Duluth's Bishop Sirba describes grief, acceptance of church closings

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In the end, Catholics came around to the realities facing the Duluth Diocese, Bishop Paul Sirba announced in a news conference Thursday at the Pastoral Center in Duluth.

In the end, Catholics came around to the realities facing the Duluth Diocese, Bishop Paul Sirba announced in a news conference Thursday at the Pastoral Center in Duluth.

The five-year strategic plan offered by Sirba has some harsh realities in it: the imminent closing and merging of up to 19 churches in the 10-county diocese, should the entire plan be implemented.

“People were very passionate,” Sirba said of a year of discussion on congregation sizes, the availability of priests, and the condition of churches physically and financially.

The downsizing is obviously a difficult turn for the diocese, Sirba said, “but some beautiful things happened as well.” He said the 45 families served by St. Phillip in Saginaw came to a realization that closing the church and melding into St. Rose in Proctor would serve them best.

“They said, ‘You know, there’s a bigger need,’” Sirba said, “and that awakened others in the deanery.”

While presiding over a Mass in Bruno, another church set to close, Sirba said he heard from 15 people in the congregation who came to the same conclusion — at one time it made sense to have a church, when the town was bustling.

“It’s different now,” Sirba said of Bruno residents’ sentiments. It was another example of a congregation that knew it was ready for a change, he said.

The long-range plan is also a reaction to a possible loss of 11 retiring clergy, a drop to 34 from 45. The good news, Sirba said, is that Duluth will have its largest-ever class of new priests when six men are entered through the diocese this spring.

The changes announced Thursday will be slowly implemented, Sirba said, but changes could come as soon as this summer. And the diocese will continue to review parishes across the five years, he said, meaning things could change. Another intensive long-range plan will be tackled in five years.

Some churches scheduled to close in earlier plans were spared: St. Joseph in Ball Club and St. Michael in Northome.

Major changes for the five regions within the diocese include:

Duluth: Our Lady of Mercy on Park Point closes and merges with St. Mary Star of the Sea; Star of the Sea shares priests with the Cathedral; in West Duluth, St. Elizabeth and St. Margaret Mary merge with St. James, with two worship sites retained; St. Joseph closes, with parishioners going to St. Lawrence; priests would serve St. Lawrence and Holy Family; west of Duluth, St. Phillip in Saginaw closes and merges with St. Raphael; priests would serve St. Raphael and St. Rose in Proctor.

Cloquet: St. Joseph in Finlayson and Sacred Heart in Bruno close and merge into St. Patrick in Hinckley; St. Isidore in Sturgeon Lake merges with St. Mary in Willow River with rotated services.

Brainerd: St. Joseph in Deerwood merges with St. Joseph in Crosby and a new church is built; churches in Nisswa, Pequot Lakes and Pine River move toward a merger; Our Lady of Fatima in McGrath closes and merges with Holy Family in McGregor; Holy Family in Hillman closes and merges with Our Lady Fatima in Garrison.

Hibbing: Sacred Heart in Federal Dam and St. Ann in Bena close and merge into St. Mary in Deer River; St. Joseph in Ball Club shares services with St. Mary in Deer River; St. Kevin in Pengilly and St. Mary in Keewatin close and merge into St. Cecilia in Nashwauk; St. Joseph in Taconite and St. Mary in Marble close and merge into Mary Immaculate in Coleraine; St. John in Hill City and St. Paul in Warba merge with St. Joseph in Grand Rapids.

Virginia: Holy Spirit and Sacred Heart in Virginia, and Sacred Heart in Mountain Iron merge; Queen of Peace in Hoyt Lakes, St. John in Biwabik and Holy Rosary in Aurora share services.

As part of the five-year plan, and following the vision of the Vatican, the diocese will concentrate on making sure people stay with the church, Sirba said. By pooling congregants, priests can serve them more efficiently with a stress on keeping youth programs strong, he said.

Pope Benedict has declared 2012 a “Year of Faith” for Catholics across the world, calling members to take a more active role in the church and its teachings.

Sirba believes the plan revealed Thursday puts the Duluth Diocese in a better position to work on that mission: “This process of pruning the vine allows for more evangelism.” Duluth News Tribune

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From the Aggie Catholic, the Newman Club of Texas A&M University

Top 20 Catholic Bloggers of 2011

(in no particular order)
[Three with Minnesota connections!!! Congratulations to them]

• Jennifer Fulwiler - Conversion Diary and National Catholic Register.
  One of the best bloggers on the scene today. Always thinking deeply.
• Deacon Greg Kandra - The Deacon's Bench.
  How he finds all the stuff he does, I will never know. I think he must have dozens of websites open at once 24 hours a day.
• Ed Peters - In the Light of the Law.
  Dr. Peters was my canon law prof and made canon law interesting. He does it on the blog as well. Former canon lawyer for the Diocese of Duluth, now in that position for the Archdiocese of Detroit.
  
• Carl Olson - Ignatius Insight Scoop.
  Books, music, culture, and more. I have no idea how Carl reads as much as he does or listens to as much music as he does. Must help to work where he does.
• Patrick Madrid - PatrickMadrid.com
  Patrick has been writing for a long time, but he only started blogging recently. He has found his blogging voice quickly. His dry wit is always entertaining.
• Fr. Z - What Does the Prayer Really Say?
  Doesn't put up with fluff, hype or messing with the liturgy. He has the most rabid followers. Former SPS seminarian; good friend to many in Minnesota
  
• Fr. Dwight Longenecker - Standing on My Head.
  Fr. Dwight shines most brightly when he takes on difficult subjects head on. He isn't shy about them either.
• Rocco Palmo - Whispers in the Loggia
  The #1 Catholic insider blog.
• Elizabeth Scalia - The Anchoress.
  Politics, religion, faith, and how it applies to life - wrapped up in one place.
• Mark Shea - Catholic and Enjoying It and National Catholic Register.
  Mark is probably the most prolific Catholic blogger. He posts on just about every topic there is all over the place.
• Patrick and Matthew Archbold - Creative Minority Report and National Catholic Register.
  Funny, irreverent, interesting, and I think I am the lost Archbold brother.
• Thomas Peters - American Papist / CatholicVote.org
  A very influential blogger who is widely read. Son of Ed Peters, above; born in Duluth.
  
• Brandon Vogt - The Thin Veil.
  New media, young Catholics and more.
• Jimmy Akin - National Catholic Register and Jimmy Akin.org.
  Jimmy likes details and being thorough and complete. I appreciate that.
• Danielle Bean - DanielleBean.com and Faith and Family Live.
  Danielle does it all. Mom. Wife. Editor. Writer. Blogger. All of that stuffed with wisdom and practical advice.
• Taylor Marshall - Canterbury Tales.
  Posts items you won't see anywhere else.
• Jeff Miller - The Curt Jester.
  Still making us laugh after many years. Yet, his best stuff is when he gets serious.
• Matt Warner - Fallible Blogma and National Catholic Register.
  Matt has great stuff, he justs needs to post more frequently. Your readers want more Matt!
• Simcha Fisher - National Catholic Register and I Have to Sit Down.
  One of the best all-around Catholic writers blogging today. I love her stuff.
• The Ironic Catholic.
  Just read her. Theology Professor at St. Mary's U in Winona, Mom, and Catholic Worker volunteer.
  

8 Heroic U.S. Military Chaplains, most of whom you haven't heard of

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by Miss Cellania - Mental Floss Blog

While researching the post 10 Heroic Battlefield Medics, I came across a couple of fascinating stories about military chaplains and their wartime exploits. Those stories were filed away for later, and they grew into a list of stories that deserve to be told and remembered. They are presented here in more or less chronological order.

1. Anthony Rey

Some contemporaries wrote of the Mexican-American War as one of U.S. Protestants against Mexican Catholics. President Polk responded to such allegations by appointing two Catholic priests to serve as military chaplains. Father Anthony Rey, a Jesuit from Georgetown University with no military background or training, participated in the battle of Monterrey in September of 1846. He tended to the wounded on the battlefield and gave last rites to the dying. Afterward, serving in north Mexico, he ventured out of the U.S. garrison to minister to the locals, despite warnings of the danger. In 1847 he said a mass at the village of Ceralvo, and never made it back. His body was found a few days later, stabbed through by lances. He was mourned by both the U.S. troops and the Mexicans he served.

2. Horatio Stockton Howell

Presbyterian minister Horatio Howell was chaplain of the 90th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War. Most military chaplains at the time wore clerical black, but Howell preferred a regulation captain’s uniform. On the first day of the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, Howell was serving at the infirmary set up at a church in Gettysburg when he went to the door and was confronted by a Confederate soldier demanding his surrender. The minister began to argue that he was a non-combatant and not subject to capture, but was shot and killed, probably due to the uniform.

3. John P. Chidwick

Father John P. Chidwick was the chaplain serving on the battleship USS Maine when it exploded in Havana Harbor in 1898. Tensions were already high, and this incident was the spark that began the Spanish-American War. Father Chadwick worked tirelessly through the night to rescue injured sailors and tend to their wounds. He was the last man to leave the ship. Two days later, Chadwick conducted the funeral rites in Havana for those who died.

4. John B. DeValles

Father John B. DeValles earned the nickname the “Angel of the Trenches” during World War I. He ventured into No Man’s Land in France to search for wounded and dying soldiers, and ministered to both the Allies and the Germans. During one foray, he did not return and was found unconscious and wounded, next to a dead soldier he had tried to help. DeValles’ wounds caused his health to suffer, but he continued to serve in France until 1919. He died a year later, never having completely recovered from his wartime attack. France awarded DeValles the Croix de Guerre and Legion of Honor. Only a half-hour before he died, DeValles was notified that he would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. It was pinned on him at his funeral in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The funeral carried full military honors, and all town flags were flown at half-staff. A school in the town was named in his honor.

5. Colman O’Flaherty

Father Colman O’Flaherty was an Irish immigrant who was educated in Canada and then worked to establish several schools in South Dakota in the early 20th century. When World War I began, he joined up and was sent to France as a chaplain with the the 28th Infantry. O’Flaherty was shot and killed while helping the wounded on the front lines on October 1, 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously for extraordinary heroism in action.

6. Francis P. Duffy

Canadian-born Father Francis Duffy served in the Spanish-American War, and returned to service in 1916 to accompany troops in Mexico. Then during World War I he ministered to soldiers on the front lines in France. During battle, Duffy administered first aid and last rites as well, often under heavy fire. For his service and bravery, the priest was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Distinguished Service Medal. After the war, Duffy served as pastor of Holy Cross Church near Times Square in New York until his death in 1932. Duffy Square in the city’s theater district is named after Father Duffy. He was portrayed by Pat O’Brien in the 1940 film The Fighting 69th. Father Duffy is pictured on the right.

7. John G. Burkhalter

Rev. John G. Burkhalter was a professional boxer who became a Southern Baptist minister in Florida in 1932. He then earned a degree in history and immediately joined the military when he graduated in 1942. Burkhalter was assigned as a chaplain with the First Infantry and landed in Normandy with Allied forces during the D-Day invasion on August June 6, 1944. In October, Burkhalter worked to recover the wounded and dead during the Battle of the Bulge. He went missing for several weeks and was discovered in a French hospital, having sustained several head wounds during the battle. Burkhalter was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star as well as a Purple Heart for his activities under fire. After the war, he stayed with the army, eventually serving in the Korean War. Burkhalter retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1969. In 1992, he was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

8. Francis L. Sampson

If you’ve seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, you might be surprised to learn that the real hero who reunited the soldier Private Ryan was based on with his remaining family was a chaplain. Father Francis L. Sampson was “The Paratrooper Padre” with the 101st Airborne Division who jumped into Normandy on D-Day, landing behind enemy lines in a river. He dove to the bottom to retrieve his equipment because he couldn’t lose his Mass kit. Sampson was once captured but was saved from being shot by an enemy unit leader who was Catholic. He ministered to friend and enemy alike, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his activities in France. Sampson then went into action in Holland, where his parachute jump landed him again in water -a castle moat. He was captured by Germans during the Battle of the Bulge and imprisoned near Berlin for four months. That camp was liberated by the Russians in 1945. But that wasn’t the end of Sampson’s heroics -he went on to serve in Korea, then stayed with the army to train other chaplains and eventually became Chief of Chaplains. He retired with the rank of Major General and a slew of medals in 1971. But that’s not all! Father Sampson was then appointed to head the USO, and he spent the rest of the Vietnam War visiting troops with entertainment tours. He died in 1996 at the age of 83.

We’ve only made it to World War II, and there are other heroic stories from the wars in Korea, Vietnam, and more recent conflicts. Those will be posted next week.

Minnesota's Laboure Society Helps Vocation Discerners With Payment of Education Loans

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Young people who wish to pursue a religious vocations have assistance in paying off their debt thanks to a nonprofit society.

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by JOSEPH PRONECHEN 01/05/2012 Comment

St. Catherine Laboure

– Wikipedia

When Allen Alexander wanted to pursue his calling to the priesthood, which he had since he was a child, he was faced with a major obstacle: Even though he received some scholarship assistance and worked while at Franciscan University of Steubenville, he still had thousands of dollars of school debt to pay off before the congregation he applied to would let him enter.

When Amy Turner went on an Ignatian retreat while working at a Boston hospital and had plans to study to be a nurse, she realized “God gave me the desire for a vocation, and that was what I had to respond to.” But she still was paying off debt from the University of Dallas.

Augustine DeArmond felt the call to religious life and the priesthood, but he too was still whittling down college debt, even though he had started teaching. Accepted by the Dominicans, he said, “As with most religious communities today, our province asked me to handle most of the debt before coming into formation.”

Faced with the same dilemma, each turned for help to the Labouré Society (LaboureSociety.org). Since 2001, the Labouré Society has blossomed into a lay apostolate that has already helped more than 220 individuals resolve their financial debt to enter religious life and who are now ordained, professed or in formation.

Brother Alexander was able to take his first vows in 2010 and begin studies for the priesthood with the Congregation of the Marians of the Immaculate Conception. Brother DeArmond professed simple vows in 2008 with the Dominicans, who sent him to study this year with their Blackfriars in England. Today, Turner is Sister Louise Marie, a novice with the Sisters of Saint Benedict Center, Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary in Still River, Mass.

In the past few years Cy Laurent, founder and director of the Labouré Society — although he considers himself only the humble servant of the real founder (the Holy Spirit) — is busier than ever.

Having started this project from his home as a hobby, a year and a half ago Laurent moved into an office in Eagan, Minn., and now has two assistants. Praying about the move, he bumped into a man whose name kept coming to him in prayer. When Laurent explained the situation, the gentleman gave him an office with a free five-year lease.

“This is why you listen to the Holy Spirit,” Laurent said.

“There’s a real urgency here,” he added. He pointed out there are up to 10,000 discerners in the United States courageous enough to consider priesthood and religious life. “We must deliver these vocations to the Church.”

But the problem is: 99% of them who have gone through interviews and been tested and are qualified by vocation directors, bishops and religious communities have educational debt that averages $40,000 just for an undergraduate degree.

“The only thing that prevents them entering formation is this debt,” Laurent emphasized. In comes the society, which helps raise money to pay off this debt. “It’s a monumental task the Church can’t answer. They don’t have the money. Laypersons must respond to this.”

Over the years, Laurent, formerly a Minnesota businessman, has tweaked the process to benefit both aspirants and donors. He works with small groups, around 10 of them, at once. They develop a campaign, and Laurent motivates and counsels them. They pray together. The board decides how and when the funds are distributed to the members. Because the society is a 501c3 nonprofit corporation, donors receive tax benefits. That applies to family and friends who donate, too.

Brother DeArmond reminds people they don’t have to know anyone personally to help someone enter religious life. By donating to the Labouré Society, they help anyone called to religious life but without means to enter because of debt. There are anonymous donors.

The board of directors makes grants against the debts of aspirants in a staged way in case someone leaves during discernment. For instance, payment on debt comes in steps, like entering as a candidate, first profession to postulant, then novice. Any remaining debt is eliminated at final vows or ordination.

Sister Catherine Marie of the Holy Trinity looks fondly upon the Labouré Society. In February 2011 she took her final vows with the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Los Angeles. Laurent was present.

“It was incredible to have him there and witness all that had happened since the beginning when I was first thinking about religious life,” said Sister Catherine Marie, one of the first aspirants who was helped by the society.

She had been working jobs during her school years and summers to pay her school debt, then happened to meet Laurent.

“It was really clear to me it was totally sound and a good thing he was doing,” she explained. “The people would know what they’re giving their money to.”

It was difficult to ask for money, but Laurent made the process blessed and easy, she said. Along with help from her friends, the Labouré Society paid off her final debt.

Laurent credits her with helping to confirm the name for the society. He well remembers first meeting her: “She was walking toward me, and the sun was shining on her Miraculous Medal pin.”

Before that, the first woman he helped was also wearing a Miraculous Medal pendant. Because both of these women were wearing the Miraculous Medal that our Blessed Mother gave to St. Catherine Labouré, Laurent chose the saint as the society’s patron.

Patrons of another sort now come from across the country in the form of vocation directors and bishops’ endorsements.

“We are so grateful to the Labouré Society for assisting some of the women in application with us,” said Sister Antoniana Maria, vocation director for The Sisters of Life. “They provide a great service to the Church to allow the opportunity to follow God’s call.” In September, a new postulant entered thanks to help from the society.

Those helped see added advantages.

Sister Louise Marie said the society was a “third party” endorsement: giving her greater credibility to people she was asking for help. And the prayers and encouragement she received from the society remain priceless.

“Mr. Laurent had such joy in my vocation that it increased my own understanding of what a wondrous thing it is to be called to be the bride of Christ,” she said. “I’m glad to know he’s going to be praying for me forever.”

Brother Alexander can’t help but see “the love Cy Laurent and others who work for him have and their commitment to help young men and women struggling (to pursue their vocation).”

“Cy Laurent is one of the most enthusiastic people I’ve met,” Sister Catherine Marie said, “and so in line with the mission of the Church and the message of our Holy Father Pope Benedict and John Paul II before him about vocations to the priesthood and religious life.”

What is one of Laurent’s biggest motivating factors that should inspire donors?

“To think about the importance of one vocation,” he emphasized. “Priests and religious today are making an unbelievably important impact on members of society.”
National Catholic Register

Little Falls nun, advocate for orphans, to celebrate 100 years

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Sister Justina Bieganek

LITTLE FALLS — A Franciscan nun known for her leadership in orphan train reunions will celebrate her 100th birthday this month.

Sister Justina Bieganek, OSF, will celebrate with an 11 a.m. Mass and an open house from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 15 at St. Francis Convent in Little Falls.

Bieganek came to Avon on an orphan train when she was 22 months old. She was among more than 250,000 children from New York City who traveled west by train to adoptive families between 1854 and 1929.

Bieganek’s original name was Edith Peterson, and she learned that she was born to a widowed mother who was unable to care for her. John and Mary Bieganek adopted her when she came to Avon; she also helped the Bieganeks’ son and his wife raise their 13 children.

Justina Bieganek went to St. Francis High School in Little Falls and entered St. Francis convent in 1929. In her 82 years as a Franciscan sister, she has served as an advocate at the St. Cloud Orphanage, office worker, parish visitor, CCD instructor, sacristan and organist. She continues to work daily at St. Francis Music Center, where she has been a clerk for 31 years.

One of her greatest passions has been her effort to tell the story of the orphan trains and organize reunions for the orphans and their descendants. The 51st reunion was Oct. 1 in Little Falls. St. Cloud Times

My great-grandparents adopted a brother and sister off of an Orphan Train in the 1890s In Negaunee, Michigan. Sadly we have lost contact with them over the years.

Please Join Me In Prayer and Fasting for the Protection of Marriage In My State

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from B-Bach's Beat by Michael Blissenbach

In Minnesota, where I was born, raised, and still live, we will be voting next November on whether or not to amend our state constitution to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman. The Most Reverend John Nienstedt, Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, is calling on all Catholics to pray, as well as fast on all Fridays, for the protection of marriage in Minnesota. I join my Archbishop in calling on my brother and sister Catholics, whether in Minnesota or not, to join me in prayer and fasting for this effort. Archbishop Nienstedt recently released a prayer he wishes to be prayed regularly by Catholics for this intention, and I have included it below. The prayer can also be found on the website for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis here:

Heavenly Father,

Through the powerful intercession of the Holy Family, grant to this local Church the many graces we need to foster, strengthen, and support faith-filled, holy marriages and holy families.

May the vocation of married life, a true calling to share in your own divine and creative life, be recognized by all believers as a source of blessing and joy, and a revelation of your own divine goodness.

Grant to us all the gift of courage to proclaim and defend your plan for marriage, which is the union of one man and one woman in a lifelong, exclusive relationship of loving trust, compassion, and generosity, open to the conception of children.

We make our prayer through Jesus Christ, who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.

10th Annual Apologetics Conference - Featuring Peter Kreeft PhD - Saturday, January 7th at 1:00 p.m.

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Register - Now - Bring Your Kids!

Cost is only $15 per person - $10 ages 18 and under - Clergy/religious free!

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D is the featured speaker at the Holy Name Society's 10th Annual Apologetics Conference. First talk begins at 1:00 p.m.

Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at Boston College and at the King's College (Empire State Building), in New York City. He is a regular contributor to several Christian publications, is in wide demand as a speaker at conferences, and is the author of over 55 books including Handbook of Christian Apologetics, Christianity for Modern Pagans, and Fundamentals of the Faith.

Dr. Keeft is one of today's most knowledgeable Apologists! His "Handbook of Catholic Apologetics" is the only book that categorizes and summarizes all the major arguments in support of the main Christian beliefs, including key distinctively Catholic doctrines. Also included is a Protestant-friendly treatment of Catholic-Protestant issues. The Catholic answers to Protestant questions show how Catholicism is the fullness of the Christian faith.

Time		Conference Schedule
12:30 p.m.		Registration Begins (Refreshments - Books for Sale in lower level)
12:40 p.m.		Recitation of the Most Holy Rosary
1:00 p.m.		"7 Very Good Reasons to Be Catholic"
		Break - Refreshments - Books for Sale - Lower Level
2:20 p.m.		"Ecumenism Without Compromise"
		Followed by Special Q & A Session
4:15 p.m.		Book Signing - Lower Level
5:00 p.m.		Vigil Mass - Main Church

Conference Flyer

All Saints Catholic Church
19795 Holyoke Avenue
Lakeville, MN 55044

Come; be inspired by these powerful presentations plus a Q & A session.

• Learn more about the Catholic Faith and how best to share it with your non-Catholic friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers.

• Learn the best defense of the faith and how to deliver the message with conviction.

• Question & Answer Session - have your questions answered by Peter Kreeft Ph.D. Send your questions via e-mail to Info@nomensanctum.org and Peter will answer it the day of the conference!

Register - Now

Cost is only $15 per person - $10 ages 18 and under - Clergy/religious free!

MSNBC Poll: Bishops say rules on gay parents limit freedom of religion

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Go to the MSNBC article and vote in the poll!!!

Bishops say rules on gay parents limit freedom of religion

'In the name of tolerance, we’re not being tolerated,' says canon lawyer

By LAURIE GOODSTEIN

updated 12/28/2011 5:42:01 PM ET 2011-12-28T22:42:01

WASHINGTON — Catholic Charities in Illinois has served for more than 40 years as a major link in the state’s social service network for poor and neglected children. But now most of the Catholic Charities affiliates in Illinois are closing down rather than comply with a new requirement that says they can no longer receive state money if they turn away same-sex couples as potential foster care and adoptive parents.

For the nation’s Roman Catholic bishops, the outcome is a prime example of what they see as an escalating campaign by the government to trample on their religious freedom while expanding the rights of gay people. The idea that religious Americans are now the victims of government-backed persecution is now a frequent theme not just for Catholic bishops, but also for Republican presidential candidates and conservative evangelicals.

“In the name of tolerance, we’re not being tolerated,” said Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., a civil and canon lawyer who helped drive the church’s losing battle to retain its state contracts for foster care and adoption services.

Formidable opponents
The Illinois experience indicates that the bishops face formidable opponents who also claim to have justice and the Constitution on their side. They include not only gay rights advocates, but also many religious believers and churches that support gay equality (some Catholic legislators among them). They frame the issue as a matter of civil rights, saying that Catholic Charities was using taxpayer money to discriminate against same-sex couples.

Tim Kee, a teacher in Marion, Ill., who was turned away by Catholic Charities three years ago when he and his longtime partner, Rick Wade, tried to adopt a child, said: “We’re both Catholic, we love our church, but Catholic Charities closed the door to us. To add insult to injury, my tax dollars went to provide discrimination against me.”

The bishops are engaged in the religious liberty battle on several fronts. They have asked the Obama administration to lift a new requirement that Catholic and other religiously affiliated hospitals, universities and charity groups cover contraception in their employees’ health plans. A decision has been expected for weeks now.

At the same time, the bishops are protesting the recent denial of a federal contract to provide care for victims of sex-trafficking, saying the decision was anti-Catholic. An official with the Department of Health and Human Services recently told a hearing on Capitol Hill that the bishops’ program was rejected because it did not provide the survivors of sex-trafficking, some of whom are rape victims, with referrals for abortions or contraceptives.

Critics of the church argue that no group has a constitutional right to a government contract, especially if it refuses to provide required services.

But Anthony R. Picarello Jr., general counsel and associate general secretary of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, disagreed. “It’s true that the church doesn’t have a First Amendment right to have a government contract,” he said, “but it does have a First Amendment right not to be excluded from a contract based on its religious beliefs.”

The controversy in Illinois began when the state legislature voted in November 2010 to legalize civil unions for same-sex couples, which the state’s Catholic bishops lobbied against. The legislation was titled “The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Unions Act,” and Bishop Paprocki said he was given the impression that it would not affect state contracts for Catholic Charities and other religious social services.

Adoption services jettisoned
Bishops in Washington and Massachusetts had already decided to jettison their Catholic Charities’ adoption services rather than comply with nondiscrimination laws.

In New York State, religious groups lobbied for specific exemption language in the same-sex marriage bill. But bishops in Illinois did not negotiate, Bishop Paprocki said.

“It would have been seen as, We’re going to compromise on the principle as long as we get our exception. We didn’t want it to be seen as buying our support,” he said.

Catholic Charities is one of the nation’s most extensive social service networks, serving more than 10 million poor adults and children of many faiths across the country. It is made up of local affiliates that answer to local bishops and dioceses, but much of its revenue comes from the government. Catholic Charities affiliates received a total of nearly $2.9 billion a year from the government in 2010, about 62 percent of its annual revenue of $4.67 billion. Only 3 percent came from churches in the diocese (the rest came from in-kind contributions, investments, program fees and community donations).

In Illinois, Catholic Charities in five of the six state dioceses had grown dependent on foster care contracts, receiving 60 percent to 92 percent of their revenues from the state, according to affidavits by the charities’ directors. (Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of Chicago pulled out of foster care services in 2007 because of problems with its insurance provider).

When the contracts came up for renewal in June, the state attorney general along with the legal staff in the governor’s office and the Department of Children and Family Services decided that the religious providers on state contracts would no longer be able to reject same-sex couples, said Kendall Marlowe, a spokesman for the department.

The Catholic providers offered to refer same-sex couples to other agencies (as they had been doing for same-sex and unmarried couples), but that was not acceptable to the state, Mr. Marlowe said. “Separate but equal was not a sufficient solution on other civil rights issues in the past either,” he said.

Some decide to fight
Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Rockford decided at that point to get out of the foster care business. But the bishops in Springfield, Peoria, Joliet and Belleville decided to fight, filing a lawsuit against the state.

Taking a completely different tack was the agency affiliated with the conservative Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod, which like the Catholic Church does not sanction same-sex relationships. Gene Svebakken, president and chief executive of the agency, Lutheran Child and Family Services of Illinois, visited all seven pastoral conferences in his state and explained that the best option was to compromise and continue caring for the children.

“We’ve been around 140 years, and if we didn’t follow the law we’d go out of business,” Mr. Svebakken said. “We believe its God- pleasing to serve these kids, and we know we do a good job.”

In August, Judge John Schmidt, a circuit judge in Sangamon County, ruled against Catholic Charities, saying, “No citizen has a recognized legal right to a contract with the government.” He did not address the religious liberty claims, ruling only that the state did not violate the church’s property rights.

Three of the dioceses filed an appeal, but in November filed a motion to dismiss their lawsuit. The Dioceses of Peoria and Belleville are spinning off their state-financed social services, with the caseworkers, top executives and foster children all moving to new nonprofits that will no longer be affiliated with either diocese.

Gary Huelsmann, executive director of Catholic Social Services of Southern Illinois, in the Belleville Diocese, said the decision was excruciating for everyone.

“We have 600 children abused and neglected in an area where there are hardly any providers,” he said. “Us going out of business would have been detrimental to these children, and that’s a sin, too.”

The work will be carried on, but the Catholic Church’s seminal, historic connection with it has been severed, noted Mr. Marlowe, the spokesman for the state’s child welfare agency. “The child welfare system that Catholic Charities helped build,” he said, “is now strong enough to survive their departure.”

This article, "Bishops Say Rules on Gay Parents Limit Freedom of Religion," originally appeared in The New York Times.

Stained glass is a 'a way of sharing the faith' (dating to the times when most people couldn't read).

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Stained glass at Peoria's St. Joseph Catholic Church 'a way of sharing the faith'

A congregation of German immigrants, members of St. Joseph Catholic Church had the building's stained glass windows made in Munich about 100 years ago. Some of the most magnificent stained glass windows in the area, the panels depict the 15 mysteries of the rosary, with each window showing an important event in the life of Jesus Christ.

No one knows who made the first stained glass windows. Some of the earliest examples date to the first century, A.D.

And while the materials have improved since then, the tools used by stained glass artists have changed very little.

"We had an artist once who told me that if you brought a stained glass artist from the 1600s and set him down at my bench, he would feel right at home," said Carl Iverson, special projects manager for Reinarts Stained Glass Studios Inc. in Winona, Minn. "It's one of the few industries that still does it a lot of the way it was done in the past."

Reinarts has worked in many churches in central Illinois, including St. Joseph Catholic Church after a 2005 fire destroyed one window behind the alter and badly damaged another. A third window was also redone so it would match the two newly restored panels.

"When the windows get heated up too much, it actually makes the glass brittle," Iverson explained. "When you take the glass out of the lead, it actually disintegrates."

Workers used the resulting piles of glass to select new glass when they re-created the windows. Matching old glass is tricky because each batch of glass varies. In addition, there are types and colors made 100 years ago that aren't produced today.

"It's not like paint where you can say, 'Mix me this color up,'" Iverson said. "Glass is manufactured differently today. There's less hand-blown glass and more mechanically made glass."

The windows Reinarts re-created for St. Joseph were figure windows, with the images of Matthew and Mark painted on the glass. They were made by an artist using a special type of paint which, when heated in a kiln, fuses to the glass. The process creates nuanced images and forms that would be impossible to make with cut glass and leading.

"The paint is actually made of glass," Iverson said. "You paint it on and then you take off what you don't want. When you're working with a figure, especially on a face, you may fire it 10 times. The painting is created in stages."

"That's why figure windows are more expensive," Iverson said. "There's more time and skill involved."

The skills are so specialized that each window is created by a team of artisans. At Reinarts, one person paints just the hands and faces. Another artist paints the robes and background details. Another person does the design and layout, and yet another selects the glass and assembles the window.

That's the main reason why stained glass windows are so expensive, Iverson said.

"There is no margin for profits," he said. "Everything is done by hand, and labor has gone up over the years."

Expense was an important factor to the Rev. Larry Zurek when he took on the task of restoring Sacred Heart Church in 2005-06. The restoration, done shortly before the church's 100th anniversary, undid an earlier renovation from the 1960s.

At that time the building's original stained glass windows, in need of repair, were instead replaced with modern stained glass.

"It was the trend to make things look new," Zurek said.

Pastor at both Sacred Heart and St. Joseph Catholic churches, Zurek has a deep admiration for beautiful stained glass windows. They not only create colored light, but also tell a story.

"It's a way of sharing the faith," he said. "We say a picture paints a thousand words. In the Middle Ages, when people couldn't read or write, the windows told a story."

Because stained glass windows are more expensive than ever, during the restoration at Sacred Heart, Zurek had to make some compromises. He decided the majority of the church's new windows be made in a simple style by a company out of St. Louis, while three windows in the choir loft were created in the more expensive figural style by a company in England.

"I went there during the process," Zurek said. "I was really worried about the faces. That's where the art is. The higher quality artist is the one who does the face."

Zurek was quite pleased with the way the windows turned out, but he still speaks of his other church when talking about magnificent stained glass.

Built in 1879, St. Joseph is the oldest Catholic Church in Peoria. In the early 1900s, the congregation, mostly German immigrants, ordered elaborate windows from an art glass studio in Munich, Zurek said.

Like many churches, the congregation could only raise enough money initially to build the structure. The more ornate windows came later to replace the less complex windows installed when the church was built.

Several of the original windows are still in use above the front doors and in the choir loft. The three windows rebuilt after the 2005 fire are also original, Zurek said.

While the church's oldest windows are nice, those made later in Germany are masterpieces. Each tells a story, depicting the important events in the life of Jesus Christ - the joyful, sorrowful and glorious mysteries of the Rosary.

"It's amazing," said Zurek as he stood recently in the empty sanctuary of St. Joseph gazing at the image of Jesus in the manger. "A lot of time, a lot of love, were put into these windows. We are so fortunate that we didn't lose them in the fire."

Closing the church was considered after the fire, Zurek said. Once filled with a vibrant congregation, the church is surrounded by a deteriorating neighborhood and has, in recent years, lost attendance.

The windows were one of the reasons leadership chose to go ahead with the $1.3 million repair of the building. Zurek believes it would likely have been razed if the windows had not survived the fire.

While attendance during a normal service is small, on Christmas Eve the old building once again overflows as family members return to celebrate in the church of their youth.

"An old church speaks more to them than a modern place," Zurek said.

Some days Zurek comes to the empty church to pray the Rosary. While gazing at the old windows he occasionally discovers details in the intricate designs he hadn't noticed before. As the light filters through the colored glass, Zurek enjoys a feeling of reverence.

"It's not just another building. It's a sacred place," Zurek said.

The stained glass windows are a big part of that.

"It's kind of like heaven breaking into our world."

Peoria PJStar

AUDIO: Fargo Bishop Samuel Aquila Believes Elements Of Communism And Nazism Attack Religious Freedoms

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There were strong statements from Fargo Catholic diocese Bishop Samuel Aquila.

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Fargo Catholic diocese Bishop Samuel Aquila. (Submitted Photo)

AUDIO: Fargo Bishop Believes Elements Of Communism And Nazism Attack Religious Freedoms

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Fargo Catholic diocese Bishop Samuel Aquila talks about where the country is heading

There were strong statements from Fargo Catholic diocese Bishop Samuel Aquila. The bishop says elements of communism and Nazism are attacking religious freedoms and moving the nation away from its Judeo-Christian foundations.

In an interview with KFGO news, the bishop acknowledged that his words are strong, but necessary to convey his message. Aquila says the country began slowly changing into a secular society sometime after World War II.

Aquila says the re-definition of marriage, the debate over when life begins and euthanasia are examples of what he's concerned about.

He says the effects of communism, Nazism and atheism are stronger now than just 30 to 40 years ago. KFGO News

Catholic school realignment leaves winners, losers in St. Paul, Dakota County

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A plan by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis to consolidate Catholic schools on St. Paul's West Side and in northern Dakota County keeps changing, with the latest twist leaving members of one parish proclaiming a "Christmas miracle" and members of another crying foul.

Holy Trinity in South St. Paul is the latest school to escape being absorbed into a new regional school that the archdiocese is planning to combat falling enrollment, financial stress and aging facilities at five parish schools. The decision was announced to parishioners at a recent Christmas event.

"I can't tell you how many people have described this as a Christmas miracle," said the Rev. John Echert, who appealed the decision to close the school on behalf of parents and church leaders. "That's how strongly they felt about this."

But the move has upset some members of St. Matthew's School on St. Paul's West Side who say the entire "realignment" plan has been convoluted and lacked a clear vision from the start.

The confusion has made it hard for members of St. Matthew's to see how they will fit into a regional school without losing their neighborhood ties.

"The whole realignment is a joke," said Brian Osborne, a longtime member of St. Matthew's. "They don't know what they are doing. How can a billion-dollar company be so dysfunctional?"

The initial plans that were announced had five schools - St. Joseph's, St. Michael's, St. Matthew's, Holy Trinity and St. John Vianney merging into two regional campuses.

St. Joseph's in West St. Paul quickly won an appeal to remain a parish school, and now with Holy Trinity staying open, the remaining three parish schools will form one regional campus at St. Michael's in West St. Paul.

Dennis McGrath, spokesman for the archdiocese, said that after the initial plans were announced, members of Holy Trinity and St. Joseph felt their schools were still "viable" on their own. Any appearance of confusion was unintended.

"Organizations change direction all the time, if there is reason for it," McGrath said. "We are not a dictatorship."

McGrath acknowledged the emotions involved in consolidating schools with long-standing community ties. Changing population demographics and enrollments make it necessary to consolidate schools such as St. Michael, St. Matthew and St. John Vianney.

"It makes sense and they will be a stronger school going forward," McGrath said, noting the age and repairs needed at locations such as St. Matthew. "It would be irresponsible to keep a school like that going."

There currently are 361 students at the three parish schools to be consolidated. If the students won't all fit at St. Michael's, the archdiocese will find a way to accommodate them, McGrath said.

The archdiocese said in October that the "common sense plan" was recommended by a task force made up of pastors, principals and stakeholders and came after six months of "intensive discussion."

But Glenn Burke, who served on the task force, said the discussion was heavy on local demographics, governance of the new regional school board and administrative costs. It lacked talk about facilities.

"As far as I was concerned, we missed the bigger issues about facilities and finance," he said. "I did not feel that we came to a good, solid decision and made a real recommendation to the archbishop."

He called the recommendation "premature."

"I didn't feel like there was a real good recommendation that came out of the committee to the archbishop," he said. "I understood Holy Trinity and St. John Vianney were going to be consolidated together - that was my feeling - but the question was which was the best facility?"

Burke said St. John Vianney in South St. Paul has fewer classrooms than Holy Trinity but is more up to date with a newer gymnasium and cafeteria and an expanded church lobby.

Holy Trinity has 133 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. St. John Vianney, a K-6 school, has 100 students.

Echert said the initial plan generated "a very passionate response" from Holy Trinity parents and parishioners, many of whom voiced their displeasure at a November meeting attended by the archdiocesan superintendent of schools.

"Over 80 percent of the parents signed a respectful statement to the archbishop which they presented him, indicating that they did not have confidence in the plan as it was proposed," Echert said.

Echert said that he requested that Archbishop John C. Nienstedt reconsider the decision and that the archbishop then directed a formal independent assessment of the Holy Trinity and St. John Vianney buildings.

Burke, who serves on Holy Trinity's school board and has a son enrolled at the school, said he understands the uncertainty that parents and parishioners at St. John Vianney and St. Matthew's are facing.

"We got the bad news a month and a half ago," he said. "It's tough."

Meanwhile, the archdiocese is planning a contest in the three parishes to name the new regional school, McGrath said.

Osborne worries that the regional school will wind up split between St. Michael's and St. John Vianney, leaving St. Matthew's as the only school being closed.

"There are too many unanswered questions," Osborne said. "Too many people just want to know what is going on."

2011 ENROLLMENT

Holy Trinity (South St. Paul) - 133

St. John Vianney (South St. Paul) - 100

St. Joseph's (West St. Paul) - 572

St. Matthew's (St. Paul) - 169

St. Michael's (West St. Paul) - 92

Pioneer Press

Kateri Tekakwitha, first Native American declared to be a Saint by Pope Benedict!

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Photo from the Montreal Gazette

(Above) La Crosse WI: Shrine to Bl Kateri Tekakwitha VATICAN CITY, 20 DEC 2011 – The Holy Father, yesterday signed decrees acknowledging miracles attributed to the intervention of seven blesseds (three men and four women) who will shortly be canonised. One of the new saints is Kateri Tekakwitha, the first native North American to be raised to the glory of the altars. -Vatican Information Service Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha lived in a society where publicly and literally people ate other men, offered sacrifices to demons, and every human act was done in view of others, I mean EVERYTHING. In the mist of all this she remained a pure virgin, even before she was a Christian, but after baptism in the True Faith under the One True God, she rocketed into great holiness. – A Friar With Great Devotion to her Daughter of a Christian Algonquin woman captured by Iroquois and married to a non-Christian Mohawk chief. Orphaned during a smallpox epidemic, which left her with a scarred face and impaired eyesight. Converted and baptized in 1676 by Father Jacques de Lamberville, a Jesuit missionary. Shunned and abused by relatives for her faith. Escaped through 200 miles of wilderness to the Christian Native American village of Sault-Sainte-Marie. Took a vow of chastity in 1679. Known for spirituality and austere lifestyle. Miracle worker. Her grave became a pilgrimage site and place of miracles for Christian Native Americans and French colonists. First Native American proposed for canonization, her cause was started in 1884 under Pope Leo XIII. The Tekakwitha Conference, an international association of Native American Catholics and those in ministry with them, was named for her. – http://saints.sqpn.com/blessed-kateri-tekakwitha/

Air Maria

Montreal Gazette

ABC News

Catholic Conservation Center

Natioinal Shrine of Kateri Tekakwitha

Wikipedia Article on Kateri Tekakwitha


[National Catholic Register] on Blessed Kateri 27 December 11

The Three Absolvers on How to Make a Good Confession

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Updated a third time on December 20, 2011

Sr. Mary Ann Walsh with the USCCB has ten good, practical reasons for going to Confession regularly, with one really important reason added by Fr. Z!


First Posted on December 9, 2008

Commandments of the Church

III. To confess our sins to a priest, at least once a year.

IV. To receive Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist at least once a year during Easter Season.

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Father John Zuhlsdorf, "Father Z, renowned blogger", has 20 Tips for Making A Good Confession

Father George Rutler, author, preacher and pastor of the Church of Our Savior in Manhattan, has ten pages on "How to Make a Good Confession."

Father Robert Altier, preacher and chaplain in Hastings, MN, has a wonderful "Examination of Conscience" for you. "Keep custody of those eyes!"

and

Father John Zuhlsdorf [Fr. Z.] on "I haven't been to Confession for ten years; I don't know what to do!

Fr. Z, again: Why I still have this blog: a reader’s testimony

And here are two more useful Examinations for children:

Click Here for an Examination of Conscience for Children

Click Here for another Examination for Elementary School Children
Tip O' the Hat to Catholic Parents OnLine

You say that you think that you prefer to confess your sins directly to God? You don't need to do it to a priest? Read what Francis J. Beckwith, Professor of Philosophy and Church-State Studies at Baylor University, former President of the protestant Evangelical Theological Society, and a convert in April 2007 to the Catholic Church has to say on the matter.

If you live here you really don't have an excuse for not going to Confession [Bumped]

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[Originally posted August 22, 2008]

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Two of this area's most prolific and respected bloggers, Adoro and Terry, coincidentally posted recently on difficulties in finding a place to go to Confession. Jeepers, you'd think with 230 parishes in our archdiocese, that should be no problem.

Well, the problem is that most parishes seem to make it available on Saturday afternoons between 3:00 and 5:00, before the Vigil Mass. In days of yore, the kids went to confession on Friday afternoons, I believe, and the grown ups lined up on Saturday mornings or during parish missions or Holy Week. Maybe the problem is that we don't see many lines any more so pastors aren't offering it more often.

But a major logistical problem with sin is that it just does not happen only on Friday nights. Sin is a 24/7 event, sadly, for most of us. Therefore, it is great when we can get dash on over to the morning Confessional line, encounter only a few ahead of us and get shriven of our sins so we can face the day with joy.

Therefor the Official Minnesota Catholic Directory (a two year old edition) was scoured for those parishes that offer Confession on a daily basis (bold type) or at other times than Saturday afternoons.

Tape this to your refrigerator along with the kids homework, your workout schedule or your weight loss stats. Isn't your spiritual health as important as other important parts of your life?

Anoka	St. Stephen	Thursdays 7:00 p.m.
Blaine	St. Timothy	Saturday 6:00 pm
Burnsville	MMOTC	Saturday 9-10 a.m.
Carver	St. Nicholas	Saturday 6-6:30 p.m.
Coon Rapids	Epiphany	After M-F Masses; 9-10:00 am Sat
Corcoran	St. Thomas	Sun: 7:30 a.m.; Thurs: 11:30 a.m.
Crystal	St. Raphael	Saturday: 7:30-8:30 p.m.
Delano	St. Joseph	Thursday: After 8:30 a.m. Mass
Eagan	St. John Neumann	Wednesday: 7:00 p.m.
Edina	Our Lady of Grace	Saturday: 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Edina	St. Patrick	Saturday: 1:00 p.m.
Excelsior	John the Baptist	Sunday: 7:30-7:50; 9:30-9:50
Faribault	Divine Mercy	Saturday: 8-8:30; 9-9:30; Weds & Fri: 8:00 a.m.
Forest Lake	St. Peter	M-F: After 8:30 a.m. Mass
Ham Lake	St. Paul	Mon: 8:15 a.m. & 5:30 p.m.
Hastings	St Elizabeth Seton	M-F: 6:45 a.m.
Hopkins	John the Evangelist	Saturday: 8:45 a.m
Medina	Holy Name	Saturday: 8:30 a.m.
Minneapolis	Holy Rosary	Sun: 8:45-9:15; Sun: 10:30-11:00 (Spanish)
Minneapolis	OL of Lourdes	30 min. before weekend Masses
Minneapolis	St. Joseph Hien	30 minutes before all Masses
Minneapolis	St Anthony/Padua	Saturday: 7:45-8:15
Minneapolis	St. Helena	Saturday 2:45-3:15
Minneapolis	St. Lawrence/Newman	Saturday 9:30-10:00
Minneapolis	St. Leonard	Saturday: After 8:00 Mass
Minneapolis	St. Olaf	M-F after a.m. Mass; TThSa after noon Mass
Northfield	St. Dominic	M-F: 4:45 p.m.
Norwood/YA	Ascension	7:30-8:15 p.m.
Ramsey	Katherine Drexel	30 minutes before all Masses
Robbinsdale	Sacred Heart	Tues-Sat: 7:30-7:50 am [change]
St. Anthony	Charles Borromeo	Sat: 8:30-9 am; Weds: 5:20 pm
St. Bonnie	St. Boniface	Tues-Weds: 7:45-8:00 a.m.
St. Louis Pk	Holy Family	Sunday: 8:00-8:50 a.m.
St. Paul St. Paul	Holy Childhood Assumption	Sunday: 9:30-10:00 [new] M-F: 11:30-11:55
St. Paul	Bl. Sacrament	Saturday: 2:30-3:30
St. Paul	Cathedral	M-F: 4:00-5:05 p.m. [change] Lent 2010: March 20, Communal March 29, 30, 31: 3-5 & 7-8:30 [new]
St. Paul	Nativity	M-F: 7:45 & 4:30
St. Paul	St. Agnes	Sat: 7:30-9:00 a.m.; after Tuesday devotions
St. Paul	St. Bernard	Monday: after 8:15 Mass
St. Paul	Francis de Sales	Saturday: 2:30-3:30
St. Paul	St. James	Tuesday: 8:30 a.m.
St. Paul	St. John	Before every Mass
St. Paul	St Louis	M-F:6:30, 9:30; also 11:30 Mon Sat: 6:30, 11:30
St. Paul	Thomas More	Tuesday: 7:00 p.m.
St. Paul	St. Matthew	Tuesday: 7:15 a.m.
St. Paul	St. Stanislaus	Saturday: 2:30-3:00
St. Paul	SVDP (Hmong)	Sunday: 8:00-8:45 a.m.
St Paul St. Paul Savage	UST, St Thomas Chapel St. Andrew John the Baptist	M-F 3:15 - 4:15 (NEW) Sat: 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. (NEW) Saturday: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
Shakopee	St. Mary	15 minutes before Masses
Shoreview	St. Odilia	Saturday: 9:00 a.m.
S. St. Paul	St. Augustine	Saturday: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Stillwater	St. Mary	Saturday: 8:00 a.m.
Stillwater	St. Michael	M-F: 5:05-5:25 p.m.
Taylors Falls	St. Joseph	After all Masses
Victoria	St. Victoria	Saturday: 6:00 p.m.
Watertown	Imm. Conception	Friday: 7:00-7:30 a.m.
Waverly	St. Mary	Before daily Mass
W. St. Paul	St. Joseph	Saturday: 8:30-9:30 a.m.
W. St. Paul	St. Michael	Saturday: 7:00-8:00 p.m.
White Bear	St. Mary/Lake	Saturday: 9:00 a.m.