Catholic Trends
March Catholic Trends

New Ulm, MN - "I have never felt so much a part of Religious Education as I have today, this diocesan gathering demonstrated to me the involvement of my ministry as a part of the church beyond my parish." This was a quote from an excited catechist who attended the diocesan Catechist Formation Day, New Vision - Catechists in the Third Millennium held at the new Education Center at St. Aloysius parish in Olivia, MN. Catechists went away from the event with a renewed enthusiasm for their ministry and with practical tips on how to execute their role with the youth they meet weekly.

The day was spent in prayer, with a major presentation on conversion, with workshops on skill development, and an opportunity to share conversation with other catechists. Ten publishers of curriculum materials had displays for catechists to examine.

The keynote presented by Arthur Zannoni expanded our understanding of some of the Gospel stories as models for teaching and sharing of faith. The story of the woman at the well was proclaimed in dialogue and the basic story was presented in the keynote. In conversion we are called to a change of mind and heart in God. We leave behind what gets in the way of our relationship with God and look to the eternal. Jesus freed the woman from her past. She had a new spirit; she was a new person because of her encounter with Jesus.

At this event for the third year in a row Bishop Lucker presented to catechists selected by their parishes the Excellence in Catechesis Awards. The awardees for this year were: St. Francis, Benson, Robert Christiansen, Rosie & Daryl Hoffman; St. Mary, Bird, Island, Meg Kubesh; Visitation, Danvers, Nancy O’Leary; St. John, Darwin, Colleen Bonniwell, Joyce Evenski, Patrick Hansen, Patty Polzin; St. John, Hector, Pam Kramer; Holy Redeemer, Marshall, Linda Carberry; Sacred Heart, Murdock, Judy Hoffer; Cathedral, New Ulm, Donald Hellendrung; St. Paul, Nicollet, Jane Emich; St. Aloysius, Olivia, Kathy Dillon, Jill Moudry; Our Lady of the Lakes, Spicer, Cliff Jerabek, Mary Pieh; St. Anthony, Watkins, Jack (John Jr) Kinzer.