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Archives: June 2022
Second Archdiocesan Synod
Synod Parish Delegates
Last Call for Vatican Synod Survey
The Vatican Synod survey will close Tuesday, June 21 at 8 p.m. CDT. Please continue to encourage parishioners to take the survey at archspm.org/vaticansurvey. Find further information and resources below.
Change is an inevitable part of life. Some people dread change while others relish it. Both The Basilica and The Basilica Landmark are facing many changes, navigating transitions from the old to the new.
Over the past two years, the pandemic has presented The Basilica with one of our biggest challenges. Pivoting to livestreaming services and virtual programming required thinking outside the box and an all-hands-on deck approach. Likewise, The Basilica and The Basilica Landmark events have gone through a number of transitions. The Basilica Block Party was cancelled in 2020, as was the Landmark Spark gala. 2021 shifted the Block Party to September and Spark to a virtual format. Last year also brought the 25th and final Basilica Ascension Golf Tournament. 2022 has produced even more change: hiatus and reimaging of the Block Party and back to an in-person celebration of Landmark Spark.
Staff and volunteer departures and arrivals have prompted shifting relationships and job responsibilities. Mara Stolee Cable knows all about change. She leaves the Parish Council after four years of service as the Development Representative. Mara has gone through many transitions at The Basilica. She joined The Basilica Young Adult group after college, participated in Bible Study and volunteered with Christian Life outreach but was unsure how to transition from being a Basilica “young adult” to being a Basilica “adult.” Serving on the parish council was a big step, but Mara says she has always tried to discern what steps God is calling her to take. God is now calling Mara to move to Boston to pursue a PhD program.
Meade Arseniadis, while not new to The Basilica, is a most recent addition to The Basilica Landmark Board. Meade witnessed her mother’s and friend’s involvement in The Basilica community, in particular the golf tournament. This motivated her to become involved. She would like to pass down that passion for what The Basilica stands for to her own children. She is excited to be part of The Basilica Landmark Board with all its knowledge and passion. “There is a lot of transition in the works for both The Basilica and The Basilica Landmark. We can create a new story with a lot of strategic direction behind it.”
Of course, one of the biggest changes we all face is Fr. John Bauer’s departure for Our Lady of Lourdes, after fifteen years as pastor of The Basilica and Fr. Daniel Griffith’s installation as our new pastor. Mara is happy for Fr. Bauer and pleased with how much confidence he has that Fr. Daniel will carry The Basilica into the future. “God gives us the courage to move forward,” states Mara. “Prayer is a resource in our faith. We need to invite God to walk with us through changes like this.” Likewise, Meade says, “While Fr. Bauer’s stepping aside is sad, Fr. Daniel brings a whole new chapter. This change is an opportunity for growth. We are ready for this transition.”
As Fr. Bauer’s tenure comes to a close, many parishioners and community members have been asking what they could do for him before he departs. You can follow Fr. Bauer’s example of commitment to The Basilica by making a tribute gift to The Basilica Fund. Fr. Bauer’s steady leadership has set a foundation for The Basilica’s future and your gift can support our beloved Basilica in delivering on our mission as we welcome our new pastor. You can make a gift at mary.org/give.
Homelessness in our Community:
A Zoom Forum
Saturday, June 25 at 9:00am CST
An update to Basilica Strategic Area of Focus:
Homelessness—Responding to the needs of people experiencing or at risk of homeless.
Homelessness is a reality in our community. As people of faith, we seek to learn from and support those experiencing homelessness. Together, we work to reduce its impact and make homelessness rare, brief, and a one-time experience.
Come to hear from people with lived experience of homelessness and from leaders in the state, county, and city. Learn about progress made through collaborative efforts to address homelessness in Minnesota. What has worked? What has not worked? How can we move forward to reduced homelessness in our community?
The Forum Panel will include:
- MN State: Cathy ten Broeke, Director to Prevent and End Homelessness for the State of Minnesota—along with consultants with lived experience of homelessness
- Hennepin County: David Hewitt, Director of Housing Stability
- Minneapolis: Katie Dillon, Director of Align Mpls
- Street Voices of Change: insight and wisdom from people with lived experience of homelessness
Register for the zoom credentials: Click HERE
For more information, call 612.317.3477.
Ending Homelessness
Resources and more information
All Mass recordings can be found at Mass Recordings.
Farewell Fr. Bauer Ice Cream Socials
June 19, 25, & 26
Basilica West Lawn and Plaza
Join us in celebration and appreciation of Fr. Bauer. You are invited to thank Fr. Bauer and wish him well as his tenure as pastor of The Basilica comes to an end.
Sunday, June 19 - after the 7:30 and 9:30am Masses
Saturday, June 25 - after the 5:00pm Mass
Sunday, June 26 - after the 11:30am Mass
The last few weeks have been tough. The news cycle has been heartbreaking. We continue to struggle with the ongoing pandemic. People are tired - physically, emotionally and spiritually. I hope you’ll take time to take care of yourself and to take advantage of The Basilica’s services and programs to nourish your spirit. Visit the events calendar at mary.org/news.
Now, for some good news:
Parish Council Elections: This spring we have a great roster of candidates seeking election on behalf of a variety of ministry areas of the parish. Voting will be active on the parish website through Friday, June 13 at 5:00pm. Please take a moment to read the candidates’ biographies and cast your vote for your parish representatives at mary.org/vote.
Parish Council Chair: I am delighted to announce that Dr. Jill Reilly will be succeeding me as chair of the Parish Council.
Jill has belonged to The Basilica since 2007. She served in various ways including six years on Finance Committee, work on the Strategic Plan, and the Assessment Team. Dr. Reilly was President of the Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) and Superintendent of Schools within the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. She received the 2008 Leading with Faith Award from The Catholic Spirit. Jill is a wife, mother of three adult children, and grandmother of six. You can get in touch with Jill at mary.org/parishcouncil.
Celebrating Fr. Baur and Welcoming Fr. Griffith: We’ll have an opportunity to say farewell and thank you to Fr. John Bauer as he departs to become pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Minneapolis. Mark your calendars for ice cream socials after Mass on June 19, 25 and 26. We also look forward to welcoming Fr. Dan Griffith as pastor and rector of The Basilica in July and at his Installation Mass on August 13 at 5:00pm.
The Basilica Fund Update: Thanks to parishioner support, we are so close to our philanthropic goals for this year! We have just $48,000 left to raise by June 30 to continue powering our mission, ministries and programs. If you have already given this year, thank you! If you have not yet made a gift, please consider a gift of any size by June 30 to help meet our goals. The Basilica Fund powers everything we do, and every gift matters. Visit mary.org/give to give.
As this is my final newsletter as Parish Council chair, I want to express my deep gratitude for the opportunity to serve. It has been an honor, and I look forward to seeing you around The Basilica!
Katelin Richter Davis
Chair, Parish Council
The Basilica of Saint Mary
All Mass recordings can be found at Mass Recordings.
“We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” Acts 2: 9-11
I was about 12 years old when I was asked to proclaim the first reading on the Solemnity of Pentecost. As our lectors know, this is not an easy reading to proclaim. Mother Hildegard, my dear great-aunt, worked with me on the pronunciation of the many names in this reading. And she seized the opportunity to elaborate on what happened that first Pentecost.
My great-aunt’s introduction to the early church opened my imagination to the world in which the Gospel was first proclaimed some 2000 years ago. This lively Pentecost scene somehow reminded me of the Sunday Market in Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe. When I went there for the first time, I could not believe my eyes. Coming from a small and traditional town in Flanders, the sight of people from all around the world made me dizzy with excitement. I could not believe the exuberant and colorful clothes. Competing music in unknown languages blared from the different booths. I tasted dishes previously unknown to me. And to this day, I remember being olfactorily overcome by the scent of the many different spices. It was an absolute delight and it felt like I was traveling from country to country in a matter of moments. This is how I imagined Jerusalem on a holiday in the time of the apostles. A rich cacophony of humanity in all its diversity: just like the cradle of the church.
Visualizing my great aunt’s description of that first Pentecost, I knew exactly where the apostles were. I saw them hiding in the upper room. In stark contrast to the festive atmosphere outside, the apostles were laden with angst and burdened by uncertainty. And then, in an instant, everything changed. Aflame with the Holy Spirit, they threw open the doors and windows, burst into the streets and started speaking of the marvelous deeds of God.
This happened with so much energy that it drew the attention of passers-by and quieted them down. And to everyone’s amazement, they all heard the apostles speak in their native tongue. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was proclaimed in multiple languages and received by people from different countries, cultures, races, and ethnicities. This is a powerful testimony to the fact that though we all believe in the one, true God, we are as diverse as our world.
In contrast to this great Pentecost scene, where the diversity of the people was honored and lifted up, a dangerous fog of cultural fear and anger clouds our world today. These days diversity is met with suspicion and often leads to division.
The political world is particularly affected by this. Yet, our church is not immune to this either. Rather than welcoming the richness that comes from respectful dialogue between diverse races and opinions we clammer for uniformity. And rather than listening to one another we resort to speaking louder and louder in a desperate attempt to win whichever battle we are waging. Sadly, we lack the inner peace and the mutual respect needed to listen intently to one another and learn from one another. Tragically, we seem to have lost the way of the apostles who were able, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to rejoice in the richly diverse tapestry of humanity.
I look forward to the day when it will be said:
“We are republicans, democrats and independents; rich and poor; liberals, conservatives and moderates; women and men and children; gay and straight; Africans, Asians and Americans; Australians and Europeans, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongue of the mighty acts of God.”
What an exciting and holy time that will be. May that day come soon!