Announcements

A Blessed Memorial Day to all of you. I was honored this morning to offer Mass at Gethsemane Cemetery and to pray in particular for the brave women and men who have offered their lives in the service of our country.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will gather for the 2026 Spring Plenary Assembly in Orlando, Florida, June 10-12. The public sessions on June 10 and 11 will be livestreamed on the USCCB website.

I was recently at one of our schools for Grandparents’ Day—a wonderfully positive experience.  It was interesting for me to hear from multiple generations—parents, grandparents and great-grandparents—that parenting has never been easy. 

On the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, marking 10 years since his installation as Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Archbishop Bernard Hebda released his pastoral letter to families, Only One Thing Is Necessary.

With the celebration of Mother’s Day just yesterday, I spent a good bit of the weekend thinking about my mother (and father).

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference believes a comprehensive three-tiered approach, which addresses gun violence, school safety, and online protection, is the best way forward in 2026. Use this simple form to urge legislators to protect all children. 

I often think that candidates for confirmation have made it a game to try to stump me with obscure saint names but I still haven’t encountered a “Zita” here in the Archdiocese.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

On June 11, 2026, as part of the celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. bishops will consecrate the United States of America to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

At the beginning of this year, Pope Leo announced that 2026 would be a special Jubilee Year in commemoration of the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi. It would be hard not to be inspired by that great saint. Even so many centuries after his death, he continues to capture the Catholic imagination.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointment in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

While the Easter octave concluded yesterday, we’re blessed that the Easter season continues for another six weeks—as should the joy that we share when we reflect on all that our merciful Lord has done for us. Our readings from the Acts of the Apostles, continuing throughout these 50 days, illustrate that joy so powerfully.

Our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, has asked that all people of goodwill join him to pray for peace tomorrow, Saturday, April 11. While thousands are expected to join him in Saint Peter’s Square at 6 p.m. in Rome, I am inviting you to join in praying for peace, whether at home or at your parish.

Blessed Holy Week. I hope that your Palm Sunday was as inspiring as mine. I was blessed to celebrate Mass at St. John the Baptist parish in New Brighton and found the liturgy to be very moving. It’s a parish with a great liturgical tradition. The music was well chosen and the church meaningfully decorated. The liturgy began with an impressive procession involving lots of families carrying palms and wearing red, the liturgical color of the day. It was easy to get my “steps” in before the opening prayer of the Mass even began. 

National Child Abuse Prevention Month recognizes the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse and neglect and promotes the social and emotional well-being of children and families.

Yesterday, we began a period of Lent, traditionally known as Passiontide, marked by even greater solemnity and sobriety. Perhaps your parish veiled its crucifix with purple cloth, reminiscent of Jesus’ hiding in the eighth chapter of John’s Gospel (Jn 8:56).

We passed the midpoint of Lent yesterday—Laetare Sunday! The name comes from the Latin entrance antiphon for the Mass, which begins, Laetare Jerusalem (“Rejoice, O Jerusalem”). It’s a little like a Lenten 7th inning stretch (even though we’re really only halfway through this penitential season).

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has announced the following appointments in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

How’s your Lent? There have already been a few days when I have found myself in the midst of a Lenten desert, grumbling like the Israelites in yesterday’s first reading, longing for something to quench my thirst. On others, however, I’ve been at Jacob’s well, with both the Samaritan woman from yesterday’s Gospel and Jesus, reflecting on the “living water” that only he can offer.