Faith and Farming Study Droughts, Derecho, COVID-19 and Trade with China Make 2020 a Tough Year
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THE CATHOLIC MIRROR Vol. 54, No. 9 September 18, 2020 Diocese conducts campaign planning Faith and farming study Droughts, derecho, COVID-19 and trade with China make 2020 a tough year Clergy and parishioners will be By Kelly Mescher Collins asked for feedback on proposed Staff Writer diocesan capital campaign Patrick Gannon was driv- The Diocese of Des Moines is ing home to the family farm north launching a planning study to determine of Colfax when the Aug. 10 derecho the level of support for a diocesan-wide blew through. capital campaign. “I didn’t even know it was Representatives from the Stei- going to rain,” said Gannon, a mem- er Group, a Catholic development and ber of St. Mary/Holy Cross Parish fundraising firm, will be conducting the in Elkhart. “I was in Newton and it study through mid-November. They are was really black to the west. I said seeking feedback on a variety of po- to some folks, ‘It must be raining in tential campaign elements including an Des Moines.’ There was only a 20 endowment for Catholic schools, sup- percent chance of rain.” port for seminarians and priests, a faith After leaving Newton, formation fund, and individual parish Gannon and his grandson encoun- needs. tered high winds and trees blowing “Bishop Joensen wants to hear on the highway, forcing them to cir- from as many people as possible, so cle around to different roads to find we can gauge their interest in address- an unblocked route home. ing these urgent needs,” said Maureen “It was a little scary,” Gan- Kenney, Director of Stewardship for the non said. diocese. In his more than 40 years During the 12-week study, of farming, Gannon has experienced Farmers have long-depended parishioners will have a variety of op- a number of weather events -- this on God, as their work is filled portunities to provide their input. While was his first derecho. with many uncertainties, result- some will be personally interviewed, His corn crop and pine ing in a deep faith. Patrick and others will have the option to complete trees bore the brunt of the more than Diane Gannon’s trees, corn crop a mail survey or fill out a survey online. 70 mph winds. and grain bins took a hit from “We will be providing more “It just flattened the corn the derecho. This grain bin was information about how to participate in to where it was not mechanically blown off its foundation and the the coming weeks. Details will be pub- roof ripped off by the strong lished in parish bulletins and provided Continued on page 3 winds. The Gannons attend St. Mary / Holy Cross Parish in Continued on page 9 Elkhart. Blessings in disguise Next weekend’s Hybrid and at-home religious education models offer opportunity to evangelize the family Christ Our Life Conference held in-person, online Bishop William Joensen has encouraged people to participate in the Christ Our Life Conference -- either online or in-person -- the weekend of Sept. 26-27. For those attending in-person, face masks will be required in all common areas. Watch Bishop Joensen’s Jill Gerling, coordinator of faith formation at All Sains Parish in Stuart and St. John Parish in Adair, shows the short interview with conference space for good social distancing when religious education begins. co-founders Marilyn Lane and Ellen Miller at Facebook.com/DMDio- for religious education in the coming es indicate some are doing family-based cese or on the diocesan homepage By Anne Marie Cox Staff Writer weeks. formation, many are offering online or at DMDiocese.org. Learn more and Like schools, the pandemic is at-home catechesis and many are moving buy tickets at ChristOurLifeIowa. forcing changes in faith formation. to a hybrid model with some in-class time Close to 12,000 children and com. A survey of the fall religious edu- teens will be gathering in parishes and cation ministry in the diocese’s 80 parish- Continued on page 7 homes across central and southwest Iowa 2 www.dmdiocese.org The Catholic Mirror September 18, 2020 Archangelic Attitudes September 29th is the make us seem like one more hu- remain wide open in our ongo- fast love of the Lord never ceas- annual Feast of Saints Michael, man society set against itself. We ing pandemic with permission for es, his mercies never come to an Raphael, and Gabriel. The arch- By don’t want to resemble the Midi- general absolution from sin under end; they are new each morning” angels are not fictional superhe- Bishop anites of the Old Testament, who, appropriate circumstances. When (Lam. 3:17, 21-23, cited in EG n. roes; they are real persons without William when the men of Gideon broke we know peace in God’s sight, we 6). bodies but with distinctive shares Joensen their jars and blew their horns, find ourselves spending less time Adapting Pope Francis’ in God’s appointed mission. wielded their swords against stewing about what’s wrong with original predecessor, St. Peter, There is no rivalry or competition one another instead of their real the world, and more time praying we might ask ourselves, “Am among them. We pray to them for When we imitate Mi- enemy (Judges 7:16-22). Jesus about how we might anoint oth- I always ready to give a reason protection, healing, and sustained chael, we are courageous enough does not further bend the bruised ers we accompany on our pilgrim for the [joy] that is in me?” (cf. joy the Gospel is meant to instill. to “call things by their proper reed, or quench the smoldering way with a word of encourage- 1 Peter 3:15). When people en- As with anyone upon whom we name,” as St. John Paul II en- wick (Matthew 12:20). We must ment, gestures of empathy and counter me, what sort of spiritual set our hearts and devotion, we joined, allowing us to be sifted mingle mercy with justice, and benign longsuffering that convey “vibe” do they perceive: someone not only receive grace; we be- and measured by the good God befriend our own frail nature in to them that “God has healing in who is bitter? Cranky? Cynical? come somehow more like the has established and bestowed. our neighbor and ourselves. And store for you!” We ponder and Or someone who lifts spirits, is persons we love. This is my hope We are bold enough to claim that that’s where the ministry and ex- are poised like St. Gabriel, ready quick to laugh at herself, himself, in these contentious, sometimes there is such a thing as “human ample of St. Raphael is vital. to announce good news to others, quick to inject joy into situations, murky and mysterious times: that nature” and that our choices and When Raphael enters just as God commends us to do. focus on the good in one another each of us will become more like actions either contribute to our the house of the blind Tobit, the “Rejoice!” is the angel’s and confirms that God is present the archangels. flourishing or our downfall, de- angelic guest says to the man on greeting to Mary (Luke 1:28). among us, within us—the basis of Thanks to the friendly pending on whether we respect the brink of despair, “Take cour- Gabriel found joy when announc- all joy? And is there any great- prompting of Jeff Pierick and his the natural law God has inscribed age! God has healing in store ing joy to others. In his message, er source for regular renewal of men’s group in West Des Moines, in minds and hearts. for you!” (Tobit 5:10). Rapha- “The Joy of the Gospel,” Pope joy within us than our reception I have rejoined the many faithful Yet the sword of God’s el ministers healing of physical Francis notes that wherever the of the Eucharist--however many praying the St. Michael prayer on word wielded by Christians in the sight and rescues from despair. first disciples went, “there was precautions we observe these a regular basis. Saint Michael, cause of truth cannot be a slash- He reconciles body and spirit, great joy” (Acts 8:8). The Holy days--where we become like the warrior and protector, bat- and-burn affair, dividing and uniting Tobit in his own person, Father continues, “There are Mary in Gabriel’s presence when tles against the “wickedness and further polarizing human soci- restoring his household, bestow- Christians whose lives seem like the priest or minister holds out the snares of the Devil,” who seeks ety, our country, and our Church. ing blessings and peace. We imi- Lent without Easter,” even as he host and announces, “The Body to deceive and seduce us with his We cannot lay proprietary claim tate Raphael when we are agents understands “the grief of people of Christ!”? lies and lead us to destruction (see to the “Truth” (capital “T”) as a of encouragement, when we seek who have to endure great suf- We are definitely not Rev. 12:7-9). Michael wields the way of separating the good guys to make peace with God, quieting fering.” Yet, “slowly but surely angels. But as we ardently pur- sword of truth that exposes lies, from the bad guys, deflecting at- our own self-recrimination some- we all have to let the joy of faith sue truth, we also want to heal, to distills light from darkness and tention away from the fact that times spun outward in our harsh slowly revive as a quiet but firm bring hope and joy to our weary liberates us from the many grey we are all sinners seeking to be attitudes toward those around us trust, even amid the greatest dis- world.