Each year, the Bishop’s Annual Appeal raises funds to support vital ministries in the Diocese of St. Cloud. This year’s theme, “Gifts Offered by Human Hands” focuses on the Eucharist. Among ministries supported by the Appeal are vocations, Catholic education, faith formation, marriage preparation, family life, pastoral planning, multicultural ministries, ministry to the divorced and the TV Mass for the homebound. Many of these ministries have resources to use during the Lenten season. Check out a few of them here and visit www.stcdio.org for more information on the ministries supported by the Bishop’s Annual Appeal. To watch Bishop Donald Kettler’s appeal message on video, visit http://stcdio. org and click on “Bishop’s Annual Appeal.”
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”14″]Please watch your mailbox for more information and return your gift at Mass on Committment Weekend, Feb. 13-14, with your prayer intentions. You can also give online at www.stcdio.org/annualappeal or mail your gift to Bishop’s Annual Appeal, Office of Communication and Development, 305 7th Ave. N., St. Cloud, MN 56303.[/perfectpullquote]
Office of Marriage and Family
- NEW! FREE MEN’S VIRTUAL RETREAT AND BIBLE STUDY FEB. 27
This year, the Office of Marriage and Family is offering the annual Men’s Conference virtually on Saturday, Feb. 27, from 9 a.m. to noon. There is no cost.
Due to the conference being held online, the format will have a different style featuring a variety of speakers including Father Tom Knoblach, Father Scott Pogatchnik, Father Doug Liebsch, Fred Blonigen and Ryan Parsons. Each of the guest speakers will briefly present one of the Gospels from the Sundays in Lent for approximately 15-20 minutes followed by reflection questions for prayer and contemplation.
Topics from the Sunday readings include: Jesus’ temptation in the desert, the Transfiguration, the cleansing of the Temple, Nicodemus, Jesus speaks about his death, and Jesus’ Passion and death.
Bishop Donald Kettler will provide the welcome as well as opening and closing prayers.
“The conference will have the feel of a small retreat,” said Patrick Flynn, director of the Office of Marriage and Family. “Our hope is this Men’s Conference retreat will provide a prayerful and reflective beginning of Lent for the men who participate.”
For more information or to register online, visit www.stcdio.org/mensconference21/ or contact Jan at 320-258-7615.
Catholic Education Ministries
- NEW! LENTEN VIDEO SERIES
“Family Together” (familytogether.stcdio.org) will be expanding its “Becoming Eucharist” table discussion tool to include video resources for Lent. The usual printable table tent that contains discussion questions for the week’s readings to be shared at the dinner table, small group meetings or individual reflections will continue to be offered. Then during Lent there will be an added video, facilitated by Catholic Education Ministries, to add a multimedia dimension to help people reflect on the readings.
Like “Becoming Eucharist,” this Lenten series is a simple resource to assist people of all ages in making faith formation a consistent priority. It helps people join with their parishes and the Church throughout the world in reflecting on the Word of God, especially during these times in which people are less connected physically.
“It is sometimes difficult for busy families and individuals to set aside a bulk of time for intensive faith formation efforts. But if we can integrate such opportunities into our regular schedules, like at family meal times or gatherings with friends … even online … we can grow closer to God and each other on a regular basis,” said Tim Welch, associate director for educational media/technology.
“This is the domestic Church, and Lent is a prime time for such efforts.”
- BECOMING EUCHARIST
A new faith formation resource called “Becoming Eucharist” developed by the diocese’s Catholic Education Ministries team is available for friends and families to use at home. This tool is designed around sharing a meal together while engaging in thoughtful conversations about faith.
Participants begin by printing a table tent and placing it on the table, or pulling it up on a cellphone, iPad or computer. A Bible also is a necessary element in hard copy or online form. The lesson begins with a meal prayer, followed by sharing the meal together and a couple of opening questions.
Once the meal is completed, participants are invited to read or act out the Sunday Gospel story and reflect on the companion questions. After that, participants discuss and decide on an action step to live out the Gospel message during the week. The activity concludes with prayer.
“It has been exciting to hear that families are using the resource,” said Kristi Bivens, associate director of lay leadership formation. “One director of faith formation told me parents are enjoying learning more about Scripture themselves and are having great faith-based conversations with their children.”
To learn more, visit familytogether.stcdio.org.
Office of Worship
- DIOCESAN TV MASS
Featuring a variety of area priests, musicians, choristers, lectors and other volunteers, the weekly diocesan TV Mass continues to keep homebound parishioners connected to their faith.
“During the Lenten season, as we journey toward the Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter, we walk together as a community of faith,” said Aaron Carpenter, director of the Office of Worship. “The TV Mass allows those who are unable to participate in the Mass at their local parish the opportunity to make the Lenten journey alongside their brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Tune in to the TV Mass on KSTC-45 at 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Other local access cable channels include:
- Albany Mutual Telephone Channel 19 – Airs 10:30 a.m. Sundays and Wednesdays
- Albany Mutual Channel 12 (KSTC) – Airs 11:00 a.m. Sunday
- Benton Cable Channel 19 – Airs 10:30 a.m. Sundays
- Charter Spectrum Channel 17 (KSTC) – Airs 11:00 a.m. Sundays
- LA-TV Channel 10 – Airs 1 p.m. Thursdays
- Runestone Telephone Channel 6 – Airs 5:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sundays and Wednesdays
- Community Connection (Arvig) Channel 14 – Airs 10:30 a.m. Sundays and Wednesdays
- Tri-City Cable Channel 10 – Airs noon Sundays,Saturdays 6:30 p.m.
- WRAC Channel 8 – Airs 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m. Sundays
And on area radio stations:
- KYES Radio 1180 AM – 9:00 a.m. Sundays
- WVAL Radio 800 AM – 10:30 a.m. Sundays
- KEYL Radio 1400 AM – 10:00 a.m. Sundays
For more information, visit https://stcdio.org/worship/tv-mass.