The Spirit of God is alive and well in Cursillo. One special way is the outpouring of support for families of 5th dayers and those 4th dayers facing significant health challenges. I was one such recipient of Palanca of all kinds over the winter months when faced with a significant health challenge. As some of you know from working weekends together, when I give one of the Grace talks, I mention in an appropriate way, my 30 years challenge with mental illness. What 30

years ago was diagnosed as familial/genetic tendency toward depression with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) has been refined recently amidst this current health setback to Bipolar II. This means I have a depressive tendency along with agitation/anxiety episodes that do not rise to the manic extent. BP II as I call it is treatable with a number of modalities, including medication, but is not curable.

For 25 years this illness was in check with a medication that in the beginning of December last year decided to “poop out” on me; yes - they actually call when a mood disorder medication stops working as, pooping out. To make a long story short, for over 3 months of tweaking my long time medication to balance my brain chemistry only to find out it was no longer working, a whole different drug regimen was begun and the symptoms of BP II have come under control once again.

In addition to my inner circle of family and friends who literally sat at my side during a long period of emotional turmoil that is difficult to describe, the Cursillo network through my friends Gordy and Mary Palzer was put into action. I wish to thank all those who prayed and did Palanca for Rita and I (no I in Team Marriage). Presently on a new drug regimen, along with deliberate attention to coping skills and a heavy dose of ongoing prayer, the stability of my mental health has returned. While still in recovery, which does take time, I repeat to myself often my favorite Hebrew Scripture verse from Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Aah, yes - just enough light to take the next step and in a general direction.

Peace,

Dn Mick Humbert

On Saturday, March 11, at 4:00pm, what a joy it was to celebrate with you our reunion on the Feast of the Transfiguration! Perhaps at Mass you made the same connection that I did with the Gospel and recognized that the many graced moments we experienced together on retreat, were similar to the wonders experienced by Peter, James and John on their own retreat with Jesus, on that mountain. On this particular Sunday, it was truly a joy to be with you and to celebrate Mass with the intention of thanking and praising God for the miracles and wonderful light both given by God and received by each one of us with gratitude on retreat.

At our reunion Mass, I was aware of not only my gratitude for what Peter, James and John experienced with Jesus over the course of that one day with him on the mountain, but what we ourselves had experienced over the course of four days and three nights on both weekends. And beyond our own retreat, my intention to praise God was also for those hundreds of men and women who have been preparing in our Archdiocese to be fully initiated into the Catholic Church this Easter. Even now, just the thought of all of this, Jesus caring for each one and for all, fills me with such gratitude to God. What a wonder it is to witness to the wonderful work of God bringing such transformation in our lives through all of these graced experiences!

While the experience of Peter, James and John is unique, as is each Cursillo Retreat or class that is going through the process of the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults and Children, there is one thing we do have in common and that is a grace to all. What Peter, James and John witnessed on the mountain is what we each came to experience for ourselves, as do those preparing to celebrate the Sacraments of Initiation. Each of us came to see more or less, ONLY JESUS. For this Light and Grace we can only thank God!

From our February retreat, to our March reunion, I am hoping that this column in April will lead us to give greater thanks and praise to God for the Light we are receiving this Easter and Pentecost. With Peter, James and John and with all the others Jesus is calling, may we pray also in the Light of Divine Mercy,

“Dear Jesus, Help me to spread Thy fragrance everywhere I go. Flood my soul with Thy spirit and love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so utterly that all my life may only be a radiance of Thine. Shine through me and be so in me that every soul I come in contact with may feel Thy presence in my soul. Let them look up and see no longer me but ONLY JESUS.” Cardinal John Henry Newman

Since it is only Jesus, let us make a friend, be a friend and bring a friend to Christ.

Fr Jim Perkl

While preparing for mass at the senior center a little while ago, I quietly watched as folks began gathering. It brought to mind my own mother, held prisoner by Alzheimer’s disease. I thought about her life, the years of marriage she spent with my father, and the eight children she gave life to and raised. I thought of her faithfulness to God and the Church.

I thought about how Jesus often used marriage as an analogy for His relationship with us and the Church; about how He was the groom and we His bride. Then I remembered this little story I recently read. I don’t know the author or the authenticity of the details, but it is worth the time it takes to read:

It was early morning, about 8:30 AM, when an elderly gentleman in his 80’s arrived at the hospital to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said that he was in a hurry because he had another appointment at 9:30. The nurse on duty took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing that it would be over an hour before someone would be able to see him.

The nurse saw him looking at his watch and decided, since she wasn’t busy with other patients to evaluate his wound. Upon examination, she found the wound well healed, so she talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, she asked him if he had another doctor’s appointment that morn-ing, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told her no, he didn’t have another doctor’s appointment; but he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

The nurse inquired about his wife’s health. He told her that she had been there for a while and that she was victim of Alzheimer’s disease. As they talked, the nurse asked if his wife would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer new who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

The nurse being a bit surprised asked him, “and you still go every morning, even though she doesn’t know who you are?”

He smiled as he patted the nurse on the hand and said, “She doesn’t know me; but I know who she is”!

I thought about how in a broken world our lives can get messy. I thought about how we can get lost in our own struggles and sinfulness; but remembered God’s love, His un-conditional and Habitual grace that is always there for us. 


We can trust in Him, He who takes away the sins of the world and took us to be His own.

My prayer for you is that you can know that God knows who you are, and that knowledge blesses your life with His grace.

Dn. Mike DeWitte

“Christ is counting on you.” These simple words etched on the back of our Cursillo Cross convey a powerful truth: Jesus desires to use our gifts and talents to build His Kingdom here on Earth. While I was very familiar with these words since living my Cursillo Weekend in October of 2012 it was not until a life-changing experience in December of 2015 that the words took on a new depth of meaning...

Though I was originally ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis I have been sent to serve for a time in our Mission Parish of Jesucristo Resucitado in the country of Venezuela. The pastoral realities have been quite challenging but also tremendously enriching. One of the beautiful customs that I encountered was a series of early morning masses beginning on December 16th and going until December 24th. As a way to prepare for the birth of Christ our Venezuelan brothers and sisters wake up in the wee hours for nine days of masses called Aguinaldos at 5 a.m. It was positively inspiring to see hundreds of people gathered together praying, singing, clapping, and dancing for the glory of the Lord before the sun came up. On the sixth day of these festive masses, December 22nd of 2015 to be precise, a miraculous event happened -in addition to the Eucharist- that forever changed my life.

While driving through the barrios picking up members of the choir to sing for mass we were surprised by two gang members who had their guns drawn. They told us to give them our money, our cell phones, and whatever other valuables we had. After doing so the gang members were upset that there was only the equivalent of about thirty cents in American dollars. I explained that I was a Catholic priest and that we were on our way to celebrate an early morning mass. One of the gang members pointed his gun at my chest and said, “I don't care about any of that. Do you have anything else of value?” I told him that I had a simple cross hanging around my neck. He said, “Give it to me!” I took it and handed it to him. He grabbed the cross and put it in his pocket. He then flashed the gun at me and the choir member who was with me one final time and then ran off with his friend.

Shaken up from the experience we then drove to the next barrio to meet with a few other members of the choir. After a time of crying and praying one of the choir members said, “Padre, what do you want to do? We're already pretty late for the mass. Should we call ahead and cancel it? I'm sure the people would understand.” I turned to the choir member who was robbed with me and asked, “What would you prefer? Where would you feel safest?” Remarkably she said, “Let's go to celebrate the mass. The people have been waiting there.” Her response reminded me of the words “Christ is counting on you.”

So we all got into the pickup truck and drove on to the other barrio to celebrate the mass. It was one of the most powerful and healing experiences of prayer that I've ever had. We asked for God's Mercy on the gang members who robbed us and for their conversion. We prayed for all victims of crime and violence. We then prayed for greater peace and justice in Venezuela and all parts of the world.

After the Mass some children from the barrio wanted to hear more about what happened earlier that day. I shared with them that we were robbed at gunpoint by two gang members and they stole our money, our cell phones, and the cross that I was wearing. When I mentioned the cross I put my hand close to my neck and felt something there. I then pulled out the Cursillo Cross that had been stolen from me. Dumbfounded and staring at the cross the choir member who was with me asked, “How do you have that? I saw you give that to the gang member who ran away with it.” The only explanation is that it was miraculously returned to me. The words “Christ is counting on you” remind me that Jesus still has work for me to do this side of Heaven. Not only that, but the consoling reality that He is journeying with us, helping us to carry our crosses, and shining out in the world's lonely night with the radiant Light of His Love.

¡De colores!

Fr James Peterson

Thank You Lord! How many times have you been able to express a heartfelt thank you this past week? You know, as I, that as Eucharistic people it’s in our bones. Even when our world is sometimes reeling with pithy negativity, Jesus is gently inviting us to be healers - filled with His Holy Spirit. With the celebration of a joyous Christmas just around the corner and memories of a tough election season behind us, gratitude might compel us to consider mending some fences and extending a friendly hand to those we may have offended or those who offended us. As a matter of fact, good news, I’m sure it does. Emmanuel inspires us into real healing and needed restoration, strengthening our relationships in Christ-filled love.

To help keep this reconciliation in context, one of my groupies recently told a story about a wounded tree-root which at first appeared to be large, but then… One autumn day, he was out in his yard peering down at the surface root of a maple tree which he had been evidently nicking for years while mowing his lawn. The root’s damaged area was dark and callused with concentric rings of toughened wood protruding up waiting for the next attack by Mr.Toro. It seems the original nick on the delicate root had self-protected, grown into a large knob that needed attention and attending to every time he mowed. My friend decided it was time to remedy this thing, so with his tools and proceeded to dig this ‘thing’ out. What he discovered was that on either side of the rather large knob, the root was no bigger round’ than his finger. Over time, the nicked area had festered into a huge tough mass to protect the original hurt.

Timely, and now somewhat humorous, it reminds me of a recent God-Moment we experienced at our home. Last May, we’d hired a small company in to remove some dead brush from our hill. Before the workers arrived, I was called away to attend to an emergency with my father. When I returned, I found the hired help unusually distraught and packing up to leave. They had stripped the hill down to the dirt, and a neighbor taking notice had called the city officials. We live in a protected area, and with this, I had broken statutes galore. The environmental protection agents kindly but firmly shutdown the project; requiring us to hire an approved engineer, and replant the entire area with specific approved plant types. After a few days, anger towards my neighbor began festering, becoming dark, and growing it’s own tough rings of callousness. Upon reflection, I was wasting time, caught up in thoughts of revenge. My small nick was changing into something ugly. I needed a savior, Come Lord Jesus Come!

Enter Jesus. My wife and I wake up early most days to pray together, a wonderful way to start the day. One particular prayer-time, Emmanuel changed my/our response to this hurt and anger directed toward our neighbor. With Jesus’ help, we decided this event was going to become a blessing. Almost immediately, God filled our hearts with a new, but familiar, sense of gratitude; our healing began, as we started to see these events differently. With spiritual eyes restored, the restoration of our moon-scape hill was going to become blessing for all. We considered that we’d be employing: city employees, landscape designers, garden suppliers, delivery people, and creating a way to bring dear friends over to help us. Bonus, our neighbor was going to get a beautifully crafted landscape to look at when we finished. Truism ~ roots get nicked. We believe that Emmanuel helps us mend broken fences, and rebuild relationships that have become nicked and possibly overgrown with tough bark. Epiphany - some seemingly large problems can actually be from very small nicks, and asking Our Lord Jesus to help, He can walk us through. Thank you Emmanuel for healing, guiding and leading us to health and right relationship.

Dn Joe Frederick

The month of November speaks little to its origin as the ninth month in the old Roman Calendar. From the latin novem for nine, it was bumped to the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian and Julian Calendars after January and February were added. While remembering such trivial history is not that important, I appeal here that similar not be so with Cursillo. My point in the following is that the roots of the Cursillo movement matters; how we interpret and live out today a charism born out in the 40’s an ocean away matters.

Several years ago, I was asked to give the reflection at the summer dedication of TC Cursillo officers and leaders, based on “the book” on Cursillo and Eduardo Bonnin. I counted about two dozen times that the words “far away” were used as to whom Cursillo was to primarily be directed towards. Those two words have been one of my good spiritual haunts ever since.

If we stand on the shoulder of giants, those whose prayer and wisdom we revere and refer to, then I offer a few quotes for us to reflect upon from the Cursillo Movement USA website and the 2011 National Cursillo letter:

* “Three principles become the basic guidelines of Eduardo’s Mentality: the Love of God, Friendship, and the Person; especially the far away.”

* “Cursillo directs its focus, especially, but not exclusively, to the far away, to those who do not participate in or attend parochial events as a routine, without it causing them any concern not to participate...They (Cursillo) were designed, structured and prayed upon not to evangelize the world, but to evangelize the person.”

* “The purpose that the "idea" of Cursillo seeks is not for doing things, attending events, but to grow, develop, and be Christian where God has planted each person with faith, hope and charity. This life, through its connection to Christ, can be an inexhaustible source of meaning, authenticity, and a catalyst of energy and evangelical joy in the family, at work, and at play.”

So are we especially, but not exclusively, directing our focus to the “far away?” Yes, as any good haunt will do, I came full circle this past summer while giving the reflection at a similar summer Cursillo School of Leaders. In so many words I stated that our primary mission in Cursillo is not to make individuals better Catholics, nor to bring them to the Cursillo movement. While both good goals, they are the platform and the tool respectively. The primary mission is bringing individuals, especially the far away, to a personal understanding of themselves, a relationship with Jesus, and how they therefore might impact their own environments. Put more frankly, we are not primarily to assist in the training of spiritual elites from already church going elites, but to be introducing, in an effective and powerful way, people who are lost, disenfranchised, or spiritually bankrupt to the reformation possible through Jesus. How we as Cursillistas focus on and make that primary mission matter is of course open to prayer, debate, and discernment.

Dn Mick Humbert

This is the Church’s Year of Mercy. There cannot be mercy without forgiveness and justice. Injustice against individuals and institutions require restitution to complete the process of forgiveness and mercy.

We know that sin is alive and well in the world. John’s Gospel 21:18 states that Jesus Christ gave us a cure for our sins by giving the Apostles the authority to forgive sins back then and in all generations, through his Apostles.

In our Church forgiveness is given through the sacraments of Baptism, Penance, Anointing of the Sick and the Eucharist. When our sins are forgiven through the sacraments, we are freed from the consequences of those sins. However, being human with emotions, memory and feelings of guilt and shame, we often struggle with the mental remnants of our sinful acts.

Recently I have heard two priests mention in homilies that confessors will frequently think of sins in the past that have been confessed and forgiven, but are tempted to return to the shame and guilt associated with those sins. We may even doubt that we have been forgiven. This occurs usually when we fail to internalize the forgiveness because of lack of trust. As we look at the internalized process of forgiveness we need to listen again to the words of forgiveness in the confessional.

A healthy way to deal with those haunting thoughts is through the process of personal forgiveness. The process has three parts:

 First, we must accept God’s forgiveness through the power of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. In the sacrament of Penance our responsibility is to fully accept God’s love and forgiveness. Most minor issues of forgiveness may be accomplished by personal prayer and the Act of Contrition.

 Second, we ask forgiveness in serious matters for injuries to the person, or institutions we have injured. Often, this is difficult because many are unreachable, dead, or to do so would harm them or others. Forgiveness may be asked either in person, by phone or by written letter. I believe asking over the internet is not a proper way to do it, for privacy issues and it is just too informal. I have used mail on occasions and most of the time I state the action, ask forgiveness and then add that if I have been injured by them in any way (it does not have to be named) I forgive them. Some people have used a letter never mailed to those who have died.

 Third, the most difficult part of this process is to forgive ourselves. We can hang on to anger resentments, guilt and shame for years. We may justify these actions for many reasons, including denial of our own part in the event, some strange idea that our part of it was not sinful or that our actions were deserved.

During the 42 years that I have been grouping using the Piety part of the service sheet my experience is that contrition is one of the least talked about parts during grouping. I am not sure if it is a less frequent confession generally, or if there is an uneasiness over the topic.

Forgiveness is not easy. We need to continually keep in mind the presence of the Lord in the process. However, there are rewards. Among them are gratitude for God’s love and mercy which is unconditional. The huge emotional relief of lifting the burden of unresolved forgiveness and mercy issues from one’s shoulders is heart fulfilling. Also others who were recipients of the request for forgiveness and mercy see you and hopefully others in the environment in a different light. This is common in work and family environments.

This is a great time to relieve ourselves of long standing resentment, anger and guilt and move forward in this Year of Mercy in our Church.

God bless you, DeColores.

Dn John Salchert

From time to time I hear people say, “if only God would tell me what he wants me to do.” And even if we think we hear God talking to us we aren’t really sure we are hearing/believing that what we are hearing could possibly be true.

Several years ago I was at an event where Archbishop Harry Flynn was speaking. He told the following story that has stuck with me over the years.

There was an extremely run down farm in a small town in Minnesota. Years of neglect had taken its toll and it took some imagination to see that it had even been a farm. A young couple bought the farm and through vision and long days of hard work, they had it looking and operating better than it probably ever had.

They were proud of their success at turning the farm around and invited the deacon from their church to the farm to show him what they had accomplished. They showed him the fields that were cultivated and ready for planting. He told them what a wonderful accomplishment they and God had made in the fields. They showed him the barns and the other out buildings with their fresh coats of paint. He once again told them what a wonderful accomplishment they and God had made to brighten up the buildings. They then showed him the fences they had repaired and how straight and sturdy they were. He told them what a wonderful accomplishment they and God had made with their fences.

As the deacon was getting ready to leave the farmer took him by the arm and told him, "Everything we showed you, you said what a wonderful accomplishment you and God had made”. Well, just so you know, "God didn't do such a good job with the farm when he had it all alone.”

Well, of course, God could have fixed up the farm without anyone's help. But he didn't. He relied on this couple to do the work. And, just as God relied on the couple to do the work, he relies on all of us to do the work he has called each of us to do. God has given us all we need to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

To some extent the issue many of us have is figuring out what it is that God wants us to do--what is our calling or callings for that matter. It sometimes seems that God is not talking to us. But God puts ideas in our heads. Sometimes we wonder where in the world that idea came from. God can’t be asking me to do that – I’m too shy. I could never work with the poor – I would feel too bad for them. How can I be a Eucharistic minister – I’m just not that good of a person.

Well, God doesn’t make mistakes. Yes, you are hearing correctly. You didn’t come up with the idea to pray for life at the abortion clinic on your own – God prompted you. You didn’t have the idea to visit the widow down the road on your own – God prompted you. You didn’t think about working at the food shelf on your own – God prompted you. Get the idea?

God puts people or events in our lives that can help us to recognize what it is he wants us to do.

Someone invited us to Cursillo. Some of us ran with it right away, others were slow starters; others found that God was calling them to something else -- or something in addition. It’s up to us to run with those promptings and not talk ourselves into disregarding God’s call.

The point is God could do all the work himself, he doesn't need to -- he has us. We are called to serve and to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Let us pray to know where or what God is leading us to.

By Dn Rod Palmer

At a men’s closing a few years ago in Delano, I was moved by a new 4th dayers revelation about the Sunday morning Cursillo mass. He explained that he was well traveled across much of Europe and had visited many Catholic Cathedrals and churches and was inspired by their design and beautiful sacred art, and yet here he was in a small classroom, with a few posters, a make shift altar and he was overwhelmed with the presence of Jesus in their midst.

I have thought much about his revelation. A revelation that perhaps many of us have experienced as well. Could we ever help strengthen that experience of the presence of Jesus for the majority of people in our parish Sunday masses? Imagine being sent, to glorify the Lord by your life from that experience every week. Now that would truly be an amazing parish.

As I prayed with this I was led to a Vatican 2 teaching about the four-fold presence of Christ at liturgy and found a commentary about that teaching on the Archdiocese of Santa Fe web site. http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/Worship/GIRM/English/04TheFour-foldPresence.pdf.


The first part of that teaching states, “When the bishops met for the Second Vatican Council, one of the key principles they put forth regarding liturgy is that Christ is present in the liturgy in four unique ways.

Especially in the Eucharist broken and shared

In the person of the minister

In the Word of God

In the assembled people of God

(Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy, CSL #7)

As we come together on Thursday evening of a Cursillo weekend, some of us on the team know each other a little bit, both from coming to team meetings and from working with each other on past weekends. Most of the candidates do not know many or anyone on the team.

Over the next three days we begin to know each other. We pray and sing, share meals and listen to many personal witnesses. We come to know the priest on a more personal level, we are filled with God’s word throughout the talks, meditations and mass and we receive Eucharist daily.

Could we help to recreate this in our parishes? Most of our parishes are pretty large and we do not know most of the parishioners very well. Most of our priests do not have the luxury of getting to know many of the parishioners as well. The bible studies and daily prayer aids have helped us spend more time with Sacred Scripture. Some parishes have daily masses and many have homebound ministry who bring communion to those who are not able to come to mass.

Cursillo and the model it uses follows the Second Vatican Council’s wisdom about the four-fold presence of Christ at mass. It is a relational model and has much to offer parishes. We know that we can’t recreate the intimacy and fellowship of a Cursillo weekend. However, we can share the grace of those encounters with Jesus by:

* Supporting and helping to lead the formation of small groups and other ways of getting to know each other a little better within our parishes.

* Being models and advocates in preparing for Sunday mass by attending additional masses weekly, reading and studying the Sunday scriptures ahead of time, and helping to promote adoration times and the sacrament of reconciliation.

* Finding ways and inviting others to get to know our priests and other spiritual leaders in our parish a little better.

A personal relationship with Jesus often begins by sharing our personal relationship with him and each other.

Christ is counting on Us!

Deacon Tim

I would like to begin this reflection with part of the message from Fr. Al Backmann in last month’s Kindling in recognition and gratitude for his dedication in helping many of us to better hear God’s call. Fr. Al has served as the Spiritual Advisor for Cursillo, helping to lead and direct many closings, making many phone calls and Emails to invite other clergy to serve on weekends, and as well serving on many many Cursillo weekends as part of the team.

“Each of us is called. Few hear that call, like the voice of God calling us in the night. Usually, we discover our call, like Elisha, while doing other things. For most of us our call comes as a persistent, inner prompting that can easily be drowned out by the lure of money, power, security or fame. But we will never be totally happy until we hear and respond to our innermost calling.” (Fr. Al Backmann)

Fr. Al is a genuine example of not letting those inner promptings from God being drowned out.

Here is a little of his background, taken from a University of St.Thomas publication on January 4, 2001:

He grew up in Minneapolis, graduated from North High, enlisted in the Army and served in Korea for two years. His first vocational religious calling was to marriage when he married his high school sweetheart,Nancy.Their marriage was blessed with five children. He earned an accounting degree from the University of Minnesota. He bought and sold commodities at General Mills until 1968, when he became an accountant for a large firm. He left in 1981 to establish his own firm.

Nancy died of cancer 7 years later in 1989. Two of their sons were living at home.

"A couple of years after Nancy died, I was talking to a friend and I told him I was thinking of becoming a deacon," Backmann recalled. "He said, ‘I think you’d be a better priest.’ I laughed and said I did not want to go back to school for six years. But you know, he planted the seed."

Others did, too. When he met with the vocations office to discuss becoming a deacon, 15 minutes into the interview he was told, "I don’t want to discuss you being a deacon, but a priest." A priest friend read Backmann’s autobiography and asked, "Have you ever thought of the seminary?"

"I kept getting this message," Backmann said, "and I kept asking God what to do. Finally one morning, He said He would give me all the support He could. I never looked back. When I got the call, I said, ‘Yes, that’s where I am supposed to be.’ "

Fr. Al was ordained a priest in 1999, 10 years after his wife Nancy died. I did not know Fr. Al then, but my wife Jackie and I had a connection to the Backmann family through Fr. Al’s brother Howie and Howie’s wife Marie. We spent three yearstogether in deacon formation, and Howie and I were ordained as permanent deacons in 1997. There must have been something pretty amazing about the family Fr. Al and Deacon Howie grew up in.

Fr. Al served the parishes of St. Bridget of Sweden in Lindstrom, Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights, and St. John Neumann in Eagan, and also had served on the faculty at St. John Vianney College Seminary.

Fr. Al retired in July of 2011 and was named director of retired clergy in that same year. As someone once said, you never retire as a follower of Jesus. Fr. Al has helped out at many parishes since his retirement and he was asked to come out of retirement and agreed to serve as pastor of St.Therese Catholic Church in 2015 for one year. Most recently he was asked to serve St.Stephens in south Minneapolis for the next 7 months.

Fr. Al continues to be an inspiration for many of us in his ability to hear and his willingness to respond to God’s call.

For many of us who have worked weekend’s with Fr. Al, his down to earth manner, his smile and laughter, his passion for the Lord and Mass and his acronym J.O.Y. have guided us to better hear and respond to our innermost calling.

J.O.Y. on the cross in one direction represents (J) Jesus, (O) nothing between Jesus and (Y) You and in the other direction (J) Jesus, (O) Others and (Y) You

Deacon Tim Helmeke