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Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Coadjutor Bishop Nienstedt: "If we want to keep the schools alive, we have to tell Catholics to have more babies!"
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The man who will be the next leader of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis could bring changes in style and focus over time, church observers said Tuesday.
The man who will be the next leader of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis could bring changes in style and focus over time, church observers said Tuesday.
New Ulm Bishop John Nienstedt, 60, was introduced as Pope Benedict's choice to succeed Archbishop Harry Flynn, whom Nienstedt will shadow until Flynn retires in about a year.
Nienstedt, a Michigan native, said he intends to carry on Flynn's work on behalf of immigrants and the poor.
Observers said it's too early to tell whether the newcomer will shift direction at the archdiocese, which has been relatively free of controversy under Flynn's moderate leadership. But they saw Nienstedt's passion for bioethics and moral theology as a clue that he may take a stronger stand on such issues as contraception and gay marriage.
In an interview before Tuesday's news conference in St. Paul, Nienstedt -- a tall, athletic man with a crisp manner whose official title will be coadjutor archbishop -- said his priorities will include vigorous recruiting for the priesthood, working with the archdiocese's priests to strengthen their churches and improving training for lay workers.
He has pushed for an amendment to the state Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman and has taken conservative stances on issues ranging from Terri Schiavo to the causes of homosexuality. But he skirted questions about whether he will be liberal or conservative, calling such labels "too political" and saying that "the Holy Spirit, not I" will mediate disagreements among Catholics.
"The church is like a football field with goalposts and boundaries, but a good many things can be accomplished within the structure of the game," he said. "Jesus has given us instructions, and we have to be faithful to them, so if someone is out of bounds, they may be whistled down. But yes, we can always talk about issues."
Broader public role predicted
Prof. Robert Kennedy, head of the Catholic Studies Department at the University of St. Thomas, said he wouldn't be surprised if Nienstedt, given his background as a moral theologian, were more outspoken than Flynn on issues such as same-sex marriage, abortion and stem-cell research.
But Nienstedt's chief challenges, Kennedy predicted, will be demographic changes: a surge of Hispanic newcomers changing the face of the U.S. church even as they ensure its growth and "this period in which a lot of people are becoming more casual about their faith."
The Rev. Thomas Reese, senior fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University in Washington, said that although Nienstedt may be considered conservative by some, he took a cautious stance while serving as chairman of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on priestly formation. "He was chair when all hell broke loose with the sex abuse crisis and looked hard at what we were doing wrong," Reese said. "And priests are better trained now, and there is a better screening process."
A 'contraceptive mentality'
At the news conference, Nienstedt lamented "the contraceptive mentality in this country" that has made Catholic families smaller, saying it has made parents more reluctant to encourage their sons to become priests and imperiled some Catholic schools. "If we want to keep the schools alive, we have to tell Catholics to have more babies," he said.
[Has any other Bishop had the guts to say that since the publication of the Humanae Vitae Birth Control Encyclical by Pope Paul VI? I hope and pray to hear a lot of truth coming from Coadjutor Archbishop Nienstedt.]
He acknowledged that one challenge to recruiting new priests was the pall cast over the priesthood's image by the sex abuse scandal.
He said he intends to spend as much time as possible at Catholic seminaries and schools to seek out new church leaders and hear the concerns of young people. [...snip] StarTribune Read it All
Hard-line bishop to succeed Archbishop Flynn in St Paul-Minneapolis
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Roman Catholic Bishop John Nienstedt of New Ulm, Minn., a theological conservative who has taken on Hollywood, stem-cell research and people who make too much noise in church, was named Tuesday to succeed Archbishop Harry Flynn.
Roman Catholic Bishop John Nienstedt of New Ulm, Minn., a theological conservative who has taken on Hollywood, stem-cell research and people who make too much noise in church, was named Tuesday to succeed Archbishop Harry Flynn.
The announcement by the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis that Nienstedt, 60, had been named "coadjutor archbishop" ended months of speculation over who would succeed Flynn, who will step down when he turns 75 next year.
Flynn, who has been archbishop since 1996, introduced Nienstedt at the archdiocese's chancery in St. Paul. He called Nienstedt "such a capable bishop" and said he had "broad experience that will serve him well."
But Nienstedt's time as bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm has not been without controversy. While Flynn and others lauded him as an able administrator and liturgist, some of his actions have rankled his own priests and parishioners in the diocese he has led since August 2001.
Soon after being named bishop in New Ulm, he condemned some of the theological views of the man who had held the post before him for 25 years, Bishop Raymond Lucker, a noted progressive clergyman who died in 2001. Denouncing his predecessor's views was an "extraordinary step," the National Catholic Reporter noted in an article on the incident.
As bishop in New Ulm, Nienstedt prohibited cohabitating couples from being married in Catholic churches. He barred female pastoral administrators from leading prayers at a semiannual leadership event. He once disciplined a priest for holding joint ecumenical services with a Lutheran congregation after the Catholic church had been destroyed by a tornado.
Kenneth Irrgang, a retired priest who clashed with Nienstedt when he was bishop in New Ulm, predicted that Nienstedt will meet resistance among the 654 active priests in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.
"I expect disaster there. I don't think those priests are going to accept him," said Irrgang, who now lives in St. Cloud. "He's a micromanager. He has to control everything. He hews the line from the Vatican without any question whatsoever. He's not a very good people person."
But the Rev. Philip M. Schotzko of the Church of St. Peter in St. Peter, Minn., praised Nienstedt's abilities.
"Bishop Nienstedt is a consummate man of the church," said Schotzko. "He thinks with, prays with and loves the church with everything he's got. He just follows very carefully the teachings and all aspects of church theology and moral teachings. You'll get a very committed man in that way." In a column from June with the headline "Silence," Nienstedt complained about people talking while he prepared for weekend liturgies, saying it was a "din of noise ... not unlike that of a sports arena." "I have tried to overhear what is so important that people need to speak in church," he wrote. "Normally comments range from one's view of the weather, to a recent sports event, to how old Uncle Henry is looking. None of it is essential. None of it has to be spoken at that time." PioneerPress Read it All
[...Snip]
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Was Monsignor Schuler the last of the Monsignors?
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Most of you reading this probably don't even know what a "monsignor" is, let along know how to pronounce it.***
But a geezer pal and I were chatting this morning, sadly, about the passing of Msgr (that's pronounced the same way "monsignor" is, youngsters) Schuler and what a loss it was to the Church (the Church Militant). And probably a gain for Heaven (the Church Triumphant).
Then we got to musing about how there didn't seem to be any other monsignors in the archdiocese.****
My pal was born in Sleepy Eye, in what is now the Diocese of New Ulm, where our new Coadjutor Archbishop, John Nienstedt, is Bishop now. There are lots of monsignors there, he noted. Fargo alone created seven new monsignors last Winter. Five priests were named monsignors in the Diocese of New Ulm in November of 2005.
It is up to a Bishop if he wants to request that the Pope designate priests as "monsignor", an honorary title of the Church.
Lots of organizations have honorary titles. The Minneapolis Police Department is probably still loaded with Inspectors and Sergeants; and the Fire Department has gobs of Captains. People deserve recognition.
There are lots of good priests in the Archdiocese of St Paul-Minneapolis. Rumor has it (Don't forget that your reporter hangs out incognito at Chancery lunching establishments like Frost's and Costello's) that the reason that we don't have "monsignors" here is that Chancery officials are afraid of offending those who wouldn't get those appointments.
If Fargo can have seven, and New Ulm can have five, surely we should have 30 or 40! Now that we will be having an Archbishop in a year or so who isn't afraid of making monsignors, look forward to seeing a lot of red on the cassocks and surplices of your pastors.
You say you don't see many cassocks and surplices these days? I bet you will in the future!
Thank God for Archbishop Flynn who has turned around this Archdiocese. And Thank God for Coadjutor Archbishop John Nienstedt who will surely take it to higher levels!
*** Monsignor: See Wikipedia You don't believe Wikipedia; OK, then see the Catholic Encyclopedia!
**** My apologies to the following: Msgr Aloysius Callaghan, who was not ordained in this diocese and is rector of the St Paul Seminary; Msgr William L Baumgaertner, Ordained 1946; Msgr Jerome Boxleitner, 1956; Msgr James Habiger, 1951; Msgr Patrick Hessian, 1953; Msgr Ellsworth Kneal, 1944; Msgr James Lavin, 1945; Msgr Richard Moudry, 1950; Msgr Robert Probst, 1945; Msgr Stanley Srnec, 1942; Msgr John Sweeney, 1941; and Msgr John Ward, 1945. God Bless You and thank you for your services to the Church!
I would say that those years of ordination prove my point. Few of those holy men are in active service today, I would imagine.
Most of you reading this probably don't even know what a "monsignor" is, let along know how to pronounce it.***
But a geezer pal and I were chatting this morning, sadly, about the passing of Msgr (that's pronounced the same way "monsignor" is, youngsters) Schuler and what a loss it was to the Church (the Church Militant). And probably a gain for Heaven (the Church Triumphant).
Then we got to musing about how there didn't seem to be any other monsignors in the archdiocese.****
My pal was born in Sleepy Eye, in what is now the Diocese of New Ulm, where our new Coadjutor Archbishop, John Nienstedt, is Bishop now. There are lots of monsignors there, he noted. Fargo alone created seven new monsignors last Winter. Five priests were named monsignors in the Diocese of New Ulm in November of 2005.
It is up to a Bishop if he wants to request that the Pope designate priests as "monsignor", an honorary title of the Church.
Lots of organizations have honorary titles. The Minneapolis Police Department is probably still loaded with Inspectors and Sergeants; and the Fire Department has gobs of Captains. People deserve recognition.
There are lots of good priests in the Archdiocese of St Paul-Minneapolis. Rumor has it (Don't forget that your reporter hangs out incognito at Chancery lunching establishments like Frost's and Costello's) that the reason that we don't have "monsignors" here is that Chancery officials are afraid of offending those who wouldn't get those appointments.
If Fargo can have seven, and New Ulm can have five, surely we should have 30 or 40! Now that we will be having an Archbishop in a year or so who isn't afraid of making monsignors, look forward to seeing a lot of red on the cassocks and surplices of your pastors.
You say you don't see many cassocks and surplices these days? I bet you will in the future!
Thank God for Archbishop Flynn who has turned around this Archdiocese. And Thank God for Coadjutor Archbishop John Nienstedt who will surely take it to higher levels!
*** Monsignor: See Wikipedia You don't believe Wikipedia; OK, then see the Catholic Encyclopedia!
**** My apologies to the following: Msgr Aloysius Callaghan, who was not ordained in this diocese and is rector of the St Paul Seminary; Msgr William L Baumgaertner, Ordained 1946; Msgr Jerome Boxleitner, 1956; Msgr James Habiger, 1951; Msgr Patrick Hessian, 1953; Msgr Ellsworth Kneal, 1944; Msgr James Lavin, 1945; Msgr Richard Moudry, 1950; Msgr Robert Probst, 1945; Msgr Stanley Srnec, 1942; Msgr John Sweeney, 1941; and Msgr John Ward, 1945. God Bless You and thank you for your services to the Church!
I would say that those years of ordination prove my point. Few of those holy men are in active service today, I would imagine.
Monsignor Richard Schuler's Guardian Angel had one last task to perform
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Right about now the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale and members of the Minnesota Orchestra are right at about the Dies Irae of Mozart's fabulous Requiem Mass over at St Agnes Church in St Paul for the funeral of Monsignor Richard Schuler, pastor there for 32 years or so and one of the men who saved music in the American Church.
Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him, O Lord, and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him; May His Soul, and All the Souls of the Faithful Departed, Through the Mercy of God, Rest in Peace. Amen.
Msgr Schuler's Guardian Angel probably didn't have a lot to do for most of the good priest's life other than deflect a few meteorites from the priest's noggin, give flat tires to drunk drivers who might have hit him, distract vandals intent on harming his gorgeous church, etc, but today he had one last task. He prevented the electronic dissemination of the sad news that St Agnes High School, nurtured by Msgr Schuler and many others over so many years and the source of so many vocations for the Church, is having severe financial difficulties.
The paper printed the story, but nobody seems to have been able to access the electronic version so I finally ran over and purchased a copy.
"Facing a projected drop in enrollment for the next school year and struggling with long-standing debts, St. Agnes High School needs to find new students or new funding before the end of the month to prevent closure, according to parish officials."
St Agnes, "established in 1888 and widely considered the most traditional of the area's Catholic schools, is facing 'a critical deadlinie,' according to a letter sent to parents last week.'" The lower school would not be affected. High school tuition at St Agnes next year is $7,350.
"St Agnes has been running deficits for several years, and the parish has had to borrow more than $1 million to support the school", pastor Father John Ubel said. "The school's operating deficit this year was equal to the total parish income."
"Overall enrollment at the school is about 426 students, down from about 600 in 2001-2." [St Paul Pioneer Press]
As plans are revealed for attempts to save St Agnes High, watch here for further information.
Msgr Schuler's Guardian Angel has now removed the restrictions and you may now read the full PPD article about St Agnes High HERE.
Cathy of Alex who blogs at Recovering Dissident Catholic has discovered that a complete statement is on the St Agnes Web Page.
Right about now the Twin Cities Catholic Chorale and members of the Minnesota Orchestra are right at about the Dies Irae of Mozart's fabulous Requiem Mass over at St Agnes Church in St Paul for the funeral of Monsignor Richard Schuler, pastor there for 32 years or so and one of the men who saved music in the American Church.
Eternal Rest Grant Unto Him, O Lord, and Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Him; May His Soul, and All the Souls of the Faithful Departed, Through the Mercy of God, Rest in Peace. Amen.
Msgr Schuler's Guardian Angel probably didn't have a lot to do for most of the good priest's life other than deflect a few meteorites from the priest's noggin, give flat tires to drunk drivers who might have hit him, distract vandals intent on harming his gorgeous church, etc, but today he had one last task. He prevented the electronic dissemination of the sad news that St Agnes High School, nurtured by Msgr Schuler and many others over so many years and the source of so many vocations for the Church, is having severe financial difficulties.
The paper printed the story, but nobody seems to have been able to access the electronic version so I finally ran over and purchased a copy.
"Facing a projected drop in enrollment for the next school year and struggling with long-standing debts, St. Agnes High School needs to find new students or new funding before the end of the month to prevent closure, according to parish officials."
St Agnes, "established in 1888 and widely considered the most traditional of the area's Catholic schools, is facing 'a critical deadlinie,' according to a letter sent to parents last week.'" The lower school would not be affected. High school tuition at St Agnes next year is $7,350.
"St Agnes has been running deficits for several years, and the parish has had to borrow more than $1 million to support the school", pastor Father John Ubel said. "The school's operating deficit this year was equal to the total parish income."
"Overall enrollment at the school is about 426 students, down from about 600 in 2001-2." [St Paul Pioneer Press]
As plans are revealed for attempts to save St Agnes High, watch here for further information.
Msgr Schuler's Guardian Angel has now removed the restrictions and you may now read the full PPD article about St Agnes High HERE.
Cathy of Alex who blogs at Recovering Dissident Catholic has discovered that a complete statement is on the St Agnes Web Page.
Faithmouse, the one and only, the Original, will be performing this weekend at the Plymouth Radisson!
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Chris Ward, direct from Las Vegas, via Elko, MN, not NV, accomplished harpist and vocalist, and the one, the only, the original Faithmouse, will be performing this weekend at the Night Lights Benefit Banquet for the Missing Grace Foundation at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center in Plymouth, Minnesota.
Details coming as I figure them out. Dan Lacey, Mr. Faithmouse, accomplished pro-life cartoonist, forgot to inform his pals.
The Catholic Spirit knows how to keep a Secret: Three Articles on Coadjutor Archbishop Nienstedt
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I wonder if they have explained how to pronounce his name, or "Coadjutor", for that matter?
I wonder if they have explained how to pronounce his name, or "Coadjutor", for that matter?
| • Coadjutor archbishop brings a 'wealth of experience' |
| • Coadjutor Archbishop Nienstedt at a glance |
| • Head of New Ulm Diocese named coadjutor for St. Paul-Minneapolis |
Now, what the heck is a "Coadjutor" and how do you pronounce it?
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Speaking of "pronounciation", the National Catholic Reporter, something I don't often consult, says that our new Coadjutor Bishop (or is he a Coadjutor Archbishop?) pronounces his name "Nine-stedt!"
co·ad·ju·tor (kō'ə-jū'tər, kō-ăj'ə-tər)
n.
Wikipedia
And in fact, a "Coadjutor Bishop" is whatever his Bishop will let him be. Recently, a Coadjutor Bishop appointed to a major U.S. Diocese wasn't allowed to do anything and ultimately Rome transferred him to his own diocese before he could succeed the Bishop in the diocese of his first appointment. Archbishop Flynn has requested that a Coadjutor Bishop be appointed for St Paul-Minneapolis to ultimately succeed him when he turns 75 in just about a year. So that problem is not expected here.
Speaking of "pronounciation", the National Catholic Reporter, something I don't often consult, says that our new Coadjutor Bishop (or is he a Coadjutor Archbishop?) pronounces his name "Nine-stedt!"
co·ad·ju·tor (kō'ə-jū'tər, kō-ăj'ə-tər)
n.
- A coworker; an assistant. See synonyms at assistant.
- An assistant to a bishop, especially one designated to succeed the bishop.
[Middle English coadjutour, assistant, from Latin coadiūtor : co-, co- + adiūtor, assistant (from adiūtāre, to aid; see adjutant).] [www.answers.com]
| | Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus - Cite This Source |
| Main Entry: | aide |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | assistant |
| Synonyms: | abettor, adjutant, aid, aide-de-camp, assistant, attendant, coadjutant, coadjutor, deputy, girl Friday, helper, lieutenant, man Friday, second, shop, stooge, supporter, troops |
| Antonyms: | boss, leader, superior |
| Notes: | aid is assistance or a source of assistance; aide is an assistant |
| Source: | Roget's New Millennium™ Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.3.1) Copyright © 2007 by Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. All rights reserved. |
Wikipedia
And in fact, a "Coadjutor Bishop" is whatever his Bishop will let him be. Recently, a Coadjutor Bishop appointed to a major U.S. Diocese wasn't allowed to do anything and ultimately Rome transferred him to his own diocese before he could succeed the Bishop in the diocese of his first appointment. Archbishop Flynn has requested that a Coadjutor Bishop be appointed for St Paul-Minneapolis to ultimately succeed him when he turns 75 in just about a year. So that problem is not expected here.
Let There Be A Coadjutor: John Clayton Nienstedt of Detroit and New Ulm
(My kind of Crosier!)
As good as a Motu Proprio! But we could use that too.
More to come, but let's say right now that he is on the "Bishops with Spine" list!
Born 1947, more like one of the JPII Generation.
Ordained 1974, Detroit; Auxiliary Bishop, Detroit 1996; Bishop of New Ulm 2001
Biography from the New Ulm Diocesan Web Page
Bishop John Clayton Nienstedt was born March 18, 1947, in Detroit, Michigan. He is the son of Jack and Betty Nienstedt of Harrison Township and the second oldest in a family of six children. He has two brothers and three sisters. His parents are members of St. Paul Parish, Grosse Points Farms, and St. Hubert Parish, Harrison Township.
Bishop Nienstedt was ordained to the priesthood on July 27, 1974, at Sacred Heart Church, Dearborn, Michigan, following studies at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, and the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome.
Bishop Nienstedt holds a Bachelor of Arts from Sacred Heart Major Seminary; a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University; and a Licentiate and Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Institute of Saint Alphonsus, Rome.
His doctoral topic was “Human Life in a Test-tube; the Moral Dimension of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo
Transfer.” [If that isn't one of the most important issues facing the Church today, I'll be a "monkey's uncle."]
In 1994, Bishop Nienstedt was appointed Pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower Parish,
Royal Oak, Michigan. Prior to that, he served for six years as Rector and President of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, Michigan.
Bishop Nienstedt’s previous assignments include: Associate Pastor, Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson, Michigan; Priest-Secretary to Cardinal John Dearden; weekend Associate Pastor, St. Fabian’s Parish, Farmington Hills, Michigan, and Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Farmington, Michigan; Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Detroit; service in the Vatican Secretariat of State; and Pastor, St. Patrick’s Parish, Union Lake, Michigan.
On June 12, 1996 Bishop Nienstedt was named an Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit by Pope John Paul II. He was ordained a Bishop on July 9, 1996 by Cardinal Adam J. Maida, Archbishop of Detroit. Bishop Nienstedt served as Bishop for the Dearborn, Downriver, Monroe, Northwest Wayne, Southland, and Western Wayne Vicariates.
On June 12, 2001 Pope John Paul II named Bishop Nienstedt the Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota. He was installed on August 6, 2001.
On April 24, 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Bishop John C. Nienstedt as Coadjutor Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and as the Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of New Ulm. [I would say that this a rather current biography; somebody must have been up all night!]
Curriculum Vitae
The Most Reverend John Clayton Nienstedt
Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota
The Most Reverend John Clayton Nienstedt
Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota
December 31, 2006
Born: March 18, 1947 Detroit, Michigan; second child of John C. and Elizabeth S. (Kennedy)
Nienstedt
Family: Two brothers: Richard T. Nienstedt (married, three children), and Michael L. Nienstedt (married, one child). Three sisters: Barbara Jean Buttell (married, two children), Mary Beth Nienstedt (single), and Corinne Mary Nienstedt (single).
Educational Degrees:
1969 Bachelor of Arts: Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan
1972 Bachelor of Sacred Theology: Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, Italy
1977 Licentiate in Sacred Theology: Pontifical Institute of St. Alphonsus, Rome, Italy
1985 Doctorate in Sacred Theology: Pontifical Institute of St. Alphonsus, Rome, Italy
Doctoral Topic: “Human Life in a Test-tube: The Moral Dimension of In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer”
Ministry:
April 29, 1972 Ordained a deacon at the North American College, Rome, Italy
Aug. 1973 - Aug. 1974 Deacon intern at Sacred Heart Parish, Dearborn, Michigan
July 27, 1974 Ordained a priest at Sacred Heart Church, Dearborn, Michigan
Aug. 1974 - Feb. 1976 Associate Pastor at Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson, Michigan
1977 Weekend Associate Pastor at St. Fabian's Parish, Farmington Hills, Michigan
1977 - 1978 Part-time professor of Moral Theology at St. John Provincial Seminary, Plymouth, Michigan
Feb. 1977 - July 1980 Priest-Secretary to Cardinal John Dearden, Archbishop of Detroit, Michigan
1978 - 1980 Weekend Associate Pastor at Our Lady of Sorrow's Parish, Farmington, Michigan
1979 - 1980 Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan
1980 - 1983 Assistant Chaplain to the Baby Jesus Hospital, Rome, Italy
1980 - 1983 Religious Instructor in First Eucharist Program at Marymont International School, Rome, Italy
Aug. 1980 - Aug. 1985 Minor Official of the Second Grade to the Vatican Secretariat of State, Rome, Italy
1981 - 1984 Chaplain to the Brothers of the Holy Cross assigned to Notre Dame High School for Boys, Rome, Italy
January 1986 - June 1986 Adjunct Professor of Moral Theology at the Orchard Lake Schools, Orchard Lake, Michigan, teaching a course on Human Sexuality
January 1986 - July 1986 Temporary Associate Pastor at St. Regis Parish, Birmingham, Michigan
July 1986 - June 1987 Pastor of St. Patrick's Parish, Union Lake, Michigan
July 1987 - July 1988 Designated Rector of Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan
July 1988 - July 1994 Rector and President of Sacred Heart Major Seminary (both College and School of Theology), Detroit, Michigan
July 1988 - 2000 Assistant Professor of Moral Theology at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Detroit, Michigan
1992 - 2001 Chaplain to the Detroit, Michigan Chapter of Legatus
July 1, 1994 - 1996 Pastor of the Shrine of the Little Flower Parish, Royal Oak, Michigan
Sept. 1995 - July 2001 Director of the Archdiocesan Medical-Moral Committee, Detroit, Michigan
June 12, 1996 Appointed Titular Bishop of Alton and Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Michigan
July 9, 1996 Ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit, Michigan
August 8, 1996 Appointed Auxiliary Bishop for the South Region (88 parishes) of the Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan
June 12, 2001 Appointed Third Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota
August 6, 2001 Installed Bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota
Honors:
June 4, 1985 Appointed a Chaplain to His Holiness by Pope John Paul II, bearing the title “Monsignor”
May 26, 1990 Appointed a Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II
May 15, 1994 Invested as Knight of the Holy Sepulcher
October 30, 2004 4th Degree Knights of Columbus [They'll be busting their buttons here!]
Professional Associations:
1977 - 1980 Member of the Medical-Moral Committee of the Michigan Catholic Conference for Catholic Health Facilities, Detroit, Michigan
1986-1991 Wranglers (Ecumenical Dialogue), Detroit, Michigan
August 1987 – July 2001 Member of the Archdiocesan Medical- Moral Committee, Detroit, Michigan
Sept. 1987 - July 1994 Midwest/Western Rectors' Conference
1988 - 1992 Participation in A.T.S. (Association of Theological Schools), International
Meetings, 1988 (San Francisco, California); 1990 (Montreal, Canada); 1992 (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
June 1988 - 1997 Membership in Catholic Theological Society of America
Annual participation in M.A.T.S. (Midwestern Association of Theological Schools)
Annual participation in Association of American Colleges, 1990 (San Francisco, California), Topic: “Undergraduate Majors and the Claims of Liberal Learning”
July 1988 Participant in Warren Deene Institute for Management (I.T.E.M.), Harriman, New York
Jan. 1989 - June 1993 Trustee Committee on Academic Affairs, Madonna University, Livonia, Michigan
Jan. 1989 - July 1994 Board of Trustees, Madonna University, Livonia, Michigan
1989 -1994 Participation in N.C.E.A. (National Catholic Education Association) annual conventions, 1989 (Chicago, Illinois); 1990 (Toronto, Canada); 1991 (Boston, Massachusetts); 1992 (St. Louis, Missouri); 1994 (Anaheim, California)
February 9-10, 1989 Association of the Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges Workshop for Theological School Trustees and Chief Executives, Cincinnati, Ohio
January 1-5, 1992 Participation in W.R.A.C.S./E.R.A.C.S. (Western/Eastern Regional Association of College Seminaries) Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, California
Sept. 1993 - July 1994 Trustee Committee on Student Life, Madonna University, Livonia, Michigan
January 6-9, 1994 Participation in N.A.C.S. (National Association of College Seminaries) Annual Meeting, Brighton, Maryland
February 20-24, 1995 Member of the Visitation Team to the Theological College of the Catholic University of America (Washington, DC) sponsored by the Bishops’ Committee of Priestly Formation of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
March 1996 Member of the Visitation Team to Mundelein Seminary (Chicago, Illinois) sponsored by the Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops
June 2001 – Nov. 2002 Liaison for the National Advisory Committee for Catholic School Parental Rights Advocacy, USCCB
October 2001 – present Member of the Board of Trustees of The Saint Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota
April 2002 Chairman on the Visitation Team to Immaculate Conception Seminary (Huntington, NY), sponsored by the USCCB Committee on Priestly Formation
July 2005 – present Trustee of the Catholic Relief Society (Catholic Mutual Group)
NCCB/USCCB Committees:
1997 - 2001 North American College Board of Governors
1998 - 2001 Committee on Communications
1998 - present BCEIA/National Council of Synagogues Consultation
1999 - 2000 Nominations Committee for the NCCB
1999 - 2002 Committee on Science and Human Values
1999 - 2003 Committee on Education
2001 - 2002 USCCB Liaison to School Parents Advocacy Coalition
2001 - 2002 Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation, Chair-elect
2001 - 2005 Chair, Draft Sub-committee of Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation to write the 5th Edition of the Program of Priestly Formation
2002 - 2005 Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation, Chairperson
2002 - present Ad Hoc Committee on Catholic Health Care Issues and the Church
2003 - 2005 USCCB Committee for African American Catholics
2005 - 2006 USCCB Conference of Diocesan Coordinators of Health Affairs, Episcopal Liaison
2005 - present Committee to Plan for Special Assembly 2007
2005 - present Committee on Science and Human Values
Presentations:
November 17, 1987 “The Churches’ Response to AIDS,” Temple Beth El, Birmingham, Michigan
February 21, 1989 “Toward a Liberation Theology for the First World: The Preaching of Richard Rohr,” Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Detroit, Michigan
April 3, 1990 “Robert Bly on Maleness in the 90’s,” First Congregational Church, Ann Arbor, Michigan
January 8, 1992 Commentary on MCC (Michigan Catholic Conference) Document, To Let Live, To Let Die…, Address, to the Cardinal Club, Detroit Golf Club, Detroit, Michigan
February 26, 1992 Hesburgh Lecture Series, Address to the Notre Dame Club: “Response to the Reverend Michael Himes,” Birmingham, Michigan
October 29, 1992 “Durable Power of Attorney,” Address to Legatus, Detroit, Michigan
March 6, 1997 “Contemporary Moral Challenges,” Address to Guardian Angels Parish, Clawson, Michigan
June 26, 1997 “Project Life: A Response to the Culture of Death,” Address to the Detroit Chapter of Legatus, Orchard Lake, Michigan
September 28, 1997 “Preparing for the Jubilee 2000,” presentation to Our Lady of Refuge Parish, Orchard Lake, Michigan
October 5, 1997 “Forming a Right Conscience,” presentation to the Center for Faith and Action, U of D Jesuit High School, Detroit, Michigan
Oct. 30 – Nov. 1, 1997 “Retreat on Prayer,” presented for the John Carroll Society, Washington, DC
October 28, 1998 “Teshuva and Repentance,” presented to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and National Council of Synagogues, New York, New York
November 6, 1998 “Challenges for the Year 2000 AD,” presented at Temple Shir Shalom, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
June 1, 2001 “The Sacred Heart,” Legatus, Detroit, Michigan
March 2002 “Is Conscience Enough,” St. Paul Parish, Nicollet, Minnesota and St. Mary Parish, New Ulm, Minnesota
September 3, 2002 “The Distinct Yet Related Parts of Seminary Formation,” St. Charles Borromeo Seminary, Overbrook, Pennsylvania
November 24-25, 2003 “Priestly Identity,” Address to the Presbyterate, Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York
Conferences/Workshops Attended:
September 16, 1992 “How to be a Better Team Leader,” Detroit, Michigan
May 17, 1993 “Strategic Planning: A Vision for the Future,” Chicago, Illinois
March 8-19, 1998 “Jewish-Catholic Interfaith Journey to Israel and Rome,” Jerusalem and Rome
Publications:
1994 “On the Wings of Healing Prayer: The Hospital Prayerbook,” Heliographs, Ltd, co-authored with Rabbi Dannel Schwartz and Reverend Charles Richter
1999 “A Catholic Perspective on Forgiveness,” Catholic Near East, January- February 1999, pp. 27-29
2001 “Re-examining the ERD's on Cooperation,” Ethics and Medics, Vol. 26, No. 5, May 2001, pp. 1-2
2001 “Christ, the Divine Physician and Healer,” Linacre Quarterly, Vol. 68, No. 4, November 2001, pp. 358-360
2002 “The Distinct Yet Related Parts of Seminary Formation,” Origins, Vol. 32, Issue 20, October 24, 2002, pp. 336-338
2003 “Bioethical Challenges for the Church,” Origins, Vol. 32, Issue 41, March 7, 2003, pp. 676-682
2003 “Religious Bodies Challenge Minnesota Concealed Gun Law,” Origins, Vol. 33, Issue 7, June 26, 2003, p. 103
2006 “‘Facing Down the New Paradigm: The Family Planning Agenda of the United Nations’ ‘Millennial Goals’,” Crisis, Vol. 24, No. 3, April 2006, pp. 20-25
2006 “Drafting the New Program of Priestly Formation: A Labor of Love,” Seminary Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, Fall 2006, 22-27
Wow!
Monday, April 23, 2007
Speaking of Possible Saints: Father Benedict Groeschel's Franciscan Friars of the Renewal
.
The Franciscan Friars of the Renewal of the South Bronx, as Father Groeschel calls them, have got a magnificent article in the NY Times yesterday. Click on this link to see some great photos of their life as a slide show. They begin by featuring their monthly "holy hour of prayer and song and ensuing music festival are part of an event called Catholic Underground" that even features punk music that is appealing to young Catholic students and professionals.
"...In 1987, eight Capuchins once again felt the call to renew St. Francis’s vision. With $800 and the approval of Cardinal John O’Connor, the archbishop of New York, they set out to yet again start afresh.
Cardinal O’Connor lent the friars a neglected Polish parish on East 156th Street and Melrose Avenue, which they christened St. Crispin Friary. There, they met all their needs for food and other staples by begging, and they began pursuing their mission on crime-infested streets among drug addicts and burned-out buildings. One of their first acts was to establish an 18-bed shelter, the St. Padre Pio Shelter for Homeless Men, which adjoins the friary and has been open every night since that first Christmas.
The friars devote themselves to evangelizing and fostering a strong prayer and community life while renewing their dedication to poverty, chastity and obedience. Or as the friars like to joke, “No bling-bling, no sweet thing, Christ is King.”
[...snip]
This year, 15 men with an average age of 26 entered the Friars of the Renewal as postulants, or candidates, among them a veteran of the Iraq war and a graduate of Cornell.
“I am always impressed that these are young men of great ability, and usually from backgrounds of academic accomplishment,” said the Rev. Richard John Neuhaus, who teaches the friars at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, a section of Yonkers. “They could have done a thousand other things, but they have very deliberately chosen the high adventure of being a Friar of the Renewal.”
[...snip] Read much more Here!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Speaking of Saints: "Slate" Internet Magazine, of all places, has a good article on "Saints"
.
The lives of the saints show us that being holy means being human, not perfect.
Recently, word came that the miracle required for Pope John Paul II's beatification may have happened: A French nun's Parkinson's disappeared after her religious community prayed to him to intercede. But amid the growing enthusiasm for the canonization of Pope John Paul II comes some dissent from a surprising place—within the Catholic Church. Not that the dissenters are airing their grievances publicly. Grumbling about someone's canonization is a little like complaining about a co-worker's promotion: It makes you look like a spoilsport.
The lives of the saints show us that being holy means being human, not perfect.
Recently, word came that the miracle required for Pope John Paul II's beatification may have happened: A French nun's Parkinson's disappeared after her religious community prayed to him to intercede. But amid the growing enthusiasm for the canonization of Pope John Paul II comes some dissent from a surprising place—within the Catholic Church. Not that the dissenters are airing their grievances publicly. Grumbling about someone's canonization is a little like complaining about a co-worker's promotion: It makes you look like a spoilsport.
The naysayers, mainly on the left, see John Paul not as one of the great religious figures of the age, but as a person with whom they often disagreed, particularly on issues of the ordination of women, the Vatican's response to the sexual-abuse crisis, and treatment of gays and lesbians. The most common arguments against his canonization can be boiled down to two: First, I disagreed with him. Second, he wasn't perfect.
Both objections fundamentally misunderstand who the saints are, and were. Many people envision the saints as perfect human beings whose flaws, if any, miraculously evaporated once they decided to become, well, saintly. Popular iconography does little to correct this misconception. Those pristine marble statues, romantic stained-glass images, and kitschy holy cards make it easy to forget that the saints were human beings who sinned not only before their conversions, but afterward, too. [...Snip] Read it All
The Saints Meme
.
According to my pals at Google without whom I would be lost, the Catholic Church acknowledges over 10,000 official saints, about 9,300 of whom are in Terry Nelson's Rolodex. I never knew a guy who knew so many saints. Now he's tagged me with the Saint Meme where I have to let you know who my favorites are.
Those tagged for this meme will list their four favorite saints, their one favorite blessed, and one person they think should have been a saint.
I was born and bred Catholic and put in my 12 years in the Catholic schools system, taught by good Benedictine nuns and a few priests. Not very many laypeople in those days.
And considering that over those twelve years, putting in over 2,000 hours of class time with Catechism and Religion teachers, I don't recall that we spent a lot of time on the saints. Probably 1,950 hours on the Catechism and other "rules."
Now I was a member of Saint Anthony of Padua parish in Duluth but I don't recall that we ever had any particular devotions to this Portuguese Saint named after an Italian town and nicknamed "Hammer of the Heretics." If I had known his nickname, I'm sure I'd have been quite a bit more interested in having him intercede for me.
We didn't have a lot of statues in our working class, mixed ethnic parish. Your basic Blessed Mother, St Joseph, the Sacred Heart and St Anthony up front, and smaller ones of the Little Flower and somebody else in the rear of the church. St Don Bosco??? But no Feast Days were celebrated except for the ten or twenty for the Blessed Mother in the old calendar. With Nuns in charge, we were always celebrating something or another relating to the Blessed Mother.
My birthnames, of course, would have been a good source for a good patron saint. With Raymond, I had two choices. Raymond of Penafort and Raymond of Nonnatus, both Spaniards. One of them had the gift of "bi-location" which I've often thought would be neat. And the other sailed across some unruly sea on his cloak to perform some healing or other miracle. That would be fun to do on Lake Superior. There were some other "Raymonds", but I didn't have easy access to the Catholic Encyclopedia in those days. My middle name is Edward and St Edward the Confessor, a King of England, while a good and holy choice, he wasn't known for fighting battles and winning wars. Not very appealing.
I did choose Peter for my Confirmation name. I'm not quite sure why. In college I was accused of having a "power complex" and I think that is still true. But I don't believe until quite recently I have ever even asked St Peter for help.
Another source of possible "fave" Saints that I might chosen would have been the Saints upon whose feast days the various members of my family held their birthday celebrations. I got stuck with St Bede the Venerable who with a name like that didn't appeal much to a young lad. I did wonder at the time if in the process of becoming a Saint, he was initially called Venerable Bede the Venerable. What do you suppose he did to make that "Venerable" appellation stick to him.
One brother had the "Conversion of St Paul", but he'd be kinda busy I think; a sister St Polycarp (he may have been great, a pal of St John the Evangelist to be sure, but what a name! Ugh!); another brother had St Romuald (double ugh); and the other sister had her birthday on May 30 which didn't have a saint in the old missal, but being that it was a national holiday, Memorial Day, she was pleased, until they took that away from her. Now she has to work on her birthdays).
Mom had St John the Baptist who might have been pretty cool, but again just with all the churches named for him, I'd think he'd be very busy. But my one "saintly" connection probably was Dad who was born on the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr, who was stoned to death. That was all I knew about him, surprising my teachers that I even knew that, but knowing that was enough to win for me a citywide Catechism contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the prize being a trip to Grand Rapids, MN, for the diocesan finals where I got whompped (by some future bishop, no doubt). But I never expressed any gratitude to St Stephen for helping me win that contest. Thanks, Steve-erino!
You want to talk about your "dry" periods? Mine was from 1960 to 1981. And to tell the truth, it's not particularly damp right now. I'm still working on it. I wasn't disenchanted with the Church. I was disenchanted with getting up for Mass on Sundays.
So I missed out on all the excitement of Vatican II that might have gotten me interested in the Saints as they threw them off the official calendar. I remember two in particular going, St Christopher, of course, whose medal I wore during Basic Training in the Army so I wouldn't get shot by some idiot who would later become an Army cook; and St Philomene (my 9th grade Civics teacher must have been devastated). I still have my St Christopher Medal, but I don't wear it any more.
Now, where was I? Oh yes, Terry wants me to do the Saints Meme. List four saints, a blessed, and someone who should have been a saint.
1. Saint Anne de Beaupre, the Blessed Virgin Mary's Mom. I posted on this one once before, but briefly, there have been a couple of miracles in my family due to her and I have no doubt but that my Mom's prayers to her are responsible for me being back in the Church. I pray to her to intercede for other members of my family.
2. and 3. After I began my reversion, as I mentioned, still a "work in progress", I decided that I should get a couple of Saints to intercede for me. I had lots of things to "fix" and I really needed help. But I figured guys like St Francis of Assisi, St Benedict and St Michael the Archangel would be too "busy" for some basket case like me. So, not being current with what was happening in the Church, I chose a couple of Polish "Blesseds" who I figured few would know about about and they would be sitting in heaven, just waiting for people to ask them for intercession. Blessed Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy and Blessed Maximilian Kolbe, Auschwitz martyr and founder of the Militia Immaculata (the Army of Mary). By the way, Max's birth name is Raymond! I think they are a lot more busy now than they were fifteen years or more ago as Maximilian was canonized in 1982 and Faustina was canonized as the first Saint of the Third Millenium in 2000. Well, at least I got in line early!
4. and 5. My Confessor, Father J., has been implying that I'm not humble enough. Hmmmmm. Maybe I should get a new Confessor? No, he's right. I have worked my way through St Therese of Lisieux's "Story of a Soul" three times and I'm beginning to see what she's talking about, but I cannot even begin to conceive that I could be even remotely like that. St Faustina in her diary that I read excerpts of daily, also speaks of humility. Father J recently has been suggesting that I call on my Guardian Angel for help with my "humility gap." Do you still remember that old prayer?
"Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love does keep me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide."
It helps!
My favorite "Venerable" is Solanus Casey, Capuchin priest, born near Prescott, WI across the river from Hastings, MN, employed in Stillwater, MN (where I worked for a time) and Superior, WI (across from Duluth where I was born).
It's good to have local connections. I'm sure that had I been born in Italy or Spain, where everyone probably has a choice of a half dozen Saints just from their neighborhood alone, it would have been easier to select a favorite Saint. I suspect kids' gangs gathered around saints and their traditions. In Pamplona where they have the annual "Running of the Bulls", in Duluth they would have held the annual "Running of the Smelt" with processions, not Lester River fish fries and beer busts.
Who do I think should be a saint? Time Magazine, for their 2006 Person of the Year Award, printed a mirror on the front page of their magazine. You, dear ones, should be a Saint. Get working on it. You pray for me and I will pray for you.
I think that Georgette of India (she sounds like a Saint already), Jayne from "So Many Devotions", Sanctus Belle of Our Lady's Tears, the Ironic Catholic and Mitchell, Grand Sachem of the Hadleybloggers at Our Word should let us know who their fave Saints are.
According to my pals at Google without whom I would be lost, the Catholic Church acknowledges over 10,000 official saints, about 9,300 of whom are in Terry Nelson's Rolodex. I never knew a guy who knew so many saints. Now he's tagged me with the Saint Meme where I have to let you know who my favorites are.
Those tagged for this meme will list their four favorite saints, their one favorite blessed, and one person they think should have been a saint.
I was born and bred Catholic and put in my 12 years in the Catholic schools system, taught by good Benedictine nuns and a few priests. Not very many laypeople in those days.
And considering that over those twelve years, putting in over 2,000 hours of class time with Catechism and Religion teachers, I don't recall that we spent a lot of time on the saints. Probably 1,950 hours on the Catechism and other "rules."
Now I was a member of Saint Anthony of Padua parish in Duluth but I don't recall that we ever had any particular devotions to this Portuguese Saint named after an Italian town and nicknamed "Hammer of the Heretics." If I had known his nickname, I'm sure I'd have been quite a bit more interested in having him intercede for me.
We didn't have a lot of statues in our working class, mixed ethnic parish. Your basic Blessed Mother, St Joseph, the Sacred Heart and St Anthony up front, and smaller ones of the Little Flower and somebody else in the rear of the church. St Don Bosco??? But no Feast Days were celebrated except for the ten or twenty for the Blessed Mother in the old calendar. With Nuns in charge, we were always celebrating something or another relating to the Blessed Mother.
My birthnames, of course, would have been a good source for a good patron saint. With Raymond, I had two choices. Raymond of Penafort and Raymond of Nonnatus, both Spaniards. One of them had the gift of "bi-location" which I've often thought would be neat. And the other sailed across some unruly sea on his cloak to perform some healing or other miracle. That would be fun to do on Lake Superior. There were some other "Raymonds", but I didn't have easy access to the Catholic Encyclopedia in those days. My middle name is Edward and St Edward the Confessor, a King of England, while a good and holy choice, he wasn't known for fighting battles and winning wars. Not very appealing.
I did choose Peter for my Confirmation name. I'm not quite sure why. In college I was accused of having a "power complex" and I think that is still true. But I don't believe until quite recently I have ever even asked St Peter for help.
Another source of possible "fave" Saints that I might chosen would have been the Saints upon whose feast days the various members of my family held their birthday celebrations. I got stuck with St Bede the Venerable who with a name like that didn't appeal much to a young lad. I did wonder at the time if in the process of becoming a Saint, he was initially called Venerable Bede the Venerable. What do you suppose he did to make that "Venerable" appellation stick to him.
One brother had the "Conversion of St Paul", but he'd be kinda busy I think; a sister St Polycarp (he may have been great, a pal of St John the Evangelist to be sure, but what a name! Ugh!); another brother had St Romuald (double ugh); and the other sister had her birthday on May 30 which didn't have a saint in the old missal, but being that it was a national holiday, Memorial Day, she was pleased, until they took that away from her. Now she has to work on her birthdays).
Mom had St John the Baptist who might have been pretty cool, but again just with all the churches named for him, I'd think he'd be very busy. But my one "saintly" connection probably was Dad who was born on the feast of St Stephen, the first martyr, who was stoned to death. That was all I knew about him, surprising my teachers that I even knew that, but knowing that was enough to win for me a citywide Catechism contest sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, the prize being a trip to Grand Rapids, MN, for the diocesan finals where I got whompped (by some future bishop, no doubt). But I never expressed any gratitude to St Stephen for helping me win that contest. Thanks, Steve-erino!
You want to talk about your "dry" periods? Mine was from 1960 to 1981. And to tell the truth, it's not particularly damp right now. I'm still working on it. I wasn't disenchanted with the Church. I was disenchanted with getting up for Mass on Sundays.
So I missed out on all the excitement of Vatican II that might have gotten me interested in the Saints as they threw them off the official calendar. I remember two in particular going, St Christopher, of course, whose medal I wore during Basic Training in the Army so I wouldn't get shot by some idiot who would later become an Army cook; and St Philomene (my 9th grade Civics teacher must have been devastated). I still have my St Christopher Medal, but I don't wear it any more.
Now, where was I? Oh yes, Terry wants me to do the Saints Meme. List four saints, a blessed, and someone who should have been a saint.
1. Saint Anne de Beaupre, the Blessed Virgin Mary's Mom. I posted on this one once before, but briefly, there have been a couple of miracles in my family due to her and I have no doubt but that my Mom's prayers to her are responsible for me being back in the Church. I pray to her to intercede for other members of my family.
2. and 3. After I began my reversion, as I mentioned, still a "work in progress", I decided that I should get a couple of Saints to intercede for me. I had lots of things to "fix" and I really needed help. But I figured guys like St Francis of Assisi, St Benedict and St Michael the Archangel would be too "busy" for some basket case like me. So, not being current with what was happening in the Church, I chose a couple of Polish "Blesseds" who I figured few would know about about and they would be sitting in heaven, just waiting for people to ask them for intercession. Blessed Faustina Kowalska, the Apostle of Divine Mercy and Blessed Maximilian Kolbe, Auschwitz martyr and founder of the Militia Immaculata (the Army of Mary). By the way, Max's birth name is Raymond! I think they are a lot more busy now than they were fifteen years or more ago as Maximilian was canonized in 1982 and Faustina was canonized as the first Saint of the Third Millenium in 2000. Well, at least I got in line early!
4. and 5. My Confessor, Father J., has been implying that I'm not humble enough. Hmmmmm. Maybe I should get a new Confessor? No, he's right. I have worked my way through St Therese of Lisieux's "Story of a Soul" three times and I'm beginning to see what she's talking about, but I cannot even begin to conceive that I could be even remotely like that. St Faustina in her diary that I read excerpts of daily, also speaks of humility. Father J recently has been suggesting that I call on my Guardian Angel for help with my "humility gap." Do you still remember that old prayer?
"Angel of God, my guardian dear,
To whom God's love does keep me here,
Ever this day be at my side,
To light and guard, to rule and guide."
It helps!
My favorite "Venerable" is Solanus Casey, Capuchin priest, born near Prescott, WI across the river from Hastings, MN, employed in Stillwater, MN (where I worked for a time) and Superior, WI (across from Duluth where I was born).
It's good to have local connections. I'm sure that had I been born in Italy or Spain, where everyone probably has a choice of a half dozen Saints just from their neighborhood alone, it would have been easier to select a favorite Saint. I suspect kids' gangs gathered around saints and their traditions. In Pamplona where they have the annual "Running of the Bulls", in Duluth they would have held the annual "Running of the Smelt" with processions, not Lester River fish fries and beer busts.
Who do I think should be a saint? Time Magazine, for their 2006 Person of the Year Award, printed a mirror on the front page of their magazine. You, dear ones, should be a Saint. Get working on it. You pray for me and I will pray for you.
I think that Georgette of India (she sounds like a Saint already), Jayne from "So Many Devotions", Sanctus Belle of Our Lady's Tears, the Ironic Catholic and Mitchell, Grand Sachem of the Hadleybloggers at Our Word should let us know who their fave Saints are.
Gentle Folk and Scholars
The superb group blog: Our Word and Welcome to It is fast becoming the standard bearer for civility in the blogosphere. (some days they are THE standard bearer). After every extreme action, I've noticed, and so have the Hadleybloggers of Our Word, that blog civility frequently takes a dive. It is especially dismaying to see this kind of vitriol on, supposedly, Catholic blogs. Check that: It is dismaying period. If you are going to take the trouble to post your words for public consumption, try to be polite.
If you aren't reading Our Word and Welcome to It, you should be.
Cross-posted to The Recovering Dissident Catholic
If you aren't reading Our Word and Welcome to It, you should be.
Cross-posted to The Recovering Dissident Catholic
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Monsignor Schuler; Who was he?
.
Many readers here have no idea why Msgr. Richard Schuler, Pastor Emeritus after 32 years at St Agnes in St Paul, and who died yesterday after a long illness, is getting so much recognition.
Cathy of Alex, who blogs at Recovering Dissident Catholic, has a very nice post that concisely covers many of the things at the good Monsignor was esteemed for. Not the least of these is the number of religious vocations that he was responsible for. See her post here.
Terry, from Abbey-Roads2, has a link to a bio of Msgr Schuler done 20 years ago here.
Many readers here have no idea why Msgr. Richard Schuler, Pastor Emeritus after 32 years at St Agnes in St Paul, and who died yesterday after a long illness, is getting so much recognition.
Cathy of Alex, who blogs at Recovering Dissident Catholic, has a very nice post that concisely covers many of the things at the good Monsignor was esteemed for. Not the least of these is the number of religious vocations that he was responsible for. See her post here.
Terry, from Abbey-Roads2, has a link to a bio of Msgr Schuler done 20 years ago here.
Monsignor Richard Schuler Had Pure Musical Talent
.
Long before presiding over St. Paul's St. Agnes parish for more than three decades, Monsignor Richard Joseph Schuler harbored a devotion to two things: God and song.
The two were as one to him, friends and family members said. Over time, he founded one choir and directed a second. He traveled to Rome to study music. As a young man, he taught himself the fundamentals of music so well that he tested at the baccalaureate level without ever taking a class.
Schuler, 86, died Friday morning in Brooklyn Center's North Memorial Hospice of complications from a series of strokes.
The Rev. Richard Hogan, Schuler's nephew, remembers the monsignor's soft-spoken homilies at St. Agnes, where Schuler served as pastor from 1969 to 2001, as anything but fiery.
"He would make two or three points and conclude; it was very organized, logical development," Hogan said. "It wasn't emotional, or even devotional. It was more ... ideas. You could even call it factual, with occasional, absolute brilliance."
"Very soft-spoken, clear, well-organized - and very well researched," Richard Pates, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, said of the homilies.
Schuler's focus on music was equally meticulous.
"His talent, it was God-given," Hogan said. "While directing, he could pick out a wrong note and tell you who played it or sang it. He had perfect pitch. If he intended to sing in A flat, he sang in A flat, without a pitch pipe or anything."
Why music?
"I think the best explanation is he just enjoyed beauty, as a reflection of God," Hogan said.
Hogan remembers walking along the Danube River, in Austria, with his uncle right before Schuler took the job at St. Agnes.
"He was very much looking forward to it," Hogan said. "He was a bit tired of teaching. He wanted to preach and be a pastor and take care of people's spiritual needs."
Schuler also liked the baroque-style church's traditional leaning, Hogan added.
"He had very strong convictions about the traditional life of the church," Pates said.
Born in Minneapolis, Schuler attended DeLaSalle High School before going to the then-College of St. Thomas to major in English. As a young man, he played piano and organ for area weddings and funerals.
He attended St. Paul Seminary before being ordained in 1945 at the Cathedral of St. Paul.
He first taught religion - as well as Gregorian chants - at Nazareth Hall seminary in Arden Hills and then taught at the College of St. Thomas from 1955 until 1969.
While teaching, Schuler furthered his musical education on the side. After repeated summers of study, he received a master's degree in music theory from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, N.Y., bypassing bachelor-level study by way of his talent. In 1954, he studied music history at Roman University and the Institute of Church Music in Rome on a Fulbright grant. He received a doctorate in music history from the University of Minnesota in 1963.
One of his greatest joys was founding the 60-member Twin Cities Catholic Chorale in 1956, which practiced at St. Thomas before making regular appearances at St. Agnes. The choir leaned toward classical Viennese composers, such as Mozart, Haydn, Schubert and Beethoven.
"He kept the music alive and well at St. Agnes. It continues to this day," said the Rev. John Ubel, the church's current pastor.
Schuler is survived by his sister, Jeanne Hogan, of Robbinsdale, four nephews and one niece.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at St. Agnes, where a funeral Mass will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday. [PioneerPress]
Friday, April 20, 2007
St Paul Cathedral gets ready to celebrate its Centennial
.
The Cathedral of St. Paul is marking a monumental occasion this June - the 100th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone. To help the cathedral celebrate, The Catholic Spirit will dedicate its entire May 3 issue to stories, facts and photos about this world-renowned spiritual and civic landmark.
As part of this milestone, the church is sponsoring the first-ever "Cathedral History Hunt," a trivia contest covering history, art and architecture.
The winner will have the privilege of standing with Father Joseph Johnson, cathedral rector, on June 2 to ring the original bell that hung in the second, third and present cathedral until 1987. A copy of the contest questions is available at www.cathedralsaintpaul.org.
Readers of The Catholic Spirit will get a leg up on the competition. Each week until May 3, we will feature one of the trivia questions along with the answer.
This week's question: "Two cardinals who went on to become popes have visited the cathedral. Name these two men as well as their papal names." (Click here for the answer.)
Watch for the May 3 issue for more information about the cathedral's anniversary, including the slate of events planned for June 1 to 3. Catholic Spirit
Some of you are no doubt aware that the Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis was designed by the same architect as the Cathedral of St Paul, Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, and built about the same time. The Basilica will begin its centennial observations with its Summer Block Party right after the Fourth of July, plans a Solemn Eucharist and Picnic in August, a St Francis Festival in October, Centennial Vespers on All Souls Day on November 2, Patronal Feast Festivities on and around December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and big events in the year 2008. Watch for further announcements.
The Cathedral of St. Paul is marking a monumental occasion this June - the 100th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone. To help the cathedral celebrate, The Catholic Spirit will dedicate its entire May 3 issue to stories, facts and photos about this world-renowned spiritual and civic landmark.
As part of this milestone, the church is sponsoring the first-ever "Cathedral History Hunt," a trivia contest covering history, art and architecture.
The winner will have the privilege of standing with Father Joseph Johnson, cathedral rector, on June 2 to ring the original bell that hung in the second, third and present cathedral until 1987. A copy of the contest questions is available at www.cathedralsaintpaul.org.
Readers of The Catholic Spirit will get a leg up on the competition. Each week until May 3, we will feature one of the trivia questions along with the answer.
This week's question: "Two cardinals who went on to become popes have visited the cathedral. Name these two men as well as their papal names." (Click here for the answer.)
Watch for the May 3 issue for more information about the cathedral's anniversary, including the slate of events planned for June 1 to 3. Catholic Spirit
Some of you are no doubt aware that the Basilica of St Mary in Minneapolis was designed by the same architect as the Cathedral of St Paul, Emmanuel Louis Masqueray, and built about the same time. The Basilica will begin its centennial observations with its Summer Block Party right after the Fourth of July, plans a Solemn Eucharist and Picnic in August, a St Francis Festival in October, Centennial Vespers on All Souls Day on November 2, Patronal Feast Festivities on and around December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, and big events in the year 2008. Watch for further announcements.
Monsignor Richard J. Schuler - R.I.P.
Monsignor Richard J. Schuler, Pastor Emeritus of The Church of Saint Agnes, died peacefully in his sleep on Friday April 20, 2007.
Wake
A wake will be held Monday, April 23, at 3:00 PM at the Church of St. Agnes. It will conclude at 9:00 PM with sung Latin Vespers.
Funeral Mass
The Funeral Mass for Monsignor Richard J. Schuler will be celebrated at 7:00 PM on Tuesday April 24, 2007 at The Church of Saint Agnes, 548 Lafond Ave. St. Paul, MN. Members of The Twin City Catholic Chorale will be singing W.A. Mozart's Requiem Mass, along with an orchestral accompaniment.
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From Father Z's Blog:
20 April 2007
Msgr. Richard J. Schuler - RIP
Msgr. Richard J. Schuler passed away at about 3 a.m., Central Time.He leaves a great legacy which will endure.
"Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your master." (cf. Matthew 25:23)
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From the St Agnes Web Page:
Monsignor Richard J. Schuler:
Requiescat in Pace
Monsignor Richard J. Schuler, Pastor Emeritus of The Church of Saint Agnes, died peacefully in his sleep on Friday April 20, 2007. We at Saint Agnes join countless others throughout the world in offering our prayers for the repose of his soul, and in gratitude to Almighty God for the gift of his life.
Monsignor was in residence at the North Memorial Residential Hospice in Brooklyn Center at the time of his death. Monsignor Schuler served as Pastor at Saint Agnes for thirty-two years, from 1969-2001, and was the founding director of The Twin Cities Catholic Chorale in 1956.
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Terry at Abbey-Roads2 has a great photo (swiped above) and a bio of the Monsignor.
The Supreme Court and Reasonable Hope - Father Richard John Neuhaus
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I’m not convinced that this week’s Supreme Court decision on partial-birth abortion is as good as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says it is, but I certainly hope she is right. She says it is alarming; it reflects manifest hostility to the unlimited abortion license imposed by Roe; it supports judicial deference to the legislative branch; it permits moral and ethical considerations to impinge upon law; it treats sympathetically such traditional notions as a mother’s love for her child; and it is a first step toward reversing the abortion regime established by Roe. As I say, I hope she is right, but I expect she may be exaggerating somewhat.
Nonetheless, the Carhart decision is to be warmly welcomed. (It seems to be generally agreed that the decision will be referred to as Carhart rather than Gonzales.) Commentaries on the decision abound, and we will have a thorough analysis in a forthcoming issue of the magazine. Michael Uhlmann’s posting here yesterday provided a valuable overview of abortion jurisprudence since Roe, and there is nothing in it with which I would disagree, although I do think more attention might be paid some of the more promising aspects in Justice Kennedy’s majority opinion. And I am one with Joseph Bottum on the additional points he made yesterday, except it seems to me that the response to Carhart from the many institutions of the pro-life movement, including Justin Cardinal Rigali’s official response on behalf of the bishops conference, is considerably more positive than he suggests. And rightly so.
Justice Kennedy’s 5-4 majority opinion is notable for accenting the society’s legitimate, indeed imperative, interest in protecting innocent human life. That interest had received lip service in Roe and its judicial offspring, but this time it is an operative, albeit not a controlling, concern. President Bush hailed Carhart as bringing us closer to the goal of “a society in which every child is welcomed in life and protected in law.” A very little bit closer to a goal still painfully far away.
[...snip]
In reporting Carhart, the New York Times lede declared that the Court “reverses course” on abortion. That is true in a limited sense. Justice Ginsburg is correct about the differences between this decision and prior decisions in which the Court upheld pitifully minor regulations in the exercise of the abortion license. To be sure, there are no guarantees, but Carhart gives reason to think that Ginsburg’s fears may be vindicated and the abortion regime may be on its way, a painfully slow way, toward extinction.
While the carnage continues, there is no place for false hopes or counsels of despair. It is not, I believe, a false hope to think that this week’s decision has brought us a little closer to the goal—never to be realized fully within the limits of history—of a society in which every child is welcomed in life and protected in law. There will always be some abortions, as there will always be other forms of homicide, along with rapes, child abuse, and similarly grievous crimes. But the law—in its pedagogical, protective, and punitive functions—can discourage and prevent such great evils. Carhart has made that prospect a little more visible on the still distant horizon. Read it all at First Things
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Father Corapi is Not Hanging it Up!
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While I was not farsighted enough to be able to register for the Archdiocesan Men's Retreat featuring Father John Corapi last weekend, I was able to discern some good news.
I had hear that Father would be retiring after this year to write at his home in Montana and that this would have been the last time that I probably would be able to hear him in person.
Sanctus Belle, our fledgling blogger at Our Lady's Tears who is doing such a tremendous job, informs me that her husband was not a procrastinator and did attend the session at the University of St Thomas.
Father Corapi must have heard that others had the same mistaken impression and cleared up the confusion. He said he was not retiring at all, but will take about a year off to write. There is also a television/broadcasting studio currently being built in his rural Montana home. He will be preaching via EWTN more often and reaching millions instead of thousands, plus he won't have to travel so much. He is not having any health problems.
So that is great news for all good Catholics (and not so good Catholics, too). Father Corapi is a tremendous speaker, heard regularly on Relevant Radio, 1330 in the Twin Cities, besides his EWTN appearances.
While I was not farsighted enough to be able to register for the Archdiocesan Men's Retreat featuring Father John Corapi last weekend, I was able to discern some good news.
I had hear that Father would be retiring after this year to write at his home in Montana and that this would have been the last time that I probably would be able to hear him in person.
Sanctus Belle, our fledgling blogger at Our Lady's Tears who is doing such a tremendous job, informs me that her husband was not a procrastinator and did attend the session at the University of St Thomas.
Father Corapi must have heard that others had the same mistaken impression and cleared up the confusion. He said he was not retiring at all, but will take about a year off to write. There is also a television/broadcasting studio currently being built in his rural Montana home. He will be preaching via EWTN more often and reaching millions instead of thousands, plus he won't have to travel so much. He is not having any health problems.
So that is great news for all good Catholics (and not so good Catholics, too). Father Corapi is a tremendous speaker, heard regularly on Relevant Radio, 1330 in the Twin Cities, besides his EWTN appearances.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Roots & Traditions, Cultures & Customs of Catholic Minnesota
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The Catholic Spirit has a nice little feature extolling Catholicism in Minnesota. Check out some of these nice articles. Your parish, school, organization or culture wasn't featured? Write an article and submit it to them. I'd bet they'd print it. Catholic Spirit
The Catholic Spirit has a nice little feature extolling Catholicism in Minnesota. Check out some of these nice articles. Your parish, school, organization or culture wasn't featured? Write an article and submit it to them. I'd bet they'd print it. Catholic Spirit
- Our Lady of Lourdes steeps French-Canadian tradition in the kitchen
- Stained glass depicts French heritage at St. John in Hugo
- Ojibway Catholic finds traditional spirituality woven into faith
- Heritage, church intertwined for Polish-Americans
- New Prague felt like home to St. Wenceslaus parishioners
- Polka Mass roars with German, Czech, Polish tradition
- Hungarian immigrant valued St. Andrew parish name and education
- Germans flooded the upper Midwest during the 1800s
- Germans find a home at mother church: Assumption
- Eastern-rite Catholics bring spirituality, traditions to Minnesota
- Non-Latin rites add to Catholic Church’s diversity
- Diversity invigorates diocese, resettlement coordinators say
- Irish immigrants faced challenges of frontier life with faith
- Some immigrants came from Canada
- Community is essential to Africans living in the Twin Cities
- St. Peter Claver member recounts struggles with racism
- Church kept people connected in St. Paul’s ‘little Italy’
- Latinos bring gifts of spirituality, traditions, focus on family
- Mexican Catholics have had long presence in Twin Cities
- St. Thomas in St. Paul: Where India and Cambodia meet
- Ethnic music enhances connection to universal church
- Hmong combine old heritage with new faith as numbers grow
- ‘Boat people’ brought Mary icons and deep faith
- Scandinavian settlers have enriched the archdiocese
- St. Joseph sisters committed to helping ‘our dear neighbors’
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