To assist the transition, Sara Michaelson has been appointed as interim superintendent for the diocese’s Catholic schools by Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C., until a permanent superintendent is identified. Michaelson, who currently serves as director of learning and teaching with Catholic Community Schools, will oversee and support educational efforts in the 27 Catholic schools located within the 16-county diocese. She begins the position in mid-January.

“It has been a joy and privilege to support Catholic school leaders and communities as superintendent,” Fremo said. “I see this opportunity to serve as president of CCS as one where I can more intently focus my gifts and passions to build a more vibrant, sustainable Catholic school system: animated by mission and growing in impact.” 

The CCS board considered several candidates for the position of CCS president and chose Fremo because of his extensive background in Catholic education, strategic vision and knowledge of CCS’ operational vitality. 

“David has a passion for education, especially Catholic schools, and has an abundance of experience that spans across the classroom, school administration leadership, and working within the St. Cloud Diocese,” said Father Ron Weyrens, CCS board chair. “Furthermore, we are confident that David’s connection with both state and national Catholic educators will help him team with the CCS board to build on the CCS legacy.”

Fremo replaces Scott Warzecha, who resigned as CCS president in April. 

“We could not find a more qualified or committed person than David Fremo to become the new president of Catholic Community Schools,” Bishop Neary said. “He is not only an expert in the field of education, but a man who understands the core mission of Catholic schools: to prepare young people through learning and formation in faith and values, for lifelong discipleship and service to others. I am confident that his vision, as well as his ability to mentor and collaborate with others, will prove a great blessing to the students, teachers, and staff of our Catholic Community Schools.”

As superintendent with the diocese and director of Catholic Education Ministries, Fremo has overseen all diocesan educational efforts in Catholic schools and faith-formation programs. He has represented the bishop in several state and national educational networks. Fremo earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in Collegeville, a master of arts in theology from St. John’s School of Theology and Seminary, and a master of science in educational leadership from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He also has a Certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Creighton University, and a Certificate in Catholic School Management from Villanova University School of Business in Villanova, Pennsylvania. He is currently working on a doctorate in education in leadership, learning and stewardship from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois.

Previous to his work at the Diocese of St. Cloud, Fremo served at Saint John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville as theology chair (2001-2009; 2011-2020), assistant principal (2014-2016), and director of campus ministry (2016-2020). He was also assistant director of campus ministry at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph from 2009-2011.

Michaelson brings a variety of skills to the interim superintendent position, including educational leadership, curriculum development, relationship building, coaching and administration.

“I am incredibly blessed, honored, and excited to embark on this journey of collaboration and support with the principals and staff of all Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Cloud,” Michaelson said. “I look forward to the opportunity tounderstand each school’s unique achievements, challenges, and aspirations. My commitment lies in recognizing and championing their dedication while providing unwavering support. Together, we will navigate challenges and celebrate triumphs. I am truly looking forward to our collective efforts in shaping a bright future for Catholic education.”

Previous to her time at the CCS central office, Michaelson was principal at St. Joseph Catholic School in St. Joseph (2021-2022), high school assistant principal for ISD 748 in Sartell (2020-2021), and director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment in the Eden Valley-Watkins School District (2018-2020). She also has worked at Tech High School in St. Cloud as an academic coach (2015-2018) and mathematics teacher (2014-2015) and at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School as a mathematics teacher (2005-2014). Michaelson has a master’s degree in educational leadership from Concordia University in St. Paul and is currently working on a doctorate degree in the same field.

“I am very pleased that Sara will be serving as our interim superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Cloud,” Bishop Neary said. “Sara is a very gifted and experienced educator, with a diverse skill set that will help advance the core mission of our Catholic schools. Our principals, teachers, staff, and students will love her passion, her enthusiasm and how warm and approachable she is. We are so blessed to have her on board.”  

For more information about the Catholic schools in the Diocese of St. Cloud, visit https://stcdio.org/cem/catholic-schools. 

Schools participating in Catholic Community Schools are All Saints Academy (St. Cloud), Cathedral (St. Cloud), St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (St. Cloud), St. Francis Xavier (Sartell), St. Joseph (St. Joseph); St. Katharine Drexel (St. Cloud),and St. Mary Help of Christians (St. Augusta).

For more information about Catholic Community Schools, visit http://catholiccommunityschools.org.

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Several stained-glass windows are being installed in St. Anne’s Chapel at St. Louis Parish in Foreston, including a depiction of Blessed Carlo Acutis, one of the patrons of the revival.

Terhaar Stained Glass Studio in Cold Spring created the windows, including the Blessed Carlo window — the first known window of the future saint in our diocese and possibly the first in the country.

“I instantly had to look him up on the computer, because I had never heard of him before,” said stained-glass artist Christi Becker, a member of St. James Parish in Jacob’s Prairie.

The window is one of seven created for the 24-hour adoration chapel. The other windows are of traditional saints, so it was a challenge to create a realistic depiction of Blessed Carlo that also would fit in with the rest of the design of the chapel.

“This window is going to have a little bit of a different feel from the rest of them because my reference was a photograph, not a painting,” Becker said.

In the reference photographs, Blessed Carlo wears modern clothes, not like other saints. He also carries a backpack and uses a computer.

“I think the challenge for this window was, how do you make it work within the context of all the other saints? And that was probably the biggest challenge,” said David Orton, operations manager of the studio. “I think that Christi came to that conclusion really well.”

Some of the funds to pay for the windows came from a parishioner who passed away and left money to the parish specifically for a beautification project. Rita Olson, who coordinates the adoration schedule for the chapel, was among those that suggested the money be used for stained-glass windows in the chapel.

The chapel is near and dear to Olson’s heart. Her husband Randy built it in 2001 and she has coordinated the adoration schedule ever since.

“I think it will inspire people when they are in the chapel surrounded by the saints,” she said. “We’re hoping it will even draw more people.”

The approximate cost of each window is $9,000 and once they put the word out about the project, more donors came forward.

“I would say that within three months the money was raised,” said Father Derek Wiechmann, former pastor of St. Louis Parish, which is part of the Four Pillars in Faith Area Catholic Community. Father Wiechmann was transferred to the parishes of Holy Spirit, St. Anthony and Christ Church Newman Center in St. Cloud on June 28.

The parish council chose the subjects of the additional windows — St. Anne, St. Isidore the Farmer, St. Joseph, Sacred Heart of Jesus, Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Divine Mercy. There are also two small windows behind the altar of the Holy Spirit. Father Wiechmann, who serves as co-chair of the Eucharistic Revival for the diocese, specifically requested that one window be of Blessed Carlo.

He said that during his time as pastor of the Four Pillars in Faith ACC, much of his focus was on reaching out to youth. Blessed Carlo is the namesake and patron of the youth group there.

“To have a young saint featured was important,” he said. “And he wasn’t really featured anywhere else in that context, in a stained-glass window.”

Often, we think that we have to go to a far-off place or do something really big to have an impact, Father Wiechmann said. Blessed Carlo used what he had available — technology.

“As I have been helping out with the Eucharistic Revival, and just in my own time of prayer and learning about Blessed Carlo Acutis, I think we need his example now more than ever,” he said.

“He took what he had and really ran with it. And I think that’s such a model for us, technology was right there for him and even in the midst of his own suffering with the illness that he had, he never let that fire go out. I think that’s what is so exciting about him.”

Orton and Becker went together on the first interview with the parish and visited the chapel to get a feel for the space.

“That’s one of the key things that, on jobs like this, it’s important that we do,” Orton said. The visit helped Becker choose the right glass and paints for the intended finished project.
“They’ve really done everything they can to make that little chapel as special as possible,” Orton said.

“I love being able to share the light, literally, sharing divine light,” Becker says of her work creating stained -glass windows. “And it’s all a gift from God, so you’ve got to trust it. You’ve got to have faith. I can’t imagine doing this without believing. It’s beautiful in so many different ways. And I feel honored to be able to do this work.”

It feels really good to be a part of creating this special window of Blessed Carlo, Becker said.
“I love being a part of sharing his light.”

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Representatives from the Harvest of Hope, One in Faith and Northern Cross Area Catholic Communities gathered today at St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Cloud for their Pastoral Visit with Bishop Patrick Neary. Monthly through July, three to four ACCs will have a daylong visit so Bishop Neary can learn about their successes and challenges and ACCs can listen to and learn from each other and discern what the Holy Spirit is calling the Church to in Central Minnesota. Today was the first and the next will be Dec. 20. Read more about these Pastoral Visits here.

Harvest of Hope Catholic Community includes the parishes of Seven Dolors in Albany, St. Anthony in St. Anthony, St. Martin in St. Martin and St. Benedict in Avon.

Northern Cross Area Catholic Community includes the parishes of St. Henry in Perham, Holy Cross in Butler, Sacred Heart in Dent and St. Lawrence in Rush Lake.

One in Faith Area Catholic Community includes St. Mary in Melrose, St. Andrew in Greenwald,  St. John in Meire Grove, St. Michael in Spring Hill, Sacred Heart in Freeport, Immaculate Conception in New Munich and St. Rose of Lima in St. Rosa.

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“The purpose of a pilgrimage is to grow in our Catholic faith by experiencing the sights, smells, sounds, and feel of the places where saints have gone before us,” Father Aaron said. “It is the meeting ground of faith and history through the lived experience of the saints, of which we are able to learn about their lives and how the faith has been lived throughout the history of the sites we visit.”

Rome is the home of Vatican City, the pope’s official residence, and more than 400 churches. Pilgrims will also visit Assisi, home to St. Francis and St. Claire, and Orvieto, where the linen of the Eucharistic Miracle of Bolsena is kept.

This pilgrimage, through Verso Ministries, includes private Mass, prayer, places of Eucharistic miracles, religious architecture and authentic Italian food and wine. Participants may purchase an optional three-day extension package to visit Siena, the birthplace of St. Catherine, and Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance.

This will be Father Aaron’s third time to lead a pilgrimage to Rome; he has previously led two pilgrimages to the Holy Land. He explained that a pilgrimage is not like a vacation — it’s more like a retreat.

“People should attend the pilgrimage because it will help change their perspective on the closeness of the Church to our personal lives,” he said. “It provides insights into the life of God and the Church for us to reflect upon in our lived experience. It ties us together across generations and locations. It brings us close to those things we might otherwise feel are far away from us.”

About 30 to 40 people may participate on this pilgrimage. Signups will end Dec. 31, with the final payment due then.

For more information, including the full itinerary or to register, contact the parish office at 218-631-1593 or visit www.versoministries.com/departures/fr-kuhn-italy-pilgrimage-march-2024.

(This has been excerpted from “Upcoming Rome pilgrimage brings parishioners to intersection of faith and history,” ©2023, Catholic Stewardship Consultants.)

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Story and photography by Dianne Towalski

Growing up in Hawaii, Cyrilla Bauer experienced poverty first-hand. Her experience makes her keenly aware of it and motivates her to help the poor in her community. “I have to say that I’ve lived the homeless, I’ve lived the starving, I’ve lived the abandonment from my parents, things like that,” said Bauer, now a parishioner of Holy Cross in Onamia. “So, I don’t really think about it. If I’m doing some good, I just do it.”

She also sees poverty in her work. Bauer has served the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe for more than 20 years, most recently as a community resource specialist working to help people who are experiencing homelessness or just coming out of addiction treatment or prison.

Bauer is the coordinator and one of five core members of the Mille Lacs Area Social Concerns Committee, one of the many organizations in the diocese working to address the poverty they see every day.

“What I love the most about this social ministry group is how incredibly supportive the whole community — businesses, other organizations, the Mille Lacs Band — is in the different things, especially food services, they do in the area,” said Kateri Mancini, director of social concerns for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

The group is organized by the WOHVn in Faith Area Catholic Community, comprised of Sacred Heart, Wahkon; Holy Cross, Onamia; St. Rita, Hillman; and St. Therese Little Flower, Vineland. It also includes other people from the surrounding community.

To ensure everyone feels welcome, the group’s name — Mille Lacs Area Social Concerns — was carefully chosen to include those who are members of other churches or no church at all.

“We take our inspiration from Matthew 25 in which Jesus says, ‘Whatever you did for those who were hungry you did for me,’” said Crosier Father Jerry Schik, pastor of the ACC’s four parishes.

“First and foremost you must respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable,” he said.

In his message for this year’s commemoration of World Day of the Poor observed Nov. 19, Pope Francis wrote that Christians must become poor to recognize and address the poverty of others, like Tobit from the Hebrew Bible.

Tobit, a blind and elderly man who dedicated his life to the service of others, “can show practical concern for the poor because he has personally known what it is to be poor,” the pope said.

The theme is a passage from the Book of Tobit: “Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor.” Pope Francis wrote that “when we encounter a poor person, we cannot look away, for that would prevent us from encountering the face of the Lord Jesus.”

Much of what the Mille Lacs group does revolves around food: offering community meals, larger meals around Thanksgiving, food for kids during the summer, food delivery and even mobile distribution where there is the most need.

At a time “when many of our rural social concerns groups are dwindling in members or activities, [the Mille Lacs area group] continues to meet the needs of their community in a lot of ways,” Mancini said.

“To me it shows the importance of organizing and relationship-building alongside the service you offer to the community.”

The group began as a mission circle in 2010, but over the years it has narrowed its focus to address the problem of food insecurity, especially for seniors.

“We know from census data that 11 percent of the people in this area live in poverty, much higher than the average in Minnesota,” Father Schik said. “We have chosen to respond to this fact by doing what we can to help families stretch their household food budget.”

There are no grocery stores in the area. According to the Minnesota Department of Health website, large portions of the Mille Lacs Reservation and the surrounding area are considered a “food desert.”

“There were many different areas that we put our feet into, and we did a lot of work with the community at large to find out what the needs were,” said Marilyn Rhode, a longtime member of the group.

“What we ended up falling into was working with senior citizens, because we have a lot of seniors, mostly female, that are living off of their Social Security checks,” she said. “That Social Security check is less than a $1,000 a month for the majority of them, so that’s where an urgent need is.”

The group devotes much of its time to the Harvest of the Earth Community Dinner, a no-cost meal offered on the second Wednesday of each month. It coordinates volunteers from the wider community to donate food and serve the meal. The October meal, for example, was hosted by the Onamia Fire Department.

“We contact area businesses to see if they want to participate in providing a meal for the community,” Bauer said. “They will come in, prepare a meal, and the community knows to come in and partake.”

They are careful to include everyone in their invitation and don’t ask for donations at the dinner. There might be people that couldn’t afford to give anything, and they don’t want to draw attention to that, Bauer said.

“The poor are not visible, so therefore it’s easy to turn your face away,” Father Schik said, referencing this year’s theme for World Day of the Poor. “The poor person generally is ashamed of their status in society, so they don’t show their face.”

—

This story contains information from OSV News.

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During Saturday Masses at Sacred Heart Church in Sauk Rapids, Susan Goodwin sits to one side of the ambo, simultaneously interpreting parts of the Mass for the deaf community, including the hymns, Scripture readings, homily and prayers.

“Interpreting the Mass is a big part of who I am, a natural match,” Susan said. 

Simultaneous interpretation means Susan takes in every word and expresses it at the same time, blending interpretation and American Sign Language, which uses a different grammar than English. She strives for accuracy and balance, not word-for-word translation. The task requires significant thought, sensitivity and training, she explained.

“My job is not simply interpreting words but to physically express emotion, voice and intonation. If the speaker is loud and fast, my signs are bigger and faster; if the voice is peaceful, I make my signs smaller, slower, quieter, so the deaf pick up those nuances. That is part of what interpreters strive for.

“With the words ‘Lord, hear our prayer,’ I don’t point to my ears because the deaf community aren’t hearing. Instead, I might sign closer to my eyes and express ‘God, pay attention to our prayer.’”

Access beforehand to the Mass’s prayers and hymns helps Susan determine the mood of the Mass. She reads the Scripture to get a gist of what the priest might say. For greater fluidity during the Mass, she chooses or creates a bank of vocabulary and concepts to apply. 

“For a concept I might use a series of signs,” Susan said. “When Moses opens a scroll and proclaims, I physically ‘open a scroll’ as if that’s what I’m reading from. I might visually show Jesus boarding a boat on the Sea of Galilee with people on shore listening. When Jesus and his disciples go from Jerusalem to Jericho, because Jericho is north of Jerusalem, I sign Jerusalem lower down and Jericho close to my head.”  

Susan interprets at the first, third and fifth Saturday Masses. Another person interprets on the second and fourth Saturdays.

Sacred Heart is the only parish in the St. Cloud Diocese offering weekly signed Masses for the deaf and hard of hearing, though other parishes may provide interpretation at special Masses.  

“At Mass, because I’m the only one interpreting, it can be very intense,” Susan said. “Initially my brain was working so hard to process everything that I would come away not remembering all that had happened. Now I have a more prayerful approach.” 

When the Catholic Church changed the language of its liturgy a few years ago, she said, interpreters rethought how to interpret pieces to ensure it was inclusive of new texts. 

The Lord’s Prayer, Susan said, is a “frozen text” because its words never change. They came up with the most accurate interpretation, repeated every week so deaf persons have the same set of responses that others have and feel the same ownership as people who hear. 

To enter the two-year program for simultaneous interpretation, students need four years of sign language classes. To receive national certification, they also need a bachelor’s degree — Susan’s is in education. 

“I like playing with language and learning. The broader my knowledge base is, the better I am,” she said. “It’s important to interpret without skewing with my own biases. My role is to be a conduit.” 

Susan grew up in the Presbyterian church, which has a liturgical base and familiar structure, a strong foundation for interpreting, she said. 

“I’ve learned to use terms differently. In Catholic churches, the sanctuary refers specifically to the table, lectern and pulpit, but in Protestant churches, the sanctuary is the entire worship space, including the pews.” 

The more Susan studied the liturgy and interpreted at Masses, the more she fell in love with Mass. 

 “And the harder it was to be denied Communion,” she said. “In my background, if you profess the faith, you could take Communion, but in the Catholic Church, you cannot unless you’re a member. When I first interpreted the Eucharist, it was painful to not take part in it. I would get teary trying to balance this.

“I prayed to God, ‘You know my heart, that I am here for you.’ God told me, ‘If you’re going to do this, come.’ So through RCIA, I became a full member. Joining the Catholic Church has been the best experience, meshing my personal faith with my role as interpreter of Mass.” 

Susan finds it a privilege to interpret at funeral Masses.

“A lot of healing happens at funerals. Some deaf people may be estranged from their families and, through an interpreter, they can hear family stories they may never have heard. Because interpretation includes them, it’s powerful.” 

As her personal ministry, Susan takes home the prayer card with the deceased’s obituary and picture, telling families she will pray for them. For the last 15 years she’s prayed each month for every family. 

She enjoys seeing the deaf community take active roles.

“One deaf couple always signs responses to the call to worship and eucharistic prayers, signing at the same time as I am, like a conversation. Seeing that may be a new experience for people here but in the Twin Cities, people in the deaf community are very involved on church committees for worship or accessibility committees. 

“We interpreters are always interpreting for everybody, including hearing people, though they’re not our primary focus. We never know whose life we’re impacting. Hearing people often tell me how much interpretation enhances their worship, understanding the Scriptures or prayers in a new way.

“It’s been my dream to open access for all levels of Church to the deaf so they can participate more fully in their faith community,” she said. “The more ways we can make faith accessible to all people, the more we all benefit — and that glory goes to God.”

Story by Nikki Rajala | Photography by Dianne Towalski.

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