It’s hard to miss the 12-foot-by-7-foot icon of Christ Pantocrator (Ruler of All Things) above the abbot’s chair. The icon, completed just in time for Holy Week, was written by Benedictine Father Nathanael Hauser.

St. Stephen Church in St. Stephen got it’s steeple cross back April 17 after seven months without it following a lightning strike.

While churches in the Diocese of St. Cloud remain closed to public celebration of the Mass until May 15, Bishop Donald Kettler invited area Catholics to join him for his private celebration of Palm Sunday and the Easter Triduum via livestream.

“We are encouraging people to place a green branch outside their house or apartment door — maybe a pine bow, a leaf of a house plant, anything green — as a sign of welcome to our Lord, as well as giving honor to him on this day,” Father LeRoy Scheierl said.  

Life has not been easy for Shane Bartels. From having an abusive mother and then living in less than ideal foster homes to finding his father and then losing him unexpectedly, the road so far has been rocky.

With Masses throughout the diocese suspended and church buildings closed through at least April 13, parishes are finding meaningful ways to keep connected with parishioners using online resources as well as old-school methods.

One of the most popular tools is YouTube, an online video-sharing platform. The site allows teachers and students to watch videos, upload original content and share it.

To create a calm environment for online learning, Benedictine Brothers Lucian Lopez and Richard Crawford have teamed up to offer daily morning prayer and meditation.