From the Pastor's Desk: Saints All Around Us

I remember the first time I went to a place that a true canonized saint walked in the United States.  At the end of my internship year, I went on a mission trip to Winnebago, NE to the reservation of the Winnebago Tribe.  There was a parish out there that had a mission that was started by St. Katherine Drexel.  She began the mission as part of her ministry to Native American and African Americans.  

She went to see Pope Leo XIII and told him of the plight of the peoples in the United States.  She asked who will you send to minister to these people.  Pope Leo XIII said why don’t you become a missionary.  Well, after much prayer she did. She formed the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament to minister to the the African American and Native American peoples.  

Today, there is a woman that was a FOCUS Missionary whose cause is up for sainthood.  Servant of God Michelle Duppong passed away on December 25, 2015 at the age of 31 from cancer when she was the Director of Adult Faith Formation for the diocese of Bismarck, ND.  She was a FOCUS Missionary for 6 years before her work for the diocese.

She was described as a young woman of great faith, compassion, prayer, and always walked with college students with great love.  She could walk with college students and speak with them in a very real way about their lives and faith.

After her death, “people have attributed miraculous healings and personal consolations to Duppong’s intercession, or have claimed to hear her voice giving them courage, her mother told OSV News. 

This shows us that saints are from all walks of life, and God is still inspiring us to holiness.  This past Sunday was Pentecost where we celebrated the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles.  Today we still see the movement of the Holy Spirit in people like Michelle Duppong.  

How do we see the Holy Spirit moving in our family of parishes? How has the Holy Spirit moved in your life and and inspiring you to live your faith?  How has the Holy Spirit renewed your faith?  How has the Holy Spirit shown you how to help you to live a greater life of love and seek holiness?  Holiness is our participation with God by allowing God to guide us to be the people he created us to be.  

In Christ,
Fr. Brian