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U.S. Bishops Affirm Advancement of the Cause of Beatification and Canonization of Sister Annella Zervas, OSB
Posted on 11/13/2024 09:17 AM (Local News - Diocese of New Ulm)
The bishops affirmed their support for the advancement of the cause of beatification and canonization at the local level.
BALTIMORE - At their November Plenary Assembly, the bishops of the United States held a canonical consultation on the cause of beatification and canonization of Sister Annella Zervas, a professed religious of the Order of Saint Benedict.
Bishop Thomas John Paprocki of Springfield, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance, and Bishop Andrew H. Cozzens of Crookston, facilitated the presentation to the bishops. With 206 votes in favor, 7 votes against, and 11 abstentions, the bishops affirmed their support for the advancement of the cause of beatification and canonization at the local level.
By a voice vote, the bishops affirmed their support for the advancement of the cause of beatification and canonization at the local level.
A brief biography of Sister Annella Zervas was provided by the Diocese of Crookston:
Anna Cordelia Zervas was born on April 7, 1900, in Moorhead, Minnesota. From a young age, she exhibited a deep devotion to the Eucharist and prayer and attended Mass daily. At age fifteen, she entered the convent of the Benedictine Sisters in St. Joseph, Minnesota. She received the Benedictine habit in 1918, receiving the name Sister Mary Annella, made her simple profession in July 1919, and her solemn profession in July 1922. Sister Annella was known for her devotion to the Eucharist and the Virgin Mary, as well as for her kindness, generosity, sense of humor, musical talent and artistic abilities.
About a year after her solemn profession, Sister Annella began suffering from a severe, undiagnosable illness. The illness was marked with extreme physical suffering that eventually prevented her from living in the monastery and forced her to return to her family for care. Despite the pain, Sister Annella maintained unwavering faith and joy, and she focused on the spiritual welfare of others, inspiring others with her kindness and calm. Holy Communion was her greatest consolation in her suffering, and she trusted that God had a special reason for her suffering, and that He would bring it to an end when He wished, remarking, “I am buying my ticket for eternity, and it is well worth the price.”
Sister Annella passed away on August 14, 1926, at the age of 26. She is remembered as an “apostle of suffering for our day,” with her life serving as a testament to radical trust in God and full obedience to His holy will. Central to Sister Annella’s legacy is her belief that the Eucharist is life’s greatest consolation, teaching the importance of recognizing God’s true presence in this sacrament. Her life serves as an example of profound trust and obedience, offering a model of holiness for Catholics around the world.
US bishops elect Archbishop Hebda as treasurer-elect, five new committee chairs
Posted on 11/12/2024 15:52 PM (Local News - Diocese of New Ulm)
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis was elected treasurer of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Nov. 12, bringing valuable experience from his own archdiocese to the conference post.
BALTIMORE (OSV NEWS) - The bishops chose Archbishop Hebda over Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, Illinois, in a 156-84 vote on the morning of the first public session of the U.S. bishops’ fall assembly held in Baltimore Nov. 11-14. He will serve as treasurer-elect for the next year before taking office officially at the end of the bishops’ November meeting in 2025.
The Harvard-educated Archbishop Hebda has been at the helm of the Twin Cities archdiocese since 2015, where he has led an effort to restructure and realign resources following the resignation of Archbishop John C. Nienstedt in 2015 for mismanaging clergy sexual abuse cases. He was first named apostolic administrator in 2015 and then led the archdiocese as its archbishop the year after. CONTINUE READING
Faithful servant Msgr. John Richter dies
Posted on 10/28/2024 12:22 PM (Local News - Diocese of New Ulm)
SLEEPY EYE – Mass of Christian Burial for Monsignor John A. Richter of Sleepy Eye, MN will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 31, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye.
Visitation will be at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Wednesday, October 30, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7 p.m. The 4th Degree Knights of Columbus will have an Honor Guard at the visitation and will lead the Rosary at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, which everyone is invited to attend and pray for Monsignor John. Visitation will continue on Thursday, October 31, 2024, from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye with the 4th Degree Knights of Columbus Honor Guard present. Interment at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery in Bird Island, MN will follow the funeral luncheon.
The service will be livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/stmarysleepyeye. Arrangements are with Sturm Funeral Home in Sleepy Eye. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.
John Andrew Richter was born on January 20, 1938, in Bird Island, to William and Clara (Majeski) Richter. He grew up in Bird Island and after the 8th grade, he attended Nazareth Hall Preparatory Seminary and St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul MN. John obtained his Baccalaureate Degree in history from the St. Paul Seminary. He was ordained into the priesthood on February 22, 1964, at the Church of St. Mary in Bird Island by Bishop Alphonse J. Schladweiler. Following his ordination, Msgr. Richter went on to serve the parish communities of New Ulm (Cathedral of the Holy Trinity with teaching duties at Cathedral High School), Hutchinson, Montevideo, Madison, Canby, Sleepy Eye (while also serving as superintendent of St. Mary’s Catholic School and chaplain of Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye), Wabasso, Seaforth, Lucan, Wanda, and Searles. He served as rector of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New Ulm from 2002 to 2015, at which time he became senior associate pastor at the Cathedral and also assisted in the Holy Cross Area Faith Community (New Ulm, Searles, Lafayette, West Newton Township). He also served as diocesan director of Vocations and the Bishop’s Liaison to the Charismatic Renewal and on various diocesan committees.
On September 14, 2005, Msgr. Richter was named Chaplain to His Holiness with the title of “Monsignor” by Pope Benedict XVI.
In 1998, he received the Diocesan Distinguished Service Medal from the second bishop of New Ulm Bishop Raymond A. Lucker in recognition of his “faithful ministry and effective educational leadership,” and on May 23, 2019, he was inducted into the Knights of Columbus Hall of Fame.
Following retirement from active ministry in 2017, Msgr. Richter served as chaplain to the Divine Providence Community Home/Lake Villa Maria in Sleepy Eye. He was a beloved priest who will be remembered for his service to God and his parishioners that brought him great joy.
Monsignor Richter died on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, under hospice care at Divine Providence Community Home in Sleepy Eye, MN. He is survived by his siblings, Patricia O’Connor of Sioux Falls, SD, Germaine Schaeffer of St. Paul, MN and Kathleen Neubauer of Hastings, NE; sister-in-law, Kay Richter of Champion, MN; and brother-in-law, Jack Davidson of Clive, IA; and forty-six nieces and nephews and their families.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Clara; siblings and their spouses, Margaret (Hubert) Schneider, Helen (Martin) Schulte, William (Dory) Richter, Barbara (Richard) Baumann, Aggie Davidson, Charles Richter, Bill O’Connor, Jim Schaeffer and Don Neubauer.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Divine Providence Community Home or St. Benedict Monastery Shrine in Sivagangai, India.
2024-2025 Lumen Christi Award finalist: Sister Lisa Maurer from the Diocese of Duluth and formerly of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
Posted on 08/21/2024 12:44 PM (Local News - Diocese of New Ulm)
DULUTH, MINN. - At five foot two, Sister Lisa Maurer is a larger-than-life figure for the student athletes that tower above her on the football field.
Although the sight of a nun passionately coaching on the sidelines might come as a surprise to most, she is a beloved and trusted figure for her team, for The College of St. Scholastica and for the entire Diocese of Duluth in northeast Minnesota.
The double vocations naturally go hand in hand for the Minnesota-born sister whose father coached the same sport. Sister Lisa was working professionally as a teacher and coach of volleyball, basketball and softball in her hometown of Sleepy Eye when she began to discern a new path in life.
It was not long after she joined her religious community, the Benedictine Sisters of the St. Scholastica Monastery, that she began attending the football practices and games at the college.
This community of Benedictine monastic women live both a contemplative and active ministerial life as they seek God and carry out the mission of the Gospel.
The athletic staff took notice of Sister Lisa’s keen interest in the sport and in the well-being of the students, and in 2015 she was asked to become an assistant coach.
Values to “run” each day
She coaches young men far beyond the tactics of football; she guides them in their personal and spiritual lives.
One of the key messages she shares with students is what she calls the “four plays for a good life.”
They are core values that come from the Benedictine Health System, a healthcare ministry of the Benedictine Sisters of Duluth, Minnesota.
“In football you have a big playbook,” Sister Lisa said. “There are lots of plays, but really they’re all based on a few things. You can run, or you can pass, or you can hand off.”
Photo: Derek Montgomery
She tells students that these are the four values they should “run” in their daily lives:
Hospitality
“Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ.” –Rule of St. Benedict
Stewardship
Deliberate action to ensure the best use and conservation of our many gifts
Respect
Honor the diverse needs and spirituality of every person made in God’s image.
Justice
Be morally responsible and foster peace in the society around us
“Those four plays you can run all day, every day of your life,” Sister Lisa said. “At work, at school, at home, if we’re intentional about living those things, they can help us tackle whatever comes our way with joy.”
She continued,
I believe that if you live your life in values, that’s a joyful life.”
College students look up to her
She has found that young people feel comfortable speaking to her because of her role as a coach. It opens pathways for discussions on the struggles of real life. Coaching, she found, can be used as a “real-life application of how we live as people.”
“Over the past nine years, she has attended daily practices and is on the sidelines at every game, home or away,” said Barbara McDonald, president of The College of St. Scholastica. “Many of the players consider Sister Lisa their prayer partner and spiritual advisor, and she makes it a habit of checking in with the young men, particularly those who may be struggling with personal issues.”
“Through sports you can speak in a more real way to kids about things because it’s putting things into action,” Sister Lisa said.
“You can call them to task much easier, or you can give an example much easier,” she said. “And so to me, sports and religion really go well together. They use examples of athletes quite frequently in the Bible.”
“Sister Lisa is an amazing person all around. She has helped me both on and off the football field,” said one young football player.
“On the field she is a firecracker who is just as passionate about the game as anyone else on the sideline, if not more. Off the field she has helped me learn and grow spiritually, as she would help in the creation of our pregame prayers, which has led me to create a football Bible study with her help. Sister Lisa is a saint for Scholastica football.”
What are young people looking for?
Sister Lisa doesn’t just serve the football team; she is committed to each student-athlete across the college’s 22 athletic programs, such as the women’s hockey team, below:
Every year she provides a special prayer service for each team at the beginning of their season that includes the blessing and distribution of religious medals of St. Benedict.
In addition to her duties on the field, Sister Lisa walks with hundreds of expectant mothers as president of the Women’s Care Center in Duluth. This crisis pregnancy center provides free, confidential counseling, support and education for pregnant women before and after the birth of their children.
“She defines how the power of faith can transform lives and communities that transcend the borders of the Diocese of Duluth,” said Bishop Daniel Felton, pictured with Sister Lisa below.
“In a world where we need our Catholic faith to prevail and engage our youth, she is a supporter of anything that involves young people; she develops a trust few can hold in our community.”
Sister Lisa has taken her playbook on the road; she speaks at youth conferences outside her diocese, reaching an ever-growing audience of young people who develop a greater interest in their faith after meeting her.
She’s optimistic about their futures because she has seen that they want Christ in their lives. She sees that once they are introduced to the Church, they say, “Oh, that’s what I’ve been looking for.”
“It’s not just something for Sunday when you’re in church,” she tells them. “That’s not how we live our faith and how we connect with God and make a difference in the world. You have to do it all the time. Even on the football field.”
Catholic Extension Society is honored to share the story of Sister Lisa Maurer, a finalist for our Lumen Christi Award. This award is our highest honor given to people who radiate and reveal the light of Christ present in the communities where they serve. Visit this page to read the other inspiring stories from this year’s finalists.
Minnesota Catholic Conference: The three C’s behind how legislators vote
Posted on 07/29/2024 16:05 PM (Local News - Diocese of New Ulm)
In a representative democracy, citizens vote to determine who will represent them, their families, and their neighbors at all levels of government. When voting for a candidate, citizens trust that the elected official will consider his or her conscience and do what is in the best interest of the constituents.
“When I was elected, I decided that three things should guide my vote, the three C’s, conscience, constituents, and caucus. In that order. In too many cases, we now only have one C, the caucus, and it’s on both sides,” said Minnesota State Representative Dean Urdahl during his retirement speech on the House floor in May.
Historically, legislators have prioritized and balanced three guiding principles when casting their votes: conscience, constituents, and caucus.
However, as we reflect on the words of retired Representative Dean Urdahl, we must confront a significant shift in our historic legislative process. Because in recent times, it appears that many decisions are made — not with conscience or constituents in mind — but based solely on caucus affiliation. Prioritizing caucus alone usually means promoting the policy agenda of a chosen few, appeasing the wishes of financial donors, and winning-at-all-costs to retain power. All at the risk of constituents and consciences.
This shift is evident on contentious issues that involve human dignity, where votes often fall strictly along party lines. In recent legislative sessions, we saw this in committee hearings and on floor votes with issues like physician-assisted suicide, gender ideology, and immigration. Legislation frequently does not even reach the floor of the full body unless the majority caucus is confident that they have the votes of their caucus members to pass it. Members who may personally disagree with the caucus position often stay quiet, opting to align with their party rather than voice dissent and risk political blowback.
In his 1956 book, “Profiles in Courage,” President John F. Kennedy described acts of integrity by senators who defied the wishes of their party to do what their conscience felt was right.
This concept is at the core of what we believe as Catholics. Practicing Faithful Citizenship is not about party affiliation, ideology, or societal pressures. It is about focusing on what protects or threatens the dignity of every human life.
In Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops states that “Catholic teaching challenges voters and candidates, citizens and elected officials to consider the moral and ethical dimensions of public policy issues.”
This is what drives our work at the Minnesota Catholic Conference. As staff, we work to educate and engage policymakers on the moral and ethical angles of legislation in the hopes that it resonates with the legislators’ consciences.
Constituents play a key role in helping form the consciences of legislators, too. They also can inform caucus priorities to reflect more virtuous aspirations than pure political gamesmanship. This is why Catholic citizens need to be involved in the whole process.
The first step is to do more than vote. Voting is incredibly important for our political process, and Catholics should continue to do so. However, to combat the forces that created an environment where caucus priorities overshadow conscience and constituent needs, further action is required.
Beyond the ballot box, Catholics should engage with legislators and candidates running for office. Meet them at the Capitol and in the district. Personal interactions remind them of their duty to their constituents and the importance of voting their conscience. Mobilize your family, friends and fellow parishioners to join you in advocacy. A collective voice is more powerful and harder to ignore.
WATCH: Advocacy 101 – How to make your voice heard at the Capitol
All of this can be achieved by joining the Catholic Advocacy Network (CAN). This network provides regular opportunities to engage, learn and act on issues that matter to our faith.
While the shift towards caucus-dominated decision-making is concerning, it is not irreversible. By actively participating, we can encourage our legislators to return to a balance of conscience, constituents, and caucus.