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Faith Briefs for Feb. 7

CDA meeting Monday The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, Court #1291 will be having their meeting following the 5:30 p.m. Mass Monday at Holy Redeemer. Join CDA in Carlin Hall for a “Wine and Cheese” gathering along with CDA announcements. Lenten Bible Study at St. Michael’s Winter/Lenten Bible Study: All are invited to attend “The Chosen” Season 2 Lenten Bible Study at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, in the basement of St. Michael’s Church in Milroy. Stations, soup and bread will follow the 5:30 p.m. Mass. All are welcome to attend.

The day I quit working at being a pastor and chose to act like a pastor

There are days that this pastoring thing is more than alright, I tell ya. Oh, there are plenty of days when one looks skyward and thinks to themself: “So, this is what you’ve called me to, eh, Big Guy?” The long hours, the nonstop schedule, the need to be in multiple places at once, wanting to care for everyone but realizing your human finiteness, facing a world of heartbreak, and trying to be a spouse and parent too. But then there are days like on a recent Sunday when I returned to the pastor’s office after worship to find my confirmation students’ sermon notes left on ...

Faith Briefs for Jan. 31

Night of Cornerstone Wednesday The community is invited to the Night of Cornerstone, which is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Cornerstone Church at 202 North Fourth Street. The Night of Cornerstone is an opportunity for adults and children and is on the first Wednesday of every month. Night of Cornerstone is a time for worship, prayer and fellowship, with a special program for children. Program offered to the community A 13-week GriefShare session will begin at 6:30 pm, Monday, Feb. 24, at Holy Redeemer Church, Marshall. If you have experienced the death of a loved one (spouse, ...

Should you not see my column next week, you might worry

More than 120 years ago, my great-grandfather Alexander William Brooks Sr., his wife Mary Ann and their first three children crossed the Canadian border into Minnesota, riding the rails to Crookston, where they settled. Alex lived a long and prosperous life, fathering nine children, first with Mary, and then after her death, with his second wife, Emma. He lived until 1962, and was remembered by at least my older brother who wrote an adoring college freshman English essay about him. But here’s our family scandal: There’s no proof that Alexander nor Mary ever became U.S. citizens. ...

My brother may not have been a pastor by title, but he was by trade

I miss my brother Drew. Now that the rush of the holidays and the adrenaline of turning a new calendar year are over, I am beginning to acutely feel the loss of my older brother who passed away in early December. My brother and I weren’t “call-each-other-every-day” close, which the 12-year gap in age difference had much to do with, but we were still close nonetheless. And, while this may sound silly, I find myself missing the fact that he is in this world, with us. Because unfortunately it was through his death that I discovered just how large of an impact that he had on ...

Our nation’s doctor has issued us a prescription; will we take it?

Our nation’s surgeon general, who is stepping down after a second term as our country’s chief medical officer, has issued us a critical medical prescription my friends. And that is: Build a stronger sense of community to help ourselves and each other. Do it now. He says that given the state of our individual and collective health as a society, this community building is imperative. “Community is a powerful source of life satisfaction and life expectancy,” Dr. Vivek Murthy wrote in a parting essay this week. “It’s where we know each other, help each other, and find ...