This spring, the diocesan Office of Social Concerns accepted nominations for Catholic business owners who live out their Catholic faith in the ways they run their business and serve their community.
Winners are selected based on the ways they bear witness to their Catholic faith and show commitment to their rural community, both within their faith community and beyond the Church, through involvement in practices of stewardship, advocacy and support for rural life. Businesses must also uphold the dignity of their employees and clients through workplace practices that promote the common good and human flourishing.
Two local business owners received recognition for their contributions at an invitation-only Mass with Bishop Neary Aug. 17. Colleen Schwarzbauer, co-founder of JeriCo Christian Journeys, has been honored with the Catholic Rural Business Award by the Diocese of St. Cloud for her faith-driven leadership in pilgrimage travel. What began in 1984 with a trip to Medjugorje blossomed into a ministry that has led hundreds of Catholics to sacred sites around the world. To read her full profile, click here.
Pete Rothfork, president and CEO of Melrose Feed Mill, is proud to own a business in a close-knit community where “everyone knows everyone” and where he can support programs through local schools and Catholic churches. Pete and his wife Patti of 40 years are members of St. Joseph Parish in Grey Eagle. Pete, also recognized with a Catholic Rural Business Award this year, strives to integrate faith into his business through patience, honesty and grace and by recognizing that each of his 47 full-time employees have their own stories, worries and struggles. To read his full profile, click here.
Congratulations to this year’s Catholic Century Farm Award recipients
The Catholic Century Farm Awards are a way that the Diocese of St. Cloud honors Catholic families who have farmed and nurtured the same land for 100 years or more.
Different from the state or county-based century farm registries, the Catholic Century Farm Awards are an opportunity for our whole diocese to recognize the deep connection between our faith and farming traditions, and reflect on our many neighbors who are living out the Catholic social teaching of care for creation through their vocation of farming
and stewardship of the earth.
This year, eight farm families were recognized. Honorees received a Catholic Century Farm Award certificate in recognition of their outstanding legacy in faith-based family farming within the diocese.
Congratulations to this year’s Catholic Century Farm Award recipients:
Melvin Hinnenkamp of Hinnenkamp Family Farm in Melrose, 1884
Pamela Loehr of Loehr Family Farm in Belgrade, 1898
James and Marilyn Schumer of Schumer Family Farm in St. Stephen, 1875
Joseph Soenneker of Soenneker Farm in Melrose, 1892
Mike and Cyndi (Stalboerger) Schulzetenberge of Stalboerger Century Farm in Belgrade, 1865
Mike and Cyndi (Stalboerger) Schulzetenberge of Eibensteiner Century Farm in Sauk Centre, 1862
Lawrence Thell of Thell Century Farm in Foley, 1891
Don and Mary Tschida of Tschida Family Farm in Pierz, 1925
Pictured above: Bishop Patrick Neary celebrates the Mass honoring the Rural Business Award winners and Century Farm families. (Dianne Towalski / The Central Minnesota Catholic)
