Caring in the time of coronavirus

AS THE WORLD FACES THE COVID -19 PANDEMIC, countless stories of courage and selflessness flood the media. Right here in the Diocese of St. Cloud, there will be many heroes who give their time, talent and even their lives. Across the next few pages are a few faces of those who are helping others sustain and grow in faith through their efforts in parishes, schools, at home and and on the front lines.

MEETING JESUS IN THE PARKING LOT
FATHER JEREMY THEIS, PASTOR
St. Edward, Elmdale; St. Mary, Upsala; and St. Francis, St. Francis

St Mary, Upsala (photo submitted)

When the Stay-at-Home order was executed, Father Theis, like many pastors, went straight to work figuring out ways to keep his parishioners connected to their faith.

“I’m still trying to do the same things,” he said. “I’m just finding different ways to do them.”

For example, when it was clear that people were not allowed to gather in churches or groups, Father Theis knew the unique structure of St. Mary’s Church in Upsala with its wide window facing the parking lot, might be a way to offer Adoration. People are required to stay safely in their cars, but can view the Blessed Sacrament from afar.

“Priests all over are just to trying to minister the best way we are able given the circumstances,” said Father Theis.

One practice he began this spring that he hopes to continue after the restrictions are lifted is livestreaming Night Prayer regularly. Night Prayer, or Compline, is part of the Liturgy of the Hours, a traditional prayer of the Catholic Church.

“The Lord does not leave us as orphans. When we enter into prayer in the ways that are available to us, He hears us.,” said Father Theis.

BUILDING COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
MARIO AND ALE JANDRA MANCILLA
St. Leonard, Pelican Rapids

Beginning in early March, parishioners from the Pelican Valley ACC (which consists of Our Lady of Victory in Fergus Falls, St. Elizabeth in Elizabeth and St. Leonard in Pelican Rapids), began praying the rosary remotely at 7 p.m. every night.

“Each of us are in our own homes but united in prayer for the end of COVID-19,” said Alejandra Mancilla, a member of St. Leonard’s.

“Also, our community has been participating in listening to daily Mass or the daily Gospel and meditations found on YouTube. We share with each other through social media. We also know of families praying the Stations of the Cross with their kids.”

ALWAYS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS
BENEDICTINE FATHER EDWARD VEBELUN, PASTOR
Seven Dolors, Albany; St. Benedict, Avon; St. Martin, St. Martin and St. Anthony, St. Anthony

Father Edward Vebelun said phone calls to community members have been an edifying experience.

“It has afforded a wonderful one-on-one connection to so many people that I don’t ordinarily have sufficient opportunities to have personal conversations with,” he said. “Amidst all the exciting ways to do ministry through technology and social media, that relational conversation has been the best. Relationships will always have a primary value in parish ministry.”

STITCHED WITH LOVE
ADELA HERNÁNDEZ
St. Joseph, Waite Park

photo submitted, Adela Hernandez

After her own bout with a non-coronavirus illness in the hospital, Adela Hernández saw the need for protective masks.

“I decided that as soon I was out of the hospital, I would make some masks and donate them,” Adela said. “I also have a daughter that works there [who] already asked for one so I decided to make 50 and donate them to the hospital.”

After a day of rest from the hospital, she went straight to work. She and her friend, Elena Limon, also from St. Joseph’s, made at least 150 masks.

 

CARING BEYOND BORDERS
GERALYN NATHE-EVANS
St. Benedict, Avon

Sister Mary Mao, photo submitted

A connection through two graduates of St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary in Collegeville brought 280 plastic masks from China to St. Cloud. Sister Mary Mao, a 2011 graduate, mailed the masks to Geralyn Nathe-Evans, a 2004 graduate and a longtime registered nurse with CentraCare.

Sister Mary, a member of the Sisters of Saviors of Souls in Ningbo, China, is currently helping those infected with the coronavirus in China, and she reached out to Barbara Sutton, a professor at the School of Theology. Sutton connected Sister Mary with Nathe- Evans, who lives in St. Cloud.

“Each and every donation will have a purpose as we continue to love and serve our local and global communities,” Nathe-Evans said. “At this time, the donation is being processed to serve the greatest and most appropriate use. We are so grateful for the incredible generosity of Sister Mary Mao and her community.”

“Today the impact of St. John’s spreads across the world,” Sutton added. “Our graduates continue to bring comfort to the suffering, and hope to the hopeless, affirming the sacred value and dignity of all people everywhere.”

OPPORTUNITY TO BE CREATIVE
FATHER BEN KOCIEMBA, PASTOR
Little Falls Catholic Community

The Little Falls Catholic Community purchased Flocknote, an email and text messaging platform, to keep in touch with parishioners.

“I feel the weight of making difficult decisions alongside my staff, but I also see the Spirit working very powerfully,” Father Ben Kociemba said. “Communication takes a lot of work, but I see the fruits of it every day.”

The parishes that comprise the community — St. Mary and Our Lady of Lourdes in Little Falls and Holy Family in Belle Prairie — also are using Word on Fire’s new “Engaged” program, which is built on the Flocknote platform. It allows them to send videos to parishioners to help them live their faith in these unprecedented times, he said.

“Being less stretched with so many activities has given us more time to be creative in certain ways,” Father Kociemba said. “This might even lead to being MORE effective in the outreach that we have been currently doing in the long run. … This has given us motivation to utilize more platforms for evangelization that have reached people literally across the globe.”

Military personnel stationed in Iraq, for example, said they were thrilled to watch the Mass livestreamed from their hometown, he said.

CASA SAN BENITO OFFERS RESOURCES IN SPANISH

Centro San Benito of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville launched a Facebook page as well as a YouTube Channel with the Mass in Spanish, every Saturday at 5 p.m.

Benedictine Sister Judy Kramer, Benedictine Father Efrain Rosado, Brother Mariano Franco, Brother Felix Mencias and others planned to post additional videos and links of reflections and spiritual comments for Spanish speakers.

Father Rosado is providing spiritual counseling for Spanish-speaking people on the phone at 320-363-3020 and via email at erosado@csbsju.edu.

A WORLD OF HEARTS
ASCHNEWITZ FAMILY
Our Lady of Victory, Fergus Falls

Photo submitted by Aschnewitz family

When Diane Aschnewitz was heading to work one morning, she was feeling a bit uneasy about COVID-19 and the governor’s stay-at-home order.

“At a stop sign as I looked for traffic, a window display caught my eye,” she said. “In the picture window, a family had hung a paper cross at the bottom corner from which colorful hearts of various sizes seemed to rise upwards to the opposite corner. That simple view brought an immediate sense of peace, and a quiet voice that repeated, ‘I am here. Be not afraid.’”

Later that morning, she sent a text to her daughters and daughters-in-law about the inspiring window. One of them told her about the #worldofhearts movement spreading on Facebook.

“That excitement of creating something of our own began to grow, and creating something to share at the church took root,” Diane said.

After discussing it with Father Alan Wielinski, he gave the OK to create something. The final image includes hearts, with the Divine Mercy image of Jesus.

“Our prayer throughout the process was for the Spirit to guide, asking that he would multiply our meager gifts, bring a smile, a sense of hope and a renewed trust in the glory of God to others,” Diane said. “We are thankful for how one family’s window display of faith set into motion a collaboration of ideas from several different households, allowing the sharing of combined gifts to create a visual display of hope in the goodness of God’s mercy.”

CREATIVITY IN CATHOLIC EDUCATION
ANN DETTMANN, PRINCIPAL
St. Andrew School, Elk River

Catholic schools around the diocese have been creative with technology to implement distance learning. 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.

“This is new for us,” said Ann Dettmann, principal of St. Andrew School in Elk River. “Father Mark [Innocenti] suggested we explore this tool, and so we did.”

Students can view announcements from the principal, prayers and birthday wishes each morning, as well as video greetings from their teachers.

“It allows our students to see us, smiling,” Dettmann said. “I think that goes a long way in helping them feel a bit calmer during these stressful times. Some have sent videos back of the students returning our greetings, so it warms our hearts, too.”

TECHNOLOGY IS A GIFT
DEBRA MEYER-MYRUM, PRINCIPAL
Holy Trinity School, Pierz

Students at Holy Trinity School in Pierz have been using the school’s YouTube channel to share presentations with one another and their families for about a year. The staff recently posted a video they recorded of the Children’s Stations of the Cross.

Teachers also are recording themselves teaching lessons, giving morning greetings, leading prayers and using educational resources to engage students from different locations in the school building.

“Recording will take place in multiple places throughout the school to keep students connected,” said principal Debra Meyer-Myrum.

Having this time as well as the necessity for staff to develop their technology skills is a gift, she said. It’s an opportunity to look at new ways to engage students in learning and make connections with the community.

“It’s always important to look at the gifts that come out of a difficult situation,” Meyer-Myrum said.

A HEART LIKE JESUS
BETHANY BALZEL
St. John, Foley

photo submitted

“Our story is a little different than most,” Bethany Balzel said.

In August 2019, she and her family moved in with her 89-year-old grandfather who recently underwent open heart surgery.

“He was not ready to leave his home, but knew he couldn’t stay there alone,” she said. “At first, we were very hesitant to leave our familiar home, but knew that God calls us to have a heart like Jesus. As we take one day at a time this spring, we are reminded of the precious gift of being here with him.”

During the pandemic, Balzel said they have had time to share meals, help one another out and “make these days much more enjoyable.”

“One of our favorite things to do is go for bike rides around our community of Foley and do our best to shine our light by waving to people outside, delivering artwork to elderly friends and we even painted a mural of the cross in our front living room window for all to see. Each day we strive to have a heart like Jesus and to shine his light for all to see!”

SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
FATHER TIMOTHY GAPINSKI, PASTOR
St. Michael, St. Cloud, and St. Joseph, Waite Park

With public Masses being suspended in the diocese, Father Timothy Gapinski and many other pastors across the diocese have encouraged people to make a “Spiritual Communion” especially on Sundays and other Holy Days.

“The term ‘spiritual Communion’ is used to distinguish it from ‘sacramental Communion’ — which is physically receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist,” Father Gapinski explained. “When we cannot receive physically, we should still desire to receive spiritually.”

Father Gapinski said it is important to remember that Communion is not just something personal we receive.

“It is also a true communion with God and with the Church — the Body of Christ. If my receiving of Holy Communion would put others at serious risk of harm (either physical or spiritual), then it is likely better to refrain from receiving sacramentally and instead receive spiritually. It is also possible that receiving selfishly, without considering others, damages the communion we are called to share and, in the end, would not benefit the individual either.

“The spiritual Communions we make during these challenging times help us to pray ever more deeply for the community. May we grow in love of God in our new life of grace through Christ in the Easter season.”

CARDS FROM KIDS
FATHER JEFF ETHEN, DEACONS JOSEPH HILBER AND PETER BELLAVANCE
St. Leonard, Pelican Rapids, and St. Elizabeth, Elizabeth

Pixabay/Free-photos

“Within isolation, everyone needs to know and to feel like they are still part of something larger,” Father Jeff Ethen said.

Many youth from his parishes have been asking what they can do during this time. One idea was to have youth make greeting cards, pictures and notes for those in area nursing homes who are unable to communicate with family or who don’t have family checking in on them during this time. Deacons Joseph Hilber and Peter Bellavance have been on the front lines, trying to keep people connected, Father Ethen said.

“Even though we are separated, we are together,” Father Ethen said. “In some ways, isolation can make us closer. We are finding what is essential in ‘being’ Church by not having it. We can see what is at the heart of the Eucharist. We will see through this how we are a church community within a larger community.”

Author: The Central Minnesota Catholic

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

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