Betsy Kneepkens: Amid great church leaders, don’t overlook Father Ben

Faith and Family 

I am not happy with the current direction our state has taken. In the past three years, legislation has passed that flies in direct violation of natural law and, therefore, against what I believe as a Catholic. The evil one has managed to wiggle his influence into nearly every sacred issue of human dignity in our state. 

As hard as we try to be faithful citizens to promote and speak out on issues threatening the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, no headway seems to have been made. Who would ever have thought five years ago that the State of Minnesota would allow zero restriction on abortion, remove the lifesaving requirements for infants who miraculously survive their abortion, and eliminate the guidelines that required pre-procedure education for aborting mothers in a state that previously boasted national excellence in education. 

This list goes on and on, including laws that permit young people to receive transgender treatment while not requiring parental notification and bodily-mutilating top and bottom surgeries. We have legalized soul-sucking marijuana for recreation, and the state is trying to pass laws that let women rent out your womb and permit doctors to prescribe poisons to end lives. I can go on and on about the influence of the demonic on Minnesota, but you get my point. Many of us call for Mary’s intercession and seek godly intervention and believe there are no results. 

Minnesota is the most reckless state in minimizing the dignity of the human person. We also have more Catholics per capita than most other states in the Union. God always equips and outgives the faithful, but we might be ignorant about how that work is done. Sometimes we miss God’s little ways, because we only see the horrendous obstacles. We can be assured God has blessed Minnesota immensely. 

It isn’t a coincidence that within our state borders, an exceptional number of spiritual leaders point us in the right faith direction. We need to intentionally unify these graced individuals to utilize spiritual armor to confront this governmental malice. 

What I mean is we have been blessed with people like Winona’s Bishop Barron and his Word on Fire broadcasts, which give us the Catholic intellectual “helmet” that helps us understanding the logic and reasons to serve the needs of the common good. Bishop Cozzens out of Crookston has, among other things, reminded us with the Eucharistic Revival that consuming the Real Presence in the Eucharist is the spiritual nutrition necessary to give us the strength to engage in battle. The Twin Cities’ Jeff Cavins and his Bible Timeline is the boot camp for us Catholics who ignored scripture growing up. Cavins’ teachings put the Catholic puzzle pieces together so we can be confident that returning dignity is rooted in our Story. 

Our diocese has numerous generals, too, who are generously graced in obvious ways. Father Mike Schmitz, through podcasts and other means, outlines strategies to conquer everyday conflicts and how we ought to strive to overcome them for the Lord. We have Father Rich Kunst, with the most extensive private collection of papal artifacts, who provides us with a tangible reminder that our war chest is filled with stories of defeating difficult times in human history. We have Sister Lisa Maurer, a Benedictine sister who is the consummate troop chaplain. Sister Lisa walks alongside the common soldier, whether it is coaching young football players at the College of St. Scholastica, entering a classroom full of children, supporting women in crisis at a pregnancy center, or participating in numerous life situations. Sister always serves while being the voice of Christ in a world striving to forget him. 
Marie Smith receives a blessing from Father Ben Hadrich after Mass at the Essentia Chapel during his most recent hospitalization. (Photo courtesy of Brenda Hadrich)
More importantly, a heroic local soldier is living in the foxhole with bombs going off all around him. When waging this war, his life serves as a reminder of why we need to confront this evil. We all need to know him, because he is our greatest asset and perfect motivator, and God has given him for this battle as well. 

I met this individual 20 years ago, and the abundant grace he cooperated with was extraordinary. As a college student, he was the person who reminded everyone, “God is faithful.” When people wanted to give up or were frustrated with life, he would say, “God is faithful.” He is our spiritual General of the Armies, even if you haven’t met him or heard of him. 

My first encounter was when he was a young college student at St. Scholastica. In 30 years of employment there, I met hundreds of remarkable students. However, this student was very different. He was a brilliant mathematician, cross-country runner, athlete, and influencer at a time when there was no social media. He managed to be passionate and kind and loved the Lord like I had never observed before. 

Staff could not energize young college students in their faith, but he did. At 19, he found a small squad of fellow like-minded students and started a revolution. Midway through his sophomore year, he had 60 to 70 students meeting every Monday night to learn about scripture and Catholicism. On Tuesday, he organized adoration and Mass, which was well attended. On Wednesday night, these fellow students were encouraged to help with religious education at local churches, and on Thursday, it was Catholic group social time. 

This schedule went on weekly for the entire school year and his whole time at the college. The group was named Calling All Catholics. This organization became a force to be reckoned with when college issues deviated from church teachings. Always respectful, educational, and encouraging, they became holy witnesses, or you could call them the church militant. 

As this student grew into a young man, I wondered what he was going to do with the rest of his life. Knowing he was academically prepared to be a teacher, I didn’t see him in the classroom. During his senior year, on one of those catechetical Wednesdays, he said, “Betsy, I know what I am going to do next. I am going to seminary.” God is faithful. 

A handful of years later, I witnessed Ben, the brilliant mathematician, marathoner, teacher, charismatic leader, humble, God-loving friend, lay prostate as he vowed to give his entire life to Christ and his church. Ben became Father Ben Hadrich. 

He was blessed in numerous ways, but his intellectual and spiritual mind and athletic gifts were most apparent to all. His first solo assignment was to St. Thomas in International Falls. The parish had a school that was struggling and in an area that had its financial woes. He could not be more excited about this opportunity to bring the Good News to those up north. He was primed to repeat all that he had done in college but in a parish setting. 

Many good things were happening in International Falls. As he always did, Father Ben worked tirelessly for the Lord, and to relax, he would do marathons or Triathlon races. He was just one of those kinds of guys. Father Ben loved the Lord; his “close seconds” were his mind and body. 

Not too long into his priesthood, after a Triathlon competition, he experienced a critical, life-threatening brain bleed. As he recovered, it seemed possible that Father Ben would never walk or talk again. But in a few short weeks, he could pray parts of the Mass. In a year, he was running races again. 

I want to say this was the end of his medical hardship, but it hasn’t been. Father Ben has experienced multiple strokes, brain bleeds, and numerous other medical complications. In each incident, part of his body and his mind has been taken from him; he fights back like any good warrior would to return to where he was before his previous medical incident. 

It has been nearly ten years since his first medical situation, and everything earthly has become a challenge for him, even his mental strength. At 40, he continues to battle for Christ like no one else I have ever known. He remains faithful even though his mind has been stripped of his mathematical brilliance, his speech to preach the Gospel has been extremely limited, and his personality to influence others diminished. His multiple marathon body is reduced to an arduous shuffle with support from a therapist. 

This is not the life Father Ben had expected or desired. So, what does Father Ben bring to the battlefield and the generals that need to lead us? He brings himself, his person, the embodiment and dignity of being a child of God. He is our witness. He loves and he allows others to love him. God is faithful (1 Corinthians 9) and God is love (1 John 4). He makes clear why this fight is worth fighting for the Lord. 

Father Ben’s platform is not very flashy these days, like some of those other leaders. It is his hospital bed or wheelchair. The weapon he discharges is the hand he can barely raise as he imparts a departing blessing, often with a teardrop at the crease of his eye. You see, he knows you can’t outgive God. Father Ben, who is faithful, who loves and is loved, is the most important piece of our artillery that God has richly poured upon Minnesota. 

Perhaps now that God has provided us with what we need, we can march forth, united in leadership to confidently, peacefully, justly, and rightfully return Minnesota to the state of dignity it once had, because God is faithful, and God is love. 

Betsy Kneepkens is a mother of six and completes her service as director of the Office of Marriage, Family, and Life Nov. 8.