Supporting Our Future Priests: The CSA Appeal and Father Samuel's Visit

If you know Father Dan Tracy, our associate pastor, and Father Samuel Schneider, a priest of our Diocese who was assigned to Saint Patrick’s when he was a seminarian and is now a military chaplain, you may notice that they look quite similar. You will have the opportunity to make a comparison this weekend, because Father Samuel Schneider will be visiting us. He is back in our Diocese to attend our annual priest retreat. Father Dan and I will be there too. It takes place this Monday through Thursday at Trinity Woods. Trinity Woods was recently purchased by a group of Catholics from the Archdiocese Saint Paul/ Minneapolis and turned it into a Catholic retreat center. 

Father Samuel is currently stationed in San Diego, CA, and is attached to a Marine Battalion. The Marines don’t have their own chaplains; rather, they share chaplains with the Navy. While Father Samuel was at Saint Paul Seminary, we served as his teaching parish. He was with us generally one weekend per month and one day during the week. Currently, we have Pat Sorrells with us, and we serve as his teaching parish. Pat is studying for the Diocese of Fargo. He is in his third year of seminary formation and will be ordained a transitional deacon in the spring. 

We are blessed as a Diocese to have six young men studying for the priesthood this year. This includes one man from our parish, Andrew Kreye. Andrew is at Saint Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee. This is where both Father Dan and Blessed Father Solanus Casey studied. 

This weekend we begin our annual Catholic Services Appeal (CSA). This annual appeal provides financial support for our Diocese. Among the things financially supported by the appeal is the education and formation of our future priests. Father Dan, Father Samuel, our current seminarians and I are all tremendously grateful for the support you give to the CSA. Without this support, none of us would be the priests we are today, whether we are still in formation, have been a priest for just over a year, a priest for seven years, or a priest for thirty-three years. It was and is the CSA that provides for our preparation to be your priests. 

But none of us, especially the young men becoming priests today, entered the seminary without first having great opportunities to experience our rich Catholic faith. For the young people today, they often start by participating in our Diocesan summer program for first through twelfth graders called Totus Tuus. These weeklong camps are held at local parishes throughout our diocese, including Saint Patrick’s. A team of college students, well formed in the faith spend the summer traveling from parish to parish conducting these camps. 

Next is Extreme Faith Camp. It is a weeklong summer camp for middle schoolers. Many of the middle schoolers will continue attending Extreme Faith Camp into their high school years as counselors. Middle and high schoolers will attend the evening Totus Tuus program in their home parishes. High Schoolers can strengthen their faith by participating in a Discipleship weekend, sponsored by the Diocese. Some of the young men will attend a Saint Andrew dinner with their parents to learn especially about the process of becoming a priest. 

These are just a few of the things that the CSA helps to fund. The CSA supports a variety of Diocesan offices that help us with our school and to exist as a parish. Continuing education programs are offered for our staff, and diocesan retreats are held for men and women. And the list goes on.

This year our annual assessment is $124,463. This is similar to what is has been the past several years. The great news is that this past year, we surpassed our goal by just over $4,000. That money will move forward and help us with this year’s assessment. My hope is that we can once again show we are in union with the other parishes of our Diocese and our Bishop in generously supporting the CSA. Our contributions don’t just support Diocesan offices; they support our parishes, our youth, our future priests, and they support all of us in our journey of faith.

To watch the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA) video, click HERE.

To make a pledge to the Catholic Services Appeal (CSA), click HERE.