Monthly Archives: June 2020

Bulletin Article for Pentecost Sunday (May 31, 2020)

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Dear People of God,

Today we celebrate Pentecost. We celebrate the coming of the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. Jesus had ascended 9 days earlier (hence the length of a novena). Jesus ascended to the right hand of God the Father. Why did He do this? So that He could send us the Holy Spirit. Over and over again, the Apostles have been clueless. Throughout the Gospels, right up to the time of the Ascension, they think that Jesus is going to establish an earthly kingdom. After the Crucifixion, they hide. After Ascension they hide. All this fear and doubt gets wiped away as soon as the Holy Spirit descends upon them. Once this happens, they don’t just kind of evangelize, they go all out. They talk to anyone who will listen about who Jesus is and what He is about. They even evangelize people in other languages. They are so “crazy” they are accused of being drunk in the morning.

Are we crazy about Jesus Christ? Are we a “Jesus Freak”? We should be. The grace, the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit from our Baptism and Confirmation should make us bold as well. It is so easy to be lukewarm. Don’t be lukewarm. In Revelations 3:15-16, God says, “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you’re lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” I am talking especially to myself. In so many ways, I have become lukewarm.

Again, we are gearing up to resume public Masses next weekend. By law we can only fill our churches to ¼ capacity. So come early and come ready to worship God while social distancing. We will have other protocols in place. See the bulletin and the newsletter for more details. If you are over 65, have a compromised immune system, have underlying health issues, or one of those who are anxious about being in a large group again, please stay home. The dispensation from the obligation to go to Sunday Mass is still in effect and will be for the foreseeable future. 

So stay safe. Stay healthy.

God bless,

Father Vogel 

Welcome Back to Mass Letter (May 27, 2020)

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Hello,

I know we haven’t seen each other in person in a long time, at least not in in person. The last time I celebrated weekend Masses in the parishes with people in the pews was February 29-March 1, the weekend after Ash Wednesday, the First Sunday of Lent. That’s three months ago. It has been so weird being a priest during this time. I miss you. I miss having people in the pews. I miss ministering to my people, the People of God.

As of now, I and the Pastoral Council are excited to announce our first public Sunday Masses in three months will be on Sunday, June 7, with a lot of caveats. The reason we can do this is because of our Minnesota bishops. I’m so proud of them. So on Sunday, June 7, we will implement our summer schedule. This means Mass will be at 7:30 AM at St. Teresa’s and 9:30 at St. Joseph’s.

The biggest caveat is that we can only seat ¼ of the capacity of the church. This means 48 people at St. Joseph, 58 people at St. Matthew, and 68 people at St. Teresa. So please plan accordingly. I have to admit, I have no idea what the “demand” will be for Mass. Please, please remember that the dispensation from the obligation to go to Sunday Mass is in effect until further notice. If you are over 65, have a compromised immune system, have underlying health issues, those who are anxious about being in a large group again, please stay home. Stay safe and stay healthy. Better safe than sorry. As a parish staff, we are doing everything we can to make coming to Mass as safe as possible. Elsewhere in this newsletter are more of the guidelines the diocese has put out to help us prepare for public Masses again.

This pandemic is not over. We need to take responsibility to make sure it doesn’t spread. But we also need to gather and worship God. This is an essential part of our lives. We need to have access to the Sacraments. So we are going to gather and worship God. We are going to offer the opportunity to go to Mass. Please responsibly participate in as much or as little as you feel called to do.

As we close out this Easter season, we remember that Christ has triumphed over sin, death, and evil on the Cross. Today it is what it is, but we know in the end good will triumph because Christ has triumphed. The battle rages on, but victory has been secured. So don’t give up hope. Don’t give into despair. God loves you and we will get through this together. 

God bless,

Father Vogel 

Bulletin Article for the Solemnity of the Ascension (May 24, 2020)

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Dear People of God,

We are living in extraordinary times. Taking direction from our governor and especially our bishop, the Pastoral Council and I have decided to resume public Sunday Masses on Sunday, June 7. (Please check elsewhere in this bulletin for our summer Mass schedule.) The one caveat is that, as of now, on June 7, we can only have our churches ⅓ full. Other measures of social distancing and sanitation will be in place by that time. Please look for what those are and abide by them. I you have any questions or concerns, please contact me or Marcie. The Masses will continue to be streamed even on and after June 7 as there will be many people who can’t or don’t want to come. Bishop Quinn’s suspension of the obligation to go to Sunday Mass will continue indefinitely. So if you are 65 or older you are strongly encourage NOT to come to Mass. If you are immunocompromised, you are strongly encouraged NOT to come to Mass. If you feel unsure or unsafe, you are invited to stay home. However, if you want to come, if you want to receive Jesus, our Savior, Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity in the Eucharist, please come.

This Sunday we celebrate The Ascension of our Lord. I won’t complain (as much) as I have in past years. But Ascension is traditionally on Thursday, 40 days after Easter. However, in our diocese we celebrate it on Sunday. If you have been reading the daily Mass readings, Jesus has been talking about His need to go to the God the Father so that He can send the Advocate, the Holy Spirit. We hear about Jesus return to God the Father in the first reading. It says He was lifted up and a cloud took him from their sight. As the disciples stared at the sky, two angels say, “Men of Galilee, why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven.”

After 2000 years, sometimes it is hard to believe that Jesus will come back. We should not let time make us lazy. Jesus could return at any moment. Are we ready? Have we done what He asks of us? In the Gospel Jesus instructs HIs disciples to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Have we strived to share to Gospel with others? To make disciples for the Kingdom of God? We have the fullness of Truth. We have the Truth that sets us free; that gives us eternal joy. It is not a first a set of doctrines or rules, but a Person, the Person of Jesus Christ.

May God bless and keep you,

Father Vogel 

Bulletin Article for Sixth Sunday of Easter (May 17, 2020)

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Dear People of God,

This pandemic has not been easy on any of us. There is real financial pain and mental health dangers. Also, our spiritual health. In talking to some people this past week, I’ve realized that the desire for the Eucharist and Mass and community are even greater than I had anticipated. Here is what I know. Bishop Quinn, in an email sent out to the priests on Tuesday (May 12), outlined the changes we will need to make when public Masses resume. These will be shared with you as we get closer to returning to public Masses. Originally I was hoping this would be this coming week, because Governor Walz’s Stay at Home ends this Monday, May 18. However, this past Wednesday, Governor Walz released a new Stay Safe policy. In that policy, section 6.c. on gatherings says, “All gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited…Examples of prohibited gatherings include, but are not limited to,…faith-baed, or leisure events…” There is no date mentioned about when this restriction will be lifted.

Bishop Quinn is meeting with a group of priests later this week. This meeting could produce further instruction from the Bishop on how to more forward. One priest I know is doing a sign up of 9 people each day for Mass. In section 6.c.iv., Governor Walz does allow drive-in gatherings provided that all participants remain within their own vehicles and follow the guidelines provided by MDH and available at MDH’s website. So an outdoor drive-in style Mass is also something I’m considering.

I was talking to someone recently about how not everyone automatically goes to heaven. Just because we are a human being, or even just because we are a good human being, doesn’t mean we automatically go to heaven. In the Gospel today, Jesus says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Now we can’t earn eternal life. Salvation is a free gift of God. However, if we love someone, we strive to please them, to bring them joy. We let their love for us change our behavior. This is true of our spouses and children. Our love for them changes what we do with our time, changes our goals in life. This should be even more so with God. If we love Jesus, our actions should change. We should desire to keep Jesus’ commandments; not because they are restrictive, but because we know He loves us, we trust that Jesus’ commandments, His desires for our lives, will make us even more fulfilled, and in the end more joyful. Following Jesus’ commandments may not make our lives easier or more fun, but we will then have the joy that the people of Samaria had when the Gospel of Jesus Christ was shared with them.

These are tough times. Stay safe. Stay healthy. Stay close to Christ. He loves you.

God bless,

Father Vogel 

Bulletin Article for Fifth Sunday of Easter (May 10, 2020)

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Hello,

As you have probably ascertained, we are not having public Masses next weekend. Originally Bishop Quinn had suspended public Masses until Friday, May 15. However, since Governor Walz extended the Stay at Home policy until Monday, May 18, Bishop Quinn has extended the suspension of public Masses until Monday, May 18. So hopefully we will have our first public daily Mass at Mapleton on Thursday, May 21 and the first weekend Masses the weekend of May 23-24. We continue to find other ways to stay close to Christ as we are away from the Eucharist. Remember, you can always call me for Confession. We will find a COVID-19 safe way to do Confession. 

Today we have some beautiful readings. In the first reading we hear about the ordination of the first deacons. As the reading explains, that in some ways, the first priorities of priests are to proclaim the Word of God and to the Eucharist, the Mass. Deacons first priority is to assist and serve the people of God. Not that priests aren’t called to serve the people; we are, but it is the deacon’s first priority. Please pray for not just more priests in our diocese, but more deacons. 

The Gospel reading today is the most popular Gospel reading for funerals. I think it is comforting to loved ones of the deceased because Jesus promises to prepare a place for us in the Father’s House, to prepare a place for us in heaven. Well that’s great, but how do we get from where we are to the Father’s house? Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” I tell people it is not so much about our holiness, but who we know. Some people, because of circumstances and temperament are naturally good. And there are some people who are not so naturally good. But no matter where we are on the scale of natural goodness and natural badness, do we have a relationship with Jesus Christ? If we do, our relationship with Jesus Christ will cause us to be more holy than we could be on our own. Since Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, His supernatural goodness will cause us to be more holy, more virtuous than we could on our own. This is why who we know is more important than what we know. This is why growing in holiness is more important than how holy we are.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. May we draw ever closer to Christ and continue to grow in holiness. Then we to will find a room waiting for us in the Father’s House.

Peace of Christ,

Father Vogel