August 2020

Question: Why do the pope and some religious sisters/brothers change their name? Answer: [caption id="attachment_5202" align="alignright" width="300"] Pope Francis greets a group of nuns outside the Diocesan Seminary in Ecatepec on February 14, 2016. (Photo by © L'Osservatore Romano)[/caption] This is another common question that both Catholics and others often ask and is worth taking some time to answer. Before diving in, it’s worth noting that popes and religious sisters and brothers do not change names for the same reason. As we will see, although there are similarities, there are also differences between the two practices. We will begin with the practice of receiving a new name as a religious sister or brother. The first thing to note is that the practice of receiving a new name as a member…

By Brianna Wingen [caption id="attachment_5197" align="alignright" width="300"] Brianna Wingen, social media lead and administrative assistant, Diocese of Sioux Falls Communications Office[/caption] I remember as a child having mixed feelings about returning to school. There was the excitement of making it to the next grade, new school supplies, wonderment about the new things I would learn during the new school year, and above all the excitement to be reunited with friends. On the other hand, I remember having anxiety and a certain level of fear about returning to school. Was I ready for the next grade? Would the new material I would learn be too hard, and would I fail and be held back? But the one thing I remember fearing the most was that my friends had all decided they…

[caption id="attachment_5191" align="alignright" width="300"] TV Mass volunteers Brianna Wingen and Bill Sealey run the video and sound from the production room during Mass.[/caption] One big family of God gathers every weekend to watch the Sunday TV Mass recorded at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Sioux Falls. That Mass is then posted on YouTube to a world-wide audience. As the world has stayed home in efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, many Catholics have searched for ways to watch Mass online. Amazingly, many have found our little corner of the world and share Mass with us every Sunday. Nearly every state in the U.S. is represented in viewers. And these are just some of the places where other Catholics join in from: Indonesia, the Arctic Circle, Zimbabwe, India, Hong…

[caption id="attachment_5184" align="alignright" width="221"] Bishop Donald DeGrood lays hands on Bishop Peter Muhich during his ordination as the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City.[/caption] Archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis Bernard A. Hebda presided at the ordination of the new bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City, Bishop Peter M. Muhich, July 9 in Rapid City. Bishops from many dioceses were present to take part in the ordination, including Bishop Donald DeGrood, along with the Apostolic Nuncio to the U.S., Archbishop Christophe Pierre, and Cardinal Blase Cupich from the Archdiocese of Chicago. Bishop DeGrood served as co-consecrator along with Bishop Robert Gruss of the Diocese of Saginaw. Bishop Muhich comes from the Diocese of Duluth where he has been a priest at several parishes since his priestly ordination…

Catholic Family Services (CFS) will begin offering a new grief program called “Grief Share” this September. This is a world-wide Christian-based program designed for adults and presented in church settings. This support group combines educational videos, a workbook and time for discussion. It will be offered three times a year and will be presented over 11 weeks each time. Mary Weber, interim clinical director of CFS, says the program blends professional education with time for small group sharing and reflection. They hope it will allow more people around the diocese to get the grief counseling they need. “CFS realizes not all people can drive to Sioux Falls for a grief support group,” Weber says. “The Grief Share model allows CFS to show the videos remotely via Zoom to rural parishes…