OUR MISSION
We, the people of God of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, in union with the Universal Church,
believe in and proclaim the presence of Jesus Christ in our world.
Our mission is to be His heart of mercy,
voice of hope, and hands of justice.
All Things New
Bishop Patrick Neary talks about the hope amid the challenges facing our diocese.
All things New Prayer
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Ever-present God, just as you accompanied our biblical ancestors, so, too, you accompanied our ancestors who came to Central Minnesota generations ago to begin a new life and set down their roots of faith in our churches. Be with us now as we, the people of the Diocese of St. Cloud, embark on a new, uncharted journey, heeding your call for renewal and transformation. Send forth your gifts of courage, compassion, trust and collaboration. Help us discern the best ways we can fulfill your call to missionary discipleship with vibrant communities and effective ministries. Open our hearts to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit and give us the grace we need for this journey as you make all things new. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, with the intercession of Mary, our Mother and St. Cloud, our patron. Amen.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
That in all things, God may be glorified.
Sede Vacante: Honoring the Legacy of Pope Francis
Shepherd of Mercy, Friend of Children
With the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the See of Peter is vacant (sede vacante in Latin). The period of time between the death of a pontiff and the election of his successor is called the Interregnum (literally, “the time between reigns”). The ritual surrounding the death of a pope reflects the tremendous spiritual responsibility that any successor of Saint Peter is called upon to bear for the faith and unity of the Church.
Since his election on March 13, 2013, Pope Francis has urged us to live anew the joy and mercy of the Gospel. He had a special love for children and young people and instituted the first World Children’s Day. When he visited the United States in 2015, he made time to visit a Catholic elementary school in East Harlem, where he observed that Catholic schools are like a big family “where we learn to help one another, to share our good qualities, to give the best of ourselves, to work as a team … and to pursue our dreams.”
Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the Church enters a time of mourning and prayer for the merciful repose of his soul. Traditionally, the period of mourning and prayer continues for nine days after the day of the Holy Father’s funeral. The nine-day period (novendialis in Latin) presents students with an opportunity to grieve the passing of a Successor of Saint Peter and to pray for him. For a number of our students, Pope Francis is the only pope they have known.
Following the death of Pope Francis, the Church will be looking to Rome for four key visible actions:
• Vigil (the Church gathers in prayer);
• Translation of the body (the remains of the Holy Father are brought to the Basilica of Saint Peter in solemn procession);
• Mass of Christian Burial; and
• Entombment at the Patriarchal Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Locally, Bishop Neary will celebrate a memorial Mass for Pope Francis at St. Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at 12:05 p.m. All are invited to attend. One mark of an excellent Catholic school is the school’s embracing of tangible expressions of unity and communion with the Church Universal. While death can be a difficult subject for students, this week offers an opportunity for us to help our students live well a work of mercy in praying for the dead.
You might find it helpful to share with students the myriad of beautiful resources and stories that have emerged about the life of this pope. And through the power of video and the internet, students and faculty can visually and spiritually join in these days of mourning beamed directly from Rome. These events in the life of our Church and in the history of the world are live lessons for students, and making time during the school day for them to participate is a good decision.
For national and international coverage, please see:
• USCCB website: usccb.org/pope-francis-resources-memoriam
• Vatican website: vatican.va/content/vatican/en.html
• EWTN website: ewtn.com/tv/watch-live
-Statement of the USCCB Administrative Committee
“What is clearly true, and what the Church and many others have called for, is the urgent need for a comprehensive reform of our country’s immigration system. The U.S. immigration system is overly complex and unjust, often keeping family members apart; it must be fixed.”
“We do not oppose legitimate law enforcement actions against those who would threaten the safety and security of our families and our communities.
But when the law is used to divide, to instill fear, to separate, this is not good law. This is not humane law. This is not just law.”
BISHOP MARK SEITZ
Chairman, USCCB Committee on Migration
January 13, 2025
LETTER ON IMMIGRATION ISSUES FROM BISHOP PATRICK NEARY, C. S. C.
“Together may we be pilgrims of hope in these challenging times, a voice for the silenced and a refuge for the vulnerable.”
– Bishop Patrick Neary, C.S.C.
