Next Generation Catholic Archives - The Bishop's Bulletin

Does it really matter if I have a relationship with Jesus?

Next Generation Catholic, October 2021

Oct 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Mikaela Pannell Have you ever felt like you know a lot about Jesus, but don’t necessarily know him? It’s okay; you aren’t alone. If you are a student at a Catholic school or have gone to any religious ed classes in your lifetime, but haven’t taken your faith any deeper than that, your relationship with Jesus might feel similar to one with a celebrity. You know all about them, but if you were to attempt a conversation or go out to eat together, you’d have no idea what to do. [caption id="attachment_6095" align="alignright" width="139"] Brady Wilson, graduate of O’Gorman High School[/caption] Brady Wilson, a Sioux Falls native and student at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, knows how it feels to have a surface-level relationship with the Lord. As a…

Girls’ faith inspires others

August 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Aug 01, 2021 by rkranz

[caption id="attachment_5993" align="alignright" width="200"] Maya (left) and Ella (right) Heintz, parishioners at St. Mary Parish in Dell Rapids[/caption] Lois Heron with the Bishop’s Bulletin recently sat down with Ella (18) and Maya (16) Heintz, two sisters involved in building relationships with other teenagers. The sisters have partnered with Lumen Christi missionaries to establish a Bible study group in their parish, St. Mary in Dell Rapids. In this conversation, Lois explores the girls’ desire to share their faith and become the missionary disciples they are called to be. Tell us about your faith journey and how it has spurred you on to grow in your understanding of the Lord’s love for you as you have matured. Ella: My faith journey has been steady and gradual. I would say I have had…

Putting vocation ahead of occupation keeps life directed toward God

July 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Jul 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Mikaela Pannell The words “vocation” and “occupation” are sometimes used interchangeably, particularly in the world of work. For example, technical colleges are often called vocational schools. When used in a Catholic setting, however, we find they actually mean very different things. An occupation is another word for a job or career. Whether it’s spending your summer as a nanny or a lifeguard between semesters or in a career as a doctor or a lawyer, your occupation is what you do for work. A vocation, on the other hand, is your calling from God to the priesthood, religious life or marriage. In today’s world, it can be easy to fall into the habit of allowing our occupation to overshadow our vocation. In reality, our vocation is the umbrella overarching all…

Fathers serve their families with love and devotion

June 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Jun 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Becca Thiry The subject of fatherhood can be viewed in a multitude of ways. For some, when they hear the word “father,” they are brought back to fond memories of their upbringing, maybe the stereotypical playing catch with dad or their wedding day, and their beloved father waiting to walk his daughter down the aisle. For others maybe it’s more of a sensitive subject, they never knew their father or he was absent from the family for different reasons. Sometimes we immediately think of a priest as father or even God the Father. Whatever it may be, the term father usually represents the head of a household. The backbone. A strong male figure. The reality is everyone views fatherhood differently, mostly based on our own personal experiences. When speaking…

Diocese casts missionary NET over its parishes

May 2021, Next Generation Catholic

May 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Dana Hess The Sioux Falls diocese is in the midst of discerning how evangelization fits into the bishop’s vision for missionary discipleship. Catholics in parishes across the diocese have had a firsthand look at the methods for spreading God’s word. [caption id="attachment_5836" align="alignright" width="300"] The NET Team of four men and four women traveled the diocese over the past year.[/caption] Those Catholics learned about those methods through interacting with National Evangelization Teams Ministries (NET). Based in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, NET has been holding retreats in the Sioux Falls diocese since its inception in 1981. However, this trip to South Dakota was unique. According to Tessa Bernousek, a NET missionary from Holdredge, Nebraska, mission trips typically take two forms: a team roams from state to state…

Living your faith doesn’t have to mean having no friends

April 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Apr 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Makenzee Gooley If I’m serious about my faith, will I fit in? This is one of the biggest questions young people seem to be facing today. It’s a common fear that many have as they go through high school, and even college. Students and young people are afraid they will lose friends. They want to have connections as they get older and be part of a bigger picture. They want to feel loved and accepted by the world around them. Chris Uhler, campus minister at Roncalli High School in Aberdeen, says this question of being serious about faith and what will happen is a lived reality of some of his students. “That fear is quite real,” Chris said. “I’ve seen it quite a bit in my three years here…

Better entertainment choices bring lasting benefits

March 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Mar 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Laura Melius From the moment we open our eyes each morning, countless sources of entertainment vie for our attention. We may awake to a favorite song. Our cell phones report how many social media notifications have appeared overnight. News, music or talk fills the background of our morning routines and as we drive to school or work. A wait at the doctor’s office is an opportunity to catch up on texts or news feeds. A free Saturday afternoon provides uninterrupted hours to conquer a new video game or binge-watch a new TV series. We no longer need to leave our homes to seek out entertainment—it constantly surrounds us. This is not all bad. When healthy entertainment options are consumed in moderation, the benefits can bring us closer to friends…

Retreats bear fruit as young people go deeper into their faith

February 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Feb 23, 2021 by rkranz

By Matthew Chicoine Total abandonment to God seems like an odd phrase, a difficult concept to grasp. Whether we’re cradle Catholics or brand new Catholics, attending Sunday Mass, praying the rosary, and being able to name the seven sacraments may not be enough to help us form a deep relationship with Jesus. A loose routine of prayer isn’t always enough to sustain us through the storms of life. God is calling us to a deeper relationship with Him. Going deeper in the faith [caption id="attachment_5524" align="alignright" width="300"] Elaina Lubeck[/caption] Two seniors at O’Gorman High School, Allison Kassing and Elaina Lubeck, lived at a surface level of their faith. They were both born and raised Catholic, and both teens said their parents never forced the Catholic faith on them. The faith…

Thoughts from a college student: It’s not enough to just be nice

January 2021, Next Generation Catholic

Jan 01, 2021 by rkranz

By Meghan Vogel As modern-day Americans, we live in a very busy and often self-centered culture. This culture lacks the value of pausing and taking silent time to reflect on life and the real gravity and sacredness of what it means to be a human person created in the image and likeness of God. Our culture maintains some slight sense of Christian values which become more apparent during the Christmas and New Year seasons as we give gifts and share time with family and friends. We also see this as we make resolutions to try to improve ourselves or our lives in a meaningful way. We feel a sense of longing for something better, for something more, but many people do not seek that in the person of Jesus who…