Dakota Catholic Action

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1 VOL. 78 NO. 2 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action Reporting on Catholic action in western ND since 1941 Laborers for His harvest Submitted photo The diocesan seminarians. Meet your newest diocesan seminarians He said to them, The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest (Luke 10:2). The Diocese of is doing their part to send out new laborers for His harvest in the 26 men studying for the priesthood. Two of the diocesan seminarians, Gregory Crane and Brandon Wolf, were ordained to the transitional diaconate this fall in Rome, reaching the final stages toward ordination to the holy priesthood. They are scheduled to be ordained priests for the diocese on June 10 by Bishop Kagan at the of the Holy Spirit. Deacons Crane and Wolf continue their studies in Rome at the Pontifical North American College, along with diocesan seminarians Christian Smith, Nick Vetter, Grant Dvorak and Jake Magnuson. Two new men joined these ranks as the newest diocesan seminarians Caleb Dusek and Konnor Peterson and began their first year of formation for the priesthood this fall. Both men are studying at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Other diocesan seminarians studying at St. John Vianney are: Josh Hill, Dustin Johns, Steven Vetter and Ryan Martire. There is a large contingent of seminarians at Kenrick-Glennon Seminary in St. Louis including: Mark Aune, Greg Hilzendeger, Ben Franchuk, Paul Gardner, Anthony Dukart, Jacob Degele, Logan Obrigewitch, Jacob Bennett and Ben Wanner. Seminarian Matthew Koppinger is in a pastoral year at St. Leo the Great in Minot. Two seminarians, John Windsor and Isaiah Fischer, are attending St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, D.C. And, two seminarians, Eric Artz and Colton Steiner, are enrolled at St. John Vianney Seminary in St. Paul. Get to know our newest seminarians Diocesan seminarian Caleb Dusek was raised in rural Minnesota. His family moved to Fargo in 2012 and he attended North Dakota State University there. It wasn t until transferring to the University of Mary that seeds of his vocations took root and really started to grow. At the University of Mary I was steeped in Catholicism; whether it was the Rome program or Catholic Studies program, my faith was strengthened and nourished, Caleb explained. I experienced this growth mainly through the good friendships I gained; it is really inspiring to see one s own friends accept their own vocation and courageously follow it and that gave me the courage and inspiration necessary to accept what God was asking of me. Lastly, adoration, daily Mass and confession also gave me the grace necessary to follow God and trust in His providence. Caleb jokes that when he was younger his career dreams included one of the following: marathon runner, comedian or Catholic priest. Even though an inkling toward the religious life was on his radar early, it took a while to get on the path toward the priesthood. That direction came from his parents. I first learned patience and perseverance from my parents, especially through their own sacrifices, he said. First in Minnesota, a new place for my parents and then in North Dakota when we moved, a new home for myself and my siblings. Patience came natural to me because I learned it through my parents witness. My mom and dad always taught us to persevere and work hard, seeing things through to the end. Regarding the eventual choice to join the seminary, God patiently led Caleb there. Most of the time I did not understand what He was doing in my life and the amount of grace He gave me. Only when I looked back was I able to see how He led me. Especially in a time where many people, including myself, want immediate results, it is difficult to wait and watch and be Continued on page 8 A LOOK INSIDE March for Life See photos of the diocesan pilgrimage to the March for Life in Washington, DC...Page 3 New home for altar Altar from closed church in Donnybrook now has a new home at St. Joseph in Dickinson...Page 4

2 2 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 Bishop David D. Kagan Two feasts to take to heart FROM THE BISHOP Bishop David D. Kagan As we move into the month of February, by design the shortest month of the calendar year in the number of days, there are some beautiful feasts and memorials which the Church celebrates. I would like to mention two feasts that hold much for Catholics to celebrate and to take to heart in our daily lives. The Feast of the Presentation is celebrated on February 2 and the Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter is celebrated on February 22. Perhaps the better known of these feasts is that of the Presentation. This commemorates the moment in Our Infant Lord s life when Our Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph take Him to the Temple to fulfill the requirements of the Mosaic Law regarding a first-born male child. In fact, this moment in Our Lord s life is commemorated and prayed about in the Fourth Joyful Mystery of the Holy Rosary. Even at this early date in the Lord s life and then throughout the rest of His earthly life, He came not to abolish the law and the prophets, but to fulfill and perfect them. However, it is at the moment of the Presentation that we meet the holy Simeon and Anna, both prophets, who not only are blessed to behold the Messiah but to touch Him and begin to tell others of Him. Finally, it is at this moment when Our Blessed Mother is told by Simeon under the guidance of the Holy Spirit that she is to participate in the Lord s Passion and suffer as well. If you are able, please participate at Holy Mass on this feast. Listen prayerfully to the proper prayers for the feast and to the readings. The Church asks us to accompany the Holy Family and by our own prayers, good works and sacrifices do BISHOP IN ACTION what Mary and Joseph did faithfully follow Jesus and faithfully show Him to others as our Lord and theirs. The Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter obtains its name from the fact that Saint Peter was the head of the Christian Community and Church in Antioch before he went to Rome where he organized the first Christian Community there with Saint Paul, and over which he then presided as Pope. The chair is the chair or seat from which Saint Peter and all bishops teach the Catholic faith and it has a public and prominent place in the. While the chair is real it is not the chair which we honor but what the chair represents the teaching, sanctifying and shepherding authority of Jesus which He gave over to His Apostles and their successors for the good of the Church and the world. Again, if you are able, please participate at Holy Mass on this feast. It is a visible sign of our communion with the successor of Saint Peter, but more it is a visible sign of our faith in and communion with our Divine Founder and Head as members of His Body, the Church. We profess our faith in His Church as one, holy, catholic and apostolic and thus in Him Who has established us as His people in His Church. This feast is a good way for us to pray and meditate on our faith and examine how we put it into practice in the Church from which we receive the sacraments of our salvation. Feb. 1 Feb. 5 Feb. 8 Feb. 9 BISHOP S SCHEDULE FEBRUARY 2019 Feb. 12 Feb. 14 Feb. 19 Minot Catholic Schools Week Mass, Bishop Ryan, Minot, 1:30 p.m. Priest Personnel Board Meeting, Chancery Office,, 10:30 a.m. Cabinet Meeting, Chancery Office,, 10 a.m. Cana Dinner Celebration of Marriage, Ramkota,, 5:30 p.m. Presbyteral Council, Center for Pastoral Ministry,, 10 a.m All-staff Mass, bishop s residence chapel, 8 a.m. Directors Staff Meeting, Center for Pastoral Ministry,, 9:45 a.m. Real Presence Radio Interview, 9 a.m. Feb Kenrick-Glennon Seminary Board of Directors Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri Feb. 28 Finance Council Meeting, Center for Pastoral Ministry,, 10 a.m. Holy Father s Prayer Intentions for February Staff photo Bishop Kagan visited with Bishop John Folda of the Fargo Diocese before the Legislative Mass at the of the Holy Spirit on Jan. 15 that welcomed state legislators and elected officials. A reception and appreciation dinner sponsored by the North Dakota Catholic Conference followed the Mass. Dakota Catholic Action Reporting on Catholic action in western ND since 1941 Publisher: Most Reverend David D. Kagan, D.D., P.A., J.C.L., Bishop of Editor: Sonia Mullally, smullally@bismarckdiocese.com Center for Pastoral Ministry - Diocese of USPS N. Washington Street, PO Box 1137,, ND Phone: Fax: The Dakota Catholic Action ( ) is published monthly except July by the Diocese of, PO Box 1575,, ND Periodical postage paid at, ND, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to address below. Dakota Catholic Action, PO Box 1137,, ND The Dakota Catholic Action is funded in part by the annual God s Share Appeal. SOCIAL MEDIA Follow the Diocese on and follow Bishop Bishop David Universal: For a generous welcome of the victims of human trafficking, of enforced prostitution, and of violence. January 22, The second day that will live in infamy of the Twentieth Century. Pray and work to end the mortal sin of abortion. Tweets Tweets & replies Photos & videos Visit our website at Get news, photos, videos and more from around the diocese. Search Diocese on YouTube for videos from the Church in western N.D. Following Like us on Facebook at Diocese Get status updates, photos, videos, and links and share them with your friends.

3 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 3 Catholic Action Bringing Christ into everyday life March for Life 2019 St. Mary s Central High School, Trinity High School, Dickinson Trinity High School, Dickinson St. Mary s Central High School, Diocesan seminarians, John Windsor (left) and Isaiah Fischer joined in the march. Both are studying at St. John Paul II Seminary in Washington, DC. Diocese of Pilgrimage Diocese of Pilgrimage Diocese of Pilgrimage Diocese of Pilgrimage Bishop Ryan High School, Minot Bishop Ryan High School, Minot January 18, 2019 Washington, DC

4 4 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 Catholic Action Bringing Christ into everyday life Altar finds new home at St. Joseph s By Linda Sailer Dickinson Press The anticipation was finally over for the congregation of St. Joseph s Catholic Church in Dickinson. Not only did they celebrate the birth of Jesus, but Fr. Keith Streifel saved the unveiling of the new altar until Christmas Eve Mass. Word was out that St. Joseph s was to receive the high altar from the St. Anthony s Catholic Church that had closed at Donnybrook. It was installed a couple of weeks ago, but had been covered with a cloth until the proper moment. It was one of those things where everybody who had a part of this was very excited when it was finished, said Fr. Keith. We unwrapped it for Christmas. The theology is what s really cool -- whenever you walk into church and if there s no tabernacle, we would bow to the altar as a representation of Christ. Christ is the priest, the altar and the sacrifice so what comes at Christmas -- Christ, he said. The journey of the altar goes back to Jan. 14, 2018, with the last Mass in St. Anthony s, located in a town of about 50 people in the northwest corner of the state. It was described as a sad day for many when the church closed its doors, especially when the church had served the community since Instead of watching the religious articles deteriorate, the diocese was to disperse them to nearby parishes. Meanwhile, Fr. Keith mentioned how nice it would be to have a white altar to lighten things up, but the altar needed to coordinate with St. Joseph s historic altars. CCD coordinator Ann Morel read an article in the Dakota Catholic Action about the closing of the Donnybrook church.... and she said the altar just matches ours, said Fr. Keith. I called to see whether anyone had claimed the altar because the diocese brought all the church furnishings to store in. We figured out whether we could use it and brought it here. He suspects the altars at both the Dickinson and Donnybrook churches were created by the same company because they matched so well. I feel the altar belongs here, it really does. It fits with everything, he said. Ann Morel s husband Doug not only does maintenance for the church, but he s a carpenter by trade. He narrowed the altar and lowered it. He created a back wall with the design that matched the front of the altar. Then a family in the parish learned that the altar needed a new stone top. They were looking for a memorial for their mother, who was in hospice. They offered to buy the stone in memory of their mother, who at that point, was in on the deal, said Fr. Keith. I didn t expect this to be done until Easter -- it was still at at this point. But we got this altar and everything fell into place quickly. He contacted Pam Bares and her dad, Tony Volesky, to give the altar a new coat of paint. We ve been restoring religious statues for like 20 years, Pam said. The altar s centerpiece is a carved image of the Last Supper. This is so old that the bonding agent is camel hair -- that s how old it is, she said. We ll restore the whole thing (Last Supper image) after Christmas. It will take a couple of months. Everything fell into place, said Ann Morel. Everything was such an easy task it was meant to be our altar. Reprinted with permission. Submitted photos After the closing of the Church of St. Anthony in Donnybrook last year, the altar depicting the Last Supper was moved and installed at St. Joseph s in Dickinson. The altar, now at St. Joseph s in Dickinson, as it was in the Church of St. Anthony in Donnybrook the day of its closing on Jan. 14, Celebrate Your Marriage Feb. 9 Feb. 16 at the at the Ramkota Hotel Lady J s Club Dickinson The Diocese of is hosting the CANA Dinner and Dickinson Whether you ve been married 1 week or 80 years you know marriage is beautiful and difficult, joyful and frustrating, life-giving and continual work. Marriage is a gift that spouses give to each other and both receive from God. Marriage is worth celebrating! Come join us for a night to celebrate and renew the gift of marriage God has blessed you with. The evening will include: 5 p.m. Appetizers provided, drinks available at cash bar 6 p.m. Blessing and Renewal of Vows 6:15 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m. Marriage Enrichment Presentation 8 p.m. Dance The altar from the now-closed Church of St. Anthony in Donnybrook matches perfectly with the back altar at St. St. Joseph s in Dickinson. It s suspected both were created by the same company because they matched so well. Register at bismarckdiocese.com/cana $50/couple Sponsored by: Diocese of Office of Family Ministry Tara Brooke tbrooke@bismarckdiocese.com

5 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 5 By Patti Armstrong DCA Writer Ice cream is what was on sevenyear-old Christy David Pathiala s mind as he walked towards the miraculous spring at Lourdes in Today, he is a priest from India serving temporarily in, but then, he was visiting Lourdes with his father David, mother Baby, and ten-yearold brother Fausty. They were on a world Fr. Christy Pathiala tour, traveling from their temporary home in, Sultanate of Oman, in the Middle East where his father was an international banker and the boys attended a private school. The family walked through town, headed to the spring-fed baths to take their turn among pilgrims to be dipped into the waters where miracles sometime happen. The only thing Father Christy recalls at the time, however, is spotting an ice cream parlor and pulling on his mother s sari. Can I have ice cream? he asked. It was a silly request. Ice cream could send him to the hospital. Life threatening illness Before he was too young to even remember, Christy went into a sudden seizure that would not quit. He ended up in the intensive care unit, unconscious, and unresponsive for 12 hours. The doctor believed that he was unlikely to survive and if he did, would be abnormal or paralyzed. Christy s parents prayed hard and suddenly the medicine started working. But after his recovery, sudden temperature changes even just standing in front of a fan would send him back to the hospital with a high fever needing to be packed in ice to bring it back down. Eating ice cream was simply not an option for him. But in Lourdes this day, Baby told her son, If you have faith in our Lady, you can have ice cream. Father Christy said his takeaway was, I m going to get ice cream! He does not recall thinking about the story of St. Bernadette Soubirous, a poor girl to whom the Blessed Mother first appeared on Feb. 11, 1858 in a cave on the banks of the Gave River in Lourdes. The visions continued for several weeks. After the first two weeks, a spring emerged, and the waters were miraculously healing people. On March 25, the woman in the visions told Bernadette that she was the Immaculate Conception and that a chapel should be built on the site of the apparitions. Today, six million visitors come annually to see the grotto and dip in the spring. Many miracles are still claimed to take place there. None of this was on Christy s mind at the time. I didn t really understand what was happening, he said, but I thought, I m getting ice cream! Healed at Lourdes Father Christy Pathiala to share his story at women s retreat on March 2 Healing waters When they got to the baths, just ahead of him was a lady with a severely handicapped son in a wheel chair. After Christy came out of the water and stepped back outside with his dad and brother (waiting for Baby), the lady with the handicapped son, walked over to him. She handed me five francs and said, Go have your ice cream. he said. She gave my brother a coin, too, and then spoke to my father for some time. As she was leaving, she asked me to pray for her son. When his mother rejoined them (the men and women go to separate baths) and learned of the encounter, they first searched for the lady. After an unsuccessful attempt, she said, Even if he dies, we are buying him ice cream. Chocolate, Christy ordered at the counter. But, that flavor was 15 francs, so his dad paid for it with other money. His mother kept those two coins and has them in a special pouch to this day. Christy did not get sick from the cold that day or ever again. He was healed! It was a monumental trip in many ways. In addition, the family got to meet the now Saint Pope John Paul II who actually hugged the boys, and also Mother Teresa. It was during that trip in 1989, that Father Christy felt the first glimmer that perhaps God was calling him to the priesthood. He also developed a closed relationship with the Blessed Mother which continues today. The family moved back to India seven years later and in 2010, Father Christy was ordained a priest. In the whole of India, only 1.55% are Catholic, just under 80% of the country is Hindu and 14% Muslim and 2.3% Christian (which includes Catholics). In his home state of Keralite in Southern India, 19% are Christian and, of those, 55% are Catholic. Studying in Father Christy arrived in in August of 2017 on sabbatical from his position as the Vice Chairman of St. Albert s College to get a master s in business administration at the University of Mary working toward a doctorate in computer science. He plans to return to India in He served at the of the Holy Spirit during his first year here and is now across town at St. Mary s parish. Father Christy will direct this year s Women s Simple Lenten Retreat on Saturday, March 2 at Corpus Christi Church in. He will speak on God Over Stuff about prioritizing God over the busyness, stress and materialism of the world. Father Christy will also share his miracle story, how God has a plan for every one of us and how we are all interconnected with each other. The retreat begins at 8:30 a.m. with Mass and includes breakfast, lunch, vendors, two talks, adoration and confession, ending at 2:30 p.m. Registration opens at 7:45 a.m. To register, go to the bismarckdiocese.com and click on the Events tab. Or, send your check to PO Box 1137,, Early registration is $25. After Feb. 20, it is $30. Call with any questions. PRAY FOR THE PRIESTS, RELIGIOUS, DEACONS SERVING OUR DIOCESE AND THOSE IN FORMATION AND LAY MINISTERS An invitation from the -Mandan Serra Club Sr. Nancy Gunderson, OSB Msgr. James Shea Seminarian Brandon Wolf Deacon Michael Fix Sr. Michael Emond, OSB All Seminarians Br. Elias Thienpont, OSB All Lay Ministers Rev. Robert Shea February 1 February 2 February 3 February 4 February 5 February 6 February 7 February 8 February 9 February 10 Fr. David Morman and All Kenya Missionaries February 11 Deacon Randall Frohlich February 12 Sr. Ivo Schock, SSND February 13 Br. Benet Tvedten, OSB February 14 Br. George Maufort, SDS Submitted photo Youngsters, Christy David Pathiala (now Fr. Christy) and his brother, Fausty, knelt before Pope John Paul II during the general audience day at the Vatican on June 21, Mother Teresa talks to Christy David Pathiala (now Fr. Christy), his brother, Fausty, and their mother in June 1989 at mother s house in Rome. February 15 Rev. Jason Signalness February 16 Seminarian Mark Aune February 17 Br. Bertrand Vogelweide, OSB February 18 Sr. Andre Hushka, OSB February 19 All Religious in Formation February 20 Rev. Keith Streifel February 21 Deacon Lance Gartner February 22 Rev. Thomas Wordekemper, OSB February 23 Sr. Ruth Fox, OSB February 24 Rev. Roger Synek February 25 Deacon Hans Gayzur February 26 Benedictine Monks in Bogota February 27 Sr. Ruth Margaret Karabensh, OSB February 28 Rev. Biju Antony

6 6 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 Catholic Action Bringing Christ into everyday life Celebration of the priesthood By Jerome Richter Special Contributor to the DCA Editor s note: The following was a speech given at the Celebration of the Priesthood event in on Dec. 21. It is printed here with permission. We are here to celebrate the priesthood, and as we all know this has been a very difficult year for the Church and her leadership. To be brutally honest, it has been a difficult decade and a half for the Church as we continue to deal with the sex abuse scandal. Even though it has been incredibly painful to experience this scandal, we must remember and never forget the many individuals and families who have suffered greatly because of the horrendous crimes committed by members of the clergy, who not only failed to do the first and most important thing a Father does, protect the innocent, but who themselves were sometimes perpetrators of the crimes. We must remember and pray daily for the victims of these men who abused their office, their authority, and the respect that naturally is given to a person Jerome Richter speaks to the crowd at the Celebration of the Priesthood event on Dec. 21. who has received Holy Orders. We must support them as we are able. Also, as faithful Catholic Christians, we must follow our Dear Lord and do what may be most challenging, we need to pray for and beg mercy for the perpetrators. The reason we have come together is not to dwell on the major difficulties we, as the Church, face, but to celebrate what we, the lay faithful, know we have in our priests. We, as the lay faithful, want you, our Fathers, to know that the grievous sins of a few is not how we identify you. We identify each of you as a priest of God, and we will be the first to let you know we love you and need you. We need you to do what a priest was meant to do from the beginning of time, yes, even before the coming of the Word Incarnate. I know that every priest in the room would be able to answer the question I am about to ask, but for the sake of the rest of us I will ask it. What is the first and foremost duty of a priest? This same duty would even apply to pagan priests, but for brevity let s stick to the Judeo-Christian tradition. Photos by Deacon Joe Krupinsky Diocesan seminarian Greg Hilzendeger, Fr. Justin Waltz, pastor at St. Leo in Minot and Fr. Josh Waltz, diocesan vocations director and parochial administrator at St. Joseph in Mandan, enjoy the event. The title of priest was first given to Melchizedek, whom we still honor in the Roman Canon, the First Eucharistic Prayer, and we speak of his line of faithful priests performing that first and primary duty of a priest: to sacrifice. Yes, to offer sacrifice and make sacrifices. It is the sacrifice that makes a priest a priest. We know that sacrifice must be the first and foremost duty of a priest as it was for the Eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ. It is Jesus sacrifice that a priest makes possible each time he says Mass and re-presents the eternal sacrifice that is our salvation. We need our priests to bring God s very presence to us. We need you to stand in persona Christi to forgive our sins and bring us the graces that only God Himself can provide. But, as we all know, to sacrifice is to suffer, and we all have suffered through these trials, but we know you have suffered more. On the mirror in my bathroom I have a quote from Leon Bloy that I want to share. He wrote, Suffering! Here then is the key word! Here the solution for every human life on earth! The springboard for every superiority, the sieve for every merit, the infallible criterion for every moral beauty! People absolutely refuse to understand that suffering is needful. Suffering is necessary. It is the backbone, the very essence of moral life. Love is recognized by this sign, and when this sign is lacking, love is but a prostitution of strength or of beauty. I say Continued on page 7 Bishop Kagan and Sr. Nicole Kunze, prioress of Annunciation Monastery, listen to the event speakers. Msgr. James Shea, University of Mary President; Fr. Brian Gross, pastor at Epiphany in Watford City and Our Lady of Consolation in Alexander; Msgr. Thomas Richter, pastor at Queen of Peace in Dickinson; and Fr. Wayne Sattler, pastor at the Church of Saint Anne in at the celebration.

7 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 7 Catholic Action Bringing Christ into everyday life Celebration of the priesthood Continued from page 6 that someone loves me when that someone consents to suffer through or for me. Now, you may be wondering why these words are on our bathroom mirror. It is very simple, I wanted my wife, Sara, to see a reminder every morning that the many sufferings I cause her are a good thing! Dear Fathers, we need your personal sacrifice, your sufferings, and we need your service. It is only through sacrifice that you are able to serve us, and we know of your sacrifices and we honor them. Your sacrifice in receiving the gift of celibacy is a reality that we recognize and admire, allowing you to serve us more wholeheartedly. Receiving the gift of obedience and your willingness to sacrifice and serve wherever you are needed does not go unnoticed. True service, the service asked of you, is and can only be given through your offering of the eternal sacrifice and the personal sacrifices you make each day. We need you to bring us the sacraments. I recently had the privilege of speaking at the University of Mary Day of Service convocation, and in preparation I had an epiphany that many of you have known for many years. The epiphany was simply this. To serve is to sacrifice, and it is only through service that community is built. Our Holy Catholic Church is the greatest community ever given to humanity, and to continue to build up the Church we need your sacrifice. We need what every family needs to flourish, a Father who is willing to sacrifice in love and joy for those in his care. Dear Fathers, thank you for your sacrifice and all that you are to your parish families and to the universal Church. We love you and are praying for you each day as you continue your work of sacrifice and bringing the presence of God to each of us. Diocesan seminarian Josh Hill (left) and Fr. Jarad Wolf, parochial vicar at St. Joseph in Mandan, enjoy a visit during the event. Among the guests at the event were (l-r) Mike and Julie Luger, parents of Fr. Greg Luger; Msgr. Jim Braaten, pastor at Church of Ascension; and Al Wolf. Fr. Patrick Ojedeji, parochial vicar at St. Joseph in Dickinson, and diocesan seminarian Jacob Degele at the event. PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN The Diocese of is firmly committed to the health and protection of our children, young people and vulnerable adults. With the hope of healing the pain and suffering from sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, we encourage anyone who has suffered from this abuse to please come forward and let us know. To report allegations of sexual abuse, please contact: Dale Eberle, Chancellor, Diocese of, PO Box 1575,, ND Phone: or The complaint form and policies can be found on the diocesan web site at CODE OF CONDUCT The Catholic Church must be exemplary: Clergy, staff, whether diocesan or parish, and volunteers are held accountable for their behavior. To enable the highest level of accountability, there must be a clear and unambiguous definition of appropriate behavior. To this end, this Code of Conduct is defined for the Diocese of and it provides a foundation for implementing effective and enforceable standards for all personnel. View the Code of Conduct at For more information on keeping kids safe, call (701)

8 8 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 9 Meet your newest diocesan seminarians Continued from page 1 ready for what God has in store. If we rush into things and are not patient, the present will slip past. Somehow, God works in all of that. With God s patience and his family s example, Caleb knew he wanted to sacrifice for God and live for others and less for himself. What I saw in my parents sacrifice was an image of God s love for all of us. I am grateful for that, because if I had not known anything like that as a kid, I do not know where I would be right now. If loving God fully means I must sacrifice everything in my life for Him, it is only something I can do through His grace. When I live for myself, I am running off my own steam and that eventually ends. Off His grace, it is endless and I am able to fully give myself to Him. Seminarian Konnor Peterson also experienced an awakening of his vocation while attending the University of Mary. He was born and raised in -Mandan. After graduation from Mandan High School, he attended State College where he ended up drifting away from the faith. His decision to attend the University of Mary prompted a change of course. My time at the University of Mary was very influential. There, I fell in love with the faith after taking some theology classes and especially taking a class on St. Benedict. God used those classes to start a fire in my soul, he explained. But, even Konnor s time there didn t feel quite like the right plan for his life. I came to realize that I really didn t want to study politics anymore and that college was eating up a lot of my time, and really wasn t giving me something I wanted. I brought it to prayer one night and it was put on my heart by the Lord: Is college making me perfect like my heavenly Father is perfect? I had to answer no. It took some time to build up the resolve to actually drop out, but the next day I did. I gave God an act of faith in Him and He did wonders with it. Without college burning up a lot of my time I had time to study the faith and pray, and I did. I grew a lot during that time. I became a man capable of answering God s call. A life-changing moment came while praying the rosary one day. While praying the rosary I received a grace from Our Lady that gave me a certainty that I should enter seminary, he said. Seminary life so far Both men are enjoying their time at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver thus far. Seminary has been great. The seminary is a great place to grow in virtue. The brotherhood is fantastic, and it would be hard to find that anywhere else. The formators are very holy men that I am really privileged to have the opportunity to learn from, Konnor said. Caleb agrees using the same word to describe his time there, Great! He added, Like anything in life it has its ups and downs, moments of trial and moments of joy. I am happy God called me to be here at this present moment with my seminary brothers and grow as a Christian man. There have been many graces here for me this past year that I could never have imagined possible. I truly believe that the patience and perseverance I learned from my family prepared me for this moment. It is all a gift and I am grateful for it. Lastly, I could not have done it without the prayers from everyone in the diocese; they have been a great support for my diocesan brothers and me. TAKE UP THE FULL ARMOR OF GOD BE A PRIEST ~EPHESIANS 6:13 Serra Club Luncheon Photos by Deacon Joe Krupinsky Diocesan seminarians (l-r) Brandon Wolf, John Windsor, Colton Steiner, Ben Franchuk, Jacob Bennett, Matthew Koppinger and Eric Artz attended the annual -Mandan Serra Club vocations gathering held over the holiday break. GREGORY CRANE Theology IV BRANDON WOLF Theology IV St. Leo the Great Minot MARK AUNE Theology III Corpus Christi CHRISTIAN SMITH Theology III JACOB DEGELEE Theology II St. Joseph Dickinson ANTHONY DUKART Theology II St. Joseph Killdeer BEN FRANCHUK Theology II Queen of Peace Dickinson PAUL GARDNER Theology II St Mary New England GREG HILZENDEGER Theology II NICK VETTER Theology II St. Anthony Linton JACOB BENNETT Theology I GRANT DVORAK Theology I JAKE MAGNUSON Theology I St. Therese Minot LOGAN OBRIGEWITCH Theology I St. Joseph Beulah Assumption Abbey Prior Brother Michael Taffe, OSB accepts a contribution toward vocations from Serra Club President Chuck Huber. Sister Thomas Welder, OSB of Annunciation Monastery visits with diocesan seminarian Paul Gardner at the Serra Club event. BENJAMIN WANNER Theology I St. Joseph Mandan MATTHEW KOPPINGER Pastoral Year St. Anne JOSH HILL Pre-Theology II DUSTIN JOHNS Pre-Theology II St. Leo the Great Minot STEVEN VETTER Pre-Theology II St. Bernard s Belfield CALEB DUSEK Spirituality Year St. Benedict Wild Rice RYAN MARTIRE Spirituality Year Annunciation Monastery Prioress Sr. Nicole Kunze, OSB and Assumption Abbey Abbot Rev. Daniel Maloney, OSB were honored guests at the annual Serra Club luncheon. KONNOR PETERSON Spirituality Year Spirit of Life PETER LIFFRIG Spirituality Year Spirit of Life AUSTIN ARTZ Spirituality Year Little Flower Minot JOHN WINDSOR College IV St. Mary ERIC ARTZ College III Little Flower Minot ISAIAH FISCHER College III COLTON STEINER College III St. Joseph Dickinson Diocesan Vocations Director Fr. Josh Waltz (left) with Deacon Brandon Wolf. Deacon Wolf and Deacon Gregory Crane are scheduled to be ordained to the priesthood for the diocese on June 10. Diocesan seminarian Logan Obrigewitch visits with Sr. Anna Rose Ruhland, OSB of Sacred Heart Monastery and Chaplain at St. Vincent s Care Center at the Serra Club luncheon. FR. JOSH WALTZ Vocation Director frjoshwaltz@gmail.com DIOCESE OF BISMARCK SEMINARIANS BISMARCKVOCATIONS.COM MOST REV. DAVID KAGAN Bishop of The diocesan seminarians at the beginning of the formation year. Since this poster was created, two men, Peter Liffrig and Austin Artz, have discerned out of formation.

9 10 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 By LeAnn Eckroth DCA Writer Aging can ebb one s senses and functions. For Fr. Jerry Kautzman, 88, resident of the Emmaus Place in, time has dimmed his eyesight with macular degeneration. Yet, he still leads a full life in retirement. The Diocesan priest has dealt with the condition s effects for the past 18 years. He retired from full parish life at age 70 after 41 years of service to the Diocese. I am able to still say Mass. There are days when I still fumble around a little bit, particularly when I read the scriptures. My eyes have narrowed to the point if there is a longer word, I only see part of it at one time, he said. I have to go slowly in proclaiming the Gospel. Kautzman splits his time throughout the week, celebrating Mass at either the St. Gabriel s Community nursing home and at Marillac Manor. Special lighting is provided for him at the altar and podium and he must carefully study the daily changes in the Mass before it starts. I use only the Eucharistic Prayer II because I have it almost memorized. I know what it is, he commented. It s a delight. I go to older people my age. They are very prayerful people. They re an inspiration. And I really enjoy saying Mass because I know I am not doing it alone. I know they are with me in offering the Mass and offering the prayers. He added, Sometimes, I don t even feel handicapped, but I am. He cannot distinguish people s faces clearly and warns them he may not recognize them in the future. I always have to ask, You are who? It does hinder my reading the newspaper, the books I want to read. He has enrolled in the talking books program through the North Dakota State Library. A special device provided for him can advance and pause the book he wants to hear to his discretion. A near collision with a motorcycle on the highway forced Kautzman to give up driving seven years ago. That proved the most difficult for him. It frightened me. I realized I had to give up my car.... I think that is one of the biggest challenges there is for those who have macular degeneration, he said. What I realized was I could kill somebody When that happened, I said I have to quit, let go of my car. Because if I ever killed somebody, that would be on my conscience the rest of my life. It s easier to give up the car than to have that sort of thing. Kautzman is a native of the Bluegrass area of North Dakota in Morton County, not much more than a post office northwest of New Salem when it existed. His farming family later moved to the Judson area. He was ordained a diocesan priest in Call to the priesthood His decision to become a priest Focusing on the Scripture Retired priest copes with the challenges of diminished eyesight came from a quiet voice inside him, according to Kautzman. It was his idea. His parents backed him when he first mentioned it to them in high school, but he felt no pressure from them. Yet, his rural school background caused him to question whether he could tackle the academic requirements. Support of family, friends, the Diocese and his faith saw him through. He grew up at the height of the Dust Bowl. I remember the dust. I remember the grasshoppers. I remember mom chasing us out to the garden with white towels to chase the grasshoppers away. She had an irrigated garden. After graduating from New Salem High School, he taught at a country school for two years for the Judson School District after being issued a teaching certificate from the state of North Dakota. Word somehow got to Bishop Lambert Hoch that Kautzman wanted to try the seminary. Hoch found financial backing for his education. Kautzman, a rural farm boy, had never traveled east of before the seminary, but words from his mom gave him the courage to follow through. She said, Listen, if you find this is not your way, your call, you come right home. You will always be at home here. That secured it, Kautzman said. He began at Crosier Seminary School in central Minnesota to help him catch up with foreign language studies in Latin and Greek. His confidence grew that being a priest was the right vocation. After three years at Crosier, Kautzman advanced to earn a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy and to minor in Latin and education at St. Mary s College in Winona, Minn. He earned a theology degree from St. Thomas Seminary in Denver. When I realized I could handle the courses of studies, then more and more the vocation idea grew and eventually I was ordained. For the love of the Mass Kautzman also notes he used to be somewhat introverted for a profession that required daily public speaking. The very first time I had to get up in front of a big church full of people and give a sermon, I was petrified....you realized you had to go through it. You had to have that experience. You had to have that fear. St. Paul says that. Celebrating Mass helped him overcome his fear of public speaking. I did it because I love celebrating Mass. It s my favorite thing to do. Now, I have come to love preaching. I just wanted to serve in parishes. That was my main attraction, he said. Kautzman taught for a total of 17 years at Trinity High School in Dickinson, Ryan High School in Minot and St. Mary s High School in. In that period, he also served in surrounding parishes near the larger cities as a pastor. He was also a parish priest for St. Joseph s Parish in Mandan for eight years between the mid 1970s to early 1980s. Kautzman later went on to serve at some smaller parishes and then was assigned to Queen of Peace Church in Dickinson for 12 more years. Kautzman first noticed symptoms of the macular degeneration 30 years ago. While living in Dickinson symptoms of eye failure became more obvious. A specialist diagnosed Kautzman with both dry and wet forms of macular degeneration. The first means retina cells are dying and wet macular degeneration means there is a bleeding behind the retina cells, causing them to bulge and cause vision distortions. Doctors have been able to slow the latter with an injection to the eye. Little can be done to correct the dry form of the disease. People have been very good to me. I ve had people say, if you need a ride, call me. My brother, my priest brothers here, friends say, just give me a call. Concentrating on the Scripture He gets to say Mass every day. I ll say Mass as long as I can. When I can t read anymore, then of course I won t. What I ll have to do then is concelebrate with somebody else. He is frank about his limitations. It s a challenge. Any handicap is a challenge. He said his prayer and faith has helped him along with this obstacle in his life. He also credits the eye specialists. A caring group of priests also help him cope with the experience. The people who know I have a visual problem are very supportive, he added. They are very kind. So good. Prayer helps him cope as well and he offers the challenges up to God. Although, he says Mass daily, Kautzman said the schedule Father Jerry Kautzman focuses on the positive things in his life, despite macular degeneration diagnosis. proves much lighter than that of full-time parish priest or educator. He is grateful for a full life. What inspires me, particularly at St. Gabriel s and Marillac is I see people in wheel chairs. I see their handicaps. Some of them are visually handicapped. Some of them haven t walked for years. And, I say to myself, I am blessed. Besides that, as you grow older, you have to come to the realization that life is going to come to an end. You take that to prayer. You ask the Lord because you know He is always walking with you, especially on the days when things are tough, he reflected. The Lord has really carried me with so many things. I just want to tell them who the Lord is and open your heart to him. He recommends people take good care of their eyes and to let the optometrist take care of the eyes whatever the diagnosis. As you continue with your life s journey and realize there are issues with your eyes, get help, he advised Steubenville Conferences 2 Options Available in Summer 2019! Steubenville of the Rockies WHEN: June 20-23, 2019 WHERE: Denver, CO COST: $350 for Youth, $250 for Chaperones Ben Walther Chris Mueller FEATURING: Chris Padgett Mary Bielski Sr. Miriam Heidland Steubenville Saint Paul WHEN: July 25-28, 2019 WHERE: St. Paul, MN COST: $350 for Youth, $250 for Chaperones Chris Mueller Jackie Francois Angel FEATURING: Jimmy Mitchell Paul George Youth currently in grades 8-12 are invited to attend one of the Steubenville Conferences being offered by the Diocese of next summer. These conferences provide an opportunity for youth to encounter God through speakers, workshops, music, eucharistic adoration, and community with other Catholic teens. The trip cost includes the conference registration, entrance fees for additional activities, some meals, lodging and transportation. Sonar Worship The Registration Deadline for both trips is February 15th! Find out more or register online at

10 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 11 Jamboree MARCH 19-21, 2019 Keynote Speaker Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Philadelphia Appointed Archbishop of Philadelphia by Pope Benedict XVI in July 2011, Archbishop Chaput Join the University of Mary for its fourth annual Vocations Jamboree Meet members of religious communities from around the country, ask questions, schedule personal meetings with vocation directors, and learn more about opportunities to serve God and the community. has also served as Bishop of Rapid City and Archbishop of Denver. He was instrumental in founding Centro San Juan Diego, Catholic Association of Latino Leaders, and ENDOW. Archbishop Chaput received the 2009 Canterbury Medal from the Becket Fund for KEYNOTE ADDRESS (Open to the Public) Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput Wednesday, March 20, 7:30 PM Founders Hall, Lumen Vitae University Center University of Mary Religious Liberty for his work in advancing religious freedom. He is the author of three books. for Life. For full schedule and free registration, visit umary.edu/vocjam.

11 12 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 By Patti Armstrong DCA Writer When Father Patrick Cunningham was ordained a priest in 2013, he had a special understanding of his commitment after 42 years of marriage before his wife, Judy died from cancer. My first love had been taken back to God, Fr. Cunningham explained. And now I was called to be a new groom to the Church. Cunningham was born in 1944, the oldest of 10 children in Phillipsburg, Kan. where his father owned a hardware/automotive store. He felt an early call to the priesthood and, for his freshman and sophomore year in high school, attended a minor seminary boarding school. That is, until he set eyes on dark-haired, blueeyed Judy Kennedy at a summer picnic. It was love at first sight for Patrick, that is. Judy was not interested beyond friendship. After meeting Judy, Patrick stayed home and enrolled in the public school for junior year. He got Judy a job at his dad s store where he also worked so I could be around her more and he gave her a ride from school to work on his motorcycle every day. Although his ardor for Judy was unwavering, so was her lack of interest in him. After high school, Judy went away to a school for nursing and Patrick stayed closer to home for business. Before we went off to school, Judy made it clear that I should find a nice Catholic girl to settle down with, Fr. Cunningham explained. He followed her advice and began dating and even went steady with one girl during freshmen year, but no one else compared to Judy. She often needed a ride to return home on weekends since her school was 120 miles away. Guess who was happy to offer? I d go the 120 miles one way on many weekends and that gave us a couple of hours to talk, he said. Eventually, Judy began seeing Pat as more than just a friend. They started dating during senior year and married in January of After college, Pat took a job with Boeing in Wichita, Kan., and Judy worked in a hospital. Family life During this time, they had three children. One day, a friend wanted to know if Judy and Pat wanted to take in a Native American baby. Judy thought it was a request to babysit. No, this friend who had adopted a Native American baby had been called that morning by someone at the welfare department about a three-day old baby available for adoption. They were not planning to have any more children but agreed. By 2:30 that afternoon, someone called and asked when we could come to get the baby, he said. Their children, ages 5 to 8, adored their new baby brother, Sean Fitzgerald Little Feather. But, when he was 16 months old, he died from spinal meningitis. From husband to priest Father Patrick Cunningham shares the story of his life before the priesthood Although grief stricken, Pat and Judy clung to the words a priest had spoken at one of the World- Wide Marriage Encounter events they had attended. Children don t belong to you. They are either going to grow up and leave your house or God may call them before that. They are not yours; they are God s. They are entrusted to you and you need to make sure they get back to God. By then, the federal government no longer allowed Native American babies to be adopted out of their tribe. But, Sean had opened up their hearts, so Pat and Judy had four more children. North Dakota roots In 1971, Pat moved his family back to Phillipsburg to where he and a brother took over the family business. Right after the store s 50th anniversary in 1988, they sold it to a competitor. Around this time, Cunningham drove to the North Dakota town of Lansford for an uncle s funeral on Christmas Eve and returned again in April for a niece s wedding. The Cunningham family had a homestead in that area. His grandfather and uncle still lived on the family homestead. My father had left in the 1930s, but we visited relatives there every summer, Fr. Cunningham explained. I thought North Dakota was the greatest place on earth. The sun didn t go down till about 11:00 at night in the summer. In the winter, cousins would send pictures of snow caves and winter fun. During his April 1989 visit, Cunningham applied for a job with I. Keating Furniture in Minot and was offered it. With three kids in three different colleges and the four younger ones still in grade school, they began a new adventure in North Dakota. Their children attended Little Flower Catholic School and then Bishop Ryan High School and Judy worked at St. Joseph s Hospital. After Mass one Sunday at the Church of the Little Flower, Pat noticed a brochure in the literature rack about the diaconate program. It stayed in his thoughts until he finally applied in Three years later he was ordained a permanent deacon. Call to priesthood In 2006, Judy discovered she had stage 4 breast cancer. It was hard news, but they leaned on their faith as they had always done. In February 2008, she died. Pat was now alone, without his life-long love. After 10 years working at I. Keating, then another 10 years with ING Financial, Pat and Judy had planned to retire and travel together. I decided I would go ahead and still do that, he said. But only two weeks after Judy died, a parishioner said to Pat, You know, you can become a priest now. Those kinds of comments kept coming up. Pat considered it. He even visited Sacred Heart Seminary for older men in Wisconsin in 2008 where the rector told him, If you decide to apply, I can tell you we will accept you. Pat returned to Minot and continued his habit of spending time in Eucharistic adoration before the Blessed Sacrament and putting his life in God s hands. It was not long before he applied to the priesthood for the Diocese. In 2009, Pat was accepted and contacted Blessed John XXIII Seminary in Boston which is for men Pat was already 64. On top of that, his college transcripts showed he had been a very poor student. We aren t sure you can handle this, Pat was told. I don t have the club bars or the girls to distract me now, he explained to them. He was accepted. After almost 50 years out of school, it was a challenge, but the Holy Spirit did okay, Fr. Cunningham explained. More than once I threw my books against the wall and decided to leave. It seemed that every time, there would be a card in the mail for me from someone telling me they were praying for me. So, I d pick up my books and start studying again. In 2013, at the age of 68, Fr. Cunningham surrounded by his children and grandchildren, Pat became Father Cunningham at the of the Holy Spirit along with five other men. He was assigned as pastor to the Church of St. Bonaventure in Underwood where he has been for almost six years. How has it been being a priest? Oh, my gosh, it s indiscernible, Fr. Cunningham said. It was just like our wedding day. When I was asked why I wanted to be a priest, my response was that I wanted to give my life completely in the same way I had given my life to Judy. At ordination, I promised myself for the rest of my life to my bride the Church. Have you lost hope in your marriage? You are not alone! For couples in crisis Corazon can help you begin to put the pieces back together again. Call Tara Brooke for more information at Register online at bismarckdiocese.com/corazon Upcoming weekend March 29-31, 2019

12 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 13 Sister Pauline Sticka Sister Pauline M. Sticka died on Friday, Dec. 7, 2018 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, New York. She was 94 years old and had been a Maryknoll Sister for 76 years. A Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated on Friday, Dec. 14 in Annunciation Chapel. Interment followed in the Maryknoll Sisters Cemetery. Pauline was born on Nov. 9, 1924 in Dickinson to Odelia (Frank) Sticka and Raphael Sticka. She had four brothers and five sisters. In 1942, Pauline graduated from Good Counsel Academy in Mankato, Minn. She entered the Maryknoll Sisters Novitiate in Ossining, N.Y. from St. Mary s in New England (Diocese of ) on Sept. 2, She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1945 and her Final Profession of Vows on March 7, 1948, in China. In 1947, she received her first overseas assignment to Kaying, China to do catechetical work. In December 1950, she was placed under house arrest by the Communist Regime until 1951, when she was expelled from China and returned to the U.S. She served for the next several years in the development department at the Maryknoll Sisters Center and then did pastoral ministry in Chinatown, in Chicago. In 1955, Sister Pauline was assigned to Changhua, Taiwan where she did language study for two years and was then assigned to Puli, Taiwan where she did parish ministry until In 1970, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to study at Mary Rogers College and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Community Service in Sister Pauline then returned to Hsinchu and then Chiayi, Taiwan where she spent the next 20 years doing religious education, family seminars, pastoral work, Cana Dinners in and Dickinson The Diocese of will again host the CANA Dinner marriage celebrations this year in two different cities. You are welcome to join us in on Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Ramkota or in Dickinson on Saturday, Feb. 16 at Lady J s. The event begins at 5 p.m. local time in each location and includes a marriage blessing, dinner, a marriage enrichment presentation, concluding with a dance. The cost per couple is $50. Registration is mandatory, please go to bismarckdiocese.com/ cana to register for the event. For questions, call Tara Brooke at Giving Hearts Day is Feb. 14 Valentine s Day will be even more special for hundreds of local non-profit and charitable groups, including many faith-based organizations. Giving Hearts Day is a 24-hour giving event for charities across North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota will be held this year on Thursday, Feb. 14. The event is sponsored by Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF), Impact Institute, and the Alex Stern Family Foundation is the 12th year for the Giving Hearts event. Last year, more than 28,000 people donated $13.1 million. More than 450 nonprofits and charitable funds are part of Giving Hearts Day this year making this the largest group ever! It s important to note that 100% of the donations made on Giving Hearts Day go directly to the charities. The event runs for 24 hours and you can give from anywhere by going online to www. givingheartsday.org. The minimum contribution is $10 and you can donate to as many to as many charities as you wish. Dakota Hope Clinic Giving Hearts Day open house Feb. 14 In honor of Giving Hearts Day, the Dakota Hope Clinic in Minot invites everyone to an open house from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. with tours and refreshments. Assistance will be available for anyone who wants to donate online that day. As a bonus, all donations given to the clinic during the Giving Hearts Day will be matched by previously raised funds. For more information, call Retreat in Beach Feb Everyone s invited to a three-night parish retreat at St. John the Baptist Church in Beach on Feb Monsignor Tom Richter, pastor at Queen of Peace in Dickinson, will give a presentation each night at 7 p.m. The theme of his talks will be A Personal Relationship with Jesus, Catholic Style. Fundraiser at Christ the King Christ the King School in Mandan will again be participating in a raffle in conjunction with Catholic United Financial giving you the opportunity to turn $5 into a new car or $20,000 in cash while raising money for Catholic schools. Students from OBITUARIES Sr. Pauline Sticka across Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota are selling the tickets through Feb. 24. Tickets are available at Christ the King School. The grand prize drawing ceremony takes place Tuesday, March 5 at the Catholic United Financial Home Office in St. Paul, Minn. Now in its tenth year, the Catholic schools raffle has raised $69,620 for Christ the King to provide tuition assistance, update their technology systems, or cover the cost of special learning opportunities like hosting a guest speaker or taking a field trip. Cursillo weekends The Cursillo weekends held within the diocese will be held Feb. 28-March 3 for the men and March for the women. Cursillo (pronounced kursee-yo) is a Spanish word meaning little, or short, course. The full name of the movement, Cursillo de Cristiandad, translates into English as little lesson in Christian living. A Cursillo weekend s aim is to concentrate closely on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. Cursillo gives those who attend a living understanding of basic Christian truths and the desire to serve the Church. What s more, it provides a means to continue the Christian formation that begins on the weekend. Cursillo is a Catholic movement. Accordingly, teaching and worship is in the context of the Roman Catholic tradition and practice. Contact Jeremy Kadrmas at (men s weekend) and Pat Dassinger (women s weekend) at or go to bismarckdiocese.com/cursillo-2 for more information. Women s Lenten retreat March 2 Get ready for Lent at the 12th annual Women s Simple Lenten Retreat on Saturday, March 2 at Corpus Christi Church in. Guest speaker is Fr. Christy David Pathiala, parochial vicar at St. Mary s in, who will present God Over Stuff with reflections on putting God over the busyness and materialism of our lives. He will also share his miracle story at Lourdes. The retreat begins at 8:30 a.m. with Mass and includes breakfast, lunch, vendors, two talks, adoration and confession, ending at 2:30 p.m. Registration opens at 7:45 a.m. To register, go to the bismarckdiocese. com and click on the Events tab. Or, send your check to PO Box 1137,, Early registration is $25. After Feb. 20, it is $30. Call with questions. Friday fish fry at Ascension The Knights of Columbus Council 7602 at Ascension Parish in are offering their annual Friday fish fry events each Friday of Lent beginning March 8 from 5-7 p.m. in their community room. The menu includes deep-fried cod, mac-n-cheese, baked potato bar, corn, coleslaw and dessert. Cost is $9 for adults, $6 for children age 12 and under or $30 for a family. building Basic Christian Communities, facilitating Marriage Encounter Activities and began a new neighborhood presence ministry. In 1994, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center to work as office assistant to the Main House Council until That same year, she returned to Taiwan where she again served the people in pastoral care, home visits and community ministry, first in Kaohsiung and later in Taichung until From , she staffed the Regional House and did neighborhood ministry. In 2008, Sister Pauline returned to the U.S. and was assigned to the Sisters house in Monrovia, Calif. On Dec. 1, 2014, she retired at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll, NY. Sr. Jeanne Marie Braun Sister Jeanne Marie Braun, age 90, former administrator at St. Joseph s Hospital in Dickinson, died Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019 at Bell Tower Residence Assisted Living in Merrill, Wisconsin. Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 14 in Holy Cross Chapel at Bell Tower Residence Assisted Living in Merrill, Wisconsin. Burial was in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery. Shen entered Holy Cross Convent in Merrill, Wisconsin, on July 16, 1946, and celebrated her First Profession on July 17, She was in her 71st year of ministry at the time of her death. Sister Jeanne Marie was hospital administrator at St. Joseph s in Dickinson from She began immediately in 1962 with plans for the new wing of the hospital, which would encompass many of her working hours for the next 4 years. In a recent interview Sister Jeanne Marie said, The happiest time of my ministry life was working in Dickinson, North Dakota. UPCOMING EVENTS Sr. Jeanne Marie Braun Church fair in Glen Ullin March 10 Everyone is invited to a church fair at Glen Ullin on Sunday, March 10 at the Sacred Heart Parish Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The noon meal is turkey with all the trimmings. There will be a free will offering taken. There will be a raffle with cash and other prizes. Raffle tickets will be available to purchase day of fair. Other activities include: bingo, Chinese auction and cake walk. Come out and enjoy a midwinter day of food, fun, games and socializing. Search weekends Search for Christian Maturity is a weekend retreat experience sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of. The weekends are for anyone of high school or college age (at least 15 years old). Search weekends are held at the Badlands Ministries Camp just south of Medora. Upcoming weekends for 2019 are: March 8-10 and April More information can be found at search1. Marriage Encounter Weekends A Worldwide Marriage Encounter Weekend is a private weekend away from the distractions of daily life for couples in good marriages. Give your marriage this gift. The next available weekends in this area are Feb in Mandan and March in Fargo. Early registration is highly recommended. For more information, visit ndwwme.org or contact Rob and Angie at Two options for Steubenville Conferences Youth currently in grades 8-12 will have two options for Steubenville Conferences this summer June in Denver and July in St. Paul. Both conferences provide an opportunity for youth to encounter God through speakers, workshops, music, Eucharistic adoration and community with other Catholic teens. The cost for either of the diocesan trips is $350 for youth and $250 for chaperones. The trip includes conference registration, entrance fees for additional activities, some meals, lodging and transportation. Registration deadline is Feb. 15. Find out more or register at Latin Mass fourth Sunday of the month Father Nick Schneider celebrates the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, sometimes referred to as the traditional Latin Mass, at Christ the King in Mandan every fourth Sunday of the month at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend. Rosary for the unborn every Monday Come pray the rosary for the unborn at Spirit of Life in Mandan every Monday from 5 to 6:20 p.m. All 15 decades are prayed, stay for all or as much as you able. All are welcome.

13 14 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 Balancing Church & State CHRISTOPHER DODSON Subsidiarity: a key principle of Catholic social teaching The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church calls it among the most constant and characteristic directives of the Church s social doctrine and the most important principle of social philosophy. The church has taught it since the first social encyclical, Rerum Novarum, in Violation of the principle is a grave evil and disturbance of right order. Nevertheless, most Catholics probably have not heard of it and the few that have often misunderstand it. Worse, some that think they understand it, misuse it to fit their political agenda. (Not surprisingly, many spell-check programs do not recognize the word.) It is subsidiarity. The Catechism defines subsidiarity as the principle that a community of a higher order should not interfere in the internal life of a community of a lower order, depriving the latter of its functions, but rather should support it in case of need and help to coordinate its activity with the activities of the rest of society, always with a view to the common good. (CCC 1883) The definition is actually a good one. It is succinct and complete as much as one sentence definitions can be, but let us take a closer look. All of the church s social doctrine flows from the recognition that every human person has a life and dignity that society must respect, protect and foster. Being social creatures, that is done through community, starting with the family. From the family outward, we develop groups, associations, relationships and institutions that make it possible to achieve social growth and to function as a civil society. Eventually, larger or higher orders develop, usually in the form of governmental jurisdictions, but sometimes powerful businesses and economic structures can develop. The principle of subsidiarity tells us that these higher orders should not interfere with what the lower order can achieve. Depriving these more local orders of their ability to function and make decisions can be a grave injustice. Subsidiarity, however, is not mere local control. In fact, the word comes from the Latin subsidium, meaning to provide aid. So, the principle of subsidiarity is really about the duty of the higher order to provide assistance to the lower order when appropriate. One example is when the lower order cannot provide a necessary function, such as defense, or has failed to protect the rights of persons and the common good, such as civil rights. Subsidiarity also teaches us about how orders can function. Higher orders, for example, often have the power of the purse. Governments, therefore, can help fund addiction treatment while people and faith-based organizations can provide the actual treatment. The state government can fund education while parents and schools provide the actual education. Subsidiarity, therefore, is not make local and leave alone. It is presume local and assist when needed through appropriate means. North Dakota politicians talk often about local control. When measured against true subsidiarity, the state s success is actually mixed. For example, the public school system in North Dakota is very decentralized. The state finances a great part of education and sets some basic requirements for schools and teachers. Many decisions, such as subject content, are left to the local districts. The respect for the lower order, however, stops at the district level. Non-public schools and home education are still highly regulated by the state and they receive no state funding, making North Dakota one of the most restrictive environments in the country for a parent to choose the education setting most appropriate for their children. A perennial issue in North Dakota is whether, and to what extent, local communities should have any input on the placement and operation of a confined animal feeding operation. To a large extent, the state has opted for the higher order on that question, but recent opposition to proposed feeding operations indicates that some would like to restore some authority to the local communities. How the state addresses the behavioral health crisis will raise issues of subsidiarity. People are best served in local communities with the help of families and churches. Funding, however, will have to come from the state and the state has a legitimate role in coordinating services, ensuring professional care and providing treatment for those who cannot be served through the local and private sectors. Several bills this legislative session raise subsidiarity questions. A bill recently introduced would prohibit political subdivisions from enacting their own minimum wage laws. Another bill would give more flexibility to parents who provide home education. Yet another bill would allow home-rule school districts that would allow more local control for the districts, but possibly remove important state protections for non-public schools and home educators. Subsidiarity shows up in a variety of public policy questions. It is an example of how Catholic social doctrine touches upon issues besides those normally identified as Catholic issues, like abortion and religious freedom. We should brush up on the subject. And, don t forget to teach the word to your spell-check program. Dodson serves as executive director of the N.D. Catholic Conference, the official liaison for the dioceses of Fargo and in matters of public policy. Q: A: Questions I was afraid to ask FR. JOSEPH EVINGER What happens to an object when it is blessed? Most people have a gut feeling or knowledge that when an object is blessed it becomes different than other objects. By becoming blessed it becomes set apart. It becomes sacred, holy. The object is no longer ordinary, but becomes extraordinary and sacramental. One of the first blessed objects that I remember receiving was a rosary. It was from my family. I must have been only 3 or 4 years of age. Even though I chewed the end of the crucifix up and would swing it around like I did my toys, there was something that stood out about this object. It could have been that my parents and older siblings asked me to treat it well and not play with it. But, thinking back now I believe I learned the holiness of the object from how my family treated it. They would set everything else aside, they would all grab their rosaries and kneel in the living room and, with Dad leading, we would pray the rosary. The rosary s use was different than other things we did. It reminded me of going to church. So, what really happens to the object when it becomes holy? Does the object become changed? Is something inside it made different? I would argue yes, based on what we see in the sacraments. Therefore, bear with me as I explain the sacraments a little. The greatest of all blessings are the seven sacraments. When Jesus blesses the bread and wine along with the words of institution the objects are permanently changed. The substance is changed from ordinary bread and wine into Jesus body and blood. The substance becomes God himself Whom we are to receive so that we can be changed. When a person is baptized, he or she becomes blessed by God and set apart for God. Though it s the same person, that baptized person is permanently changed. When a baptized man and a baptized woman get married they are blessed by God in a special way and are thus set apart from all humanity until death. Their relationship becomes extraordinary, different from all other relationships. In the other sacraments one, too, is blessed by God, made holy, set apart. God became man to bless us and make us like unto Himself. He gave us the sacraments for the purpose of making us into a new creation, a people set apart, so that we can enter into His life. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may announce the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Blessed objects are also called sacramentals meaning that they are like the sacraments, but not the sacraments. Sacramentals point us to God s grace and make present God s grace to us in some way. Though they are channels of God s power, they are not as potent as the sacraments. An image from the bible in Acts of the Apostles comes to mind: So extraordinary were the mighty deeds God accomplished at the hands of Paul that when face cloths or aprons that touched his skin were applied to the sick, their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them (Acts 19:11-12). These articles which had been blessed by Paul s presence became agents and channels of God s healing power. These sacramentals as all sacramentals do became signs of heaven, symbols of God s goodness and perfect presence. Something in them makes them different than all other objects. Nevertheless, no sacramental becomes God like the Eucharist does. No sacramental is as powerful or graceful as the sacraments. I remember when my oldest sister worked at a Catholic store. One day, two people came into the store innocently asking if the store sold black candles. In their conversation with my sister, she found out that they were Satanists. She asked them if they would be willing to take some blessed medals. I can t remember if it was a St. Benedict s medal or the Miraculous medal which she gave to one of them. Immediately the guy handed it back because it burned his hand. She also asked them to dip their fingers in the holy water at the entrance of the store, but immediately the other told the first not to touch it because it was dangerous. The things that touched St. Paul became extraordinary. So, too, when objects are blessed by the apostles successors, they are changed into channels of grace. The works of God are quite extraordinary. He takes ordinary stuff and makes it into something which brings people closer to Him. Therefore, let us often make use of sacramentals holy water, crucifixes, images of Jesus, Mary and the saints, rosaries, scapulars and novenas. But, most of all, let us remember the Persons whom they point us to the Most Holy Trinity who was in the beginning, is now, and will be for all ages to come. Fr. Evinger is pastor of St. Joseph in Killdeer, St. Paul in Halliday and St. Joseph in Twin Buttes. If you have a question you were afraid to ask, now is the time to ask it! Simply your question to info@bismarckdiocese.com with the Question Afraid to Ask in the subject line.

14 FEBRUARY 2019 Dakota Catholic Action 15 Ag Attitudes Knowledge of God needed for discipleship JAMES ODERMANN Winter time is a time of reflection, a time when the pace is a little slower. (What cabbage leaf am I sleeping under?) There seems just as much to do, however, the schedule seems more flexible. Routines are altered more easily as each day comes and goes. However, the work still needs to be part of each day. Weather has driven me inside, mostly to the tractor cab where I can, for most intents and purposes, escape the wind and/ or cold temperatures. The tractor cab becomes a sort of office where I can multitask: think, plan, observe, reflect, etc. So, as I traversed the snow banks (not many this winter) and frozen winter landscape, I reflected on events taking place in the world, the country and the state. I recalled a quote from Proverbs (12:1) that really smacked me in the face: Whoever loves discipline, loves knowledge; stupid are those who hate correction. Wow! This really speaks to me and my willingness to face the world and the call from God to examine my role in the world. The call is for self-examination and reflection of what I am doing to engage the world, to use the opportunities presented within life to make the world a better place albeit one second at a time. As I reflected, I thought about the negative bias in the world today. I can has been replaced with the judgement process of complaining about the events of the world. It is important for me to be informed, to be engaged in what is happening, to be part of the solutions, which can make for a better world. Have I taken the time to become informed? Have I educated myself about the important issues that will protect the sanctity of life? Am I disciplined (knowledgeable) about the topics on which I offer opinions? Am I listening to God, who delivers the message of salvation through interaction with family, friends and adversaries? Do I listen, seeking knowledge? Or, am I flailing about because I do not listen, do not accept correction? It is easy to be complacent, to slide along or just stay within my comfort bubble. But, God wants more from me. He wants my thoughts, my words and my actions to be in synchronization with God s will. In the end, this means accepting the discipline (knowledge) and then embracing the correction God offers. It means listening, reflecting, praying. It means being a disciple of God. I hope I am up to the task. Care to join me? g Odermann lives with his wife, Leona, on the family farm in Billings County. They are members of the Church of St. Patrick in Dickinson and assist with eucharistic celebrations there as well as at the Churches of St. Bernard (Belfield) and St. Mary (Medora). Making Sense out of Bioethics FR. TAD PACHOLCZYK Gene-edited babies and the runaway train of IVF In November 2018, a Chinese scientist named He Jankui (known to his associates as JK ) claimed that he had successfully produced the world s first gene-edited human babies using gene surgery. The twin girls, he said, were born somewhere in China with a modified gene that makes them immune to infection from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. A special DNA splicing technique called CRISPR/Cas 9 was used when they were embryos to make the edits. In a series of short videos posted on YouTube, JK offers an explanation of, and justification for, what he did. He reminds his viewers that when scientists first began doing in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978, a number of ethical concerns were raised, but those mostly subsided over time: The media hyped panic about Louise Brown s birth as the first IVF baby. But for 40 years, regulations and morals have developed together with IVF, ensuring only therapeutic applications to help more than 8 million children come into this world. Gene surgery is another IVF advancement. In another video, he puts it this way: Look back to the 1970s with Louise Brown. The same fears and criticisms then are repeated now. Yet, IVF unquestionably has benefited families. There will be no question about the morality of gene surgery in 20 to 30 years. JK s strong conclusion leads us to ask whether the general sense of revulsion that has arisen towards his gene-editing work is merely alarmist and shortsighted. Are people failing to grasp the importance and propriety of what he is doing? Is he a pioneer ushering in a new age of enlightenment where mankind will be able to make use of the powers of science to achieve good ends? Or should his gene editing work be condemned and JK branded as a rogue scientist violating significant moral boundaries? The answer to these questions will, in fact, be linked to whether we understand IVF to be ethical or not JK is right to draw the parallel. If we conclude that IVF is something good and ethically acceptable, we end up granting the principle that it is OK to engage in very harmful and damaging actions as long as we have a good end or purpose in mind. Although IVF involves a litany of grave harms, like the engendering of human beings in laboratories and the freezing or destruction of embryos, if our intention is to help others fulfill their desire to have a baby, it must be OK. By this same logic, gene editing of our children will also be considered acceptable as long as our intentions are good and we re trying to help others, even if we re actually causing serious harms along the way. Adding up the grave harms from IVF gives us a long list: IVF turns procreation into production. It dehumanizes embryonic children, treating them as objects to be frozen, manipulated, abandoned or destroyed. Since the practice began in 1978, millions of embryos have become warehoused in liquid nitrogen, abandoned in frozen orphanages. Millions more have been outright discarded as biomedical waste. Instead of loving our children into being through the one-flesh union of husband and wife, IVF mass produces children in clinics, assembly-line style, under the impetus of market capitalism. Children born by IVF, moreover, experience roughly double the rate of birth defects of regularly conceived children. Over the years, these kinds of concerns have been mostly glossed over or ignored we ve grown accustomed to frozen orphanages, and to the high toll involved in the process of assuring that a few of our embryonic children survive and successfully implant. We downplay the risk of birth defects. Our insensitivity and desires have trumped a clear sense of ethics. As we face the daunting question of editing human embryos, we run up against the same temptation. Editing our embryonic children to be free of a particular disease requires numerous embryos to be simultaneously created (or thawed out), treated as products and subjected to genetic treatments, with many of them perishing during the experiment, in order that a few of them might survive and develop without the disease. Editing our embryonic children may also involve risks to them that we will only understand later when they grow up. Is it ever proper to experiment on our own offspring? Moreover, gene editing in embryos introduces changes that will be passed into the human gene pool, establishing permanent and irrevocable changes to our own humanity. How does one adequately evaluate the risks of such changes? The fact remains that we ve been willing to tolerate an abundance of human carnage up to this point with IVF, and one of the great tragedies of our age has been our tone deafness to the evils of IVF. JK argues that we are similarly poised to accept the production of gene-edited babies as yet another variation on the theme. Will his brazen instrumentalization of human beings call forth gasps of disbelief, serious reflection and action, or only a few more passing yawns? g Rev. Tadeusz Pacholczyk, Ph.D. earned his doctorate in neuroscience from Yale and did post-doctoral work at Harvard. He is a priest of the diocese of Fall River, MA, and serves as the Director of Education at The National Catholic Bioethics Center in Philadelphia. He also serves as a professor of bioethics at the University of Mary in. See www. ncbcenter.org

15 16 Dakota Catholic Action FEBRUARY 2019 give childhood give independence give family give hope By choosing Catholic Charities North Dakota on February 14th YOU GIVE hope, independence, childhood, and family to thousands of North Dakotans. More comfortable with a check? Mail or drop off a check of $10+ to us on or before February 14 dated 2/14/2019 when it will be deposited towards our Giving Hearts Day total. (Catholic Charities North Dakota 5201 Bishops Blvd, Ste B, Fargo, ND 58104) Your donation can be matched up to $4,000 by giving $10 or more! Visit GivingHeartsDay.org on February 14th to give! Catholic First. Catholic Always. Pat Dolan, FICF General Agent, Fargo patrick.dolan@kofc.org Founded by a priest in 1882 to protect Catholic families, the Knights of Columbus continues its mission today. Jeremy Vidmar Dickinson jeremy.vidmar@kofc.org Mike Klabo, FICF Linton michael.klabo@kofc.org Contact us to learn more KOFC.ORG/JOINUS join us online today Don Willey, FIC don.willey@kofc.org L I F E I N S U R A N C E D I S A B I L I T Y I N C O M E I N S U R A N C E L O N G - T E R M C A R E I N S U R A N C E R E T I R E M E N T A N N U I T I E S L I F E I N S U R A N C E D I S A B I L I T Y I N C O M E I N S U R A N C E L O N G - T E R M C A R E I N S U R A N C E R E T I R E M E N T A N N U I T I E S Aaron Mahlmann, FIC, LUTCF aaron.mahlmann@kofc.org Sam Owan Williston/Minot sam.owan@kofc.org