Recently, my father had a serious health scare: he went into cardiac arrest on a Saturday night a couple of weeks ago. I ended up taking turns with my older sister helping my mom get to the hospital those days, as well as helping them once dad was home. (My younger sister had just had foot surgery, so she wasn’t able to help as she would have liked to.) For those who knew about the situation, and offered your prayers, know how grateful I am! Even today, my parents are overwhelmed by the amount of support they received from people all over the Midwest. My dad ended up getting a pacemaker, and today he is doing as well as can be expected.

But that whole episode had me thinking about a very important concept that is so very hard to do in practice: acceptance. When I was called by my mom when dad was taken to the hospital, I felt totally helpless. In years past, I would be the one who would be at the hospital with them. But now I live two hours away. So, I had to let go, and let my older sister take charge with my mom. All I had were phone updates on his health. It wasn’t easy to accept my new role. As well, my dad has had a tough time accepting the limitations of age, and now recently accepting limitations that come with his recent health changes. And both of my parents are trying to accept any changes they may have to make regarding their living situations. And yet, what choice do we all have? We need to learn acceptance.

In our American culture today, we are too often told that we can have anything we want. Even if we don’t like something about our bodies, we are even told we can change that too. But the reality is that we can’t change everything. There comes a time and place when the only way to inner peace is to accept that which we cannot change. Those who are in 12 step groups know the Serenity Prayer very well: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change…” Certainly, we have a Savior that has shown us the way towards acceptance. In the Garden of Gethsemane, he prayed that if it was possible, his suffering might be taken away by His heavenly Father, but if not, then God’s will be done. May we have the courage to go against the lie in society that says we can change everything, and instead follow our Savior in the way of acceptance in our Christian lives.

In Christ and Mary Immaculate, 

Fr. Tony

Thank you for your donations to the Helping Hands Fund at the Ash Wednesday Masses! $533.34 was collected and will enable St. Mary Star of the Sea to support local charitable community organizations and provide immediate aid to individuals and families in crisis.

Stations of the Cross are prayed Fridays during Lent at 5:30 PM at the Cathedral and after the noon Mass on Wednesdays at St. Mary Star of the Sea. 

Cathedral of Our Lady, Fridays at 5:30

February 26

March 5, 12, 19 and 26

St. Mary Star of the Sea, Wednesdays at 12:40

March 3, 10, 17 and 24

The Cathedral Stations will be livestreamed each week and are saved on the Cathedral YouTube Channel where you can watch and pray them anytime.  

Having never been through a pandemic before, I didn’t know what to expect. Suddenly, the whole family, except for me, was working or doing their school work from home. All other activities were cancelled.

I work at a local grocery store which stayed open. I’ve been going to work as usual during this whole “time of COVID”. I wear a mask all day and use many pairs of latex gloves as the day goes on. I take a shower right after work and my clothes go directly in the laundry.

I have enjoyed the slower pace of life brought on by this pandemic. Our calendar, which used to be full almost every evening, is much more open now. Additionally, we had more family dinners in 2020 than in recent years.

When I couldn’t attend Mass in person, I watched it online. Sometimes I still tune in to the livestream or watch it later. Mostly, though, I have been attending Mass in-person. Also, I have been drawn to adoration on Tuesday evenings. I am satisfied with the precautions being taken at the Cathedral in regard to sanitizing, seating, and distribution of the Eucharist.

The Diocese of Duluth Office of Marriage, Family and Life would like to encourage couples to take advantage of this free offering to strengthen your marriage.  You can find more information and sign up by going to https://marriageinchrist.com/.  In honor of National Marriage Week (Feb. 7-14) and as a Lenten resource, the Marriage in Christ At Home Seminar is free for couples who sign up by March 31, 2021. Once registered, access is free through May 31, 2021.  This free access is made possible by a grant from Communication Center, the nation's largest distributor of Catholic religious education materials.

Like and follow the Cathedral of Our Lady on Facebook @DLHCathedral.  Fr. Tony, Fr. Matt and Fr. Charlie are posting reflections every day during Lent on various aspects of Lent and the faith.  Don't miss out!  

Since the earliest centuries of the Church, Christians have made pilgrimages to Jerusalem in order to retrace the steps of Jesus during his suffering and death. Around the fifteenth century, Christians began the practice of prayerfully meditating on the Passion of Christ by reproducing that pilgrimage in what eventually became known as the Stations of the Cross.

Why meditate on Jesus’ suffering? Most people want to avoid suffering, not spend time imagining it! But suffering is a reality that everyone has to deal with in life. In Jesus, God entered into our suffering in order to save us. By walking with Jesus, we join our suffering to his, knowing that he will lead us through it into the new life of the Resurrection.

Praying the Stations of the Cross is an excellent way to reflect on more than how Jesus sacrificed himself for our sins: In praying the stations we imagine ourselves walking with Jesus on this journey. We then link our reflection to whatever is going on in our lives today. On our journey we experience both joy, days of stress, and possibly terrible suffering. As members of families and communities we are witnesses to the joys and sufferings of others too. Thinking of Jesus on the way to his execution can lead to reflection on his care for us, His people here on earth today. Praying the Stations of the Cross is a great way to share the story of Jesus’ Passion with your children. It is a prayerful retelling and participation in the events that lie at the heart of our Christian faith. Stations of the Cross break down the story of Jesus’ Passion into smaller parts which are easy for children to follow and pray along with. You can pray the Stations of the Cross at home as a family or attend one of the many services provided at our churches here in town.

Our next faith formation class is Wednesday, March 3^rd when our K-5 students will meet from 6 PM – 7 PM at their home parish. On this night they will be learning about and praying the Stations of the Cross as a group. Families are encouraged to attend with their children.

-Sonya Morris, Faith Formation Director 

Have you considered making the switch to Catholic education for your student? Our Catholic Liberal Arts curriculum ensures a strong Catholic foundation for our students, and a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio helps all of our students receive the attention they need to grow in their faith and excel in academics. Call us to speak about making the change for your student for the Fall 2021 school year. 

We are now enrolling PreK-8th grade. Visit us online at www.stellamaris.academy or call us to have your questions answered.

Holy Rosary Campus (218)-623-6253

St. James Campus (218) 624-1511

St. John’s Campus (218) 724-9392

New members are always welcome! You are invited to join us in the ministry of experiencing God in serving our neighbors living in poverty. Email svdpduluthmn@gmail.com for the meeting link, questions, or more details. St. Vincent de Paul Immaculate Conception Conference holds meetings on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month via Zoom at 6 pm. For our neighbors in need of assistance, please call (218) 409-6887 to speak with one of our members.

Your decision to join the Knights
could define your year.

Join Catholic men just like you
striving to strengthen their faith,
their families,
and their communities
as members of the
Knights of Columbus

Every Knight makes a difference

Each man brings a unique story,
a particular set of skills,
and a heart that is ready to serve.

We invite you to take
this exciting step
and join us today.

It's an opportunity that could define
your year and change your life.

Join us at KofC.org/JoinUs
Bob Spehar 218-349-5051

As covid-19 cases increase in our area, it is a good time to make sure we are all taking the precautions that are in our control.  

Face Masks: Wear a face mask when you are at church. If you are not able to wear a face mask, please obtain a face shield.

Hand Sanitizing Before Communion: When you come up to communion, you will notice there is hand sanitizer in the aisle. To make sure we are doing things safely, first pull down your mask, then sanitize your hands prior to receiving communion.    

Cleaning the Pews: After Mass, please sanitize the area in which you are sitting. Sanitizing wipes can be found in the side aisles. Thank you.