February 6, 2026

Greetings in Christ,

This week, the Church continues to reflect on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  Our Lord teaches that you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  A world with joyful disciples of Christ who season and illumine those around them is a world that reflects the grandeur and glory of God!  This week, ask our Lord for a special grace of the Holy Spirit to help you be that salt and light!

Risen Christ Catholic School: Last weekend, I spoke about the challenges that Risen Christ Catholic School in Minneapolis has been facing.  Of their 300 students, 50 are not coming to school out of fear.  Fifteen of their parents have been detained or deported.   Great fear has gripped their community.   

In speaking with their president, Michael Rogers, they have built up a great team who bring their families groceries, help pay bills, bring the sacraments, as well as a word of encouragement to their families who are struggling.  They have a fund called the Family Emergency Fund that is used to help their struggling families.  It is quickly becoming drained because of their current crisis.  Michael Rogers would be extremely grateful for any assistance that our community could provide.  Below is the link to give.  Scrolling down, you will see the Family Emergency Fund.  

I will also provide the school’s address if you want to write a check.  Please write “Family Emergency Fund” on the memo line.

Risen Christ Catholic School

1120 E. 37^th Street

Minneapolis, MN   55407

Many people have also asked to view the homily from this past Sunday. Here is the link to our video library. The Gospel at 10am on Sunday, February 1 starts at 16:32.

Generous Donor Match for Risen Christ:  We have a generous donor who is willing to match $100 per donor, regardless of the amount given, up to an additional $3,000 for Risen Christ. This is a wonderful opportunity to maximize the impact of each gift.

Women's Retreat – Friendship with Jesus:  A special thank you to all the women who participated in this year’s 10^th women’s retreat!  Thank you to the women’s retreat committee, who worked together as a great team for another great retreat.  Thank you to the men who helped with the lunch.  I am also grateful to our speaker, Dr. Jessica Chastek, for her great talks.  Finally, thank you to our parishioner, Kimberly Fletcher, for sharing her amazing story of how she has put Christ at the center of her life, as well as her beautiful family.  Overall, it was another great retreat this year!

Bishop Robert Barron:  Bishop Barron interviewed New York Times columnist Ross Douthat, who is a convert to the Catholic faith.  It is a fascinating interview.  What becomes clear very quickly is that they are two intellectual giants.  Douthat can certainly hold his own and has a fascinating way of looking at the world.  In the interview, Douthat speaks about Christianity shrinking as it goes through a kind of death.  However, he insightfully says that this may not be all bad.   Sometimes, things have to die so that they can be reborn.  What can happen is that huge groups of people who have never even heard of Christianity and have become very dissatisfied in life can look at Christ with fresh eyes, “What is this strange teaching?”  The interview is well worth a listen!

Speaking with Young Priests: The Archdiocese asked me to give a talk to 32 priests ordained 1 – 5 years in the priesthood.   Eek!  Speaking to priests can be like speaking to cats!  I will provide my notes from the talk.  I decided to present our faith as a spiritual marriage with Jesus Christ.  There is a “Galilee moment” when we are first called.  Christ then begins to reveal us to ourselves, including our gifts, faults, and weaknesses.  Seminary formation is akin to an engagement.  Finally, priestly ordination begins the spiritual marriage with Christ and His Church.   Just as there is an adjustment period in sacramental marriage, so there is in the priesthood as well.

Sunday 5:00 pm Mass:  Our next Sunday 5:00 pm Mass is this Sunday, February 8. We are blessed to have Teresa Shackelford sharing her beautiful singing voice and musical gifts with us at this liturgy.

Holy Hour – Pray for Peace:  I would like to invite you and your families to join us for a special Holy Hour before Jesus in the Eucharist on Thursday, Feb. 12, from 6:00–7:00 pm.  This hour of prayer will include a short scripture reading with some intercessions and an opportunity for confession.  It will be a time to lift our State and Country, especially as we face significant challenges together.

Many parishioners have expressed a desire for a dedicated time to pray for unity and peace, and this gathering is a beautiful opportunity to do just that. All are warmly invited.  Please mark your calendars for February 12!  As Peter said to Jesus on Mount Tabor, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” (Matt. 17:4)

The Men’s Group of St. Therese Parish will be joining other parishioners for a Holy Hour from 6:00–7:00 pm to pray for our state and nation. A meeting will follow in the Community Room.

Chris Kokal will be sharing a Personal Faith Testimony. Come and hear firsthand how God has been at work in his life. All men of the parish are warmly invited.

A light dinner will be available at 7:00 pm. The presentation will begin at 7:15 pm and is expected to conclude by 8:00 pm.

Christ in the Movies: Save the dates for a little two-part series that I will offer this Lent called Christ in the Movies.  I will look at the movie Rocky (1976) and the Catholic themes in it.  The “bum from Philadelphia” was chosen by the world champ, Apollo Creed, for a fight.   We will look at the virtues of perseverance, resiliency, and tenacity.  We will also look at why the composer of the music in the final fight was inspired by, wait for it, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass!  The talk on Rocky will be on Thursday, February 19, at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm. 

“It really don’t matter if I love this fight. It really don’t matter if this guy opens my head.  ‘Cuz all I wanna do is go the distance.  No one has ever gone the distance.  If I can go the distance and that bell rings, and I’m still standing, it will the first time in my life that I’m not just another bum from the neighborhood.”  ~Rocky

The second movie we will look at is The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey (1998).  The Truman Show is a very Catholic movie!  Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey) is an ordinary man who gradually discovers his entire life, including his hometown of Seahaven, his friends, and his family, is a massive reality television show broadcast 24/7 to the world.  Things begin to unravel as he notices inconsistencies, and he begins a quest for the truth and freedom from the artificial world constructed around him by a visionary producer.  In short, while Truman has everything in the material realm a person could want, his heart still wants more.  The talk on The Truman Show will be on Thursday, March 12, at 10:00 am and 7:00 pm.

Catholic Services Appeal 2026 in Pew Request this Weekend:   As modern-day disciples, there are numerous ways we can serve the Lord and spread his Good News, like supporting our Catholic Services Appeal.  Let us prayerfully consider a gift to the Appeal so that the light of Christ continues to shine for those who are in need.  As a reminder, 90 cents of contributions benefit ministries and parishes directly, and just 10 cents go to administrative costs, which is below the standard fundraising and operational costs of 12-20%. St. Therese parish also benefits from your donation.

2026 Mardi Gras!  Our Annual Mardi Gras Event is coming up on Saturday, February 14, immediately following the 5 pm Mass. We invite you to join us for an enjoyable evening of food, fellowship, and games.

Tickets will be sold after all weekend Masses and will also be available at the door for $5.

We would greatly appreciate your help in making this event a success. 

We need help

If you have any questions, please contact Pat Strandberg at 612‑916‑6017.

Holy Land Pilgrimage:   Dr. Tim Grey with the Augustine Institute is leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from April 16 – 26, 2026.  I have been invited to be their chaplain for the pilgrimage.  I love the Holy Land!  They informed me that they have two rooms left for the pilgrimage.  If this is something that interests you, please email me, and I can provide you with more information about the pilgrimage.  Dr. Tim Grey is one of the best tour guides as he knows the Holy Land well!

Join Us in Praying the Rosary:  You are warmly invited to gather with us on Thursdays at 10 am by the fireplace to pray the Rosary together. It’s a peaceful way to pause, reflect, and lift our intentions as a community.

As a reminder, we also offer the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet every Thursday at 3 pm in the Chapel for those that this time works better.

Discerning Vocation Invite:  The archdiocese warmly invites young men 16 and older to join them for dinner and conversation about the priesthood and religious life. See flyer for more details.

Adoration:   We’d love for you to join our community of scheduled adorers by committing to one hour with our Lord. If you are able, please consider signing up for our open time slots. And of course, you are always warmly invited to come, pray, and spend time in our chapel whenever you wish.

 Wednesday, 12–1 pm

Please join us as we recite the Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy every Thursday at 3 pm in the Chapel.

For more information, call Geri at 952-473-4422 or Marilyn Olson at 952-474-4344.

The St. Therese Parish Meal Pack Save the Date:  Mark your calendars for March 17-18. This year, our goal is to pack more than 132,192 meals!

High Schoolers Lifeline:  Join us on February 7 from 6:00-9:30 pm.  Lifeline is a powerful night where high schoolers can encounter Jesus in a real and personal way while building authentic friendships. Each evening includes Mass, an engaging speaker who connects faith to real life, energetic praise and worship, and meaningful time in adoration.  The Guest Speaker, Fr. Chase Hilgenbrinck, is a priest of the Diocese of Peoria, Illinois, currently serving as Vocation Director. Before priesthood, he lived an extraordinary journey: he was a high school All-American in soccer, played on the U.S. National Team, competed at the Division I level for Clemson University, and spent several years playing professional soccer in Chile and with Major League Soccer’s New England Revolution. In 2008, he left professional soccer behind to follow God’s call to the priesthood and was ordained in 2014. Today, Fr. Chase shares his powerful story of faith, purpose, and surrender with young people across the country.

We will be attending Lifeline in February and hope you can join us! If you are interested in coming, please contact Chelsie Blustein at cblustein@st-therese.org 

High Schoolers Embark Session:  Join us on February 25 from 6:30–8:00 pm in the Community Room for a meaningful Embark session on faith and mental health with Addy Diaz from the Martin Center for Integration. Addy is a Master’s-level clinician working toward licensure as a Licensed Practicing Clinical Counselor (LPCC), a former youth minister, and an active worship leader with In The Name Worship. She brings real-life experience, practical tips, and a passion for helping teens grow in both faith and emotional health.

Together, we’ll explore how our Catholic faith offers hope, healing, and practical support for the ups and downs of life. This is a welcoming space for anyone seeking encouragement and tools for the journey. Parents are also invited!

Registration is now open for Extreme Faith Camp, our middle-school summer camp, which will be held from July 13-17, 2026.  EFC is a high-adventure summer camp for middle schoolers.  It is packed with incredible activities, including high ropes, zip lines, tubing, laser tag, climbing walls, archery, water activities, and more!  It is also a wonderful opportunity for middle schoolers to grow in community and fall in love with Jesus and our Catholic faith.

For a taste of what EFC is like, you can check out this video of past camps!

Registration is open now at this link.  For more questions or information about our scholarships, you can email Joe at jschiltz@st-therese.org.  Space is limited, so sign up now!

Greece Pilgrimage:  Registration is open for the Greece Pilgrimage in 2026!  We will be taking a pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul on a 9-night Cruise plus 4 nights in Athens.  The pilgrimage that will take place from September 14 to 28, 2026, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

We will follow in the footsteps of Saint Paul through Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessaloniki, and Philippi!  The 9-night cruise will sail through the breathtaking Greek Isles, giving you the opportunity to visit ancient temples and idyllic seaside villages in six ports of call: Rhodes, Ephesus, Santorini, Mykonos, Philippi, and Thessaloniki.  Check out this updated link:

More information on our school website or the Archdiocesan careers page.

Estate Planning:  A reminder that we have a Little Flower Legacy Society at St. Therese to encourage planned and estate gifts to our parish, our school, or one of our endowment funds.  Please include St. Therese as a beneficiary in your estate planning!  It is an opportunity to give back to our beloved parish and ensure that our parish remains financially viable for generations to come!

Flocknote:You can receive my daily Mass reflections sent right to your

phone! To sign up, just text the word “ANDRIE” to 84-576 to follow the link.

Stewardship:Thank you to everyone who continues to support St. Therese! I invite you to continue supporting our beloved parish as it helps us to serve you and remain connected with you! This can be done in the following ways:

As always, be assured of my gratitude for your generosity and prayers to St. Therese. Be assured of my prayers for you as well!

Blessings, 

Fr. Andrie