By Sr. Faustina Lightfoot, M.S.
Marian Sisters, Diocese of Lincoln
“Whatever you did for the least of my brethren, you did it unto Me.” (Mt 25:40)
The first time I remember encountering Jesus in another suffering person was at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Omaha when I was in pharmacy school, prior to entering religious life. I was a pharmacy intern and one of my responsibilities was to provide discharge education for patients. I went to provide medication education to a patient, like I had with every other patient, and as he shared his story, my heart was moved with compassion for him in a different way. As I walked away from his room it was like the Holy Spirit hit me seemingly “out of nowhere” with the awareness that I had just encountered Jesus Christ in this patient. In that encounter, my heart was changed and convicted of why God called me to serve in healthcare. The gift of studying medicine was simply an avenue our Lord was using to lead me to encounter His suffering and pierced Sacred Heart.
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
As I write this column during this blustery March blizzard, my mind is eagerly jumping ahead toward spring and the start of the planting season and pre-emerge weed management. Although planting season is still some time off, it will be here before we know it.
Similarly, as we continue to progress through yet another Lenten season in the desert, while it may seem far away, the fruit-filled Easter season will arrive sooner rather than later. It is best, therefore, that we patiently stay the course and, in virtuous living, prepare in mind, body, and spirit. Whether we realize it or not, the planting season offers us insights that aid our Lenten journey.
By Tom Venzor
Register for Catholics at the Capitol
The deadline to register for our annual legislative advocacy day, Catholics at the Capitol, is April 2. You know what that means: register NOW!
By Jon Borer
K-12 Principal, Lourdes Central Catholic School, Nebraska City
In the wake of winter state competitions, I am reminded of many inspiring movies and books of my childhood and adult life. Stories about comebacks, underdogs, and beating the odds. Stories like “Cinderella Man,” in which James “Bulldog” Braddock goes from working on the docks during the Great Depression to the boxing heavyweight champion of the world. Or the story of the 1980 U.S. men’s hockey team facing off against the juggernauts from the Soviet Union and taking home the gold medal. Finally, there is the underdog story all other such stories are compared to: David v. Goliath. The undersized kid from the fields armed with a couple pebbles and a slingshot vs. the literal Philistine giant, protected with a full body of armor and armed with weapons of mass destruction.
By Tom Venzor
Before I jump into my column, I want to invite/urge you to register for Catholics at the Capitol. This is our annual legislative advocacy day for Catholics across the state. It gives you a chance to hear from elected officials, including the governor, about important legislative issues, and advocate with your state senator. The event is Wednesday, April 9, and you can register at www.NEcatholic.org. Remember, as State Auditor Mike Foley says when it comes to the Nebraska Legislature: “Those who show up, win!”
The Nebraska Legislature introduced 715 legislative bills this session. Over the course of the last two months, nearly all those bills have received their required committee hearing, giving Nebraskans an opportunity to give these bills a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down.” Public hearings do quite a bit to “thin out the herd” of viable legislative bills. But nothing “thins out the herd” like priority bill designations.
By Poe Dee,
Refugee Resettlement Director
Every refugee has a story to tell about his or her journey. To be sure, the journey of a refugee is not an easy one. Refugees flee their country because of persecution, war, or violence. Unable to return to their homeland, they seek refuge in another nearby country.
Life in refugee camps is difficult, though, and most refugees do not have opportunities to thrive in such conditions. This is why, when given the opportunity, refugees choose to be resettled in a third country, like the United States, in order to find a safe and stable place that they can call home.
By Mario Racicot
Director of E-commerce
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Last spring, a wonderful donor dropped off several boxes of china, sterling silver, and antiques. She had been clearing out her basement and wanted to pass on the items to Catholic Social Services, to sell on eBay. A few months later, we sold her sterling silver for a little over $2,000. I reached out to share the news and she sent me this response:
By Tom Venzor
During the legislative session, I am adamant about providing legislative bill updates. It’s rare I would “interrupt your regularly scheduled programming” to write about a non-legislative topic, but here we go.
While it seems like November 2024 was just yesterday, any number of people are already gearing up for November 2026, including a recently launched ballot initiative addressing the topic of abortion entitled “Choose Life Now” (for short, CLN).
CLN would provide protection in the state constitution for unborn children from the moment of conception. (As you’ll recall, to get on the ballot, an initiative needs 125,000 signatures from across the state. And, if placed on the ballot, it needs majority support of voters to be adopted into the state constitution.)
If this CLN ballot initiative sounds familiar, it’s because there was a failed attempt last election cycle to obtain the signatures needed to be on the ballot.
Like last time, the bishops do not support this most recent CLN constitutional amendment proposal.
You might be asking: why would the bishops not support a constitutional measure seeking to protect unborn life from the moment of conception? That’s a good question, and here’s why.
By Deacon Matthew Hecker, Ph.D.
Communications
St. Joseph Parish, Lincoln
If you are reading this, you are a consumer of Catholic media.
Why does the Church bother herself with the business of media and communications? Isn’t that more properly a secular function? Especially in the internet and smartphone age, don’t we already have an excessive amount of news and information? We do, but frankly, it’s all the more reason why the Church needs to be present and active in this arena.
By Jeff Schinstock
Director of Evangelization and Catechesis
Catholics are good at reminding ourselves of things. When we enter church and dip our finger into the holy water and make the sign of the cross, it is a reminder of our baptism. That baptism unites us to God as sons and daughters, letting us know just who we are and how we are loved. Jesus introduced us to baptism by allowing John to baptize him. At this moment, the heavens proclaimed that “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Mt. 3:17).
By Fr. Rafael Rodriguez
Pastor, Cristo Rey Parish in Lincoln
I entered St. Gregory the Great Seminary in 2001. As part of my seminarian formation, I was introduced to many exciting classes and activities. Among those, I remember a meeting with the Knights of Columbus (K of C). I had never heard of them before.
by Fr. Brian Kane
Rector, St. Gregory the Great Seminary;
Director of Seminarians
One of the blessings at St. Gregory the Great Seminary is the opportunity to form seminarians from partner dioceses and archdioceses in the area and across the country. Not every diocese has its own seminary. Currently we have men from the dioceses of Fargo, Kansas City-St. Joseph, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and Santa Rosa.
We are excited to announce that starting this fall we will begin a partnership with the Archdiocese of Omaha. It will be a chance for our future priests to build relationships while in the seminary that will last throughout their priesthood. It will also help the Catholic Church in Nebraska to share the Gospel and work together to serve the people of our state.
By Tom Venzor
Growing up, I hated the smell of potpourri. Sometimes my grandma would have it in her house, or I’d sometimes smell it in a certain aisle in Walgreen’s. I still hate the smell. Despite my aversion for the aroma, I like to use the word “potpourri” when I’m providing an update on a mixture of legislative topics—the word fits well. So, let’s dig in.
By Katie Patrick
Our upcoming Celebration of Hope gala and silent auction on Saturday, March 15, promises an evening of inspiration, fellowship, and a chance to make a tangible difference in the lives of those in need across southern Nebraska. This year, our event will take on a new dimension with our silent auction, offering attendees the opportunity to bid on an array of memorable experiences and valuable items.
By Elli Wyllie,
Marketing Associate,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Matthew 25:35-36.
When we hear these words, we often think of the great saints—Mother Teresa of Calcutta, St. Francis of Assisi, and St. Damien of Molokai; individuals who embraced this call in radical ways, serving the poorest of the poor in India, selling every possession they had, caring for lepers. Their stories are inspiring, yet they can sometimes lead us to wonder: Well, what can I do? Most of us are not in a position to drop everything. We have families, jobs, and responsibilities that are noble and good. The stories of great saints can sometimes feel overwhelming. But the reality is that most often, answering God’s call doesn’t require drastic measures. It simply requires a “yes,” and a willingness to try.
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
February has been a month of extremes. From the frigid cold and the first measurable snow in over a year for some, to a heat wave drawing us toward spring, we have seen a lot. For those who work with livestock, my prayers have been with you: “Frost and chill, bless the Lord; Fire and heat, bless the Lord.”
By Sr. Mary Michael
School Sisters of Christ the King
St. Teresa School in Lincoln
So there we were in the seventh-grade classroom where I began with a couple of simple questions: “If you were outside for a significant length of time, what could you study?”
The volunteer recorded answers on the board: plants, animals, trees, insects, weather, habitats… and others I don’t recall.
“And if you were out overnight, what could you add?” Stars, constellations, planets, astronomy, the moon, the lunar cycle were among their answers.
Then, intentionally causing considerable confusion, I said: “Sounds great, let’s do it!”
By Tom Venzor
There is a growing—and negative—trend to view health care professionals as nothing more than vending machines.
You walk up to them, swipe your insurance card, punch a few buttons, with the expectation they’ll dispense the service you demand. And when they won’t dispense what you like, you shake the machine, hoping to manipulate the service out of the coils and into the drop box.
Why do I say this?
Our culture finds itself at a crossroads regarding the dignity of the human person and the priority of conscience.
By Fr. Thomas Brouillette
Vicar General
I think I was 11 years old. It was a warm summer day. The grass was a beautiful green, and there were just a few clouds in the sky. One of my older brothers and a good friend of his, Mike, were getting tired of me wanting to run around with them. I couldn’t blame them.
The only way to stop me from doing so was to secure me to the ground, spread eagle in the green grass with my face to that summer sky. Plastic orange tent stakes were buried in the ground and from them, ropes tied to my wrists and ankles.
If memory serves, I didn’t put up that much of a fight. After a time of looking up at the sun and the trees from that precarious position on the grass that nice summer day, it was getting uncomfortable. And there was no way for me to free myself from these strongholds. I was now alone. The only hope I had of being freed was that someone would set me free. It was not possible for me to free myself. Even though it was uncomfortable, I had a sure and certain hope that someone would save me from the bondage, eventually!
by Veronica Pino
St. Gianna Program Manager
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Oftentimes at St. Gianna Women’s Home, we work with a family for a year—sometimes even longer—and when they complete the program, we don’t hear from them.
Although we are always thankful when they have undergone a successful transition to their next step outside of St. Gianna’s, it can be difficult to have those relationships disappear. We always encourage them to keep in touch—to continue to share their struggles and their joys with us. However, trying to keep up with work, kids, school, and all the other activities of a family that is taking steps forward usually leaves little time for extra phone calls or visits.
Every now and then, though, we hear from a family who wants to share a little about their current life after St. Gianna’s. Sometimes this happens a few months after graduating from the program; other times, years pass before someone reaches out. But it’s always a special moment to hear stories or see pictures of growing kids as they share their continued achievements.
By Addison DeFreece
Coordinator of Religious Education
St Michael Parish, Lincoln
One day, I encountered a man who complimented my shirt that read, “The light shines in the darkness. John 1:5.”
I continued the conversation and learned more about his story and background in Christianity. He grew up in a Christian family and continues to attend church because it’s what he knows, but he didn’t seem convinced of why he is Christian. He then asked if I grew up Christian, and I responded, “Yes, I’m actually Catholic and grew up going to a Catholic school.”
He continued by asking, “Would you be Catholic now if you didn’t grow up in a Catholic family or go to a Catholic school?”
By Tom Venzor
Before I jump into the meat and potatoes of this column, the time is upon us: register NOW for Catholics at the Capitol, our annual legislative advocacy day at the Nebraska Legislature.
It’s on Wednesday, April 9. We’ve got a lot in store. You’ll learn from elected officials and NCC staff about key pro-life, school choice, human sexuality, immigration, anti-poverty, and social media regulation bills. You’ll then take that knowledge and advocate with your state senator, and get a chance to watch the Nebraska Legislature at work. To top it off, you’ll be joined by 250 of your closest Catholic advocacy friends from across the state. It’ll be great. Register at www.NEcatholic.org – and act now while seats are still available.
by Fr. Alec Sasse,
Vocations Director
Around 9:05 p.m. every Sunday night, the procession begins. No, not a Eucharistic procession down the aisle of the nave, but a procession of spiritually hungry college students walking down Greek Row after a weekend where many different forces – some holy and some sinister – fought for their attention.
By April Boellstorff
Regional Director in Auburn,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
How do you explain a job that fills your heart to overflowing? When people ask what I do, words often fail me. How does one properly verbalize love? At Catholic Social Services, every day brings new reminders of what love is. It’s more than just a feeling—it’s action, compassion, and connection.
As St. Augustine said: “What does love look like? It has hands to help others. It has feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like.”
By Tom Venzor
For the last several years now, Catholics at the Capitol has boasted a sell-out crowd, so let’s keep it going (watch out Memorial Stadium, here we come)! Visit www.NEcatholic.org to register now, as seats are limited.
But, Tom, you’re getting ahead of yourself. What is Catholics at the Capitol? And why should I attend?
I’m glad you asked!
By Rachael Tvrdy
Director of Family Life and Discipleship
Broken families lead to broken parishes. It is no shock to hear this statement, but we rarely look at it because it is an unpleasant reality to face. Our parishes are composed of families, and for better or for worse, families are full of dysfunction. We are all humans, and there is no perfect family (unless it’s Joseph, Mary, and Jesus).
By Bob Sullivan
In my last two columns (Jan. 17 and 24), I undertook a comparison of two differing approaches to solving the current “man crisis” in our culture. I compared the secular (Godless) perspective to the Catholic Christian perspective.
If the conclusion is to redefine masculinity into a “new masculinity,” all you will get is something which is not masculinity. If you doubt this, all you need to do is consider how femininity was redefined by radical feminists in the 1960s and 1970s. Betty Friedan and other radical feminists made a lot of promises and predictions back then, but none of them has come true. What promises await men if we redefine masculinity today? Will men become happier, more confident, healthier?
By Fr. Lothar Gilde
Pastor of St. Patrick Parish in Imperial, Hispanic Ministry
Celebrations that involve the Blessed Virgin Mary grace numerous days of the liturgical year. Recently, we saw even the Sunday liturgy dedicated to Candlemas which is also known as the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the Temple. Catholics reflect on this moment every time they pray the second Joyful Mystery of the rosary. In this encounter with the Holy Family, the virtue of obedience is overflowing, since they were brought to that moment due to their obedience to the Mosaic Law.
By Sr. Janelle Buettner, M.S.
Marian Sisters, Diocese of Lincoln
“The Knot Prayer”
Author Unknown
Dear God, Please untie the knots that are in my mind, my heart, and my life.
By Katie Patrick
If you have never attended Catholic Social Services’ Celebration of Hope banquet, I urge you to join us this year. With the primary goal of sharing our mission and celebrating the impact our donors have made this past year, we are adding several new elements to the evening of Saturday, March 15.
By Tom Venzor
The Nebraska Legislature has completed roughly 20 days of the 90-day legislative session. Public hearings on legislation have been underway for a solid two weeks, with over a month and a half remaining. Fairly simple, straightforward bills with broad support are already being debated and advanced through legislative floor debate.
At the same time, the different associations and groups that have an advocacy presence at the Capitol have been meeting with their membership and boards to evaluate bills they will support and oppose.
The same is true for us at the Nebraska Catholic Conference.
By Katie Patrick
Did you know that for the first time, Nebraska taxpayers can make a more significant impact while benefiting from the Nebraska Pregnancy Help Act? The Act offers a nonrefundable tax credit for cash contributions to approved pregnancy help organizations, including Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS).
By Tom Venzor
Committee hearings on legislative bills are off and running, now that the bill introduction period is completed. There were 715 legislative bills and 15 constitutional amendment proposals introduced during the 10-day bill introduction period, and now every one of these proposals will receive a public hearing.
By Cathy Blankenau Bender
Editor-in-Chief, Southern Nebraska Register
One of my grandfather’s best friends was a self-described “old newspaper man.” Allen worked for his father, the owner of a small-town Iowa newspaper, even before getting his degree in journalism in 1928. He became owner and publisher of the paper less than 10 years later, when his parents and sister were killed in a car crash. He made running that newspaper his life’s work.
Allen retired from the paper the year I was born, but he continued writing a weekly column – and a book – and he continued celebrating the stories and the connections he’d built over more than four decades gathering news. For him, journalism was a way of life, a way to share the stories of the community he loved with everyone he met.
By Amy Reisen
Coordinator of Youth Evangelization and Discipleship
Behind every transformative moment in a young person’s faith journey is a quiet hero who listens, guides, and walks alongside him or her.
Far more than coordinators of liturgies or bible study leaders, these “heroes” are the beating heart of spiritual growth within our schools.
But what does it take to dedicate one’s life to such a mission? The answer lies in a tapestry of faith, sacrifice, and a deep commitment to walking with Christ and guiding young people through life’s peaks and valleys. In the Diocese of Lincoln, we are fortunate enough to have a fairly typical title for these “heroes.” That title? Campus ministers.
By Tom Venzor
Last November, school choice—which is all about making sure parents are empowered with the ability to choose an education that is best for their child—took a loss at the ballot box. After spending more than $7 million, the state and national teachers unions were able to wipe off the law books a program that helped low- and middle-income families with financial assistance to afford tuition at a non-public school of their choice. It was a tough loss for us at the Nebraska Catholic Conference, but it was a devastating loss for the 4,500 students who were being served by these education scholarships.
By Jan Schultz
Volunteer, St. Isidore’s Gift & Thrift
St. Isidore’s Gift & Thrift, an outreach of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, is about to celebrate its 15th year of existence. The anniversary arrives in March 2025.
Starting in a small building that formerly served as the fellowship hall of St. Patrick Church in Imperial, two and a half blocks north of its current location on main street, the store continues to thrive, serving residents of Imperial and surrounding communities with an array of household goods, furniture, clothing and more.
By Bob Sullivan
In the opinion piece I mentioned in Part 1 of this column Jan 17, Christine Emba wrote: “In my ideal, the mainstream could embrace a model that acknowledges male particularity and difference but doesn’t denigrate women to do so.”
Hispanic Ministry
Pastor, St. John in Minden and Holy Family in Heartwell
Right now, many of our Hispanic friends, neighbors, and relatives are afraid. I’m afraid, too. We don’t know if someone we love is going to be deported soon.
Many would love some mercy. Who wouldn’t? But the solutions aren’t as simple as we would like. Justice is not easy. I don’t have a great answer to any of the big questions surrounding immigration. Maybe you do. But before you assume you know everything, consider the following.
By Bob Sullivan
Several years ago, Matthew James Christoff made a splash in the “Catholic world” by writing and talking about the Catholic Man Crisis. He arrived at his conclusion by observing men, conducting surveys and looking at national statistics. In the process, he identified things most people already knew or suspected, but he also identified deeper concerns. The deeper concerns were typically related to men and the experiences faithful Catholic men had on a day-to-day basis, within the faith and in the culture at large.
By Katie Patrick
Eleven years ago, when I worked at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska (CSS) as a refugee case manager, I welcomed a family from Sudan. Like many of our clients, they fled terrible circumstances in their home country, including conflict, persecution and the risk of famine. Yet they also had heavy hearts, having left behind family, friends and all that was familiar.
By Tom Venzor
The 109th Nebraska Legislature is underway.
Forty-nine senators are gathered in Lincoln for 90 days of the legislative session, which will take us into early June. Sixteen of these senators are brand new. Another 12 senators have been involved in only two full legislative sessions. In short, more than half of the members have less than three years of experience in the Unicameral. That said, all the senators bring plenty of experience and energy to the table.
By Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
First and foremost, I want to wish you all a merry Christmas and happy New Year!
One particular blessing during the Christmas season is being able to view all of the various nativity sets in our homes, parishes, and schools. Ever since I can remember, I have always been fascinated by nativity sets and their innate beauty.
By John McDermott
Vice President, Marketing & Development
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Around this time each year, it’s natural for us to look back and feel grateful for God’s countless blessings. For me, during the Christmas season and at the start of a new year, I thank God for all that He has done for me over the past year – not just in my personal life, but in my work life. I’m blessed to work at Catholic Social Services and am so thankful for my co-workers, our volunteers, and those who support our mission through prayers and with material and monetary donations. I’m also blessed to have the opportunity from time to time to see how grateful those who come to CSS for assistance are for any help we can provide.
By Elaine Simpson
Child Care Director
Catholic Social Services
“Jesus our brother, kind and good was humbly born in a stable rude....”
- from “The Friendly Beasts,” a song by Robert Davis
As we move into the last Sunday of Advent and prepare to celebrate Christmas, let’s pause and remember that this Baby who was born in a humble stable more than 2,000 years ago is the real reason for celebrating. This kind and good Brother who came to earth to be our Savior is really who brings us joy and salvation!
By Marion Miner
In his most recent column, Tom Venzor wrote a few reflections on the 2024 Bishops’ Pro-Life Banquet. The enthusiasm and sense of joy we could all feel that evening, less than a month after we defeated an existential threat to Nebraska’s future, was greater than at any pro-life celebration at which I have been. Not even events held in the immediate aftermath of the fall of Roe compare. It was a great occasion for gratitude and a joy to celebrate with you!
December 20, 2024
Dear Friends,
Seventeen years ago, I began writing this column to help parents and relatives find children’s and adolescent books that would build character and assist in spiritual formation. As we know, all things have a beginning and an end. I have reached that end.
By Sr. Mary Ruth
School Sisters of Christ the King
Dearest Humankind,
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to His people on earth!” (Lk 2:14).
As the angels sang in jubilation on that holy night in Bethlehem, we once again extend Christmas greetings as you prepare to celebrate the birth of the Son of God as one of you. I, Gabriel, have been chosen to narrate this year’s angelic Christmas letter and to give you a closer view of three important scenes in which I played a part.
By Paige Brown
By the time you read this, my time at the Nebraska Catholic Conference (NCC) will have come to a close. In these final days as communications and outreach specialist, I’m reflecting on what feels like a lifetime of accomplishments, losses, and lessons learned.
By Jeff Schinstock
Advent is upon us, and God is inviting us to enter into spiritual preparation; a time of reflection and anticipation as we await the birth of Christ. Advent is a season of waiting, a sacred time of preparing our hearts and minds for the coming of the fulfillment of all of God’s promises to us.
One way we can approach Advent is by reflecting on the four virtues that guide us during this season: hope, peace, joy, and love. These virtues are the essence of Advent; they also help us live with the liturgical season.
By Katie Patrick
As the holiday season approaches and twinkling lights and Christmas wreaths adorn streetscapes across Southern Nebraska, a unifying theme of the Christ-child shines through the windows of our Gift & Thrift stores.
By Bob Sullivan
What is Advent to you? If you are anything like me, most Advents of late have been a little different than previous Advents. As I get older, more attentive to the Church’s readings and the priests’ homilies as Advent approaches, I have a much different thought process than I did 10, 20, and 30 years ago.
“The World of Marian Apparitions”
By Wincenty Laszewski.
Sophia Institute Press, Manchester, N.H., 400 pages, Grades 10 and above.
By Levi Baus,
Volunteer Coordinator in Lincoln
“O God, who wonderfully created the dignity of human nature and still more wonderfully restored it, grant, we pray, that we may share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.”
— Collect for Mass during the Day, the Solemnity of Christmas
By Fr. Rafael Rodriguez
Pastor, Cristo Rey Parish in Lincoln
Amazing activities happened at Cristo Rey Parish during the month of November. Cristo Rey serves the spiritual and cultural needs of Spanish-speaking Catholics who live in the City of Lincoln and surrounding area. The current church was dedicated in 2003 and is located at the heart of Lincoln, near 42nd and J streets.
Dear Readers:
The years just seem to be flying by. I hope you have enjoyed the book talks for 2024. As well, I am pleased to have given you some valuable titles for your children and family. The famous English writer, Walter de la Mare said: “Only the rarest kind of the best can be good enough for the young.”
I hope that my choices have assisted you in choosing beautiful, wholesome literature for your children. Merry Christmas.
by Tom Venzor
Before I jump into the subject of my column title, I want to say a huge “thank you” to all those who attended and supported the Bishops’ Pro-Life Banquet. It was an incredible event, with so many amazing pro-life friends from across the state. It was a worthy celebration of the amazing work the Lord did for us in Nebraska with the defeat of Initiative 439 and the passage of Initiative 434. The praises of countless pro-life advocates, heroes, and heroines were sung. Fun was had by all, and I pray to God that we will continue to celebrate this important victory as we also continue to meet the needs of mothers and babies in need across our state, as we work toward a greater culture of life and civilization of love.
by Fr. Brian Kane
Rector, St. Gregory the Great Seminary; Director of Seminarians
Thanksgiving season has taken on a deeper significance since beginning my assignment at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward. Each day as I open the mail, I am overwhelmed with the generosity of so many people who support the young men discerning a call to be our next parish priests.
By Tom Venzor
The proverbial “middle child” of this year’s election was the school choice repeal, Referendum 435. Stuck in between major races, like the presidency, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and the abortion-related ballot initiatives, little attention was given to school choice, unless you are the Nebraska’s teachers union.
So, let’s recap what school choice programs have passed in Nebraska, how the election went down, and what’s next for school choice.
by Veronica Hotovy
St. Gianna Program Manager
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
“It saved my life being here.” These are words we heard from one of our current residents of St. Gianna Women’s Home during an interview on the CSS podcast, “Hope in the Good Life.” They are words that, in one form or another, we often hear at St. Gianna’s. Words from women who have found an opportunity to take a step back from the chaos that they’ve been living in and begin to rebuild their lives.
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
“Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. For his mercy endures forever.”
As we are now less than a week away from Thanksgiving, I would like to use this month’s column to prayerfully reflect and marvel over the many ways God has been gracefully working within our diocese and among our diocesan families.
“Pearl”
By Sherri Smith, illustrated by Christine Norrie.
Scholastic, New York, 2024, 133 pages, Grades 5-7.
By Marilu Cazares
Family Support Services Program Manager,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Illness. Disability. What comes to mind when you read those two words? Maybe you know someone who is ill and/or disabled, and that person comes to mind. Maybe you yourself are ill. Maybe you are disabled. Maybe nothing comes to mind. For me, two other words come to mind: vulnerability and fear. Thank God, as of right now, I am in good health, but I know people who are sick and struggling. It’s fair to say that most of us don’t plan for future illnesses or for drastic life changes, but life doesn’t always happen the way we think it will.
By Fr. Thomas Brouillette
Vicar General
God the Father is nonetheless very confident in the human situation. Because of the Father’s confidence, we have reason to have hope.
We are all planning to recall the first pilgrims and those blessings for which we are grateful for in our nation and our lives on Thanksgiving. The destination of those first pilgrims was a new land and freedom. As God’s pilgrim people, our destination is also a promised land and a new freedom in Heaven.
In the next few weeks and months, you will likely see in the Southern Nebraska Register an introduction by Bishop James Conley and others on this coming jubilee year that has as its theme “Pilgrims of Hope.” The ‘year’ begins Dec. 24. A jubilee year is a year of special graces and has a special focus. So I share a few thoughts about hope on the Way.
We all want our lives to be fruitful, and our Lord reveals to us the central truth of our faith in the gospel about fruitfulness in the spiritual life: “Whoever loves his life in this world will lose it, and whoever hates his life in this world, will save it.” Unless we die to self, we cannot bear fruit. St. Augustine says the part of our lives that we must hate is that part of our lives that is disordered, the corruption that is in each person as a result of original sin. “We must hate that,” Augustine says. That part of ourselves that we must love is the presence of God in each of us, and we must love Him so much that it overcomes all else.
Friendship with Christ is a very beautiful and magnificent thing, and in the friendship, no matter how far we may fall away, or no matter how often we may stray, our Lord always invites us back and always extends his friendship, as long as we hate that part of ourselves which is sinful and love that part of our selves which is the image of the triune God within our souls. This is the key to bearing fruit in the spiritual life.
It’s not easy to be a Catholic these days. The Church is going through a period of purification, and you and I are, too. But if we trust in our Lord, this purification, this dying to disorder and corruption will bear fruit. The Church, and you and I, are going through this to prepare us for times to come. Only the Lord knows the reason.
God the Father is nonetheless very confident in the human situation. Because of the Father’s confidence, we have reason to have hope. Hope has to be based in reality. The theological virtue of hope received in baptism is not just some mindless optimism. Where does our hope come from, and the confidence of God the Father come from? It comes from the fact that God the Father knows that the Son not only spoke these words about dying to self but gave his life as the ransom for the many.
So, it is the reality of the self-sacrificial love of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, on the cross, which provides the reason for God the Father’s confidence and gives us the reason for hope. He invites us to imitate him. If you want to bear fruit, die to yourselves. No matter how heavy the cross that any person is asked to carry, they carry it on the via crucis, the way of the cross, with Christ. In carrying our crosses, we should be cheerful, generous in dying to self and service to others.
Paragraph 28 and 29 from Pope Benedict’s encyclical ‘On Hope’ (Spe salvi), describes St. Augustine’s dying to self, service to others, and his hope:
28…..“Terrified by my sins and the weight of my misery, I had resolved in my heart, and meditated flight into the wilderness; but you forbade me and gave me strength, by saying: ‘Christ died for all, that those who live might live no longer for themselves but for him who for their sake died’ (cf. 2 Cor 5:15)”[21]. Christ died for all. To live for him means allowing oneself to be drawn into his being for others.
29. For Augustine this meant a totally new life. He once described his daily life in the following terms: “The turbulent have to be corrected, the faint-hearted cheered up, the weak supported; the Gospel’s opponents need to be refuted, its insidious enemies guarded against; the unlearned need to be taught, the indolent stirred up, the argumentative checked; the proud must be put in their place, the desperate set on their feet, those engaged in quarrels reconciled; the needy have to be helped, the oppressed to be liberated, the good to be encouraged, the bad to be tolerated; all must be loved”[22]. “The Gospel terrifies me”[23]—producing that healthy fear which prevents us from living for ourselves alone and compels us to pass on the hope we hold in common. Amid the serious difficulties facing the Roman Empire—and also posing a serious threat to Roman Africa, which was actually destroyed at the end of Augustine’s life—this was what he set out to do: to transmit hope, the hope which came to him from faith and which, in complete contrast with his introverted temperament, enabled him to take part decisively and with all his strength in the task of building up the city. In the same chapter of the Confessions in which we have just noted the decisive reason for his commitment “for all”, he says that Christ “intercedes for us, otherwise I should despair. My weaknesses are many and grave, many and grave indeed, but more abundant still is your medicine. We might have thought that your word was far distant from union with man, and so we might have despaired of ourselves, if this Word had not become flesh and dwelt among us”[24]. On the strength of his hope, Augustine dedicated himself completely to the ordinary people and to his city—renouncing his spiritual nobility, he preached and acted in a simple way for simple people.
May God bless you with new hope, not only in the Huskers for a bowl game, but in Jesus Himself on your pilgrimage to the promised land.
By Sr. Megan Thérèse
Marian Sisters
“Don’t be afraid to break during this week.”
That was how Father Allan Phan set the tone for our October mission trip to Mexico City with Hope of the Poor. Hope of the Poor is a ministry that strives to serve the homeless in Mexico by caring for their needs, both bodily and spiritual. They provide housing, food, and clothing to the people, and they teach them about God and prepare them to receive the sacraments. They also give people a community to turn to for support when times are tough.
by Tom Venzor
God be praised for His mercy on Nebraska, through the defeat of Initiative 439 and the passage of Initiative 434.
Just over a year ago, pro-abortion forces deployed an all-out assault on the Nebraska State Constitution. Out-of-state interest groups, with multi-million dollar checkbooks in hand, came rolling into town after going 7-0 in other states where abortion measures were on the ballot. Thinking they could add Nebraska to their list, they launched what became Initiative 439, which would have enshrined a “fundamental right” to abortion and would have resulted in abortion being legal at any point in a pregnancy.
But, to the glory of God, Nebraska wasn’t having any of this!
“The Song at the Scaffold”
by Gertrude La Fort. Sophia Institute Press, Manchester, N.H., original publication, 1933, reprint, 2001, 124 pages, Grades 9 and above.
By Fr. Cyrus Rowan
Chief Administrative Officer
Hastings Catholic Schools
One of the highlights of my week is my scheduled visit to St. Michael Elementary in Hastings. After having Mass with all the elementary students on Tuesdays, I will go visit the kindergarten class for about 10-15 minutes for each of the sections. This has been very fun and entertaining and it keeps me on my toes.
By Katie Patrick
For some, the onset of autumn brings excitement for evening campfires, warm sweaters, and hot chocolate. For others, it’s a reminder of the season that follows, bringing cold nights alone on street benches or under bridges.
By Tom Venzor
For those who regularly read my column, this is another one of those situations I’ve talked about: I’m writing this column before a major event occurs, but you’ll receive it after that major event occurs. The major event this time around: Election Day.
This means you’ll know results about some pretty important matters, while I’m writing to you from the past.
So, what is there to say?
I think I can speak to at least this question: what’s next?
“The Black Stallion”
By Walter Farley.
Random House, New York, 1941, 275 pages, Grades 5-7.
By Ricardo Izquierdo
Director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry
When I entered seminary at the age of 17 in the fall of 2007, I thought of myself as a “pastoral” person. I thought that I could be a charismatic priest who would save at least one soul, a goal that would make a lifetime of work worth it. Alas, I left formation after six years, and it took me a long time to find my place in the secular world. I went back to school to get my master’s degree in secondary education, having experienced teaching through my apostolates in seminary and in Totus Tuus. Again, my idealistic self thought I’d be a dynamic teacher who would guide youth toward Christ.
By Dennis Kellogg
Director of Communications
In sports, preparation and execution are two important keys to success. A team that prepares well before the game, and then executes what it has learned in the game, increases its chance of success.
Preparation and execution can also relate to the Mass. As part of our work with the nationwide Compelling Preaching Initiative, we held a series of focus groups with priests, parishioners and students last spring. Those listening sessions laid the foundation for an effort underway in our diocese we call “Prepare and Proclaim: Enriching our Mass Experience.”
By Kristina Brandl
Food Market Program Manager, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
“The glory of God is human being fully alive.”
When I first read this quote from St. Irenaeus years ago, I was taken aback. It confirmed the direction I was headed in. I had found so much freedom in pursuing truth and discipline, regardless of how consistently, or well, I was applying that truth. As I am writing this article now, I am reminded once again of how this potent quote continues to affect me; how important it is to both receive the Lord’s love and then return it back by honoring Him in how I live.
“Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate”
By Annette LeBox, illustrated by Crystal Smith.
Groundwood Books, Toronto, 2024, 32 pages, K-3.
By Tom Venzor
The other day, I was wondering if all the advocacy to vote FOR 434 and to vote AGAINST 439 was becoming repetitive and tiresome, not just to me, but to those hearing it. After all, it’s been nearly a year since pro-abortion forces launched their extreme abortion proposal, Initiative 439. But, thankfully, two small providential moments provided me renewed insight and energy—and I hope they do the same for you.
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
In the midst of this dry and dusty fall harvest, the requests are returning: “Father, can we please pray for rain?”
In many ways, rain and favorable weather as a prayer request gets overlooked for many reasons. Outside of an agricultural or farming/ranching context, it’s just not something we think of regularly. And yet, rain and water are essential for life, both in body and spirit.
by Fr. Brian Kane
Rector, St. Gregory the Great Seminary; Director of Seminarians
“The Church needs and deserves healthy priests.”
By Mark Main
Thrift Store Manager,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
In 2001, my family decided to go out to dinner at Pizza Hut. As we were pulling up, we ran into an acquaintance of ours from church, Lou Gasper. He asked me if I was a Knight (Knights of Columbus, or KofC). I told him I wasn’t. He proceeded to ask me to join the organization. After a few weeks, I said yes. Little did I know, it was one of the best decisions I would ever make.
“The Blue Cross. The Father Brown Stories”
By G.K. Chesterton
E-book, Interactive Media. Originally published between 1910-1936. Complete set, 1,084 pages. The Blue Cross short story is approximately 29 pages, depending on format. Grade 9 and above.
By Tom Venzor
A small but vocal minority of advocates have recently increased their engagement against both Initiatives 434 and 439. They are urging pro-lifers to “Vote No on Both.” Their efforts to oppose and undermine Initiative 434 are misplaced and could do serious damage to Initiative 434’s ability to defeat Initiative 439, leaving us with unsafe and unregulated late-pregnancy abortions well into the second and third term of a pregnancy.
The “Vote No on Both” advocates advance several flawed arguments. I want to focus on three core arguments. For those who have been confused by their arguments, I hope my review and response provides you clarity and reassurance that we—as Catholics—can wholly support Initiative 434.
By Sr. Teresa Marie
School Sisters of Christ the King
This past July, I had the privilege of attending the National Eucharistic Congress alongside many of my Sisters and about 60,000 other people. The thought of the Congress still brings awe and consolation to my heart.
By Katie Patrick
As I begin this reflection on the Second Joyful Mystery of the Rosary, I want to take a moment to acknowledge my fellow columnist, Father Brian Wirth, assistant pastor at St. Peter Church in Lincoln and Director of Catholic Rural Life. His recent homily, which included a letter from Bishop James Conley addressing the upcoming ballot initiatives, reminded us that “God is in control.” In a world filled with noise—news, yard signs, commercials, social media, and controversial conversations—it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. Sometimes, I find it necessary to disconnect entirely, even from my phone, to regain focus, clarity, and quite honestly, my sanity.
“Every Dog in the Neighborhood”
by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Matthew Bordell.
Holiday House, New York, 2022, 40 pages, Grades 1-3.
By Jeff Schinstock
Director of evangelization and catechesis,
Director for pro-life activities
The Nov. 5 election is quickly approaching, and for Nebraskans this will be an extremely consequential election.
From now until the votes are counted we are going to be inundated with information on candidates and political parties. Elections are always important and the people we cast our votes for need to be examined, and we need to make good prudential judgements as we make our decisions. But this election, we need to have keen focus on ballot issues that will have a dramatic influence on the future of Nebraskans.
It has been an amazing political time. Internationally, war and chaos are raising anxieties as we pray for Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to act.
by John McDonald
Hastings Regional Director, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
It’s all about relationships. As I looked around Hastings Auditorium during our recent Bountiful Harvest banquet, I recognized hundreds of people who have supported Catholic Social Services in Hastings in the past through their donations of time, talent, and treasure. More importantly, I recognized hundreds of people who were, in that very moment, supporting CSS through their presence at this event. That night, our keynote speaker, Christ in the City’s Managing Director, Blake Brouillette, expounded on the goodness of “wasting time” with the homeless friends to whom they minister.
By Tony Arens
Principal, St. John the Apostle School, Lincoln
Catholic schools have long been regarded as a unique treasure in the world of education, offering a combination of academic excellence, spiritual growth, and community involvement. In a rapidly changing world, where the demands of education often focus primarily on academic success, Catholic schools offer something more profound: the formation of the whole person. This gift of Catholic education extends beyond knowledge and skills, shaping students’ moral compass, deepening their faith, and preparing them to serve others in a meaningful way.
“Lines of Courage”
By Jennifer A. Nielsen. Scholastic Press, New York, 2022, 388 pages, Grades 7-9.
By Fr. Christopher Stoley
Sacred Heart Church, Crete
Hispanic Ministry
One of the most frustrating things I experience in Hispanic ministry is the language barrier. Even though I have more or less gained a mastery over Spanish, the barrier remains, and can impede ministry to people with real needs.
As a priest, I have felt rather useless on a number of occasions, simply because something gets lost in translation, and it can be difficult to meet the people where they are and provide assistance. My Spanish is fine, but throw in accents, stresses, and people whose main language is a Mayan or Aztec dialect, and communication can become an arduous task.
With time, however, I had to come to believe that language difficulties don’t truly matter. In the first place, most of my people are just excited that I am trying — they don’t care how good or bad the Spanish is, they care that it matters enough to me to try. But secondly, they want a pastor who will show up. I had to learn both of these lessons the hard way, especially the latter, as it often involves tragedy or crisis. Three memories come to mind that illustrate this point, which I will briefly describe.
by Drew Hines
Director of Development
St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center
The devil is an architect, a mastermind of destruction. For our culture, for our youth, for our loved ones, for us. The unfortunate truth is that he has a plan for our lives and he strikes when we are vulnerable, isolated, and confused. But the devil isn’t the only one with a plan for our lives… Praise God.
by Katie Patrick
Early one Friday morning at the Catholic Social Services Lincoln front office, Thomas walked toward me slowly, taking time to look around at the others in the lobby, glancing into the chapel, and eyeing the breakfast burritos and coffee we had set out for clients on the kitchen counter. The front lobby was fairly full, with clients eating and waiting for appointments. In the mornings, we host Lincoln Literacy, a nonprofit that teaches English to refugees and immigrants, creating a vibrant atmosphere of hope and renewal.
As he approached, Thomas crossed his arms, leaning in to ask for a gift card to our thrift store next door. He looked tired; his face was clean but discolored, and his clothes were worn and slightly too big. He didn’t appear homeless, but perhaps he was hungry, tired, or both. He told me he had just left the hospital. His mom had bought him a pair of sweatpants when he was discharged, a gesture for which he was clearly grateful, but that was all he had, besides the shirt he was wearing.
by Tom Venzor
“…and they’re off!” – that is, the voters of Nebraska!
You might be the type of person who votes on Election Day, and that’s great. But there will be a high number of Nebraskans voting early, either in-person or by mail—upwards of 40% or more of those voting.
In short, it’s no longer “Election Day” in Nebraska. It is “Election Month.”
“All About Hurricanes: Discovering Earth’s Wildest Storms”
By Cody Crane.
Children’s Press, New York, 2022, 48 pages, Grades 3-5.
by Tom Venzor
In the next 40 days, out-of-state special interest groups and abortion activists will be spending millions of dollars to deceive voters. They will fiercely push a proposal to enshrine a right to late-pregnancy abortions in our state constitution, a proposal that would allow abortions far into the second and third trimester of a pregnancy.
So, how can we defeat this unsafe, unregulated, and un-Nebraskan effort?
By Fr. Brian Kane
Rector, St. Gregory the Great Seminary;
Director of Seminarians
“The harvest is abundant…” Mt 9:37
St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward is surrounded by fields of corn this year. The field behind us was recently harvested, one of the first fields in the area. As the combine kicked up dust, I marveled at how efficiently the machine rolled through the field, almost without a thought about how complicated the inner-workings are.
By Paula Schlotterbeck
Digital Media Manager,
Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska
Time and time again, a fruit-filled wicker basket on St. Francis Gift & Thrift’s counter shares apples, oranges, and our Auburn team’s Christ-like love for the community.
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
One of my favorite Masses to celebrate every year is a votive Mass for farmers commemorating the beginning of the fall harvest. This celebration is even better when provided the opportunity to celebrate with all the school kids and teachers.
This votive Mass provides a graced opportunity for our diocesan schools to learn more about our agricultural roots, and to be reminded to pray for all the farmers and laborers who work tirelessly to harvest crops in order to feed us and the world. Personally, it is always powerful for me to ask our school children to pray for our farmers, as their humble prayers are most of all desired by our Lord and His Tender Heart. (Mt. 19:14)
“The Monkey Trial: John Scopes and the Battle Over Teaching Evolution”
By Anita Sanchez.
Clarion Books, New York, 2023, 184 pages, Grades 6-9.
By Tom Venzor
I reported in last week’s column that we were due for a wild week, and expectations were exceeded. So, what happened?
First, last Monday, the Nebraska Supreme Court had oral arguments on both abortion-related ballot initiatives. The Court considered whether each initiative violated the “single-subject” rule, which prohibits a ballot measure from containing more than “one subject” in its proposal.
Nebraska’s high court said that neither initiative violated the single-subject rule and both could head to the November ballot.
By Sr. Carol Hohmeier
Marian Sisters of the Diocese of Lincoln
“Can we do this again tomorrow?” One of the little boys quipped this request after we just cleaned up from hosting a meal for the women and children at St. Gianna’s. Despite the amount of work that goes into these gatherings, they are a true source of joy for all involved. I, along with two fellow Marian Sisters, serve at St. Gianna’s Program, where we assist women and their families fleeing domestic violence or who are being coerced into having an abortion.
