Kevin's Corner 01-29-12
ONE MORE CONFIRMATION NOTE: Those who attended the Confirmation Mass at the Cathedral last Saturday not only saw our Claver young people receive that Sacrament, but were also blessed by the enthusiastic presence of an old friend. Archbishop Emeritus Harry Flynn celebrated the Mass and preached up a storm. Throughout his years as leader of this Archdiocese, Archbishop Flynn made it a special focus of his work to reach out to our parish and to Twin Cities African-American Catholics. I was glad that young people who were in elementary school when he retired had a chance to hear him preach and to pray with our brother and friend.
THE VERY LAST ENDING OF THE CHRISTMAS SEASON: I have been dragging out the holidays as long as possible: Epiphany and Baptism of the Lord, Dr. King Day, and even last weekend’s big celebration of the Feast of Saint Paul the Apostle in my Minneapolis parish. But some people are even more committed to the Christmas Season than am I: a few of our homes are still graced by various Christmas decorations. That will end definitively this week with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2. Some families continue to observe “Christmas Lite” up through this last celebration of Jesus pre-public-ministry life. My thanks again to everyone who made all of our 2011-12 holidays bright with your support, prayer, and faith.
TWO BLACK HISTORY MONTH EVENTS: Wednesday marks the beginning of Black History Month. We will celebrate the month in a variety of ways, bulletin articles and church imagery included. I want to call your attention to two events that have become a regular part of our February life. On Saturday evening, February 18 we have our Annual Mardi Gras Party and Dance. Drawing on tastes and sounds from one of America’s capital cities of Black Catholicism, we will spend a fun evening together. Eight days later, on Sunday, February 26, will be our Soul Food Sampler. Watch here for details. And a question: what are you reading for Black History Month?
TUESDAY EVENING: A VISIT FROM SUPPORTERS: Saint Peter Claver Catholic School is going to be a Catholic Twin Cities tour stop this week. Generous supporters of the annual fundraising effort of the Archdiocese – the Catholic Services Appeal – are visiting various sites where their dollars are put to work. We are a significant beneficiary of that Appeal, with over $130,000 of Archbishop Nienstedt’s support coming to us each year. Principal Charles Vickers, some parent and student volunteers and I will welcome a busload of friends. We are very proud of what happens here, and look forward to sharing that good news with our visitors.
AND ANOTHER KIND OF OUTREACH: The week ahead is being observed across the country as “Catholic Schools Week”, a chance to spread the word about the good things that happen in places like our grade school. This year the students at Claver School will help spread the word. We are asking each of our students to drop off a flyer about their school to every home on his or her block. The idea for this outreach came from a Marketing Task Force made up of committed parish members. Our hope is that this approach will effectively break down two barriers that keep some children from benefiting from our school’s excellent academic and spiritual encouragement. Some families never think about Claver because they believe it is too far away and/or too costly. But if the kids down the block can attend, maybe your children can make it here as well. Pray for a successful outreach.
THANK YOU, JESSE BETHKE-GOMEZ: Jesse and Raquel Bethke-Gomez were married in my Minneapolis parish nearly thirty years ago. That ceremony launched a remarkable partnership of service to the broader community. Both of them have been counselors and administrators in the mental health field, and Jesse has served for sixteen years as President of CLUES (Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio). He recently resigned the position to take up important responsibilities at Metro State University. In his new work, he will be able to advance higher educational opportunities for our young people. He is also planning to finish his own doctoral work. We will miss him enormously at CLUES (on whose board I serve). Fortunately, we have been able to attract a strong interim leader. Diego Osuna has been chair of our board. He is so passionate for the work CLUES does (as one of the region’s largest and best providers of human services in Spanish, English, and other languages) that he resigned as board chair and left an excellent position with a major Twin Cities company to take on CLUES leadership full-time. Thank you, Jesse and Raquel. Thank you and God bless you, Diego.
GIRL SCOUTS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY: The Girl Scouts of the USA are celebrating their centennial this Spring. I had the privilege of seeing a kick-off to that observance in last week’s annual meeting of an organization that serves over 45,000 girls and 17,000 volunteers in the southern third of our state and parts of Wisconsin and Iowa. My thanks to all in Girl Scouts, and to all who serve young people in our schools and in so many other community organizations. If you would like to know more about local events that celebrate the Girl Scouts Centennial, please visit www.GSRV100.org.
WORK, PILGRIMAGE, AND FUN IN THE CARIBBEAN: Here I go again on another junket. As a consultor for the U.S. Bishops’ group that distributes assistance to the Church in Latin America, I will be making a visit next weekend to a seminary in Colombia. Permit me to underline: this seminary is on the Caribbeancoast of Colombia! Given the all-expenses-paid chance to go to that part of the world, I am tacking on some personal days and will take a side-trip to Cartagena. That city is not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a hot tourist destination, it is also the place where Saint Peter Claver lived, worked among enslaved Africans, died, and is now memorialized. So I am going for work and pilgrimage, but intend to come back with an enviable tan as well! Here is a nice extra: I will be staying with the Jesuits in Cartagena, on the site where our patron lived. I leave on Wednesday, February 1 and return on February 9.