Bishops Annual Appeal Update: Transformed by faith, sent in service to all

OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST FEW MONTHS, when churches and offices remained closed, the diocesan staff worked from their homes across Central Minnesota. Like you, they have worked to navigate the challenges. It has been their great joy to continue serving the people of the diocese through virtual ministries.

A video series called, “We are the Church together,” highlighted some of the ways their ministries continued from home. You can find the full series at https://bit.ly/2SRo62i.

MAYULI BALES

Director of Multicultural Ministries

I continue my ministry with a purpose: to maintain communication and relationships with the community using technology. I made an information page on Facebook and put information of interest to the [Hispanic/Latino] community in reference to the situation we are living today. I decided every day to give myself time to call people in the communities and listen with my heart, to be a model of peace and trust in the Lord during these conversations.

Some people wanted to talk for long periods of time. I take and receive calls from people who need to navigate the medical or prison systems. Some people have questions about family members detained or in deportation proceedings. Others need to send money or clothes to loved ones who will be deported. Other people want to know how to correct the birth certificates of their children. In short, I am listening to others. … I have reinforced communication with the communities I serve. I have participated in endless conferences and online meetings with different national or international groups.

The needs of our community are not always material. I find that there is a great need to reach out and recognize God in their lives. We had the opportunity for some parish leaders to create groups to pray through technology and hear local Masses in Spanish or from other states and countries. The prayer groups that already existed [previously] continued the prayer through Facebook [and] new groups were created. In some areas, people agreed to make rosaries on the same day at the same time. Some communities organized distribution of food. Others made themselves available to the needy locally, lending money, offering a living space, volunteering in some collective service.

My experience after living these days is that our faith communities are active outside the [Church] itself. They live the encounter with Christ in their daily life, helping the neediest. I learned during these days that I am just a grain of sand in the immensity of the kingdom of God, His sons and daughters are true disciples extending their hands to others and being an example of service. The experience of these days calls me to be in union with the people of God and together hear his voice.

AARON CARPENTER

Director of the Office of Worship

My ministry has continued through assisting pastors, musicians and liturgists navigate their way through Holy Week, recording Masses, livestreaming Masses and making plans for the reopening of churches. I have also been maintaining the TV Mass ministry so many people throughout the diocese are able to participate in the Mass through our online resource or TV broadcast. In addition, I assisted Bishop Kettler to prepare and execute a plan for live broadcasting the Chrism Mass and Holy Week liturgies from the Cathedral of St. Mary. I am currently helping develop guidelines for reopening churches throughout the diocese.

My usual ministry has continued as well. I am meeting with a parish virtually to continue plans for a dedication of their new church. I have held a few virtual meetings with liturgists and musicians to remain connected to one another and our ministry. As a part of the diocesan staff, I have been active in meetings and visioning for a potential grant as well has continuing plans for the Regional Ministry Gatherings. I have also been collaborating with our candidates for ordination to be sure we are ready for the liturgies of ordination when they are held.

I have found the needs of the parishes to be widespread. Many are looking for ways to continue their livestreaming, seeking input on copyright licensing, visioning for a future with fewer resources available, and working to maintain consistent and constant ministry to their parishioners.

This time has given me the opportunity connect with ministers whom I otherwise would have struggled to meet with. Virtual gatherings have allowed more people to congregate and share insights about their ministry. I believe this time has given me ideas for better integration of technologies in gathering, although it will never be able to replace meeting in person.

BRENDA KRESKY

Director of Pastoral Planning

I’d like to quote from paragraph 28 of Pope Francis’ apostolic exhortation “The Joy of the Gospel.” It states, “The parish is not an outdated institution, precisely because it possesses great flexibility. It can assume quite different contours, depending on the openness and missionary creativity of the pastor and the community. It’s certainly not the only organization which evangelizes. If the parish proves capable of self-renewal and constant adaptivity, it  continues to be the Church living in the midst of the homes of her sons and daughters.”

The statement reminds me of how the Church has changed throughout history to bring about the message of Jesus Christ. Today, we are all having to be flexible and creative and adapt to our current situations. Know that as we work from home, we continue to connect with people online, through email and by phone. I’m confident that, with our Church taking on a different contour, the love of Christ continues to shine in our world, in our community and in our homes because we are the Church together.

DAVID FREMO

Director of Catholic Education Ministries

I have found some real blessings in the midst of learning to work during a pandemic. For one, I have connected much more regularly with Catholic school principals. Video conferencing tools have gone from marginal to central use and allowed for gathering that group and sharing wisdom each week as new challenges and opportunities would arise. I look forward to continuing regular video check-ins when we bring students back into our schools.

I found that the scope of support for schools and parishes became more comprehensive during this time. Many things fall into a “seasonal” framework of focus each year. For schools, instructional planning and professional development is often a summer activity, but it became a daily one in building distance-learning programs. Budgets and employment plans are usually the work of early spring, but are considerably more tentative this year, and will require ongoing attention this summer and fall. And so many fundraisers for schools take place in spring, as well as summer festivals for parishes. … It has kept nearly every aspect of operations and planning on the table — at the same time.

It meant that I have needed to dig deep into research and resources to help find answers, and more importantly to help find questions that could lead to answers. I have reached into a larger network of leaders and thinkers in ministry to gain a broader perspective and hopefully more possible insights. In understanding how the measures of the CARES Act apply to our parishes and schools, I have been in contact with other nonpublic school leaders and legislative advocates. I worked with Bailey Ziegler in the diocesan Office of Human Resources in providing two webinars on COVID-19 employment issues for pastors, parish administrators and principals. I am proud of how we have been able to grow in our use of video conferencing tools to add valuable learning and sharing experiences for our co-workers in ministry.

As of May 11, the Bishop’s Annual Appeal for 2020 has raised cash and pledges totaling $904,855 toward this year’s goal of $1,300,000 (69.6%). This is through generous gifts from 6,124 donors.

WE STILL NEED YOUR HELP

These ministries are critical to our faith life and your help is still needed to support the work being done. We are grateful to those who have already contributed to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal and look forward to using those dollars toward continuing these valuable ministries. Your gift will not be used for any other purpose.

 

Author: The Central Minnesota Catholic

The Central Minnesota Catholic is the magazine for the Diocese of St. Cloud.

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