Pope Francis once said this: “Vocations are born in prayer and from prayer; only through prayer can they persevere and bear fruit.” You all know how much we pray for vocations at all our Masses, both at the Cathedral and at St. Mary Star of the Sea: every single Mass! I have known this fact to be true: we pray for vocations, and it bears much fruit. When I was in Brainerd, it seemed like every single year, we would either have an ordination to the diaconate or the priesthood, or someone entering religious life. Here in our parishes, we will now have two seminarians: Peter Brown from the Cathedral, and our newest seminarian, John Paul Narog from St. Mary. I don’t believe that I am exaggerating when I say that I wish I had half of their zeal for ministry and love for the Lord when I was their age! They are truly inspiring to me. The young priests of our diocese have helped me, inspired me, to be a better priest. Keep those prayers going! Keep asking young people if they have a vocation! And young people, know that you will have no greater joy in life than discovering your vocation and saying “yes” to God.

Having said all that, I am pleased to pass on to you two events that are coming up regarding vocations. First, Scott Padrnos from St. Christopher’s Parish in Nisswa will be ordained a transitional deacon this Thursday, June 3 at 5PM in our Cathedral!  I knew him well before he entered the seminary, when I would see him in the pews at St. Francis for our evening Masses. Then he was assigned to me as a seminarian during the summer. He is scheduled to be ordained a priest next year. Then the next day, Friday June 4th at 5PM, Deacon Trevor Peterson will be ordained. Though he is originally from Detroit Lakes, when he came to Duluth, he attended St. John’s Church here in Woodland. What incredible blessings! We have one of the youngest dioceses when it comes to the average age of our priests!

We need to do whatever we can to support our young men and women – both those who have already answered the call, and those who may yet need to hear God’s voice calling them to a life of ministry. The Church needs them. We need their energy, their zeal, their holy lives, and new ideas. If we want to continue to evangelize, and to invite people to a deeper Faith life, I don’t think there is any better way than to help our young people pay attention to God’s voice, and then encourage them even further when God asks them to discern His will.

A second collection will be taken this weekend to help meet our 2021 UCA goal. Thank you for your generosity!

 The Holy Rosary Society invites all women to their next in-person meeting Saturday, June 5.  We meet in the St. Mary Star of the Sea Social Hall at 1:30 PM.  We begin with fellowship and prayer, followed by the formal meeting.  We usually finish around 3 PM. Please join us for fellowship and prayer even if you cannot stay for the meeting. Contact Rosary President Renee Zurn at 218-723-1321 for more information.  Face masks are encouraged. 

This week we return to the liturgical season of Ordinary Time. This Sunday and next Sunday, however, are designated as solemnities, special days that call our attention to the central mysteries of our faith. On the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. This feast invites us to consider what we believe about God who has revealed himself to us in the Trinity, one God in three Persons. The mission of Jesus is now to be taken to all people, and the task is to baptize and to teach in the name of the Holy Trinity.

The Church today continues to teach all people about Jesus and to baptize in the name of the Trinity. When we were baptized, the priest, our parents, and our godparents traced a cross on our foreheads. The priest also spoke the name of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—as we were baptized with water. These signs remind us that through our Baptism, we share in the life of the blessed Trinity. We mark ourselves with this same cross every time we gather and pray.

These signs remind us that through our Baptism, we share in the life of the Blessed Trinity. We, too, are meant, as baptized Christians, to share in the life of the Blessed Trinity and seek to invite others to share in God’s love. This is our mission, to live out the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.

The second Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Just as we are reminded of the central mystery of the Blessed Trinity, so, too, do we proclaim the Eucharist, a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, is the celebration of the true presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. The bread and wine are not just symbols of our Lord Jesus Christ; they are his true presence--body, blood, soul and divinity. This is the source and summit of our Catholic faith.

God promised that through Jesus’ death on the cross, we would be forgiven for our sins. This agreement was sealed with the Body and Blood of Jesus at the Last Supper. When Jesus took bread and wine and blessed them, he promised to give his own body and blood as proof of God’s great love for us. We remember and celebrate this promise each time we celebrate Mass.

Weather permitting, we will gather outside at 6:00 PM on Wednesdays for Sunday readings and to pray the Rosary.  If you have questions, contact Deacon Dick at 218-391-6730.  

KofC.org/JoinUs Call Bob Spehar: 218-349-5051

For the months of June and July, St. Vincent de Paul Immaculate Conception Conference meetings will be held on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at St. Mary Star of the Sea at 6 PM.  Email svdpduluthmn@gmail.com with questions or for more details.  You are invited to join us in this ministry of experiencing God in serving our neighbors living in poverty.