507-858-1275
info@catholicfsmn.org
Select a Witness Testimonial Mini Stories each week to include in your bulletin, your website and your Facebook page. You may also want to consider printing a mini story to hand out to parishioners or make available in public gathering spaces. You are free to pick and choose which stories to feature. Note: if you choose to use the Text Only version, please attach the official Appeal Logo.
There are many churches throughout the Winona-Rochester Diocese with rich historical backgrounds that date back as far as the mid-1800s. While many of these churches sustain most of their original art, architecture, and charm, we have a responsibility to perform regular maintenance on these buildings to continue to have these beautiful spaces in which we can worship our Lord.
Fr. Jim Berning has shared the impact the Catholic Ministries Appeal has had on his parish cluster this year:
“The parishioners in all of these parishes... love their parishes and school and are supportive of the Catholic Ministries Appeal.” Fr. Jim Berning
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal
This year, our diocese is welcoming over 250 women and men into the Church who have been formed in the Catholic Faith through the Office of Adult Christian Initiation (OCIA) process. This is the largest number of people being initiated and received into the Church this century, and is over 100 people more than last year! This wonderful growth is due to the work of our dedicated and faith-filled parish OCIA coordinators, team members, and catechists, and to the support of their pastors, deacons, and parish staff.
The diocesan OCIA serves and supports our clergy and lay parish leaders in welcoming people coming into the Catholic Church through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Through the OCIA process, adults come to know and follow the way of Christ as they prepare to be initiated and received into the Catholic Church. The diocese provides support and guidance to our parish leaders working in this ministry through trainings and consultation, regional gatherings, and resources. The Catholic Ministries Appeal makes this diocesan ministry possible – Thank you!
Please consider donating generously to the 2025 Catholic Ministries Appeal.
Bishop Robert Barron celebrated the diocesan Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion at Queen of Angels Parish in Austin on Sunday, March 9. This year’s 251 catechumens and candidates for our diocese is the largest group of people entering the Church in this century.
Bishop Robert Barron looks on at the signing of the Book of the Elect during the diocesan Rite of Election. At this diocesan service, women and men preparing to be initiated and received into the Church gather in prayer with the bishop, accompanied by their godparents and sponsors, and Catholics from across the diocese.
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal
Every year, Bishop Robert Barron celebrates a mass specifically for young adults in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The Young Adult Mass offers an opportunity for individuals roughly between the ages of 18 and 35 to gather in prayer and, after mass, ask Bishop Barron questions about our Catholic faith. Aaron Lofy, Director of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester says, “Young adults can take time out of their schedules to come together and be built up in their own discipleships with Jesus as the talk with other young adults around the diocese. Bishop Barron is able to encourage these young adults to be evangelizers in the diocese.”
The annual Young Adult Mass, as well as several other youth ministry events and programs, is partially funded by CMA donations. Your CMA donations “has helped provide an environment where young adults can… be supported in their Catholic faith,” (Aaron Lofy). If you are interested in supporting programs such as Young Adult Mass, please consider donating generously to this year’s Catholic Ministries Appeal.
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal
Across the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Hispanic Ministry is growing and thriving, thanks to the dedicated support of our priests, parishioners, and diocesan initiatives.
Rev. Raul Silva, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and School in Worthington, MN, and diocesan Vicar for Hispanic Ministry shares:
“There are ten parishes in our diocese currently serving around 6,000 Hispanic parishioners every Sunday. We are blessed to have three Hispanic priests and one Hispanic deacon focused on Hispanic Ministry, along with about seven non-Hispanic priests who also celebrate the sacraments in Spanish.”
Fr. Silva notes that funds from the Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) have played a vital role in strengthening Hispanic Ministry across the diocese. These funds help support leadership development and expand ministry efforts in our parishes.
Past CMA support has made significant events possible like the diocesan Year of Mercy celebration—attended by nearly 2,000 people—and the Eucharistic Congress. It has also funded retreats for Hispanic leaders, youth faith formation, and initiatives for the growing number of Hispanic students in our Catholic schools.
Your generosity makes this work possible. Please consider making a gift to the Catholic Ministries Appeal today to continue supporting Hispanic Ministry and other vital programs in our diocese.
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal
Whether visible or behind the scenes, each parish in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester identifies new ways to utilize their Catholic Ministries Appeal (CMA) overage funds after they’ve surpassed their yearly goal.
Recently, St. Finbarr Catholic Church in Grand Meadow, MN, welcomed a new Director of Faith Formation, Rochelle Fay. Upon stepping into her role, Fay recognized the need for new whiteboards to enhance interactive learning during Faith Formation classes. With a strong passion for Youth Ministry and as a mother of three, she is directing part of St. Finbarr’s CMA overage toward enriching the faith education of young people, the future of the Catholic Church.
Over the past year, St. Finbarr also used CMA overage funds to replace several aging furnaces, improving comfort for parishioners year-round. Parishioner Dawn Stier shared that all five furnaces were installed successfully and that the project was made possible by the previous year’s CMA surplus.
Looking ahead, the parish plans to continue exceeding its CMA goal to support additional improvements. One upcoming project includes replanting trees around the church grounds, many of which were recently lost to emerald ash borer damage. The community is eager to restore the natural beauty of the property.
We invite you to prayerfully consider a gift to the Catholic Ministries Appeal. Once your parish meets its goal, every additional dollar raised is returned to your church for important projects and improvements.
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal
Catholic Charities is more than just a nonprofit — it's a lifeline for countless individuals and families in need. With heartfelt support from the annual Catholic Ministries Appeal, this trusted organization reaches into communities across the country, offering compassion, dignity, and practical help when it’s needed most. Whether it’s feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, or walking alongside the vulnerable, Catholic Charities brings hope to life every single day.
In Winona, for example, Catholic Charities supports new and expecting mothers by addressing both their physical and mental health needs. This support includes financial assistance, baby supplies, and access to resources such as therapy services. The organization also hosts community events like its annual diaper drive, which collects essential items such as diapers and wipes—basic necessities for raising a child.
Another important initiative is Socktober, a donation drive that collects warm socks for those in need during the colder months. When asked, “Why socks?” the organization explains:
“While many of us take warm socks for granted, they are among the most requested—and least donated—items at homeless shelters. Socks not only provide warmth, but they also help prevent a range of medical issues. Wet or cold feet can lead to frostbite, trench foot, and fungal infections, especially when there’s limited access to clean footwear.”
Please prayerfully consider donating to CMA to help support organizations like Catholic Charities.
Please give generously to the Catholic Ministries Appeal: www.catholicfsmn.org/catholic-ministries-appeal