Announcements

Many are surprised to learn just how richly blessed we are in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis with the presence so many consecrated women and men and the various expressions.

Catholic Schools Week is kicking off throughout our nation this week. The auxiliary bishops and I will be at schools all over the Archdiocese to celebrate with our joyful students, faculties and families.

Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, in partnership with Archbishop Bernard Hebda, has reactivated a relief fund to help Catholic parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of St Paul and Minneapolis that are strained by responding to increased needs in their communities.

The loss of another life amidst the tensions that have gripped Minnesota should prompt all of us to ask what we can do to restore the Lord’s peace. While we rightly thirst for God’s justice and hunger for his peace, this will be not be achieved until we are able to rid our hearts of the hatreds and prejudices that prevent us from seeing each other as brothers and sisters created in the image and likeness of God.

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

As the leader of the Catholic community in St. Paul-Minneapolis, I see the human cost on all sides. The chaos benefits no one.

Greetings on this Martin Luther King Day! If your offices are closed for the federal holiday, you might want to spend some time at the Vatican Unveiled exhibit at the Mall of America.

In a reflection commemorating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Archbishop Coakley focused on a portion of Dr. King’s sermon, "Drum Major Instinct."

I suspect that most would agree that there’s been a heaviness in our community these days. Ever since the deadly shooting of Renee Good on Portland Avenue last Wednesday, I find myself googling “Minneapolis” every few hours to learn of the latest developments in a situation that truly tears at the heart.

Following this morning’s deadly shooting in Minneapolis, I reiterate my plea for all people of good will to join me in prayer for the person who was killed, for their loved ones, and for our community. 

Merry Christmas! Today’s the fifth day of our celebration of Christmas and I’m hoping that you’re still feeling the excitement of this holy season as we celebrate the great gift of Our Lord’s birth in Bethlehem.

Bishop Izen and I were blessed this year to attend the Christmas concert at Annunciation School.

Pope Benedict XVI once said, “Music is capable of opening minds and hearts to the dimension of the spirit and leads people to lift their gaze to the Most High, to open themselves to the absolute Good and Beauty whose ultimate source is in God.”

In this heartfelt video, our bishops remind immigrants and families in need that the Catholic Church stands beside them, offering accompaniment, compassion, and support. As we celebrate Our Lady of Guadalupe, they invite us to let her tender love sustain our hearts in moments of difficulty and fill us with renewed hope. 

This past Saturday, Bishop Izen, Bishop Kenney and I joined Father Dennis Zehren, Deacon Kevin Conneely and many of their Annunciation parishioners and school families to celebrate a Rite of Reparation in the context of the Eucharist, making it the first Mass held in Annunciation church since the tragic loss of life that occurred there on Aug. 27. I was so proud of our priests and deacons who came out in great number to pray with us and to show their support for a community that still grieves for Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel.

In light of recent statements regarding the Somali community in the United States, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation, called on all people to remember each person’s God-given human dignity.

Monday, Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, is a Holy Day of Obligation.