JULY 27, 2025

This past week I visited with a parishioner and then our conversation was re-enforced that evening at our Evangelization & Catechesis meeting. At both times, we were discussing the need for helpers. We were sharing how we need people to help with chairing our Fall Festivals and getting involved with being catechists for our Faith Formation. This made me think about Stewardship. As I reflect on our society, many people want to help, but they do not want to commit themselves – just in case something better comes up. However, if the day comes, and they are free, sure they will help. However, that does not help us plan events. It is hard to plan events when we don’t know if anyone will come. And to “Build it and they will come” does not always work.

Again, I know we are all busy, but sadly this word busy is becoming a swear word. As our retreat director at our priests’ retreat last Spring said, “BUSY” is an acronym for Being Under Satan’s Yoke. Basically, what he is saying is that we are busy doing different things pulling ourselves away from our Lord, becoming more like Martha, rather than being more like Mary and doing the better part? Are we “Busy” doing other things, rather than what God wants? Where is God and His Church on our list of priorities? As I shared several weeks ago in my homily, we know what our priorities are by looking at our calendars and schedule books. Is God anywhere on them?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to make anyone feel guilty, I just want us to be faithful. Going to sporting events (or being involved in sporting events), vacations, sleeping in, yardwork, etc. are all wonderful events (trust me I enjoy them as well), but they should never push our faith (and living out our faith) to take a backseat.

Instead of being a Martha and worrying about many things, let us be like Mary and choose the better part. I encourage all of us to prayerfully discern how we can be active in our faith. Instead of turning down an invitation to be involved, please pray that God will help you respond appropriately to His will. Because if we do, and get more involved with our talents, spending more time with our Lord in prayer, and sharing our treasures, we will not only be great stewards, but we will always choose the better part!

JULY 20, 2025

As some of you know, I was gone a couple of weeks ago with my family. Again, as I have said before, I hope you too are taking time for some R&R this summer. However, that does not mean we take R&R from our Lord. Please make sure that you are celebrating your faith and love in our Lord no matter where you go or what you do. Speaking of doing, our St. Anne School has been doing a lot this summer. Besides doing the usual cleaning and getting the rooms ready for next year and trying to raise a little over $400,000 (and hopefully even more) for our building project, we also have been blessed with new staff. This past year, Jane Baune and Candy Sobocinski

retired from their secretarial duties at the school and parish (respectively). Since then, we have been blessed to hire Mariah Zeug as our new parish/school secretary. She is working part-time and will go full-time when school begins (I’ll mention times in a few moments). Also, Vickie Daub retired from teaching, and we hired Belinda Klann as the 1st Grade teacher. Emily Captain, with support from her husband Matthew, decided to be a stay-at-home mom. We hired Alexi Frericks to replace her and teach 2nd grade. In other words, not only have we been blessed all these years with Jane’s, Candy’s, Vickie’s, and Emily’s ministries, but now we look forward to Mariah’s, Belinda’s, and Alexi’s as well. We are also blessed to have Erica Pope as our new music minister at St. Anne School, and she is now the AFC Worship Director as well. We have been blessed to have her as the Worship Director at St. Catherine and now (to keep

moving and working together as an AFC) she is also St. Anne’s as well. Please keep all of our staff, at both of our parishes, in your prayers. In regards also to doing and times, our new office hours at St. Anne for the next few weeks is Tues-Thurs from 9am-noon. Sure, we could have more office hours, but by using the chancery, St. Mary’s Parish in Willmar, Methodist’s Church across from St. Catherine, and other parishes throughout the diocese (who have less weekday office hours), we want to be good stewards of our time and resources that support us. Although it would be nice to have someone working from morning to evening behind the desk, if we do not have many people coming in, why pay for staff members to sit and wait for someone to come in? And yes, it is nice to have people come in to visit with our friendly staff (and we certainly are blessed to have them), I want to make sure that we are using your contributions wisely and making sure that they are being productive while they are working. Speaking of going on vacations and office hours, the week of August 18-22, the office will only be open Tues (Aug 19), Thurs (Aug 21), and Tues (Aug 26) from 9am-1pm at St Catherine. Don’t worry, we will remind you when we get closer. In other words, I am taking Bishop’s example with his staff by encouraging my staff to take time off as well. Thanks for being understanding, keeping us all in prayer, and know of our continued prayers and desire to serve you.

JULY 13, 2025

The OCIA, or Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, is the Church's process for welcoming new members into the faith. It's a journey of conversion and formation for adults who are either unbaptized, baptized in another Christian tradition, or baptized Catholics who haven't completed their initiation. The process involves prayer, study, fellowship, and participation in the life of the parish community. The purpose of OCIA is to guide individuals in their relationship with Jesus and the Catholic Church, to provide a space for those seeking to explore the Catholic faith, and to prepare individuals for the Sacraments of Initiation: Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist (Holy Communion). As I shared a couple of weeks ago, we have four young ladies who are baptized in another Christian tradition who are inquiring into the Catholic church in our AFC (Sara Bailey, Chloe Kahley, Hailey Mohr, and Kayla Rohlik). Please keep them in your prayers, because the OCIA process (particularly the "Call to Continuing Conversion" rite that they are involved in) involves: 1. Period of Inquiry: This initial stage involves exploring the Catholic faith without any obligation to continue. It's a time for questions, reflection, and discernment about a life of faith in Christ and the Catholic Church. (This beginning process involves people, who like to learn more about the Catholic faith, ask questions and find out how do they can “sign-up?”) 2. Rite of Welcoming and Acceptance: For baptized Christians, this rite acknowledges them as members of the Faithful and welcomes them as candidates for Confirmation and Eucharist. (We will be doing this on Sunday at St. Anne’s Mass – it will be livestreamed) 3. Period of the Catechumenate: Although they are not Catechumens themselves (this involves the unbaptized), this period involves deeper learning about Catholic beliefs, life, liturgy, and apostolic work. It's a time for nurturing and growth in faith and conversion. 4. Rite of Sending: Candidates, with their sponsors, are brought before the faith community, who offer blessings and prayers as they are sent to the Bishop for the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion. (Because we started later, we were unable to celebrate this in our AFC) 5. Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion: This rite marks a significant point in the journey for both catechumens (unbaptized) and candidates (baptized). Parish representatives present the candidates to the bishop. The candidates' sponsors attest to their readiness, growth in faith and love, and deepening appreciation of their baptism. The assembly acknowledges their support, and the bishop formally recognizes the candidates' desire to receive the sacraments, calling them to "Continuing Conversion". (We were unable to celebrate this as well – see #4) 6. Period of Purification and Enlightenment: This focuses on intense spiritual preparation, reflection, and formal instruction. Candidates are invited to join the Church in practices like charity and fasting. 7. Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation: At the Easter Vigil (or in our case, we will be celebrating this when the candidates are ready), candidates are received into full communion with the Catholic Church by celebrating the sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist. (We will be celebrating this at St. Catherine) 8. Period of Mystagogy: This final stage, from Easter to Pentecost, involves reflecting on the sacraments received and integrating into the Church community. It's a reminder that initiation is a starting point, not an end, and calls for a lifelong commitment to conversion. (This process will continue for a short period of time afterwards) Essentially, for those already baptized, the OCIA process, guides them towards a deepening of their existing faith, a fuller understanding and appreciation of their baptism, and the reception of the sacraments that will bring them into full communion with the Catholic Church. It's a journey of ongoing spiritual growth and commitment to living a life rooted in the Catholic tradition. The reason I share all this is because this weekend we will be celebrating the Rite of Welcoming and Acceptance of our 4 candidates at Sunday’s 8am Mass at St. Anne. Again, please pray for these candidates and their discernment that they may be open to the fullness of God’s grace in the Sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist that we look forward to celebrating soon.