People from around the diocese gathered at St. Nicholas Parish in Belle River Aug. 20 for the annual Diocesan Rural life Celebration. Bishop Patrick Neary celebrated the outdoor Mass under a tent. During the Mass, he presented certificates to eight families being honored by Catholic Charities for owning Century Farms. These families have farmed the same land for 100 years or more. Bishop Neary also recognized the Roers Family Bakery in Alexandria as this year’s recipient of the Rural Business Award. Money collected during the Mass that was not in a parish envelope will benefit the Rural Life Fund, a program of Catholic Charities in collaboration with the Diocese of St. Cloud that offers small emergency funds for rural individuals and families facing financial hardship. (Photos by Paul Middlestaedt for The Central Minnesota Catholic)
