Welcome to Our Family of Faith: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults As Deacon Tom McFadden puts it,

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1 January 2019 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s This Issue: 3 New Year s Resolutions 4 A House Built on a Strong Foundation: Meet the Uphus Family 6 Teaching Children to Live a Life of Stewardship 7 St. Paul s Timothy Schmiesing Embraces Opportunities to Grow in Faith Parish Office 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN (320) Welcome to Our Family of Faith: The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults As Deacon Tom McFadden puts it, one of the most important aspects of entering into the Catholic faith is having a heartfelt commitment. Becoming Catholic is not just like joining a club, but it s about a personal relationship with God, an intimate relationship with the Eucharist, Deacon Tom says of the RCIA process. Ultimately, if we haven t laid the foundation for a relationship with Jesus Christ, we ve done something wrong. Deacon Tom and his wife, Kathy, have been helping people prepare to become Catholic through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) process for nearly two decades. The process, which begins in the fall and culminates with catechumens (those who are unbaptized) and candidates (those who will receive their Confirmation and/or First Eucharist) receiving sacraments at the Easter Vigil, is one of helping people come to know Christ and the beauty of His Church. RCIA is how we educate people who want to come into the Church in the ways of being Catholic, Deacon Tom says. Over the course of the preparation, the catechumens and candidates cover Catechumen Brandon Dybedahl was baptized by Fr. Greg during the 2018 Easter Vigil at Our Lady of the Angels Church. many different topics, from foundational beliefs about God and the Church, to the sacraments, morality, prayer, Catholic social teaching, and more. We re trying to give a broad picture of what Catholicism is, Deacon Tom says. We have brought people from all different levels of faith through the program, Kathy says. Sometimes we have some people have no background of faith whatsoever. We ve also had scholarly people, who are not Catholic, but they have been studying the Catholic faith for a while because they re interested in it. continued on page 2

2 The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults continued from front cover In many cases, the course of study is tailored to the particular needs of the individual catechumens and candidates. A lot of people know we re a traditional church, we have our traditions, and sometimes, that makes them more nervous than our actual beliefs, Kathy says. Like, Why are you kneeling? What s with the holy water? Oftentimes, we re helping them to become more comfortable with the traditions and understand why we do these things. Not only do those preparing to receive the sacraments grow in their faith, but Deacon Tom and Kathy have also found their own faith deepening as they journey alongside others. Our faith has absolutely grown through being a part of RCIA, Kathy says. Just talking about God, we get so excited. It keeps that excitement about our faith. You get different perspectives looking at it through other people s eyes as they re sharing. When you see that spark of their relationship with God and God calling them closer, it s really neat, Deacon Tom says. That encourages us. Through the years, you never know what questions are going to come up, he adds. It s challenging because sometimes you say, Well, let me look that up, I ll get back to you! And when the big day finally arrives, at the celebration of the Easter Vigil, the Church rejoices to welcome new members into the family of God, the Body of Christ. Brandon Dybedahl s fiancé, Andrea Marstein, was a candidate accepted into the Church at the same time. The couple was married in October As a mother, you know how proud you are of your kids when they accomplish something? Kathy says. That s how I feel at the Easter Vigil. I m proud of them. What s really neat is, through the years, to see these people still coming to church and getting involved. It s really heartwarming. It s neat to see people that have come through the program and are still committed, Deacon Tom adds. We hope they get a sense of community. Deacon Tom and Kathy encourage parishioners to pray for those who are going through the RCIA process, as they prepare to be initiated into the Church. Pray for their growth in understanding the Catholic faith and also their conversion of heart, Deacon Tom says. And Deacon Tom and I could use the prayers, too! Kathy adds. If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about becoming Catholic, or completing their Sacraments of Initiation, please contact Deacon Tom and Kathy McFadden at Catholics who would like to learn more about their faith are also invited to join the formation classes. 2

3 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s A Letter From Our Pastor NEW YEAR S RESOLUTIONS Dear Parishioners, As we arrive at the New Year, it is customary that we make resolutions, which hopefully will be carried out during the course of the year. So many times these resolutions pertain to our physical lives we resolve to exercise more, build a healthier diet, become more organized, etc. These resolutions may also involve the mental aspect of our lives reading more, attending more cultural events, and so forth. Too often we forget about the spiritual part of our lives. Our souls need to be tended to, and we need to make sure that we are deepening our relationship with God throughout the entire year. I would like to give you a list of possible spiritual resolutions. While it might seem difficult for one person to undertake all of these, hopefully anyone can try several of these resolutions at one time or a number of them throughout the year. Attend Mass once a week over and above weekend liturgies. Spend a hour (or any amount of time) in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament once a week. Pray the Liturgy of the Hours (the Divine Office) at least once a day. Read and meditate on a chapter of Scripture a day. Take up a devotion of the Church (e.g. Rosary, Stations, novena, other prayers, etc.) and pray it daily. Read a spiritual book once a month. Make a morning offering as you begin your day, then an examination of conscience as you end your day. Offer a prayer of blessing/thanksgiving before/after a meal. Take time to pray daily with your spouse/family. As an individual or a family, take time once a week to do some form of charitable work visiting those who are homebound or in a nursing home, do some work for an elderly friend or neighbor, bring food to someone in need, etc. This is not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it gives you an idea that the small things done with great love can make a world of difference both in your life and the lives of others. Do not try to overdo any of these, but build up to doing them on a regular basis, thus laying a reasonable foundation upon which to build. Enjoy doing these resolutions, and see what a blessing they are for you and others. Let us pray that 2019 will be a year of grace and favor from God. I wish you and yours a very happy New Year! In our Father s hands, Fr. Greg Paffel 3

4 A HOUSE BUILT ON A S Meet the Up Jill and Isaac Uphus with their sons, (from left) Micah and Elijah When Our Lady of the Angels parishioners Jill and Isaac Uphus got married five years ago, Isaac gave a speech that would provide the couple with a guiding principle for their entire life together. I gave a speech at our wedding and I drew an analogy to building a house, Isaac says. The foundation of that house was faith and family. That s what my foundation had been built on, and I think we need to do the same for our children. By raising their own young family in the Church, Jill and Isaac are following in the footsteps of both of their sets of parents. While Isaac grew up attending St. Paul, Jill was raised at Our Lady of the Angels. When the two met in high school, their strong background in the faith was something they had in common. It was only natural, then, that the couple would keep their shared Catholic faith at the forefront of their marriage and family life. With two small children Micah is one and Elijah will turn three next month making time for stewardship isn t always easy, but Jill and Isaac have found ways to make giving back a part of their routine. Often during this phase of family life, the key to participation in the parish is divide and conquer. By keeping their sons with him during Mass, Isaac is able to help Jill continue one of her longtime passions serving as a cantor with the accompaniment of her mother, Mary Gruber. I m not as directly involved with parish ministry, but I m in the background supporting 4

5 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s TRONG FOUNDATION: hus Family Jill s efforts, Isaac says. It is typically a dual effort with Jill s dad. As Grandma and Mom are playing and singing, Grandpa and Dad are wrangling the boys! Jill and Isaac have also found other ministries that have schedules flexible enough for them to participate together. They both enjoy being a part of the intercessory prayer team at Our Lady of the Angels, and like to pitch in with parish fundraisers and other special events as they are able. Recently, the Jill and Isaac felt God calling them to serve the Church in an additional capacity when Mark and Lola Welle asked if they would consider becoming Natural Family Planning teachers for the diocese. Although this ministry is a bigger time commitment for the couple, they knew immediately that their answer would be yes. As we have started to grow our family these past few years and seen what wonderful things Natural Family Planning has done for our marriage and family, we wanted to share that with others, Jill says. I m excited to be able to share the joys of it and how wonderful it is to make God a part of your marriage in this most intimate and important way. Recognizing that parents with young children face an especially delicate balance between spending their time in service to God and His Church and tending to their family, Jill considers prayer to be an integral piece in discerning a path to stewardship. Spend a little time in prayer and ask God to put on your heart what He wants you to be involved in, she says. If He wants you to do something, He will make it work. It s not our work, it s His so lay it on His shoulders and He ll do with it what He wants. He ll put you in the right place if you let Him, and there is great comfort in that. Spend a little time in prayer and ask God to put on your heart what He wants you to be involved in. If He wants you to do something, He will make it work. It s not our work, it s His so lay it on His shoulders and He ll do with it what He wants. He ll put you in the right place if you let Him, and there is great comfort in that. Jill Uphus As Isaac points out, finding a balance that allows for an active faith life to take center stage is especially crucial for families with young children. I think that faith is just a deeply important part of the development of a person, he says. The sooner and the more children can see through example a faith at work, the more quickly and deeply they will grow in their faith. It becomes second nature, and it s just ingrained in you that your faith is a part of you. Feeling blessed beyond measure, Jill and Isaac plan on continuing to build their life together on the foundation of faith and family, giving thanks along the way for the many blessings received. God has given us so much, and it s just important that we share what He s given us, and lead and urge others to find Him and the ways He works in their lives, whether it s through family or stewardship and all the ways you can get involved in the Church, Jill says. He s given us so much, and it s our job to make sure that we give back! 5

6 Teaching Children to Live a Life of Stewardship How old do you have to be to practice stewardship? Can a 5-year-old embrace stewardship? How about a 10-year-old? Although there is no guideline to what the right age is to begin to live a life of stewardship, God s call certainly extends to each of His children even the young ones. It is especially important to show children that they are not too young to share their time, talent and treasure to help build God s kingdom. Sharing Your Time A young child can share of his time in a variety of ways appropriate to his ability. For example, during the day, a child can pray for a loved one that is hurt, or say prayers with his parents or siblings. He can participate in Mass each Sunday, and even take time from his day to thank God for a veteran who has served our country. Spending time being virtuous such as being patient, generous and kind is also a great example of sharing our time for love of God. Sharing Your Talent Using God-given talents to glorify God can also be performed by both young and old. An elementary schoolage child can easily clean her room or perform chores such as raking leaves, doing laundry or taking care of pets. Making cards for people who are sick or who have had a death in the family are other concrete examples of being a faithful steward. Even using our talents such as playing a musical instrument or football to the best of our abilities to give God glory is an example of being a good steward. Sharing Your Treasure Although children do not have the same type of treasure to share as adults, instilling the importance of sharing finances is an important lesson. If a child receives an allowance, he can return a portion of it to the Church in the collection basket. If he gets money for his birthday, he can give a small portion of it back to God in thanksgiving. Little ones can even share things like their Halloween candy with their siblings or friends as a way of demonstrating generosity. The Most Important Lesson Above all, the most important lesson to teach our children is why we share. We don t share because we have to. We don t share because our parents tell us to. We share our time, talent and treasure with God because we are thankful for the blessings He has given us and we want to thank Him for His generosity. Teaching these lessons at a young age will allow a lifetime of good stewardship to follow for even the youngest of God s children. 6

7 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s St. Paul s Timothy Schmiesing Embraces Opportunities to Grow in Faith There is a countercultural movement sweeping across college campuses. While we hear how so many young adults lose their faith during their college years, many others, like St. Paul s Timothy Schmiesing, are actually growing in their faith. A huge transition takes places from high school to college in terms of your faith, Timothy says. I can actually say that as a college student, my faith has grown, and I feel closer to God. A lifelong member of St. Paul s, Timothy was born and raised in the Catholic community of Sauk Centre. Timothy believes that the foundation he received in his faith from his family and community has been instrumental to the strengthening of his faith in college. Ever since I can remember, we went to church on Sundays and prayed as a family, says Timothy, who graduated from Sauk Centre Public School in During high school, my faith really took shape. I knew that I needed God in my life to feel fulfilled. In his first years at college, Timothy realized how important it is to build and maintain faith-based friendships. Now I have a friend group, and we go to church together and text if we want to pray together on campus, Timothy says. I ve also stayed connected with my high school friends. It s easier to be faithful when you re around people with the same thoughts and priorities. At a club fair during welcome week in his freshman year, Timothy found out about MCCM, Moorhead Catholic Campus Ministries, a ministry that seeks to share the joy and hope of the Gospel and encourages college students to build supportive faith communities. I was really welcomed and soon was fully involved, says Timothy, a junior at MSUM majoring in illustration. MCCM s mission is first and foremost to offer the Eucharist, the source and summit of our lives. They want Catholics to expand in their faith while getting their education. continued on back cover Timothy Schmiesing (left) enjoys a gathering with some fellow Catholic friends from college. The Schmiesing family Chris, Nicole, Tim, Linda and Paul enjoy a vacation in Colorado. 7

8 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Parish Office: 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN (320) Return Service Requested Mass Schedule Saturday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 5:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Saturday 8:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 8:30 a.m. - St. Alexius Sunday 10:00 a.m. - St. Paul s Sunday 10:30 a.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Reconciliation Schedule Thursday 4:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 3:00 p.m. - St. Paul s Saturday 4:00 p.m. - Our Lady of the Angels Sunday 8:00 a.m. - St. Alexius St. Paul s Timothy Schmiesing continued from page 7 Through MCCM, Timothy has attended a variety of events and opportunities offered for Catholic college students to deepen their faith and enjoy fellowship, including national conferences where thousands of students gather to praise God and feel His true presence. They have a special Mass for college students on Sundays at 11:45 a.m. and offer a meal afterwards, Timothy says. Additionally, there are retreats, Bible studies, socials, fellowship nights, game nights and faith sharing opportunities throughout the school year. Timothy would encourage the young adults of our faith community who are transitioning into their college years to form Christ-based friendships and to build upon the faith foundation they have received. When you get to college, find people of the same beliefs, Timothy says. Now I have a friend group, and we go to church together and text if we want to pray together on campus. I ve also stayed connected with my high school friends. It s easier to be faithful when you re around people with the same thoughts and priorities. Timothy Schmiesing