^{February 2024}

^{MONTHLY DIOCESAN NEWSLETTER}

LINKS

February 2024 Serra Calendar (PDF)

2024 Special Collections Chart (PDF)

CALENDAR AT A GLANCE

February 3 ♦ Latino Honoring Marriage Day – This event will be held at the Church of Our Lady of Angels, Sauk Centre, at 12:00 p.m. We are honoring Latino couples who have received the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic Church. Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C. Invitations have been made available at the parishes. Call Mayuli Bales with questions or to register at (320) 529-6557.

February 11 ♦ Festival of Families / Festival de Familias – Mark your calendars! This event will be held at Sacred Heart in Sauk Rapids from 10:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and is designed for families to come together, play, worship and learn. This will be a bilingual event, so invite your families to participate! The cost is only $20 and includes a free carnival, family games, workshops for all ages, lunch and Mass with the bishop. For more information, contact Christine Pinto at [email protected] or our webpage: https://stcdio.org/event/festival-of-families/. The webpage also has digital versions of all materials that were sent to each parish.

February 14 ♦ Ash Wednesday

February 14 – March 24 – 40 Days for Life Campaign – No opening rally will be held. All are encouraged to sign up for a vigil hour by contacting your captain or at https://www.40daysforlife.com/en/st.cloud The closing rally will take place on Saturday, March 23, with speaker Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference. Find details at https://stcdio.org/respect-life/forty-days-life/.

Feb. 18 ♦ Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion – All catechumens, as a part of their faith journey to the Easter Sacraments at the Easter Vigil in 2024, must be present at the Rite of Election on Sunday, February 18. The Church has gifted us with this wonderful rite and we are called to celebrate it to its fullest. If for a serious pastoral reason, a catechumen is unable to participate in this liturgy, they must contact the Office of Worship to discuss the options available. Those candidates, already one with us in baptism, are strongly encouraged to participate in this liturgy. Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/riteofelection. Please complete the registration by February 9.

February 22 ♦ Mental Health Ministry Webinar – Please join us on Thursday, February 22 at 6:30 p.m. for the Mental Health Ministry: a Catholic Response to the Mental Health Crisis webinar with Deacon Ed Shoener, Director of the Association for Catholic Mental Health Ministers. The webinar will share general information about mental illness, some of the misconceptions surrounding it, and how our Catholic faith speaks to everyone’s mental health journey, along with practical ways that we can all help eliminate stigma and better support family, friends and community members who are experiencing mental health challenges. The webinar is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZpjTvle9TKK2wiejZcLwTw#/registration.

February 23 ♦ Clergy Day on mental health – This gathering will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Holy Family Parish in Belle Prairie (18777 Riverwood Drive, Little Falls, MN 56345). The presenter is Deacon Ed Shoener, director of the Association of Catholic Mental Health Ministries. He will focus on how clergy and pastoral leaders can understand and serve those with mental illness or mental health challenges. Lunch will be provided. This is a free event. Clergy are asked to contact Kate Steinbach at [email protected] or 320-251-2340 with their RSVP by Monday, February 12.

February 24 ♦ Catholic Men’s Conference – This event will be held at St. Francis Xavier in Sartell. This year’s theme is “Sharing our Eucharistic Journey” with keynote speaker Fr. Tim Donovan from the Diocese of Orange, CA. Other speakers include Fr. Matthew Crane, Deacon Mike Benda, and Deacon Ed Shoener from Scranton, PA. Find more details and register at https://stcdio.org/event/catholic-mens-conference-2024/.

Fr. Tom Knoblach ♦ Vicar for Health Care Ethics

Advance Care Planning – People occasionally ask for a health care directive that is consistent with their Catholic faith and values. The Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) has these resources on its website: https://www.mncatholic.org/healthcaredirectivemncatholic.org/. There you will find a health care directive as well as a Guide to End of Life Care Decisions. These materials have just recently been made available in Spanish, also found at this site. You can also order hard copies to have available in your parishes.

Physician-Assisted Suicide: –While the Legislature lacks the votes to legalize assisted suicide, the campaign to sway public opinion is quite active. Resources on this issue are also available from the MCC on their website. In addition, if you have any parishioners who could tell a positive compelling story in support of Catholic teaching on respect for life in chronic or critical illness, disability, or providing care for those at the end of life, please invite them to contact me or Maggee Hangge at the MCC to provide material for an op-ed piece, a video, or other media that can counter the narrative in support of assisted death.

In addition, I am always glad to assist with questions that may arise in your communities about ethical matters in health care, guided by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services (ERD) and the principles of Catholic faith. The ERD are available online as well at https://www.usccb.org/about/doctrine/ethical-and-religious-directives/upload/ethical-religious-directives-catholic-health-service-sixth-edition-2016-06.pdf.

NOTES FROM THE DIOCESAN OFFICES

Catholic Education Ministries ♦ (320) 251-0111

Catholic School Updates

Hi! My name is Sara Michaelson and I am the new Interim Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese of St. Cloud. I have 15+ years of educational experience and am excited to work with all of you. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have questions, ideas or need support!

Let's make the most of this enriching time of year, cherishing the moments of introspection, connection with our neighbors and the joy of giving. Please join me in lifting our hearts in prayer, seeking kindness and generosity to uphold the endeavors of our educators and students in various initiatives such as dinner auctions, events, concerts, festivals and beyond. Gratitude abounds for all who generously devote their time and resources; this ministry thrives through the collective efforts of many.

Wishing you all a fulfilling February filled with warmth, love and exploration.

February 13 & 15 - DRE/YM Gatherings: Say What? Communication and Social Media – This event will be held on February 13 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary in Alexandria and on February 15 at Christ Our Light in Princeton. What are the most effective ways to reach families in your parish? Come hear some best practices and share ideas about the best ways to communicate. These gatherings are open to anyone in faith formation, youth ministry or communication ministries in parishes. There is no cost and the day will include a light breakfast (9:30-10:00 a.m.) and lunch. For more information, contact Christine Pinto at [email protected]. Please pre-register by February 8 at https://forms.gle/U8UCx67kvnnKJ3nc6.

Castaway Retreat and Planning: All parishes planning to participate in the Castaway Retreat, March 24-26, 2023 have been enrolled. Castaway leaders will meet on Monday, February 5, from 9:30-1:30 at St. Mary’s in Alexandria. Shirt order Excel files are due to Kent Schmitz on Monday, February 26. Please email them to him at [email protected]. All forms and files can be found at https://stcdio.org/event/castaway-retreat/. The March leader meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 11, from 9:30 - 1:30 pm at Sacred Heart in Sauk Rapids.

Diocesan Confirmation Retreats are a great option for parish leaders who would like to have someone else prepare materials and lead the youth through the retreat. There is one remaining retreat planned for this school year and will be held at Sacred Heart Parish in Sauk Rapids from 10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 10th. There remains some room for this retreat. We can host between 40-50 youth, so sign up early at: https://signup.com/go/imaCbbQ. This link is for confirmation coordinators. Please do not share with parents or students. We are happy to accept as many students as we have room to accommodate. Each parish is requested to bring at least one adult leader per eight students. Cost for the retreat is $45.00 per student and $20.00 per adult. We are also willing to come to individual parishes or ACCs to lead retreats. Contact Kent at [email protected] for more information or to schedule.

First Things in Ministry Training: If you are new to parish ministry, CEM has a new endeavor to train you and your parish/ACC team(s), primarily in the areas of youth ministry and faith formation. We hope to have a few cohorts begin training in the next few months to begin in December or at the best timing for your ACC. Feel free to visit: h t tps://nfcym.org/first-things/ for more details. Please note we will have at least one diocesan group, rather than the national group. You may also contact Kent Schmitz at 320-251-0111 x4 or [email protected].

Lent Resources for parishes and/or families

Busted Halo has a variety of Lent resources that will be available at the start of Lent. Please visit https://bustedhalo.com/tag/lent.

Holy Heroes has free Catholic activities for kids for each day in Lent called Lenten Adventure. This website provides kids with activities to celebrate Lent.

The Jesuit Institute has resources for Lent on their website. From resources for Ash Wednesday to explanations about Catholic Lent traditions, short films and PowerPoint presentations, craft activities for kids to short, animated films teaching about Lent this website has it all. Use it for your own spiritual journey or share with others.

Kate Bowler – Catholic theologian and historian has a few study guides/devotionals to go along with her books or to be used independently during Lent. These resources can be found at https://katebowler.com/lent/.

Dynamic Catholic has a daily Lenten program for adults looking to “awaken the greatness within you” during this Lent. Sign up for free daily emails that will encourage reflection and growth this Lent.

Kristi Anderson ♦ (320) 258-7650

Kristi Anderson is now serving as director of communications for the Diocese of St. Cloud in addition to her responsibilities as editor of The Central Minnesota Catholic. In her new role, she will coordinate internal and external communications for the diocese and oversee its digital media resources. Joe Towalski has stepped out of this role and will focus fully on the responsibilities of chancellor and chief of staff.

Deacon Richard Scheierl ♦ (320) 203-0554

GOD BLESS YOU ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

February 5 – Deacon Dean Pawlowski

February 7 – Deacon Thomas Murray

February 20 – Deacon Vincent Charles

February 26 – Deacon Mark Barder

February 27 – Deacon Stephen Arnold

Prayer Requests especially for those who are ill:

- For a diaconate candidate, Julio Tena Soria, who has been off work due to a foot injury.

- Deacon Vern Schmitz who is recovering from a stroke.

- For all the applicants who are applying for the diaconate formation program.

- For all those needing prayers.

2024 Diaconate Events

February 10 – Winter Couples Retreat, St. Mary’s, Alexandria
April 6 – Deacon Community Gathering with the Bishop, Christ Our Light, Princeton
June 1 – Priesthood Ordination, Cathedral of St. Mary, St. Cloud
June 8 – Permanent and Transitional Diaconate Ordination, Cathedral of Saint Mary, St. Cloud
June 21-23 – Summer Men’s Retreat, Abbey of the Hills, Marvin, SD
July 24 – Celebrating the Parents of Religious Vocations, TBD
October 6-9 – Clergy Conference, Arrowwood, Alexandria

Bethany Tollefsen ♦ (320) 251-2700 Ext. 51637

April 28/29 and May 5/6 – Our next Foundations of Faith Community Nursing Class will occur virtually Spring 2024.

• April 28 and May 5 from 2:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.

• April 29 and May 6 from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Please check out the FCN Partnership of Central MN website for more information or email [email protected] with any questions or to discuss career options integrating Faith Community Nursing.

Mental Health Ministry – For resources on mental health, visit the Diocese of St. Cloud Mental Health Ministry webpage at https://stcdio.org/mental-health-ministry/.

Patrick Flynn ♦ (320) 251-4721

Natural Family Planning instruction for February 2024 & March 2024

A first instruction in the Billings Ovulation Method will be offered in:

• Alexandria: Monday, February 19 & March 18 at 6:30 p.m.

• Little Falls: Tuesday, February 6 & March 5 at 7:30 p.m.

• Long Prairie: Monday, February 26 & March 25 at 7:00 p.m.

• Rice: Monday, February 5 & March 4 at 6:30 p.m.

• Sauk Centre: Thursday, February 15 & March 21 at 6:30 p.m.

• St. Cloud: Monday, February 19 & Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m.

• St. Michael: Tuesday, February 6 & March 5 at 6:00 p.m.

• Wadena: Friday, February 23 & March 22 at 5:30 p.m.

For additional sites, information or to register, visit www.stcdio.org/omf/nfp or contact Sheila Reineke at [email protected] at (320) 252-4721 ext. 308.

February 2-4 – Retrouvaille weekend – This event will be held at the Best Western Hotel, 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. Contact [email protected] with questions. Find out more information and register at http://www.helpourmarriage.org.

February 3 – Virtual Fully Engaged Sponsor Couple Training in Spanish – This event will be held via Zoom. Register at least 10 days prior to the first class. The cost of the webinar is $25.00 per couple. You will also need a pre-marital preview package which is $45 plus shipping and handling. Register at https://getfullyengaged.com/new-mentor-training/ or contact Jill Svihel at [email protected] or (320) 258-7611.

February 9-11 & 16-18 – Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Feb. 9-11 held at Christ the King Retreat Center, Buffalo, MN.
Feb. 16-18 held at Shalom Hill Farm, Windom, MN.

The Marriage Encounter experience helps you listen, share, and connect more deeply. There’s no group discussion. It’s just about the two of you learning to be the best, most loving and thriving couple you can be. Apply at https://wwme.org/.

February 10 – Engaged Couples Retreat – This event will be held at St. Joseph parish in St. Joseph, MN. See our website at https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation / for more details or call the office with questions to (320) 258-7615.

March 16 – Spanish Speaking 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 Jan at [email protected] or (320) 258-7615 or register at https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/.

March 16 – Virtual Fully Engaged Sponsor Couple Training in English – This event will be held via Zoom. Register at least 10 days prior to the first class. The cost of the webinar is $25 per couple. You will also need a pre-marital preview package which is $45 plus shipping and handling. Register at https://getfullyengaged.com/new-mentor-training/ or contact Jill Svihel at [email protected] or (320) 258-7611.

March 23 – 2nd Marriage Course – This event will be held at the Pastoral Center in St. Cloud from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Second Marriage Preparation Course is for couples preparing to marry after the death of a spouse or an annulment. 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, go to https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/.

April 6 – Virtual Fully Engaged Sponsor Couple Training in Spanish – This event will be held via Zoom. Register at least 10 days prior to the first class. The cost of the webinar is $25.00 per couple. You will also need a Pre-Marital Preview Package which is $45 plus shipping and handling. Register at https://getfullyengaged.com/new-mentor-training/ or contact Jill Svihel at [email protected] or (320) 258-7611.

April 6 – Engaged Couples Retreat – This event will be held at Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Rockville, MN. See our website at https://stcdio.org/engaged-couple-marriage-preparation/ for more details or call the office with questions to (320) 258-7615.

April 20 – In-person Sponsor Couple Training – This event will be held at the Pastoral Center in St. Cloud from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Please register couples by April 5 at this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SCTraining2023. If you have any questions, contact Jan Zylla at [email protected] or (320) 258-7615. Your parish will be billed $125 per couple for the cost of training (which includes Fully Engaged supplies).

May 4 – Honoring Marriage Day – This event will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Sauk Rapids, at 1:00 p.m. for couples celebrating their 5th, 10th, 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th or 60 plus anniversaries in 2024.

Parishes are asked to send names and addresses of parishioners celebrating these milestone anniversaries via mail to the Office of Marriage and Family, 305 7thAvenue North, Suite 100, St. Cloud, MN 56303, or email to Jan at [email protected] or fax (320) 258-7658 or online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HMD2024 by April 22. Invitations will be sent to the celebrating couples. If you have any questions, call Jan at (320) 258-7615.

Elizabeth Brown ♦ (320) 251-1100

Scheduling for the 2024 Missionary Appeals have already been

completed and letters sent to your parish/es for the Lay Mission

Group/Diocese/Order invited to your community/ies. Please be sure to communicate in a timely manner for scheduling to happen per the Missionary Cooperation Plan (MCP) guidelines. Thank you!

Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowl begins on Ash Wednesday, February 14, and continues throughout Lent. Resources will be mailed to your parish/es as well as available on the Mission Office website. Remember to Pray. Fast. Give.

Brenda Kresky ♦ (320) 251-2340

Pastoral Visits with Bishop Neary – We have received positive feedback from the pastoral visits with Bishop Neary. Highlights include: the process of preparing the presentation, celebrating liturgy together, visiting with the bishop, having time to talk with others from another ACC and share experiences.

In December, we welcomed the ACC teams from the One in Christ, Christ our Hope, and Benedictine communities of St. John the Baptist and St. Joseph. Summaries, PowerPoints and handouts are available online at https://stcdio.org/planning/area-catholic-community/area-catholic-communities-acc-pastoral-visit-summaries/. In January, we welcomed the ACC teams from WOHVn in Faith, Parishes on the Prairie, and the Isanti Area. That summary will come next month. We look forward to welcoming the ACC teams from Centered on Christ, Come to the Water, and Four Pillars in Faith on February 28.

The goals of the visits are threefold:

To build bridges for a thriving mission across parishes in an ACC;
To develop ACCs as learning communities through listening and dialogue;
To offer radical hospitality to nurture relationships between Bishop Neary, the diocesan pastoral team and ACC pastoral leadership.

This effort is a collaboration between the Diocese of Saint Cloud and Bridge Builders for a Thriving Mission Initiative.

SAVE THE DATE

August 9 – Clergy Day on Planning – Attention all priests - please set aside this day on your calendar. The Planning Office will be hosting this day. More details will be coming soon.

Linda Kaiser ♦ (320) 251-2340

All children and youth training should be recorded in the CMG Connect platform at stcloud.cmgconnect.org. Each parish and school will be receiving an excel spreadsheet for its location to verify names with expired background check and training. The system will not let anyone do renewal training if their account has been expired for four months or more. That person will have to create a new account to do the complete training all over again. It is important that your staff and volunteers look for emails alerting them to the fact their account is expiring. A good reminder is for people to check their spam or junk mail because sometimes those emails end up there.

Keeping databases current is a tedious task for the diocese, parishes and schools. It is important to work toward that goal for record keeping purposes.

Each of you is appreciated for the role you play in working toward this goal.

Kateri Mancini ♦ (320) 229-6020

Lenten Resources or Service Opportunities – As we prepare for the Lenten season, we want to remind you that the Social Concerns Office is here to help you brainstorm and find great resources for diving into prayer, fasting and almsgiving in light of Catholic social teaching. We know that many groups are also looking for service opportunities at this time of year, and we can help you find organizations, individuals and needs in the community that you and your group can help impact positively this Lent. Reach out to share your questions or ideas and see what we can find together to make this a beautiful Lenten journey for you and others! Contact [email protected] or [email protected] or call 320-220-6020.

Please share the below information in parish bulletins and announcements:

Catholic Century Farm Awards and Rural Business Award

Social Concerns is now taking applications for the diocese’s sixth annual Catholic Century Farm Awards. We are also accepting nominations for the third annual Catholic Rural Business Award. If your family, neighbors or members of your parish community have been working the same land for 100 years or more, or if you know of a Catholic business owner in the diocese who lives out their Catholic faith in how they run their business and treat their employees and customers, please visit the Rural Life section of the Social Concerns website for more information: https://www.ccstcloud.org/services/social-concerns Or reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] with questions.

Recipients of both awards will be honored at the Rural Life Celebration Mass with Bishop in August.

Catholic Century Farm Award application (downloadable PDF): https://irp.cdn-website.com/e9f6e7c5/files/uploaded/Catholic%20Century%20Farm%20Award%20Reg_2023.pdf

Rural Business Award Nomination form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Businessaward2024

Anna Kampa ♦ (320) 258-7654

Bishop's Annual Appeal – The theme for the 2024 Bishop’s Annual Appeal — “Behold who you are. Become what you receive.” — describes our response to this sacred mystery of the Eucharist, the source and summit of our faith. We are deeply grateful for all the support diocesan ministries receive through the help and participation of our clergy and parish staff.

The goal for the 2024 Appeal is $1,450,000.

You can view this year’s video at:

English: https://youtu.be/lRAGKm8k-5A

Spanish: https://youtu.be/LYYlridmwCE

Dates for the launch are:

Announcement Weekend, February 3 - 4:

Please include the bulletin inserts in your weekly bulletin.
Announce the appeal in Mass:

Ask parishioners to read the insert and check out the appeal video using the QR code on the insert.
Ask them to consider the amount of their gift for the collection on Commitment Weekend.
Ask them to look for a letter in the mail in the coming week.

Commitment Weekend is February 10 - 11:

Please promote the appeal during Mass. There is a helpful guide in your parish kit.
Play or read Bishop Neary’s message.
Give parishioners time to complete the response envelopes found in the pews if they need one.
Conduct the collection and thank them for their generosity.

Parish kits were mailed the week of January 15. If you haven’t received your kit, pleaseimmediately contact Anna Kampa at [email protected] or (320) 258-7654.

PLEASE READ YOUR PACKETS! Each packet is individualized to include your parish goal for 2024 and statistics about each parish’s giving in 2023. Copies and links will also be emailed to your offices.

2023 Bishop’s Annual Appeal wrap up – Bishop’s Annual Appeal for 2023 raised total cash gifts of $1,541,142 toward our goal of $1,400,000 (110.08%). This was made possible through the generous donations of 7,703 people throughout the 16 counties of our diocese. Thank you to everyone who helped us reach this milestone!

If you would like to know how your parish ended the year, please check your instructions in the 2024 Parish Kits or contact Anna Kampa at [email protected] or (320) 258-7654.

Fr. Virgil Helmin ♦ (320) 251-6557

All Tribunal forms are located on the diocesan website under the Tribunal page.

• https://stcdio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/formal_petition6_2016-10.doc

• https://stcdio.org/wp- content/uploads/2013/04/petition_lackofcanform_06_2016-5.pdf

• https://stcdio.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/previous_bond-6_20164.pdf

A petitioner can fill out the necessary forms found on our diocesan website under the Tribunal office at: www.stcdio.org/tribunal/annulments/annulment-forms/.

Any person (regardless of religious status) that has been divorced and seeking remarriage in the Catholic Church will need to complete the annulment process.

The documents required are the same for each annulment process and are:

baptismal certificates for both principals
marriage certificate (copies, not originals)
divorce decree (signed by the Judge) (copies, not originals)

For the formal annulment process, the petitioner can submit the completed form (Formal Petition (PDF) or Formal Petition (DOC)) and appear in person for a scheduled appointment, or complete a narrative (see the guideline on the Tribunal webpage #2, A-H) or participate in a telephone interview with the Tribunal Office. https://stcdio.org/tribunal/annulments/.

In the formal process, hearing the witnesses will no longer 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.

If you are uncertain about the annulment process or any have other questions, and to set-up an individual appointment you can contact the Tribunal Office at (320) 251-6557 or email [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected].

Fr. Doug Liebsch ♦ (320) 251-5001

Andrew Dinner in February – The next Andrew Dinner is scheduled for Thursday, February 8. Do you have young men in grades 8-12 who have potential for a priestly calling in your parish? Fr. Doug would love to hear from you! This simple and powerful evening consists of evening prayer and dinner with Bishop Neary while priests share their vocation story. Young men find it very meaningful and special to have a night with the bishop and priests! Pastors are encouraged to join their young men. Fr. Doug can be reach at [email protected] or (320) 533-0291.

Ordinations

Deacon Daniel Ruprecht and Deacon Kevin Soenneker will be ordained to the priesthood on June 1 at the Cathedral of St. Mary, St. Cloud, at 10:30 a.m.
Transitional and Permanent Diaconate ordination will take place on June 8 at the Cathedral of St. Mary, St. Cloud, at 10:30 a.m.

Totus Tuus Leaders – Do you know of young adults that are college-aged who are ready to take their faith to the next level? Invite them to apply to be a Totus Tuus team leader. Application deadline is March 15. For more information, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024TotusTuus.

Upcoming Seminary Visits

Saint John Vianney Seminary is February 15–17
The Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary is March 15–18

Men ages 16 and up are invited to join these impactful days with seminarians to engage in daily Mass, adoration, discernment talks, visits to a classroom, listening to seminarians, open gym and a night out with the seminarians of St. Cloud! When men meet seminarians, all the stereotypes break down! It is a game-changer for their ongoing discernment. Please contact Fr. Doug.

2024 Vocation Events:

Camp: June 18–20, 2024, in Avon – Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024AvonCamp
Paschal Challenge: August 17, 2024, in Sauk Centre – Register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2024PaschalChallenge

Sr. Jeanne Wiest, O.P. ♦ (320) 255-9068

Time for Easter Vigil – Since the Easter Vigil is to take place when it is entirely dark outside, the Easter Vigil on March 30 may not begin earlier than 8:30 pm.

Adult Confirmation – There will be not be a special liturgy for Adult Confirmation this year. All adult confirmations will take place in the parish/ACC. Adults to be confirmed may be confirmed during the Confirmation liturgy for the youth or at another liturgy (during the Easter season would be a most appropriate time).

March 21 – Chrism Mass will be celebrated at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral of St. Mary in St. Cloud.

Chrism Oil Orders – Distribution of the sacred oils will look different this year. We are asking each pastor to send one delegate from each parish to the Chrism Mass. In the back of the cathedral will be a check-in table. When the parish representative checks in, s/he will be given a card with the parish’s name and the parish’s order for oils. Following the Chrism Mass, each parish representative will pick up the oils in the lower level of the cathedral by turning in the card with the parish’s name/order on it. This representative would them present the Holy Oils during the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday. If extra oils are needed for the parish community, please complete the order form by Sunday, March 10, found at https://forms.gle/j6eSRPmmFk25RzCc6.

Chrism Mass Choir – Anyone interested in singing for the chrism Mass will need to attend the required rehearsals March 9 and 16 from 9:00 a.m.– 11:00 a.m. at the Cathedral of St. Mary.

TV Mass Musicians and Presiders Needed – The TV Mass is one way the diocese connects with parishioners who cannot participate in their parish liturgies. The success of this ministry is dependent on the generosity of musicians and priests. The new TV Mass taping schedule and sign up is available on the TV Mass website at https://www.stcdio.org/worship/tv-mass/. There are a number of openings. Please review the dates and sign up for any that work for your schedule. Contact Sr. Jeanne in the Worship Office if you have questions at (320) 251-9068.

Catholic Charities ♦ (320) 650-1641

After a brief hiatus, Catholic Charities will resume offering tours of various facilities in 2023. These tours will be available for the Emergency Services Food Shelf, Domus Transitional Housing, and the Youth House.

By visiting one of these facilities, you will get a look at how we connect with people in need in addressing food insecurity and homelessness in the community, and the positive impact our programs have in Central Minnesota.

These tours will take place from March through September. Specific dates for tours of each facility will be announced in February. To sign up online for our tours, please visit www.ccstcloud.org/events.

Barbara Sutton ♦ (320) 363-3052

February 9-10 or February 16-17 – Training for Lay Pastoral Caregivers – Bridge-Builders for a Thriving Mission will be starting two cohorts for training lay pastoral aregivers. The first cohort begins the weekend of February 9 and 10 and the second cohort begins the weekend of February 16 and 17. Choose one. These cohorts will gather again in April to complete the training. This training is offered at no cost to participants. Overnight accommodations are available. Please register at https://www.csbsju.edu/forms/ARVDSX9SZT. The training sessions will be coordinated by Sam Rahberg and Barbara Sutton.