This past weekend, March 29/30, there were a lot of movements for priests to help each other out. I want to share this with you for a few reasons. The first is that, we don’t know what we don’t know. In other words, without being told about things happening in the broader diocese we don’t have a context for why priests are needed to help out elsewhere. This goes into the second reason which is to ask for prayers for our priests. Prayers for priests who are out on medical leave getting the healing they need as well as prayers for the priests who are doing all they can to maintain the Sacraments for the People of God across the Diocese. Lastly, I share this information in gratitude for my brother priests who give of themselves joyfully to serve God, His Church, and His People.

So, what happened this last weekend? On Saturday, many priests and laity alike were invited to a day at the Pastoral Center to discuss goals for evangelization of our diocese, and to work on strategies and tactics to begin fulfilling these goals. On a practical level for priests, this meant that some priests would need coverage in their parishes on Saturday evening for confessions and/or Mass. With our new Mass schedule in our parish cluster we were able to attend to these needs. Even though Fr Jacob was on vacation, Fr Sekhar and I were able to help out two different priests. Fr Sekhar drove out of town to take a Saturday evening Mass for a brother priest, and I helped out in town by taking another priest’s Saturday afternoon confessions and making it back for the 4:30pm Mass at the Cathedral.

Before moving on to Sunday, I just want to say a quick word about priests being gone on vacations on the weekends. Of the 52 weekends in a year, priests – by Canon Law – are allowed to take vacation on 4 weekends. This was the first weekend that Fr Jacob has taken off in this fiscal year (runs July 1 – June 30). We are not in a place due to the number of priests we have in active ministry, and the number of priests who can substitute on weekends for all priests to take their four weekends off per year, but we are starting to make progress towards this to keep our priests healthy.

On Sunday, we had a lot of movement of priests, and I want to thank particularly Fr Sekhar Dasari, and Fr Anthony Craig for their flexibility and willingness to jump in and serve, and to Fr Seamus Walsh for substituting for Fr Jacob. Fr Seamus is a joyful servant, and I am grateful for all of the help he gives us!

Onto what happened on Sunday. Bishop Daniel was scheduled to be at St. Joseph’s in Heights here in Duluth at 9:30am to give an update on Fr John Petrich’s health (all good news, but just needed to update the parish). However, Bishop Daniel was needed to go to Chisholm and Buhl to give them an update on Fr Paul Strommer’s health. Fr Paul is struggling with depression, and although he has been getting medical help, the struggle continues. It is uncertain when Fr Paul will be back in active ministry. Because of this, Bishop went to Chisholm and Buhl, and I went to St. Joseph’s in the Heights. Because of Mass times however, we needed to shuffle priests around. I was able to go from 8am Cathedral to 9:30am St. Joseph in the Heights and then 11am St Lawrence. Fr Sekhar went from 8:30am St. Joseph Gnesen to 10am Cathedral, and Fr Anthony went from 9am Holy Family to 10:30am Newman Center.

Please continue to pray for our priests, especially for Fr John Petrich and Fr Paul Strommer, that they may get the healing they need, and take the time necessary to get it. Please pray also for our active priests and for our retired priests who are vital in helping out all of our parishes in our diocese. I am grateful for the sacrificial love and care that all of our priests, starting with our Bishop, give to serve the needs of the People of God. I am so thankful too to all of our deacons who are so instrumental in making sure things are taken care of, and lastly, I am grateful to all of our parishioners, and all of the parishioners in the Diocese of Duluth for your prayers and care for your priests. 

God bless. – Fr Seth

Thank you for your extraordinary generosity supporting the Cathedral Cares fund, Star of the Sea Helping Hands fund and St. Michael's Beatitudes in Action. These initiatives help serve the lives of those in need in our mission field delivering on the healing, hope and joy of Jesus. 

Boosted by the Ash Wednesday collections, these three funds provided CHUM Food Shelf and Second Harvest Food Bank in Duluth donations totaling $16,600.  This will allow the food banks to double the donation to $33,200 through the March Minnesota Food Share Matching Program! In addition, donations totaling $15,500 were made from Cathedral Cares and Helping Hands to St. Vincent DePaul, Women's Care Center, Life House, Star of the North Maternity House, Northland Fertility Care, Union Gospel Mission, Damiano Center, Beatitudes in Action, and Duluth Harbor Mission. 

We have our ongoing Food Basket Program supporting CHUM food shelf through our basket collections at the Cathedral and St. Michael's averaging several hundred pounds of food donated monthly. 

The St. Michael Parish Office will be closed until noon on Tuesday, April 8 .  

St. Mary Star of the Sea: There will be a pancake breakfast at St. Mary Star of the Sea on Sunday April 6 from 9 to 11:30.  The cost is $8 adults, and $4 children under 10.  Gluten free pancakes and takeouts available.  Please join us!  

St. Michael: The Knights of Columbus will be having their pancake breakfast Sunday, April 13, in the Fellowship Hall at St. Michael Church.  Breakfast will be served starting at 9:30 a.m. and continue after the 11:00 a.m. Mass.  Cost is $9 per person with a maximum of $20 per family.  We hope to see you there! 

Thank you for your generous support of the 2024 Ministries Appeal.  Because of you, the Cathedral was able to attain their goal and receive back a rebate in the amount of $5,997 for your parish.  Thank you so much and blessings upon you and your loved ones. - Bishop Daniel

Catholic Relief Services Rice Bowls are available in the gathering space at St. Michael to accompany you on your Lenten journey. Through prayer, fasting, and generosity, your contributions help support those in need around the world.  Gifts may also be given through the CRS Rice Bowl Community giving page at crsricebowl.org/give.  Thank you for your support! 

Laundry Love:  

There will be a collection for Laundry Love after the 11 am Mass at St Michael's.  Our April service date is Tuesday, April 15th. 

CHUM:  

The March Food Share drive continues through April 6 when all donations are partially matched.  All non-perishable food donations are needed and appreciated.  Our focus is on cereal donations:  hot and cold whole grain cereals, whole grain pastas and whole grain crackers. 

Join us for Into the Breach, a powerful 12-episode video series from the Knights of Columbus, designed to inspire and strengthen Catholic men in their faith. Meetings take place every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at St. Michael's Church.  Each episode explores a core theme, including brotherhood, leadership, fatherhood, and spiritual warfare, offering powerful insights and discussions to help men live out their faith with courage and conviction.  Everyone is welcome—come be part of the journey!

Knights of Columbus Members are encouraged to join our council every first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at St. Michael’s Church, where we come together as a Catholic faith-motivated organization to uplift our community and nurture our spiritual lives.  We cherish the opportunity to connect over our shared beliefs and family values, and with 21 active members, our group is growing and ever welcoming.  We would be delighted to have you join our journey of faith and service.  We are committed to giving back to our community and parish through volunteering and/or financial support while enjoying good fellowship.  For more information about joining the Knights, please contact our Membership Director, Al Robins at 218-260-0399.

The application deadline for the Frances and Theodore Perrault Scholarship is rapidly approaching. St. Michael's Catholic Church parishioners have the opportunity to receive one of three $1,500 scholarships, provided all eligibility requirements are met. This scholarship is open to both traditional and non-traditional students pursuing higher education, including college-bound students, as well as those enrolling in vocational or associate degree programs. The final selection of recipients will be determined by the Perrault Scholarship Committee. All applications must be submitted by Monday, April 14, 2025. To apply, please visit Perraultscholarship.com. 

Your Voice of Support is Needed NOW: Currently, Minnesota state budget drafts and legislation are proposing to remove decades-long nonpublic pupil aid. These tax-payer statute funds provide essential services to students including:

·Transportation (bussing to and from school)

·Nurse Support and Consult to Nonpublic Students 

·Counseling Support to Nonpublic Students in in 7th grade - 12th grade

·Curricular and Assessment Funds

Elimination of these essential educational services has a negative impact on families, independent schools, and all students. The funds that are being eliminated are not enhancing public school budgets nor serving as a tax-break to Minnesotans.  

If you would like to help advocate for students of SMA, and all independent schools in Minnesota, please visit the Minnesota Catholic Conference Action Alert linked below to communicate this injustice to the Governor and local legislators https://www.mncatholic.org/action_23393

Please join the Duluth Serra Ministry in praying for our April Seminarian of the Month, Zavior Franck. Zavior is in his second year of Configuration at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. His home parish is St. Joseph in Crosby.