We are entering into Holy Week. We have some of the most unique and beautiful liturgies of the year during this week. Please join us for the Chrism Mass on Monday at the Cathedral at 5:30pm. This is the Mass that the Bishop blesses all of the oils that will be used for Sacraments for the next year, and the priests renew their priestly promises.

We know of course that later in the week we have Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil which form one liturgy. Our cluster will have just one Holy Thursday Mass and one Easter Vigil where we will come together for these liturgies that Bishop Daniel will preside at. Each of our parishes will have a Good Friday service, and Easter Sunday will be the normal Sunday schedule with the exception of there not being any 6pm Sunday evening Mass. Here is the schedule for the Triduum.

Holy Thursday – 7pm Cathedral 

Good Friday – 12:10pm St. Mary Star of the Sea; 3pm Cathedral; 7pm St. Michael

Easter Vigil – 8:45pm Cathedral

I hope to see you all this Holy Week!

Finally, below I have the letter from Bishop Daniel that was read at all of the Masses in our six parishes of our mission field last weekend. In case you weren’t at Masses in our mission field last weekend, please read below to see what changes we are making for our mission field come July 1st.

As I said at Masses, this Priest Team model will give us the opportunity to have Fr. Matt Miller assigned as chaplain to Stella Maris Academy which is a huge blessing. To have a priest chaplain at our Catholic school is an investment in our young people who are there, and I look forward to seeing the fruit that comes from this.

The priest team will take care of all of the pastoral needs of our mission field and aid us in having a common vision. Our weekend schedule is now set up so that a priest from our team can help with the broader needs of the diocese on weekends.

In the weeks to come we will begin looking at everything in our mission field to start planning for the future. As Bishop Daniel said to the priests at our priest conference in the fall of 2024, “The mission field is the new basic unit.” So, if we have something available in the mission field, it belongs to all the parishes in that mission field. Please read the letter below, and let us all pray together for our priests, deacons, and all of the laity in our mission field. 

God bless. – Fr Seth

The Duluth east side Mission Field seeks to fulfil its vision and mission to lead all people to Jesus and the Kingdom of God. To best serve that mission a dedicated Priest Team has been established to serve all six east side parishes, as well as Stella Maris Academy.

Effective July 1, 2025, the following priestly leadership assignments will take effect:

Together, these four priests will form the East Side Mission Field Priest Team, collaboratively ministering to the spiritual and pastoral needs of the community. This unified approach ensures a shared vision for evangelization, priestly support in community, and a consistent pastoral presence across the mission field.

This team-based pastoral model reflects a broader initiative within our diocese. In the coming year, at least four mission fields will be served by Priest Teams, strengthening the Church’s outreach through collaboration and shared leadership.

With the recent reconfiguration of weekend Masses for the Duluth East Side Mission Field, the Priest team could be able to help with weekend coverage in other parishes if necessary.

Fr. Jacob Toma will be assigned to St. Francis parish in Brainerd and All Saints parish in Baxter as a parochial vicar. We are grateful for the many ways that Fr. Jacob has served our parishes and Stella Maris Academy.

Until July 1, 2025, current priest assignments for the Duluth East Side Mission Field will remain unchanged.

Let us continue living our mission—guiding every person, wherever they may be on life’s journey, to the healing, hope, and joy found only in Jesus Christ. 

–Bishop Daniel

Friday, April 11: there will be no Adoration or Chaplet of Divine Mercy at St. Mary Star of the Sea.  

Monday, April 14: Please note there is no 7am Mass at the Cathedral or noon confessions or Mass at St. Mary Star of the Sea. Instead, all are invited and encouraged to attend the Chrism Mass at 5:30 pm at the Cathedral. 

Our parish offices will be closed Good Friday, April 18 and Easter Monday, April 21. 

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! 

Join us for a conversation on end-of-life issues from a Catholic perspective with Dr. Natalie King, a palliative medicine physician and author of Intensive Caring: A Practical Handbook for Catholics about Serious Illness and End-of-Life Care (Ave Maria Press, 2024). Dr. King will be interviewed by Prof. Kevin Vaughan. 

We have 2 options for this meeting! 1. In person. - free beer and snacks provided 2. Online from the comfort of your own home   It is a new day, new time and new place: Wednesday April 23 beginning at 6:15pm at St. Benedict Catholic Church.  

To rsvp visit duluthcathmed.org.  

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 for Laundry Love.  Our April service date is Tuesday, April 15th.  Thank you for your support to fund laundry service for low/no income persons in our community. 

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. 

Support Catholic Education in Duluth! Join us for our annual Stellabration event with food, drinks, silent and live auctions, and state fair fun! Silent auction opens May 26th at 12:00pm and doors to the event open at 5:00 on May 30th. To learn more about how to attend or participate in the silent auction please visit www.stellamaris.academy/stellabration

Come join SMA next year! We are currently enrolling students in our early childhood programs through 12th grade for the 25/26 school year. Please visit our website to learn about our admissions process and to schedule a tour! 

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.