Bishop DeGrood's Column Archives - The Bishop's Bulletin

Turn to God for the supernatural gift of faith

Bishop DeGrood's Column, September 2021

Sep 01, 2021 by rkranz

In a college course I took, I was blessed to learn an important insight from St. Anselm about a good approach to the things of faith that we don’t understand: “faith seeking understanding.” This key insight has been so helpful to me because previously I would come from the disposition of “I need to understand first and then I will believe (have faith).” The problem with my former way of thinking was that I needed to learn that faith is a gift from God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) speaks of faith as the “theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us, and that Holy Church proposes for our belief, because he is truth itself” (CCC 1814).…

New opportunities for holiness coming to diocese

August 2021, Bishop DeGrood's Column

Aug 01, 2021 by rkranz

I am pleased to announce two wonderful opportunities for our diocese to grow in missionary discipleship and holiness. First, those involved with the formation of seminarians of our diocese have been researching and proposing ways we can assist men in discernment and in discernment and formation for priesthood. This new initiative is being developed because of the Vatican’s request for dioceses to provide a period of time of formation called the Propaedeutic Stage, which includes intellectual, but above all, human and spiritual formation. This stage of formation is envisioned to occur prior to a man going to the seminary so he can flourish when he does go, and it provides time for those responsible for recommending a man for the seminary to get to better know a man’s readiness and…

The gift of my faith-filled farming parents

Bishop DeGrood's Column, July 2021

Jul 01, 2021 by rkranz

Little did I know as a kid the gift of the impact of my faith-filled farming parents. I suspect like many of us it is easy to take things for granted or to not really see the full value of something until many years later in life. As I grow older, it seems I grow ever more grateful for the faith and farming background of my parents, and how their witness has left a lasting and crucially important impact upon me. My mother’s parents were not able to financially provide for busing for my mom to go to a Catholic high school, but a Catholic education was so very important to them. So my mother lived with a family in town during her high school years and helped the family…

My first teachers of the faith: Mom and Dad

Bishop DeGrood's Column, June 2021

Jun 01, 2021 by rkranz

One of the fascinating things about little babies and young kids is how they learn to mimic others. It’s something parents learn quickly as their children grow, and they also realize the impact parents have on their children’s lives by their own example, especially their spiritual lives. The exemplary impact and role of healthy, happy and holy moms and dads helps us through life to choose to be healthy, happy and holy ourselves. Their words, actions and shared motivations for all good things significantly impact our world and personal views for good or for bad. Of course we are all limited humans and make mistakes and even sin, and some things like physical and psychological health are beyond our control. And of course, we are dependent upon God’s grace in…

St. Joseph comes alive through dad and brother

Bishop DeGrood's Column, May 2021

May 01, 2021 by rkranz

One of my four brothers was named Joseph, whom we commonly called Joe. He is the one among us five boys who likes to stay on the farm and work rather than do public sorts of things. I learned many things from my brother Joe as we grew up: how to raise rabbits, pigeons, trap, hunt and so many things about nature, cows, pigs and other farm animals. He is a farmer and nature enthusiast who loves to live a very hidden, simple, faith-filled wholesome life as a farmer and hunter. And he is generous when it comes to helping the Church and others, along with his wife, Connie. Joe was really a “chip off the old block” like my dad who is known for saying, “I will usher at…

New assignments support healthy priestly life

April 2021, Bishop DeGrood's Column

Apr 01, 2021 by rkranz

There is a great saying “As the shepherd goes so too the parishioners.” It has been on my heart and in my prayer to find ways to help our clergy be as healthy, happy and holy as possible so they can help each of you be healthy, happy and holy. After listening to insights from clergy, laity and members of the Clergy Personnel Committee, as well as discerning the gifts of priests and insights in prayer, I am changing our approach to priestly assignments for a variety of reasons: To promote healthy, happy and holy priestly life and ministry, I asked for input at our Clergy Days last October on what they would find helpful. I then surveyed our priests to see which ones would be open to living with…

In the silence, God speaks

Bishop DeGrood's Column, March 2021

Mar 01, 2021 by rkranz

Perhaps you are much like me in wanting to hear God speak to you. After many years of learning more about prayer, I have found that it is important for me to be in silence so I can hear the voice of God speaking to my mind and heart. Learning how to receive all the good things God wants for me and His direction in my life is not always easy. But if I can find the right environment, time and an open disposition to really listen, I am much more able to hear and receive God’s interior messages in my mind and heart as I prayerfully try to listen intently. One such place in our diocese I find helpful to spend time in silence is Broom Tree Retreat Center…

Getting a glimpse of a generous diocese

Bishop DeGrood's Column, February 2021

Feb 01, 2021 by rkranz

In my home diocese I often wondered “what does the diocesan annual appeal really support?” This was the question I needed answered for myself as your bishop. Frankly, as I dug into the details more, I have been struck by how many of the Catholic Family Sharing Appeal (CFSA) resources are used to help pastors, parishes and staff in parishes and Catholic schools. I have been able to get this glimpse through my questioning and observations this past year which has helped me understand more fully how many of our Chancery staff help support so many parishes, schools and other outreach ministries. This year in our annual diocesan Catholic Family Sharing Appeal, I asked that we highlight the ministries supported so you, too, can get a clear glimpse of the…

God’s greatness shines through our humility

Bishop DeGrood's Column, January 2021

Jan 01, 2021 by rkranz

When I think of humility as I look back on my 55 years of life, what stirs in my heart and mind is how much humble people and our humble God have inspired me. I think of my parents who came from humble beginnings in farm families trying to get settled in America. Neither of them liked having to speak in public or be on church committees, but they loved just being on the farm doing their daily tasks as farmers. As country school students for most of their education years and the need to work hard to get ahead, they learned the value of humble beginnings, humble lifestyles, and a humble disposition before God. When I think of humility, I think of my severely disabled uncle Donnie who humbly…

Waiting is essential for growth in holiness

Bishop DeGrood's Column, December 2020

Dec 01, 2020 by rkranz

I prayed, longed for and waited 23 years for a rural parish until God blessed me with a mostly rural diocese! Wow what a gift beyond my imagination, but only a foretaste of heaven. Man is it hard to wait for what I want. This has been my experience most of my life. It seems I always wanted the next thing, the ideal, the fullness of my desires. Much of my life I tried various ways to fulfill those desires, sometimes discovering what I was desiring was more surface things like the pleasures of money, power, possessions, the mind or the body. In seeking and having some of those things I would eventually discover they didn’t satisfy my heart where my deepest longing is. My heart has and always will…

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