Retrouvaille weekend – This event will be held in St. Cloud. Thinking about separation or divorce? Hurting? Angry? Feel helpless? Retrouvaille is a lifeline for troubled marriages. Couples learn the tools to rediscover each other and heal their marriage. 100% confidential. Find out more information and register at http://www.helpourmarriage.org.
September 24 – Sponsor Couple Training – This event will be held at the Pastoral Center in St. Cloud from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Registration for couples (names, address, phone number, parish and email address) should be made at least two weeks before training. Call Janet at (320) 258-7616 or email [email protected] to register. The parish will be billed $125 per couple for the cost of training (which includes Fully Engaged supplies).
October 7-9 – Worldwide Marriage Encounter – This event will be held in Buffalo, MN at Christ the King Retreat Center. Looking for a way to increase the love and romance in your marriage? Do you need time just for the two of you? A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend Experience may be the answer! Instead of simply listening to lectures about how to improve your marriage, you will learn a practical communication technique and have an opportunity to rediscover your hopes and dreams for your marriage. Find more information, at www.wwme.org or call Brent & Tracy Chessen at (612) 756-8720.
October 15 – 2nd Marriage Course – This event will be held in St. Cloud at the Pastoral Center from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Second Marriage Preparation Course is for couples preparing to marry after the death of a spouse or an annulment (https://stcdio.org/tribunal/annulments/). Marriage preparation must be completed at least three months before the date of the wedding celebration. It is recommended you complete the course well in advance (six months or more). Many couples take the course one year before their wedding. For more information, visit https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/.
October 22 – Engaged Couples Retreat – This event will be held at Sacred Heart in Sauk Rapids from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. See our website for more details: https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/ or call the office with questions, (320) 252-4721.
November 12 – Spanish Speakers Marriage Course – This event will be held at the Pastoral Center in St. Cloud from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Couples should register at least two weeks before the course and include the $110 registration fee per couple. For more information, contact Janet at [email protected] or (320) 258-7616 or register at https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/.
December 3 – Engaged Couples Retreat – This event will be held at Sacred Heart in Sauk Rapids from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. See our website for more details: https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/ or call (320) 252-4721 with questions.
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Elizabeth Neville Brown ♦ (320) 251-1100
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all who have welcomed and hosted a missionary appeal so far this summer! We greatly appreciate your openness to the stories shared and the generosity given in time, talent and treasure.
It's not too early to schedule the Mission Office to come to your faith formation, youth ministry and staff meetings for the 2022/2023 year. We would love to come to your parish/es and community/ies to share mission stories, mission journeys, fair trade information and Catholic social teaching with all!
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Brenda Kresky ♦ (320) 251-2340
July Mass counts – All parishes were asked to count the number of people attending Masses on each weekend in July. Please submit these numbers by August 15 by following this link: https://forms.gle/R25nyn5CH89xp5G77 . If you have any questions regarding this online form please contact Brenda Kresky or Jayne Bruemmer.
CliftonStrengths – August is a good time for staff development. Why not take some time to develop the gifts and talents of each individual person on staff? What does each person bring to the team? How is it beneficial? Where do you need to leverage other people or tasks to get things done? David Fremo and Brenda Kresky are trained CliftonStrengths coaches and would be happy to help your staff explore the gifts and talents for the good of each other and the community. Give us a call or email!
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Linda Kaiser ♦ (320) 251-2340
Each parish and Catholic school should have access to the safe environment curriculum for children and youth. The diocese will be using the curriculum from Virtus entitled “Empowering God’s Children”. Please consider planning for this training early in the catechetical year and be sure to record the training on the CMGconnect platform or the Virtusonline database.
Reminder: All employees are required by diocesan policy to complete safe environment training and a background check. August is a good time to go through your site to make sure all staff and volunteers are current with the training and background check. Remember background checks and training are completed every five years. Folks who no longer volunteer or work in your parish or school should be archived. The diocese is diligently trying to keep data as current as possible.
Your work in keeping the children and youth of this diocese safe is very valued and appreciated.
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Kateri Mancini ♦ (320) 229-6020
Please share this Rural Life Celebration announcement in your parishes!
August 14 – Diocesan Rural Life Celebration: “Bread of Life, Gift of Finest Wheat” – Please join our hosts at St. Louis Bertrand Parish in Foreston, along with the Four Pillars in Faith ACC, for the annual Rural Life Celebration. This year’s celebration, “Bread of Life, Gift of Finest Wheat,” includes outdoor Mass with Bishop Kettler at 10:00 a.m. at the David Trunk farm near Foreston (address: 4383 – 120th Ave, Princeton MN), presentation of the Catholic Century Farm Awards, and the brand new Rural Business Award, followed by a meal and ice-cream social, musical entertainment and family-friendly activities. The event is free and open to all, though a second collection will be taken at Mass to support the Rural Life Fund of the diocese. Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and come celebrate our rural diocese!
Save the Date – September 24 – Parish Social Ministry Gathering – This year’s Parish Social Ministry Gathering will be held at the Together As One Area Catholic Community in the St. Cloud area. More details will be available in next month’s newsletter and in The Central Minnesota Catholic.
Catholic Campaign for Human Development Special Collection – Just a reminder that our diocese takes up a special collection for the work of the USCCB’s Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) office the third weekend of September every year. You should already have envelopes in your parish packets for this year’s special collection on September 18. If you do not, or would like any additional materials to share with your parishioners as you encourage their prayers and giving, please reach out to [email protected]. Thank you in advance for your parish’s stewardship regarding this work!
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Fr. Virgil Helmin ♦ (320) 251-6557
The work of the Tribunal has continued throughout these months – but with the inability to meet in person with clients we have made several adjustments to meet the needs of the people. In this process the staff has chosen to make some adjustments to the annulment process.
The adjustments are as follows:
- The documents required are the same for each annulment process and are:
- baptismal certificates for both principals;
- marriage certificate
- divorce decree
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For the formal annulment process, the petitioner can submit the completed form (Formal Petition (PDF) or Formal Petition (DOC)) and a narrative –or– participate in a telephone interview –or– appear in person at the Tribunal Office for a scheduled appointment.
- In the formal process, hearing the witnesses will not have to be in person at the Tribunal. The witnesses will be contacted by phone and the petitioner will assure the availability of the witnesses for a phone interview at a time designated by the Tribunal.
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Fr. Doug Liebsch ♦ (320) 251-5001
Thanks to all pastors and parish leadership who supported the Vocation Camp and Bus Tour with giving parish tours, visiting the camp and giving talks and organizing meals this summer!
August 13 – Paschal Challenge – This event is for young men grades 9th – 12th. Please reach out to young men in your parishes! Follow Jesus and experience the Last Supper, the Way of the Cross and His Resurrection in a WHOLE new way! For more information or to register, visit https://stcdio.org/vocations/vocation-events/.
August 28 (Last Sunday of August) – Motorcycle Run – Motorcycle Run at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church, Sauk Centre
Gather at 2:00 p.m. for prayer and blessing of motorcycles
Depart Saint Paul’s at 2:45 p.m.
Return to Sauk Centre around 5:30 p.m. for meal (tentatively) at V.F.W., Sauk Centre. For more information, contact Father Mitchell Bechtold at 320-247-4907. All donations go towards supporting seminarian education for the Diocese of St. Cloud.
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Worship Office ♦ (320) 255-9068
2022 TV Mass Ministers Needed – Thank you to the many people who support the ministry of the TV Mass for the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The minister schedule through January 2023 is available using the link below. All priests and musicians (along with lectors) are encouraged to take a look to see how they might be able to serve. Sign up at https://stcdio.org/worship/tv-mass/tv-mass-volunteer-musicians-information/.
We are in need of:
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Catholic Charities ♦ (320) 650-1641
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
Catholic Charities Food Shelf and Senior Dining programs are in critical need of volunteers. Please consider donating your time to help volunteer, and contact Chloe Otten, volunteer coordinator, at [email protected] for more information. Learn more about our volunteer program at ccstcloud.org/volunteer.
Thank you to the 1,622 volunteers who provided 96,233 hours of services in 2021. Catholic Charities needs you in 2022!
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August 3 & 10 – Called and Gifted Workshop – Did you know that God has a unique call for your life and has given you gifts to fulfill your particular mission? You are invited to begin a journey of discovering your gifts and calling by participating in the Called and Gifted workshop. This dynamic and interactive two-part workshop will take place on August 3 and 10 from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m. at St. Benedict’s Parish in Avon. Kristin Molitor and Karen Pundsack will be facilitating these evening gatherings. This workshop is for anyone interested in learning more about their gifts and is free to attend!
For more information or to register, please contact Kristin Molitor at [email protected]. Please register as soon as possible to ensure that you receive your materials in time for the workshop.
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Happy Birthday to our Retired Priests |
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Reverend Robert Harren, JCL will celebrate his 82nd birthday on August 2.
1515 N 3rd Street
St. Cloud, MN 56303
Telephone: (320) 253-1513
Reverend Laurn Virnig will celebrate his 85th birthday on August 3.
308 Third Street South #206
Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
Telephone: (320) 281-3775
Reverend LeRoy Maus will celebrate his 90th birthday on August 26.
308 Third Street S, Apt 208
Sauk Rapids, MN 56379
Telephone (320) 281-5764
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