May 2018 St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s This Issue: 2 Formation Transformed Through Christ 3 The Month of Mary: A Time for Celebration and Joy 4 Sharing a Love of Learning: Meet Kathi Primus 6 Celebrating the Coronation of Mary The May Crowning 7 Being Open to the Call: St. Paul s Kevin Soenneker Parish Office 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 (320) 352-2196 High School Senior Jenna Kill Has a Positive Message for Her Peers In today s world perhaps more than in any other time in history our young people are bombarded with messages about how they should think, look and act. Whether it is on television, in the movies or on the seemingly countless social media platforms, our society is saturated by the images and opinions of millions of people. For Sauk Centre High School senior and Our Lady of the Angels parishioner Jenna Kill, the key to a truly joyful existence is the ability to look beyond these messages to see ourselves, first and foremost, as the beloved children of our Father. Especially in small towns, it seems like everyone has this idea to be perfect to be a perfect student, have the latest clothes and technology, Jenna says. If we stopped comparing ourselves to everyone else, not only would we get along better, but we would love ourselves more, too. We don t take into account our blessings. It can be really heard, but one of the things that helps me is to write a list of all that I m thankful for and all that God has given me, and just reflect on that. In the midst of the social pressures that come with being a teenager, Jenna has kept herself grounded in her faith by staying active in parish life. She has been participating Jenna Kill in our Youth Group since she was in sixth grade, and for the past year, she has been part of a group of high school students who provide music for the Saturday evening Mass at Our Lady of the Angels. Taking part in the parish Youth Group has been a wonderful way for Jenna to meet and form authentic friendships with other like-minded teens. continued on page 5
Formation Transformed Through Christ This month, we are emphasizing the third pillar of parish stewardship formation. Formation is the process of studying Christ s teachings and incorporating them deeply into our lives. It is a lifelong effort by which we put on Christ (Rom 13:14) and are transformed by the renewal of our minds (Rom 12:2). Above all, our formation should include studying Scripture and Church teaching. It should also include discussion with other Catholics and honest self-assessment. Its goal is to discern the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect (Rom 12:2). Because formation helps us understand God s will, it therefore leads naturally to good stewardship. When our minds are transformed through Christ, we become like Him as Christ gave His life for us, so we give our lives to others. Formation is not just an individual task. Instead, it is a communal responsibility that, when applied, will further help our Sauk Centre parishes to grow as stewardship communities. Each one of us has an inherent need to give to move from selfishness to selflessness, as the Diocese of Wichita s document The Pillars of Parish Stewardship aptly states. Formation is a process of spiritual growth, and it leads to a deeper understanding of loving others as God loves us. Naturally, then, our Catholic formation should not end upon celebrating the Sacrament of Confirmation, or turning 18 years old. Formation is a formidable task that we as Catholics should participate in for the duration of our lives. It involves education of the mind and conversion of the heart (The Pillars of Parish Stewardship), and helps us to lead the stewardship way of life rather than just understand it. As we approach the summer months, why not make formation a part of your renewal to Christ? Start off by reading 10 minutes of Sacred Scripture a day, or by studying a chapter of the Catechism of the Catholic Church on a daily basis. Read a biography of your favorite saint for an example of an individual who lived as a disciple of Christ, and use this person as a role model when tending to your daily tasks. Keep an eye on our weekly parish bulletin for faith formation opportunities at the parish. Before long, your commitment to formation will lead you to naturally live the Catholic faith and understand stewardship in ways that you never imagined before. Jesus not only calls people to him but also forms them and sends them out in his service. FROM STEWARDSHIP: A DISCIPLE S RESPONSE 2
St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s The Month of Mary: A Time for Celebration and Joy A Letter From Our Pastor Dear Parishioners, In the Catholic Church, we designate a particular devotion for each month and May is when we honor our Blessed Mother Mary. Thus, this is a good time for us to think about and concentrate on our devotion to the Mother of God. Perhaps we can add a few more Marian prayers to our daily routine. Praying the Rosary might be even more important. Of course, that assumes that daily prayer is part of our daily routine which it should be. Our Blessed Mother is important to our faith and to our Church. Her willingness to serve in a way that allowed the Lord to take human form really made our salvation a possibility. Because of her complete trust in God, she lived her life free from sin, and after her life, she was assumed into heaven by the power of God and crowned Queen of Heaven and Earth. She is, of course, not divine. We worship only our Lord Jesus Christ, but we honor Mary as a saint and in many other ways. We honor God when we remember the role of Mary in our salvation. True devotion to Mary always leads to Jesus Christ Himself. Mary was joyous when she said yes to God. That is the kind of joy we need to seek and we, too, must say yes to the Lord. I will be forever grateful to the Church for bringing me Mary, and grateful to Mary for bringing me her Son, for that was my route. I might not have discovered the gaze of Jesus if I had not first felt the maternal, nurturing and safe embrace of my mother in heaven. That s why we crown her on our Catholic version of Mother s Day. Through Mary, I became enamored of the holy family. Through Mary, I was invited into the Catholic fold. It was her feminine presence and the safety of her motherhood that helped me grow. For most of us, this time of year is a month of growth in relation to nature. It is difficult not to have May as one of our favorite months for so many reasons. May is a beautiful time. We are called to make it even more beautiful, and we can do that as we serve and love one another. I am deeply blessed to be your pastor. I may say that often, but it is true. My priesthood has been a blessing, and serving you all has made that blessing even more significant. I pray for you daily. Please pray for me. God bless you and keep you always. In our Father s hands, Fr. Greg Paffel 3
Sharing a Love of Lea Our Lady of the Angels parishioner Kathi Primus has been volunteering at the Holy Family School library for nearly 30 years. In that time, she has always strived to share her love of books and reading with our students. I don t ever want the kids to lose the value of holding a book in their hands, Kathi says. [I love] just getting the kids excited about reading. It s fun to see the kids reading some of the ones I read as a kid. Each week, the students at Holy Family School spend 30 minutes in the library with their class, Mrs. Dirkes, and often, one of their favorite volunteers Kathi. Originally from upper Michigan, Kathi moved to Sauk Centre as a coach and teacher for another local school. It wasn t long before she met and married her husband, Dennis, who was born and raised in Sauk Centre. The couple took over the family dairy farm which they continue to farm, 41 years into their marriage. Although farm life held many surprises for Kathi, she has found similarities between farming and faith. There were rough times, but you hang in there, she says. Farming is a hundred percent. You don t just kick back and take time off when you want to. You ve got to be committed. I ve learned patience, she adds. You have to wait some things out, it s not always going to go the Nearly every day, you can find Kathi in the library, helping students discover a love of reading and learning. way you planned it. That was a big adjustment. I like to have my ducks in a row and know what I d be doing the next day, and sometimes it doesn t work that way. You just have to let nature and God take its course and go along with the flow. Holy Family School has been a part of Kathi s life for many years, as all five of her now-grown children attended the school, following the footsteps of her husband, also an alum of Holy Family. She loves the sense of community and support within Holy Family, especially during difficult times. There s such a support system and I needed that, says Kathi, explaining some health struggles with one of her grandchildren. I needed to have someone I could fall back on if things got tough. The school is fantastic with that. She has also found that her faith has grown, simply by serving and being present in the Christcentered environment that is Holy Family School. Being at the school, you re immersed in always hearing the words God and Jesus, Kathi says. It s just there all the time, not overwhelming, but it s just subtle. It s like the air you breathe. It s just there. Despite being busy farmers and volunteering at Holy 4
St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s rning: Meet Kathi Primus Family School, Kathi and Dennis still make a priority of being involved at Our Lady of the Angels. I love our church, Kathi says. Dennis serves as an usher and is involved with the Knights of Columbus, and Kathi is involved with Christian Mothers and bakes for parish funerals. She encourages others to consider becoming involved as a volunteer at Holy Family School, explaining that some people like to serve in particular classrooms, while other volunteer in the cafeteria or somewhere else. There are so many areas someone could go into, Kathi says. It can be one day a week. It s not a big commitment. I think older people offer a lot to younger kids. With so many grandparents not in the picture, due to distance or death, I think the grandparents and older people who do come in, they have a lot to share with the kids. There s a special connection there. For more information on how you might use your talents to serve our students at Holy Family School, please call the school office at 320-352-6535. High School Senior Jenna Kill continued from front cover I m a huge people person, so I love being in a place where everyone wants to be, and where everyone is thriving and wants to learn more about God, she says. You re just drawn there if you go once, you ll end up going two, three, four times and more. I actually met some of my best friends through the Youth Group, and they are the kind of lifelong friends that you know will be there for you no matter what. Jenna is thankful for the many volunteer opportunities that have been made available to her through the Youth Group, and she has also enjoyed the chances to serve her extended community even more as the 2017 Miss Sauk Centre. For Jenna, finding ways to give back to her church and community is an expression of gratitude for all the blessings she has received. If I reflect on the last 10 years of my life, there hasn t been a moment where my community hasn t had my back or a moment when God hasn t been there, so one way I can give back is by letting God shine through me, Jenna says. Giving back has always been something I ve wanted to strive for. Not everyone has the luxury to do that, and it s easy to take it for granted. In the role of Miss Sauk Centre, Jenna has served as a positive example to countless young people in our local community. And as the oldest of three sisters, she realizes that her job as a role model within her own family is equally important. Now, preparing to head to the University of North Dakota to pursue a six-year degree program in physical therapy, Jenna is already planning to take advantage of the free bus service in Grand Forks to attend Mass and get involved in a local parish. There is no doubt that Jenna will continue to be a positive image a shining light in the lives of everyone she encounters as she embarks on this new stage of life. In contrast to the various messages that today s society sends our young people about how they should look or act, Jenna shares with her peers a simple, yet powerful reminder. God made you special there is no one in this world who is just like you, she says. Embrace the you that He created! 5
Celebrating the Coronation of Mary The May Crowning For many Catholics, May Crownings of statues or icons of the Blessed Mother have become rites of spring. Like flowers blooming or Mother s Day, this annual Marian devotion reminds us that the cold of winter is behind us, and it ushers in a month during which the Catholic Church pays special homage to Mary as the Queen of Heaven and Mother of God. Generally taking place during the first weekend of the month, May Crownings bring children often, recent First Communicants out in their Sunday best to participate in processions and adorn statues of the Blessed Mother with crowns of flowers or actual gold crowns. Additionally, the children often place roses at her feet, and Catholics carry out similar practices in their homes by placing roses around statues of the Blessed Virgin or adding ornamentation to images of Mary. But where did this practice come from, and how did it develop into the tradition that we currently know and love? The Coronation of Mary had been a popular subject in European art and literature for centuries, but the tradition of the May Crowning can be most accurately traced back to the late 16 th century. Perhaps inspired by the practice of adding ornamentation to Marian icons that had been carried out by some Eastern churches, Pope Clement VIII added two crowns to the icon of Mary with the Infant Jesus in the St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome. The crowns were eventually lost, but were replaced by Gregory XVI in 1837 in a rite that was to become the standard practice for crowning. While the May Crowning is not an official liturgical celebration on the Church calendar, it is an important practice in honoring Mary as the Queen of the Universe, and its imagery is especially influential in the faith formation of children. As Liz Kelly writes in May Crowning, Mass, and Merton and Other Reasons I Love Being Catholic, One of the defining aspects of being Catholic is devotion to Mary. I favor no Marian celebration more highly than May Crowning, the feast that recognizes Mary as queen of heaven and earth. To a person of any age, this is a mighty big title, but to a child of five or six or seven, it expands to enchanting, magical proportions. How many queens does one get a chance to meet in a lifetime, much less crown? This year, make a special effort to honor the coronation of Mary through participation in a personal or public May Crowning devotion. 6
St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Being Open to the Call: St. Paul s Kevin Soenneker Kevin Soenneker first thought he might have a call to the priesthood about four years ago. He was 38 years old, a homeowner, and he enjoyed his professional work. He hadn t been to college in years. The Lord couldn t be calling him to the priesthood, could He? The Lord calls us all in different ways and at different times, Kevin says. Be willing to do what He asks. Be open to the call, to the signs that He sends. When Kevin, a Sauk Centre native who attended Holy Family School, heard the call to discern a religious vocation, it was like hearing a small voice that spoke through the joy and peace he felt at Mass. It s hard to put into words what you feel when discerning, Kevin says. I felt led into deeper prayer to try and figure out where my life was headed, and the joy that I had at daily Mass was exactly what I was searching for in my life. Through Mass, adoration and reading the Bible, Kevin began to sense little signs. For example, he attended a retreat and participated in an inventory to discern his gifts from the Holy Spirit. His was a priestly vocation. You begin to ask, Is this something from the Lord? Kevin says. I talked to my parish priest and befriended another priest who helped me discern. I felt like the time was right, and it was in accord with God s will and what He was asking me. Over the course of a few years, Kevin continued listening to the Lord. He pondered and prayed. At first, he didn t share about his discernment journey with his family or friends. I wanted it to be a personal walk with Christ, Kevin says. I was also scared to tell others I felt called to the priesthood because I knew that I was not priestly in their eyes. Don t let other people s reactions affect your decision. Kevin toured the seminary and then submitted his application. He was accepted in March, got his Seminarian Kevin Soenneker yes and began his studies at St. Paul Seminary in September 2017. I ll admit that I had reservations and fears about selling my house, quitting my job, living in community and getting back in the classroom, Kevin says. But it has been wonderful. The peace that I have from this decision has surpassed my expectations. For Kevin, the first year of seminary has been an experience of shedding the world. continued on back cover 7
St. Alexius Our Lady of the Angels St. Paul s Parish Office: 304 Sinclair Lewis Ave. Sauk Centre, MN 56378 (320) 352-2196 NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID MAILED FROM ZIP CODE 58040 PERMIT NO. 3 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 Being Open to the Call continued from page 7 It s almost a detox of the secular world, Kevin says. If you have 20-plus years of life experience, then it takes time to flip that switch and adjust to the seminary. At seminary, Kevin met some men who knew they were called to the priesthood since they were 5 years old. Others knew immediately after high school. For men discerning their vocation later in life, Kevin would encourage them to be open and be still. Use all the tools that the Church offers you, says Kevin. Concentrate at Mass. Let God s word speak to your heart. Pray for His will and then be willing to do what He asks. As he continues his studies, Kevin would like to encourage everyone to pray earnestly for men and women called to the religious life. The devil tries to get ahold of every seminarian and religious, so please pray for God to continue strengthening me in this process, Kevin says. Thank you to everyone from the Sauk Centre cluster for your wonderful prayers, financial help and support. You have been a true blessing. It s hard to put into words what you feel when discerning. I felt led into deeper prayer to try and figure out where my life was headed, and the joy that I had at daily Mass was exactly what I was searching for in my life. Kevin Soenneker