St. Francis de Sales Church

TO: Clergy and Lay Faithful
FROM: The Most Rev. Andrew H. Cozzens and the Minnesota Catholic Conference
DATE: June 24, 2022
RE: Catholic Bishops of Minnesota Response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Statement of the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota in Response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s Ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson
Along with women and men across our nation who respect the inherent dignity of each human life, the Catholic bishops of Minnesota give thanks to God on this historic day as the Supreme Court ends the injustice of the Roe v. Wade decision. We are grateful that the Supreme Court has returned to state Legislatures and federal officials the ability to protect preborn children and save mothers and fathers from the untold pain of abortion.
For almost 50 years, Roe grievously denied one of America’s founding principles: that all men and women—irrespective of their stage of development—are created equal, with God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Forgetting this self-evident truth has resulted in the death of over 60 million preborn children and the wounding of millions of mothers and fathers.

Welcomed in Life

As a Church, we have been committed to providing help to every mother and father dealing with a crisis pregnancy, so they are not forced to choose abortion. We are proud that many of our Catholic faithful work in crisis pregnancy centers that create nonjudgmental networks of support for women. These centers offer shelter, housing assistance, free diapers and clothing, pregnancy and parenting classes, community referrals, childcare, and other charitable assistance. Through our continued efforts to respect the well-being of both the mother and the child, we have been honored to accompany countless women and men tempted to choose abortion. We have been privileged as well, through post-abortion healing retreats, to help parents who have chosen abortion to work through the pain they so often suffer.

To further support our work, the Catholic bishops of the United States have launched a nationwide initiative, Walking with Moms in Need (walkingwithmoms.com), to create additional avenues of support for mothers in our communities by way of Catholic parishes, ministries, and crisis pregnancy centers. We also pledge that our Catholic churches will be a sanctuary for women in crisis pregnancies. Any woman in a crisis pregnancy who comes to the door of a Catholic church in the state of Minnesota seeking assistance will be supported and, at a minimum, referred to resources where she can get help.

The Church’s contribution to public life walks with the two feet of justice and charity. Our direct assistance to women in crisis pregnancies through charitable and philanthropic efforts is fundamental in our endeavor to build an authentic culture of life. But we also commit to working in our state Legislature to ensure that every child is welcomed in life and respected by the law.

Respected in Law

Unfortunately, the landscape in Minnesota is shaped by our own version of Roe v. Wade. The 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision of the Minnesota Supreme Court characterized the state right to an abortion as a “broader protection” than Roe, including the right of low-income women to a taxpayer-funded abortion. Sadly, Gomez is unlikely to be overturned without a change in federal law or a state constitutional amendment.
Despite Minnesota’s legal landscape, we should continue to find ways to place reasonable limits on the availability of abortions, especially after viability (Minnesota is one of the few states without limitations on post-viability abortions). We should also put in place, and keep in place, measures to help protect women from further serious injury arising from the risks already involved with an abortion. Such protections include, among other things, licensing abortion clinics and requiring that chemical abortions be procured only through a physician.

To limit the demand for abortion, the state should also commit its resources to ensuring that women have the support they need to choose life. Some pregnancy centers are supported in part by the state’s Positive Alternatives Grant Program, which promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes and assists pregnant and parenting women develop and maintain family stability and self-sufficiency. In a budget that will reach $60 billion by 2024, our state allocates only $3.375 million for these services, even though the need is much greater. The most recent round of funding requests totaled roughly $6.5 million.

The prospect of Roe being overturned has already sharpened partisan division on the abortion question. As bishops, however, we have no interest in engaging as partisans, and we will continue to work to build common ground rooted in the principles articulated above. This is a matter of prenatal justice—giving to both mother and child that which is their due, namely, support and protection.

But make no mistake: we will rigorously oppose efforts to expand the abortion license in Minnesota and we will work with people on both sides of the aisle to prevent Minnesota from becoming an abortion sanctuary state.

Abortion advocates want people to believe that abortion promises liberation, but instead, it leads to sadness, pain, and the death of a human being. To quote one pro-life leader, “Abortion says ‘I sacrifice your life for my convenience.’ But Love says, ‘I sacrifice my convenience for your life.’ Only love will lead to fulfillment.” Let us be a credible witness to the Gospel of Life by sacrificing ourselves for the sake of others, both born and unborn.

We ask all Minnesotans to join our efforts to combat a throwaway culture, foster prenatal justice, and create a state where love prevails.
 

We always need help with light maintenance inside and outside the church building. Our all-volunteer maintenance crew works on Wednesday mornings from 8 am to noon, and keeps our parish from having to pay full or part-time staff. If you can help only one Wednesday a month, or even just a couple hours a month, it would be greatly appreciated. Free coffee, water, and treats, along with the eternal thanks of your parish community.

Fr. Maschio is our new Pastor. Say "Hello" when you see him.

Job Description
The Coordinator of Faith Formation for Hispanic Ministry works closely with the community to facilitate and promote the catechetical, evangelical, and formational of the Latinos throughout the Red River Area. The Coordinator collaborates with the Spanish-speaking to implement, coordinate, and support new methods of outreach as well as with the English-speaking leaders to act as a communication bridge to meet the needs of our growing Hispanic communities more effectively. The Coordinator demonstrates a strong commitment to Hispanic values and a deep understanding of the pastoral needs and gifts of our Hispanic community in the Diocese of Crookston. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Catechetical/ Sacramental/Liturgical
• Provide knowledge and skill set in the following areas: Evangelization, Adult Faith Formation, RCIA - Rite of Christian Initiation of Adult, Adult Confirmation, Parish Catechetical Leaders and Catechist Formation.
• Assist in the development of groups that would be interested in studying the Sacraments, Scripture, moral issues, doctrines of the Catholic Church, etc.
• Schedule and organize regular meetings, including leader’s spiritual retreats.
• Obtain Spanish-speaking presenters for catechetical events.
• Coordinate with DRE the scheduling and liturgical requirements for the celebration of the Sacraments of First Eucharistic, Reconciliation and Confirmation.
• Be liaison between parents and the RE Director for grades K-12
• Prepare couples who want to have their child baptized.
• Provide faith formation opportunities for parents of children in the parish.
• Inform and encourage all families to participate in RE education programs through outreach, personal contacts, the bulletin and announcements.
• Implement and maintain standards of practice for godparents and sponsors in the reception of the sacraments.
• Reach out to inactive Hispanics.
• Coordinate and oversee the training of Lectors, Eucharistic Ministers, Servers, Ushers, Greeters and Sacristans.
• Coordinate the music Ministry.
• Work with the Pastor and Liturgy Coordinator of St. Francis de Sales to prepare bilingual liturgies.
• Prepare and assist with the celebration of Quinceañeras.
• Coordinate the celebration for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
• Implement Christmas celebrations and other Latin traditions.
• Visit the sick, homebound and nursing homes.
• Support families in time of crisis. Administrative
• Attends national, regional, and diocesan meetings.
• Requests grants and prepares yearly evaluation reports.
• Ensures Safe Environment protocols are properly communicated and followed by the volunteers.
• Performs other duties assigned by the pastor.

QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's degree in Theology or Religious Education, Hispanic Studies or related field.
• 2+ years of active participation in a Hispanic community in the United States.
• Must be a practicing Catholic in good standing and committed to the Church and its mission.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to maintain confidentiality, and strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook).
• Familiarity with facilitating meetings in-person and through video conferencing.
• Detailed oriented and organized.
• Ability to multitask and prioritize.
• Must have valid driver's license.
• Must be able to work on weekends and occasionally evening hours.

LANGUAGE SKILLS
Fluency in both Spanish and English preferred (Must be fluent in Spanish).

ABOUT THE EMPLOYER
St. Francis de Sales’ mission is to inspire all people to know, love and serve God, cultivating our family of faith, embracing our cultural diversity and serving the community in general.

Our Parish Mission Statement

“To inspire all people to know, love, and serve God, by cultivating our faith family,
embracing our cultural diversity,
and serving the greater community.”

Misión de nuestra Parroquia

“Inspirar a todas las personas a
conocer, amar y servir a Dios,
cultivando nuestra familia de fe,
abrazando nuestra diversidad cultural y
sirviendo a la comunidad en general.”

Pray the Act of Consecration at home. Click here.