You can still be involved in the S.D. legislative session
Friday, February 03, 2012
8:48 AM
The South Dakota State Legislature continues the work of its 2012 session.
Lawmakers are in the midst of their 35 working days this session.
Diocesan lobbyist and co-director of the Office of Marriage, Family and Respect Life, Travis Benson is monitoring the various bills put forth.
Kelly Benson, the other co-director of that office is keeping tabs on the legislature and keeping the people of the diocese up to date on what is happening in Pierre through the Catholic Advocate Network (CAN).
CAN helps the people of the diocese stay informed about legislative business through legislative action alerts via e-mail.
You can check on the progress of the session and review CAN legislative action alerts on line at
www.can4life.org.
The CAN portion of the diocese’s website contains other resources that allow you to learn more about the legislative process and what role you can play as a faithful citizen.
You can also stay informed about legislative action through one of CAN’s 130 legislative liaisons in parishes across the diocese.
Sioux Falls students pitch in to help St. Francis House
Friday, February 03, 2012
8:44 AM
O'Gorman Junior High students recently worked part of their day helping out St. Francis House.
The students loaded a truck with toilet paper, paper towels, tissues and more.
It was part of a student service project where seventh and eighth grade students collected the items in the course of a month while learning about homelessness and how St. Francis House tries to alleviate that issue.
Fund raising raffle tickets still available to help Catholic Schools
Friday, February 03, 2012
8:41 AM
Some diocesan Catholic Schools are still hoping people will help raise money by taking part in a raffle organized by Catholic United Financial.
Immaculate Conception School, Watertown, is one of the Catholic schools participating again.
A year ago, Immaculate Conception School raised over $25,000 by selling 5,000 raffle tickets.
The funds help the school cover the difference between tuition paid by students and actual costs of educating a student.
This year, ten Catholic schools in South Dakota are taking part.
The schools hope to raise $83,000.
This is the raffle's third year.
You can find out more from your local Catholic School whether they are participating and how you might get one of the $5 tickets.
Catholic United Financial will collect the tickets for the drawing on March 1.
Ticket sales began January 13 and continue for six weeks.
Students learn about “Culture of Life”
Friday, February 03, 2012
8:39 AM
A doctor and a pregnant mom were recently in school with the O’Gorman Junior High “Students For Life” group sharing an actual ultrasound of a 16 week old fetus with the students.
The “Students For Life” group’s focus is to help students understand the value of life, and coordinators hope that by showing them the ultrasound, the students will really understand that when a woman is pregnant, there is a “living baby” in her womb, not just a mass of tissue.
Seminarians spend time with Bishop Swain; deacon meets Pope Benedict
Thursday, February 02, 2012
11:48 AM
Pictured at right, top, Bishop Paul J. Swain (front, center) stands with the diocesan seminarians, Father Edward Pierce, retired priest of the diocese (back, left), diocesan vocations director, Father Paul Rutten (back, center) in front of the bishop's house during their recent Christmas semester break. The seminarians shared faith and fellowship with the bishop, Father Pierce and Father Rutten as they were back in the diocese for the Christmas break at the seminaries and colleges they attend.
Pictured at right, bottom, Rev. Mr. Andrew Young, seminarian for the diocese (on the left) stands (left to right) with the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop of the Military Services, Pope Benedict XVI and Ryan Boyle, a first year seminarian from St. Petersburg, FL. Pope Benedict XVI received in audience Archbishop Broglio and eight other prelates from the United States and the Virgin Islands during their "ad limina" visit to Rome. (Bishop Swain and the bishops of our region have their ad limina visit with Pope Benedict scheduled for early March). Bishops make ad limina visits to the Eternal City every few years following a Church tradition dating back at least 12 centuries. Rev. Mr. Andrew Young was invited to accompany Archbishop Broglio in meeting the pope as he is part of the Diocese of Sioux Falls' involvement and partnership with the Military Archdiocese and its chaplaincy program.
New scholarship honors Presentation sister
Thursday, February 02, 2012
11:40 AM
A new college scholarship is named honoring Presentation Sister Sheila Schnell.
The scholarship program, targets at-risk students and was developed at University Center by Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center.
The Avera McKennan Sister Sheila Schnell Scholarship Endowment was developed specifically to provide opportunities for area students who graduate from high school after completing the USucceed program. “Helping at-risk students pursue a college education is an outreach that helps fulfill our mission at Avera McKennan, and the mission of the sisters. Supporting higher education also helps us develop a strong workforce for the future. This scholarship program addresses both goals,” said Dr. David Kapaska, regional president and CEO for Avera McKennan. “Sister Sheila highly values education and at the same time is dedicated to helping people who are underprivileged.”
Sister Sheila said, “I was thrilled and so very touched upon hearing of the Avera McKennan scholarship, given in my name. I am deeply honored and grateful to Avera McKennan for initiating this scholarship; it is also the work and legacy of our foundress, Nano Nagle, who spent her life and fortune educating the poor.”
Scotland youth people raise money food pantry
Thursday, February 02, 2012
11:35 AM
Recently, the St. George Catholic Youth Group of Scotland had a pancake breakfast at the parish.
Proceeds from the events were used to purchase food for the Bon Homme Food Pantry.
The young people purchased over $300 of food and delivered it.
The students were grateful and thankful to all who supported their efforts.
Garretson students take part in youth ministry
Thursday, February 02, 2012
11:24 AM
Senior High students from St. Rose of Lima Parish, Garretson have been participating in diocesan youth ministry and events.
Catholic Family Sharing Appeal gets support from new advisory committee
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:33 AM
Three veteran pastors have been appointed by Bishop Paul Swain to serve on a new advisory committee aimed at assuring a successful Catholic Family Sharing Appeal each year.
The pastors are Father Terry Anderson, pastor of Holy Trinity, Huron; Father J. Joseph Holzhauser, pastor of St. Mary, Aberdeen and Father Gregory Tschakert, pastor of St. Mary, Dell Rapids.
CFSA director Melinda North said the advisory committee replaces what in previous years was referred to as priest directors, who only served one year. “The committee members will serve staggered three year terms providing continuity and the opportunity to build upon previous years,” she said.
Each of the committee members has found ways to help foster the understanding of the appeal’s value to parishioners.
“The CFSA reminds us in a very practical way that we belong to a church that is much bigger than our local parish,” said Fr. Tschakert.
“In the Creed we profess our belief in a church that is One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic, and our commitment to our local bishop is a practical sign of our connection to that larger church. At every Mass we pray in unity with Benedict our Pope and Paul our Bishop. When we make our commitment to the CFSA we express that our connection to the diocesan and universal church is more than a matter of mere words," he said.
Father Terry Anderson agrees, “The challenge and the hope is educating people to see the needs of larger church. It is true that many Catholics do not have an understanding of the larger church, that is the diocesan church as well as the universal church. Recent world tragedies (ex. Japan earthquake and tsunami, and African famine and refugee struggles) do remind us of the necessity of helping other people around the world. To be able to respond to the needs of the diocese, one must see that there is a need and have a desire to respond to those needs.
Father Holzhauser believes the advisory committee can make a difference. “The hope is for greater clarification of the sense of duty as stewards to maintain ministries beyond our own parishes - to touch the lives of those not seen every day by us. To be responsible in proclaiming the Gospel in a broader perspective,” he said.
Among the first recommendations of the committee was to again hold regional educational meetings prior to the 2012 CFSA. Those meetings will be held January 10 in Aberdeen, January 17 in Dell Rapids and January 24 in Mitchell. Afternoon sessions will be aimed at parish staff and volunteers who support pastors in their CFSA parish efforts. Evening sessions will be held for specifically for priests to assist in creating a successful appeal in each parish.
Working together means not only achieving the financial support that is needed, but also building up the Church. Said Father Holzhauser, “Sometimes the perspective is that each parish is to stand as an island alone, self-sufficient and only reaching beyond parish boundaries when they have excess, but . . . we are a diocesan church under the leadership of a bishop.
CFSA 2012 will follow the theme “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ,” 1 Cor. 11:1 and will begin with announcement weekend February 4-5, Education weekend February 11-12, and commitment weekend February 18-19.
Catholic Radio coming to the diocese
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
9:25 AM
Catholic Radio is coming to the Diocese of Sioux Falls.
People across the diocese should be able to tune into a new radio station, KSTJ 91.3 FM "The Lamb” this spring.
Kevin Culhane, president of Agnus Dei Communications, Inc., said the station is scheduled to be on the air by April or May.
Bringing Catholic radio to eastern South Dakota has been a long standing goal of the diocese and the effort is being led by Culhane, his wife Margi, Agnus Dei Communications, Inc., a South Dakota non-profit corporation.
"Pope Benedict XVI has called us to the New Evangelization. Catholic Radio will be a wonderful communications vehicle to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ,” said Bishop Paul J. Swain. “I am grateful for the efforts of Agnus Dei Communications to bring Catholic radio to our diocese.”
Culhane's efforts have been ongoing for several years and came to fruition following a pilgrimage he and his wife made to Lourdes in France in 2007. From then on, Culhane said he enjoyed a spiritual renewal and began to put the wheels in motion, meeting with the bishop and making progress toward getting Catholic Radio up and running.
KSTJ-FM will serve those in the diocese, bringing a mix of national and local Catholic programming including Vatican News, top rated national talk shows from EWTN Global Radio Network and Ava Maria Radio. Daily local programming will feature the airing of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the recitation of the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy and informative local shows featuring Bishop Swain and priests throughout the diocese.
Listeners will also have the opportunity to call in and interact with talk show hosts and engage in discussions on numerous topics of the Catholic faith.
Prior to his efforts with Catholic Radio, Culhane spent 33 years as a respected and successful broadcaster in South Dakota.
"It is important for the people who reside in the dicoese because there are 16,000 commercial and non-commercial radio stations in the country today, about 1,600-1,700 of those are Christian radio stations. Only 185 are Catholic radio stations," Culhane said. "So we have vast challenge ahead of us."
Up to this point, Culhane added, "there is nothing in South Dakota."
That was really why he felt Catholic Radio was the direction he wanted, needed to travel.
"I think it's the wave of new evangeliztion and the teachings of the Catholic Church and the catechism," he said.
Culhane sold his Yankton area commercial radio stations in December 2010 (KVHT-FM/AM 1570 KVTK) so he could devote his full-time energies toward bringing Catholic radio to the state.
"ln gratitude for the many blessings I’ve received, it was important for me to give back to the Catholic Church. This project has been a privilege and honor for me to work on,” Culhane said.
Culhane added that future expansion for Catholic radio calls for coverage throughout eastern South Dakota in the coming months and ultimately throughout the entire state. "It's going to be a three phase project," he said. "Phase one will incorporate the Hartford/Sioux Falls frequency which is owned by the diocese and the bishop.
The Ipswich/Aberdeen area will be next followed by adding a translator in Yankton to cover the south area of the diocese.
The key will be raising the $1.3 million dollars to get it all done.
Culhane is fielding inquiries on how people can help at 605-689-4659 or at kculhane.agnusdei@midconetwork.com.
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