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August 2020

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Here at OLG our High School Youth Ministry (anyone who has been confirmed in 8th-12th grade) is meant to engage young people where they are at in their journey to respond to the ultimate call of all of our lives: the call to be an intentional disciple of God.

In all of our ministires we bring the Gospel to young people by the art of living well - and it begins and ends with Christ. There are so many places here at OLG for everyone to get involved in order to share their gifts. Contact us today to see where God is calling you!

Our mission to Make Jesus Known and Loved hasn’t changed during these unprecedented and critical times. Certainly it looks different, but our mission remains the same. Please continue to live our mission with your prayers, service to others, and financial support. Donate now. THANK YOU!

Thank you to all who came to our Baccalaureate Mass Celebration! We had a beautiful Mass, and wonderful time having a (social distance) gathering afterwards.

Attention incoming college students!
Meet new friends before you even arrive on campus

As you prepare to move on to your next phase of life, don’t leave your faith behind. Your college campus experience may look a bit different this fall. SPO would like to help you prepare for your first year by offering a networking opportunity with other Catholic students on your campus. By filling out this form we'll be able to place you into a group of other young men or women who also are looking for college to be everything it’s meant to be. If you are someone who doesn't want to put life on pause this summer but make the most of preparing for the fall semester, then we'd love to have you. Small groups are forming now! Complete the online form to be connected with other faith-filled young adults or email info@spo.org. For more information on SPO, visit spo.org.

Join us on September 9th from 7 - 8:30PM in the Frassati Room for a information meeting about our Peer Ministry Program. This meeting is for those who want to be Peer Ministers, OR are still deciding.

During this meeting we will cover what roles and responsibilities that Peer Ministers have, time commitments, and some time for prayerful discernment.

Registration/Interview Packet is HERE - this does not need to be completed before our Information Night, Packets will be available that night.

Registration/Interview Packet is due 9/15/2020

LifeNight's are a mixture of faith and fun, and are open to everyone who is in high school! Each LifeNight has a fun game, a testimony or teaching about a different topic of our faith, discussion, and closing prayer.

At LifeNights you will be able to talk about a variety of issues and experiences with friends and young adult leaders so that together you can grow in faith and discover how a relationship with God will help you have the best life possible! This is an incredible time to connect with friends and God in the midst of our busy lives. Check out our calendar for the 2019/2020 School Year!

Register HERE!

Can’t make our LifeNights on Wednesday night? Don’t worry! We have another option!

On our Wednesday night LifeNights we will record our teaching and prayer of the night. Then on the following Thursday evening we will watch the video together over zoom, and have our SG online!

Our Online LifeNights has resources, activities, and links to help our youth take that next step in faith right now, at home, or on the go! See more here...

Join us for Outdoor Mass!

Sunday, August 16, 11:30 AM
Sunday, August 23, 11:30 AM
Our Lady of Grace invites the faithful to celebrate Mass and the gift of the Eucharist by participating in one of our upcoming Outdoor Masses celebrated by Father Kevin Finnegan and our new Parochial Vicar, Father Nathan Hastings. See more here...

Are you seeking an opportunity for more peace in your life? Do you want to invest more of yourself in your relationship with God? Are you looking for a powerful way to strengthen your faith and prayer life?

The 3-Week Prayer Challenge (3WPC) may be just for you! Simply find an hour you can spare in your schedule (6:00 AM-11:00 PM, Monday-Friday) and spend that hour at the MHT Adoration Chapel – in prayer, reading the Bible, reading that faith book you’ve meaning to get to, or just sitting and experiencing deep peace in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Repeat each week for just 3 weeks. No long-term commitment required. It will be easier than you think, and you’ll be delighted with what the Lord has in store for you!

It’s easy to do the 3WPC – just give us a call and we’ll get you set up! Ready for the challenge? Contact Adoration Co-Coordinator, Sarah Mealey, at 612-859-6379 or olgadorationchapel@gmail.com.

Do you have a bounty of produce? Are your neighbors tired of the extra zucchini? Then bring your bountiful produce to Our Lady of Grace in a bag or box by Tuesday morning and put it on the “Produce Cart” in the Commons. We will take your fresh produce to a local food shelf to add homegrown nutrition to the items VEAP or STEP can purchase. Your produce need not be picture perfect, it only needs to be fresh and good to eat. We will continue collecting produce through at least the end of August. For an added bonus, bring your favorite recipe with your produce. Your hungry brothers and sisters will bless you and your green thumb!

Food & Supplies Drive for St. Albert's

This in an ongoing supplies drive. All donations will be collected in the Commons at 9:00 AM on Thursdays.
As we continue to help our neighbors affected by the recent violence in Minneapolis as well as the COVID-19 by partnering with St. Albert the Great Parish in Minneapolis we offer our prayers as well as material help. This week we have been told that the community has great need for the baby supplies and hygiene items listed below.

As Jesus has loved us, we too are called to love and serve our neighbors, so we will be organizing a donation drive to bring crucial supplies to this Parish.

Needs may change in the coming weeks, so we will continue to update this list as necessary. May God bless you and thank you for your generosity. See more here...

“And the crowds asked him, ‘what then shall we do?’ And he answered them, ‘whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.’

— Luke 3:10-11

FROM THE ARCHBISHOP

Missionaries’ Generous ‘Yes’ to God

In the nineteenth chapter of St. Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus reminds us that those who have “given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life.” Recently I had the privilege of gathering for Mass with the Franciscan Clarist Sisters and a small representation of their collaborators and supporters to give thanks to God for their 50 years of ministry in this archdiocese.

Read the full column in English and Spanish in The Catholic Spirit.

FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE

COVID-19 Resources

Stay up-to-date on the latest resources for returning to public Mass, technology tips for livestreaming, PPP loan information and much more at archspm.org/covid19resources.

Looking for a resource page for parishioners? Encourage them to visit archspm.org/covid19 for videos, news and a link to online prayer and formation opportunities.

WORSHIP

July 24 Mask and Communion Protocols

Please see the following Mask and Communion Protocols, distributed July 24, which are available in English and Spanish.

MINISTERIAL STANDARDS AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT

Restorative Justice Groups

The following restorative justice support groups are currently meeting and open to all victim/survivors in the United States. More information and details for attending the virtual meetings are found in the section for Restorative Justice Groups on archspm.org/healing. If you have questions about these groups, please contact Paula Kaempffer, Outreach Coordinator for Restorative Justice and Abuse Prevention for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, at 651-291-4429.

Victim/Survivor Support Group
Monday, August 17
6:30 – 8 p.m.
Online via Zoom
If you are interested in participating in this virtual/online session, please contact Paula Kaempffer (651-291-4429 or kaempfferp@archspm.org) to obtain the Zoom invitation. The group meets on the third Monday of the month.

Survivor Peace Circle
Monday, August 19
6:30 – 8 p.m. Central
Online via Zoom
Find details here.
August theme: "Let me tell you something..."
This a volunteer-initiated and coordinated effort to connect survivors to one another, provide a safe and welcome space for discussion and sharing, and offer encouragement and support. You may also be receiving invitations to participate in other discussion groups. We welcome you, wherever you live and whatever your faith practice may be. Each meeting has a theme or reflection, meant to start and guide our time. Of course, you are welcome to share what is most important to you. This group is not affiliated with any particular diocese or church group. Questions? Contact Jim Richter at 773-412-0909 or jrichter316@gmail.com. The group meets on the third Wednesday of each month.

Support Group for Men who have been Sexually Abused by Clergy/Religious
Wednesday, August 26
6:30 – 8 p.m. Central
Online via Zoom
Find details here.
If you are interested in participating in this virtual/online session, or have questions, please contact Jim Richter at 773-412-0909 or jrichter316@gmail.com. This group will meet on the fourth Wednesday of each month.

The Support Group for Family Members of Victims/Survivors of Clergy Sexual Abuse (which typically meets on the second Tuesday of the month) does not have an upcoming meeting scheduled.

PARISH AND CLERGY SERVICES

Registration Open: Lay Ecclesial Ministry Day Web Conference with Archbishop Hebda

Tuesday, August 25
9 a.m. – Noon
Sponsored by the Coalition of Ministry Associations, Lay Ecclesial Ministry Day (previously advertised as Professional Development Day) is a live web conference for those working in professional ministry in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.

The theme of the day will be “Hope and Unity in Challenging Times” and will start with stories of challenge and opportunity of those working in lay ministry over the past few months. Archbishop Hebda will first listen to, then respond to these stories. These stories will be followed by stories of hope and mission renewal. Prayer will be woven throughout the morning.

This web conference will be free of charge. Since space is limited, we encourage participants to gather in small groups at parishes wherever possible. Click here to register. (NOTE: For small group registration, only the organizer should register and receive a link, but to be eligible for prize drawings, members of the small group can be added through a separate link sent in the confirmation notice.)

See archCONNECT, contact your ministry association, or email CMAinfo@archspm.org for further details.

MARRIAGE, FAMILY AND LIFE

St. John Paul II Champions for Life Awards – Nominations Now Open

Do you know of someone who devotes his or her time helping the poor, elderly, disabled, pregnant, or is committed to praying for Respect Life issues? He or she may be our next Champion for Life! The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis is looking to honor those who respect life at our annual St. John Paul II Champions for Life Awards.

Find more information online, including nomination forms and a promotional flyer. Nomination deadline is August 31. The awards will be presented by Archbishop Hebda at a luncheon on Thursday, October 29. Questions? Please contact Nancy Schulte Palacheck at 651-291-4489 or schulten@archspm.org.

Special Note: Depending on the COVID-19 restrictions in October, this luncheon may change according to state requirements. Updates will be available on our website and communicated via email notifications to our constituents who have registered.

VOCATIONS

See 10000vocations.org for more information and to register for upcoming events!

Guidelines for this Event
For persons attending the August 11 Holy Hour for Vocations, thank you for adhering to the following guidelines. A maximum of 250 people will be admitted. Six foot distancing will be expected between people who do not live in the same household, and visual indicators are implemented to show the recommended spacing. Please use hand sanitizer upon entering the building and all are reminded of the CDC recommendations including the use of your own face mask for anyone over the age of 2.

Miriam Dinner

Tuesday, September 29
6 – 8:30 p.m.
Holy Cross, Minneapolis
Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda and Father David Blume, Director of Vocations, invite women, ages 16 – 35, who are discerning consecrated life to join us for this event. Come for an evening of prayer and dinner with consecrated women sharing their vocations testimonies. Space is limited! Social distancing will be observed and wearing a mask is required. It is typical for guests to be accompanied by their pastor, consecrated religious, or youth / campus minister. RSVP before September 24 at 10000vocations.org. Questions? Email stpaulvocations@10000vocations.org or call the Office of Vocations at 651-962-6890.

COMMUNICATIONS

Survey: Parish Communications During COVID-19 Times

The Archdiocesan Office of Communications, partnered with the lay ministers in the Catholic Communicators group, have developed a survey to look at the "before and after" of parish communications during COVID-19 times. We invite the person who is most responsible for communications in your parish to participate. It should take around 15 minutes. Only aggregate results will be shared, and everyone who participates will receive a summary. The results will help all of us better understand how we collectively shifted during this public health crisis and what we may have learned in the process. Please fill out the survey here by Friday, August 28.

News from The Catholic Spirit

Due to health reasons, Bishop John LeVoir of New Ulm resigned Aug. 6 from a role he has held in that diocese since 2008. Pope Francis accepted the resignation of the 74-year-old bishop, a Twin Cities native, who was approaching the typical retirement age of 75. Read more.

Raul Castaneda, 48, didn’t feel well, with fluctuating fevers and fatigue, in the two weeks before he died of COVID-19 in April. But he didn’t want to seek medical attention. He and his family lacked health insurance for one thing, his loved ones and friends said. But being an undocumented immigrant afraid of arrest and removal from the country undoubtedly was another factor. Read more.

HS Youth Ministry Events and Information