As I compose these words, I am preparing to depart for Rome for the second session of the Synod on Synodality. I was elected by my brother bishops two years ago as a delegate to this gathering, and I participated in the first round last October.
When am I supposed to offer my opinion? For example, I have a friend who conceived a child through in vitro fertilization. Am I supposed to tell her that was wrong?
The Iron Range mission field that includes the parishes of St. Joseph in Gilbert, Resurrection in Eveleth, Our Lady of Hope in Aurora, and Holy Spirit in Virginia, has been rapidly moving into a new reality, using a mission field model in light of Bishop Daniel Felton’s pastoral letter.
In a recent issue of the Loaves and Fishes newspaper, put out by the Catholic Worker community in Duluth, I found an essay by a person named Drew Anderson really moving. In the column, Anderson described his internal conflict as he has concluded that he supports Ukraine in its military defense against Russian invasion, even as he lives in a community committed to pacifism.
There are a few things that trigger rage in me. I don’t typically express outward fury, but this feeling makes my blood boil. I am passionately pro-life, and the deception that masks the truth about our human dignity, our obligation to each other, and the intentional twisting of words that attempt to make abortion a comfortable solution in our society is discouraging to me, at the very least. The temperature ramps up on this topic as election time peaks.
One of the most influential and famous persons over the last 100 years wasn’t an athlete, wasn’t a celebrity, wasn’t a political figure, but was a simple, short, four-foot-nothing religious nun from Albania. She would come to be affectionately known as Mother Teresa.
I am sure many of us have had the experience where we run into a friend from years ago, and we pick up right where we left off, as if there were never really a gap of years between visits. That is a sign of a good friendship and great compatibility of personalities.
Truly this new dawn from on high is (and has been) breaking upon us! I have been with you since my consecration and installation on May 20, 2021. Since then, we have journeyed together in the healing, hope, and joy that is only found in Jesus Christ. As disciples on mission, you and I together have been given the mandate to live in and proclaim this healing, this hope, and this joy to every person within the Diocese of Duluth, not just the baptized Catholics.
The Diocese of Duluth was erected by Pope Leo XIII on October 3, 1889 to proclaim the healing, hope, and joy of Jesus Christ. For over 130 years, the bishops, priests, deacons, religious, and lay faithful have striven to live in and fulfill this mandate.
Civility has a bad name these days, especially in an election year. It is seen as being weak, or an unwillingness to “speak truth to power.” If you are not outraged, you are not paying attention, as the saying goes.
Are you a health care professional? Do you have a family member who works in health care? Please consider attending the 15th annual White Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary, 2801 E. Fourth St., Duluth, on Sunday. Oct. 20. Bishop Daniel Felton will celebrate the Mass at 10:30 a.m.
Growing up just north of the Twin Cities I would never have pictured myself living on the Minnesota and Canadian Border, but here I am. You might be thinking, “What would ever bring a person that far north?” Well, what brought me north was my husband’s job. He is a conservation officer in Koochiching County. We have been living in the area going on five years, where we are raising our two beautiful daughters and putting down our own roots.