Every year, the Bishop’s Annual Appeal invites the faithful of the Diocese of St. Cloud to join in a shared mission: forming compassionate leaders who serve those on the margins and help build a Church rooted in mercy, justice and hope.
This year, the theme, drawn from the Diocesan mission statement to be Christ’s heart of mercy, calls on every person to become an agent of compassion in a world that needs it.
This call is lived out in real people whose lives and vocations have been shaped by the ministries supported through the annual appeal.
Two of those voices, Lexi Torres and Liz Hamak, who both received formation as diocesan interns, offer a glimpse into how the annual appeal forms leaders who carry the heart of Christ into the world.
“My ministry and my love for social justice finally came together.”
— Lexi Torres
For Lexi Torres, a first‑year student at Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, her work as the diocesan Social Concerns intern became the bridge between academic formation and lived discipleship.
“When I first learned about the internship through the diocese and met Kateri Mancini [director of social concerns], I just knew that my social justice love and ministry could go together,” Lexi shared. “It has been such a wonderful time serving here.”
Through her work with the diocesan communications and social concerns teams, Lexi discovered how Catholic social teaching becomes real in everyday encounters.
“I learned so much about human dignity and how to apply it to real-life situations — how to advocate for those on the margins and how to meet people where they’re at.”
For Lexi, the internship has been more than professional experience. It has been a spiritual awakening.
“As Christians, it is so important to pray for others,” she said. “But while you’re praying, take a step. Take a hand and help another person who is behind you. This internship has allowed me to live out my prayer in action.”
Her formation — made possible through the Bishop’s Annual Appeal — is shaping her into a leader who will carry the Church’s mission of justice and mercy into every community she serves.
“Dignity is at the heart of everything we do.”
— Liz Hamak
Liz Hamak, now a staff member at Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, traces her vocation back to her own experience as a diocesan social concerns intern.
“When I was an undergrad at St. Ben’s and St. John’s, I was invited to be the social concerns intern,” Liz recalled. “It was through that internship that I really learned about Catholic social teaching and how it applies in our everyday lives — especially in helping our neighbors.”
Today, Liz manages volunteers at the Catholic Charities food shelf, where she sees the principles she learned as a student come to life daily.
“One of the most important things I learned was the importance of dignity,” she said. “Dignity is one of the core values of Catholic Charities and a central Catholic social teaching. It is so important that we treat each person we encounter with dignity.”
Her journey shows how the Appeal doesn’t just fund programs — it forms disciples who embody the Gospel in concrete, compassionate service.
“Leadership in our schools is ultimately about presence, relationship and hope.”
— Sara Michaelson, diocesan superintendent of Catholic Schools
For Sara Michaelson, leadership in Catholic education is never simply administrative — it is deeply relational.
“I try to walk alongside principals throughout the entire journey of school leadership,” she explained. “That journey includes the pain of school closures, the strain of upset families or communities, the joy of student learning and successes and even the excitement of breaking ground on new additions.”
In each of these moments, she strives to offer what principals need most: a listening ear, steady support, thoughtful guidance and connections to others who can help.
This ministry of accompaniment shapes principals into compassionate leaders who, in turn, shape the hearts of the children they serve.
“Walking beside them also nurtures my own heart,” she reflects. “It reminds me that leadership in our schools is ultimately about presence, relationship and hope.”
“I think the most important thing is not what formation did for me, but what it does for the people I serve.”
— Deacon Dan Dullinger,
diocesan deacon and chaplain
Through his diaconate formation, Deacon Dan Dullinger received a master’s degree in pastoral ministry and gained competencies in human, spiritual, intellectual and pastoral formation; all of which he said helped him realize, “I am ready, I can do this.”
“On a personal level, when the Lord called me to become a deacon, my heart was ready but I certainly did not have enough confidence, nor spiritual maturity, needed to be an effective diaconal minister. During my formation I learned a lot about my weaknesses, my strengths and areas of my life where healing was needed,” Deacon Dan explained.
After his ordination, he said the Holy Spirit filled him in a new way.
“I realized deeply that God didn’t call me to this to be timid, but to boldly proclaim the Good News and the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Church. It was an epiphany for me, life changing,” he said. “I was asked to speak about the effects of my formation on my life, but I think the most important thing is not what formation did for me, but what it does for the people I serve.”
A mission we share
The Bishop’s Annual Appeal makes stories like Lexi’s and Liz’s possible. It supports ministries that:
- • form future leaders in faith and service
- • accompany those on the margins
- • strengthen Catholic education
- • support parish life
- • and build a culture of dignity rooted in the Gospel
Every gift — no matter the size — becomes part of a much larger story of compassionate accompaniment.
Lexi and Liz agree that the Church’s mission is to live one encounter at a time, one act of mercy at a time, one heart transformed at a time. The Appeal ensures that this mission continues to flourish across the Diocese of St. Cloud.
To give to the Bishop’s Annual Appeal, click here.
Watch this year’s video:
