On September 15, 2009, I will have completed my first year as bishop.  In this column, I would like to reflect on some of my experiences, thoughts, and feelings during this year.  I would also like to take a brief look at the year to come. 

It was quite a change for me to go from being a parish priest to a bishop.  Fear was my initial response upon hearing from the Apostolic Nunciature that the Holy Father wanted to name me a bishop.  At first, I was ashamed that I had this response, but then I thought of how many times in the Scriptures Our Lord said:  “Do not be afraid.”  He said this because so many times those who were called to do something for the Lord were afraid.  I was comforted by that.

Once I had decided to say “yes” to the Holy Father’s wishes, I realized that I must deepen my prayer life.  As a bishop, with increased responsibilities, I would need God’s help more than ever.  With this in mind, I set up a little chapel in the bishop’s residence.  There I have the Blessed Sacrament reserved and can spend time in prayer with Our Lord.  I pray the Liturgy of the Hours, the Rosary, and other prayers.  I do my spiritual reading in the chapel.  Occasionally, I celebrate the Eucharist there.  I have a statue of St. John Vianney in the chapel to remind me to pray for priests during this Year for Priests, especially the priests of the Diocese of New Ulm.  This prayer time with Our Lord has been invaluable to me as a source of strength, inner conversion, and peace.

I have enjoyed visiting many of the parishes in the diocese.  As of September 15, I will have visited 54 parishes (and I am looking forward to visiting the other parishes soon).  My visits are usually occasioned by some type of parish celebration.  For example, I have celebrated 31 Confirmations, attended a number of parish festivals, celebrated anniversary Masses, had special blessings, and been present for other events.  It has been wonderful interacting with the faithful of the diocese.  I have met so many good people.  Sometimes I remember names and other times I do not.  As time goes on and I continue to visit the parishes, the more names I hope to remember.

I have visited all 20 Catholic schools in the diocese (this includes Mankato Loyola where some diocesan students attend).  Usually, I celebrated Mass with the students, toured the school, visited the classrooms, and ate lunch.  These visits have been a great joy.  I believe that our children and young people need a Catholic education now more than ever.  I also believe that the presence of a Catholic school in a community is a sign of the presence of Christ in a community.

It was emotional for me to celebrate the Chrism Mass with the priests of the diocese.  This is the Mass at which the Holy Oils are blessed by the bishop.  The oils are distributed to the parishes and are a sign of the unity of the parishes with the bishop.  The Mass also highlights the communion of the priests with their bishop.  During the Chrism Mass, the priests of the diocese are invited by the bishop to renew their commitment to priestly service.  I have renewed my commitment to priestly service as a parish priest.  But at the Chrism Mass, I was the bishop, inviting my priests to renew their priestly commitment and their union with me as their bishop.  This was, indeed, very moving for me.

One thing that I have learned is that people pay more attention to you when you are a bishop.  For example, things that I say are not just another opinion.  They are what “the bishop” says and what “the bishop” thinks.  It is the same with what I do.  It becomes what “the bishop” does.  I am still not used to this.

As I look back over the years, I am amazed how God has prepared me to be the Bishop of New Ulm.  From the age of nine through twenty-two, during the summers, I caddied at a golf course and became Caddie Master at the same course.  During these years, I came to know many, many different people.  These experiences helped me to develop relational skills that I have used as a priest and now as a bishop.  After college, I worked with an international CPA firm and became a CPA.  These business skills serve me well as I deal with the financial matters of the diocese.

As a seminarian, I met and got to know Bishop Alphonse Schladweiler, the founding bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm.  I paid a number of visits to his home on German Street in New Ulm and there were many places that we visited in the diocese.  I never dreamed that I would be his successor.  In addition, my parish experience has served me well.  I have experienced being a parish priest and pastor for twenty-seven years, so I am familiar with the challenges faced by our parishes.  Finally, the work that I have done on the theology of Pope John Paul II has prepared me with a significant and coherent framework from which I draw constantly in my work. 

I am grateful for God’s work of formation in my life.  I did not know what He was doing for me when these things were happening to me.  But, I am glad for them because they have prepared me to be of greater service to the people of the diocese.

As I look forward to the next year, I will continue to encourage all to work on their spiritual lives and to renew themselves through prayer, the Eucharist, spiritual reading and study, and the celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation.  These spiritual experiences unite us more closely with Christ.  It is our relationship with Christ and our experience of Him through the Church that should permeate and guide all that we do as a Catholic community. 

The diocese will continue to work on the formulation of the fourth Plan for Parishes and the challenge to keep the diocese centered on the Eucharist, while taking into account the limited number of priests and resources available.  The diocese will continue to promote vigorously vocations to the priesthood, especially during this Year for Priests.  Eleven seminarians will continue to discern their call to the priesthood.  Eleven men will continue to prepare for ordination to the permanent deaconate in 2012.

The Church sees healthy marriages and loving family life as the building blocks of Church and society.  The diocese will continue to promote faithful, permanent marriages that are open to the gift of life.  Companion issues that will continue to be promoted are Natural Family Planning and the respect and defense of all human life from conception to natural death.  We will continue to reach out to the poor, the hurting, the immigrant, and the marginalized.

The diocese will be preparing the faithful to use the new English translation of the Roman Missal (Mass prayers) during the next year.  Due to the deteriorated and compromised infrastructure of the Catholic Pastoral Center, we will continue to study and consider various options for its possible replacement.  We will continue to promote responsible stewardship. 

There are many other challenges to meet, as well, as we strive to unite ourselves intimately with Christ and as we work to carry on His mission.  Living our Catholic faith is certainly a great adventure.  It has been for me, especially during the past year.  I am looking forward to the future with hope.

(September 2009)

No Tengas Miedo

Mi Primer Año como Obispo

por Obispo John M. LeVoir

El 15 de Septiembre del 2009, habré cumplido mi primer año como obispo. En esta columna, me gustaría reflexionar alguna de mis experiencias, pensamientos y sentimientos durante este año. También me gustaría compartir brevemente sobre el año venidero.

Para mi fue un gran cambio ser de párroco a obispo. Cuando me enteré por primera vez por parte del Nuncio Apostólico que nuestro Santo Padre me quería nombrar obispo mi primera reacción fue de temor. Al principio me sentí hasta avergonzado de tener esa reacción, pero por otra parte pensé las veces que nuestro Señor mencionó en las escrituras: "no tengas miedo." El dijo esto porque muchas veces aquellos que fueron llamados de hacer algo en favor del Señor tenían temor. Eso me reconforto. 

Una vez que había decidido decir "si" a los deseos de nuestro Santo Padre, me di cuenta que debía crecer en mi vida de oración. Con más responsabilidades siendo el obispo, necesitaría de su ayuda más que nunca. Con esto en mente, establecí una capilla en la residencia del obispo. Allí tengo el Sacramento Bendito reservado y rezar con nuestro Señor. Rezo la liturgia de las horas, el rosario y otros rezos. En la capilla hago mi lectura espiritual. De vez en cuando, celebro la Eucaristía. En la capilla tengo una estatua de San Juan Vianney que me recuerda rezar por los sacerdotes durante este Año de los Sacerdotes, especialmente los nuestros en la Diócesis de New Ulm. Este espacio de rezo con nuestro Señor ha sido inestimable para mí ya que ha sido una fuente de fuerza, de conversión interna y de paz.  

He disfrutado de mis visitas a las parroquias de la diócesis. El 15 de Septiembre, habré visitado 54 parroquias. Generalmente las ocasiones de estas visitas han sido por alguna celebración parroquial. Por ejemplo, he celebrado 31 Confirmaciones, asistido a un buen número de festivales parroquiales, celebrado el aniversario de algunas parroquias, bendiciones especiales y estar presente en otros eventos.  

Tuve la gran dicha de visitar las 20 escuelas católicas de la diócesis. Generalmente las visitas se basaban en celebrar la Santa Misa con los estudiantes, recorrer la escuela, visitar las aulas y almorzar con ellos. Estas visitas han sido de gran alegría. Creo que nuestros niños y jóvenes necesitan de una educación católica ahora más que nunca.

Mientras nos enfocamos al próximo año, continuaré animando a todos para que trabajen en su vida espiritual y se renueven a través de la oración, la Eucaristía, la lectura espiritual y estudio y la celebración del sacramento de la Reconciliación. Estas experiencias espirituales nos unen más con Cristo. Nuestra relación con Cristo y la experiencia de él a través de la Iglesia es la que debe impregnar y guiar todo lo que hagamos como una comunidad Católica.

La diócesis continuará trabajando en la formulación del cuarto Plan para Parroquias y el desafío de mantener la diócesis centrada en la Eucaristía, mientras se tenga en cuenta el número limitado de sacerdotes y recursos disponibles. La diócesis continuará promoviendo enérgicamente por vocaciones al sacerdocio,

especialmente durante este Año de los sacerdotes. Once seminaristas continuarán discerniendo su llamado al sacerdocio. Once hombres continuarán preparándose para la ordenación al diaconado permanente en el 2012. 

La Iglesia ve matrimonios saludables y vida familiar afectuosa como una forma de edificar la Iglesia y la sociedad. La diócesis continuará promoviendo matrimonios fieles y permanentes que tengan una actitud abierta sobre el don de vida. Se seguirá promoviendo asuntos sobre Planificación Familiar Natural y el respeto y la defensa de todo ser humano desde la concepción hasta la muerte natural. Continuaremos tendiéndole la mano a los más necesitados, a los maltratados, a los inmigrantes y a los marginados.

Hay más desafíos que necesitan nuestra atención al esforzamos en unirnos íntimamente a Cristo mientras continuamos trabajando de llevar a cabo su misión. La vida de nuestra fe católica es con certeza una gran aventura. Lo ha sido para mí, especialmente el año pasado. Con esperanza espero el mañana.