The Visitor Father Paul Zylla, 93, died Aug. 26 at Presbyterian Homes, Founders Ridge, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Among his assignments were serving as the pro-life director of the St. Cloud Diocese for 22 years and writing as a columnist for the St. Cloud Visitor’s “Pro-Life Corner” for 16 years. “Father Zylla was a visionary in…
Bishop Donald Kettler will be attending several papal events during Pope Francis’ visit to the U.S. After a stop in Philadelphia at the World Meeting of Families, Bishop Kettler will join other bishops from around the country Sept. 23 in Washington, D.C., for midday prayer with the pope at St. Matthew’s Cathedral and later for…
A story of true love for Christ, the church and each other By Kristi Anderson The Visitor In 2008, talks were underway at the parishes of St. Edward in Princeton and St. Pius X in Zimmerman about whether or not the two parishes should become one parish community. Jackie Slayton, a member of St. Pius…
By Kristi Anderson The Visitor John Thavis is a journalist, author and speaker specializing in Vatican and religious affairs. He grew up in Minnesota and graduated from St. John’s University. In 1983, he took a job reporting with Catholic News Service and began covering the Vatican daily, traveling with St. John Paul II and Pope…
The Visitor Bishop Donald Kettler expressed his support for the Diocese of St. Cloud to hold a “Festival of Forgiveness” as a way to promote healing, mercy and the sacrament of reconciliation during the upcoming Holy Year of Mercy. “Let’s keep thinking about this and how we can do it well,” he told members of…
Breckenridge school uses grant to pilot new LEGO robotics program By Kristi Anderson The Visitor This year, the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Saint Cloud distributed $211,655 to Catholic schools and parishes as part of the Living the Promise grants program. More than 100 parishes and all 28 Catholic schools in the diocese participated…
Sister dioceses give thanks and praise for strong global bonds By Kristi Anderson The Visitor When the newborn daughter of Kateri Mancini and her husband, Mike Gallagher, was baptized this past April during the Easter Vigil at Christ Church Newman Center in St. Cloud, the whole community welcomed her into the church following the parish’s…
About 445 people gathered Sept. 5 for the Diocesan Partnership Barn Dance celebrating the St. Cloud Diocese’s global solidarity partnerships with the dioceses of Homa Bay, Kenya and Maracay, Venezuela. The event, held at Holy Spirit Church, St. Cloud, featured Mass with Bishop Donald Kettler and was followed by a meal of authentic Venezuelan and…
By Kristi Anderson The Visitor As a sociology professor at St. Cloud State University, Stephen Philion believes in putting into action what he is teaching. About two and a half years ago, Philion and several other community leaders came together to discuss forming a new non-profit organization — the Greater Minnesota Worker Center — to…
‘Courageous witnesses’ to Catholic faith gather for renewal, revitalization By Kristi Anderson The Visitor Nearly 800 parish and Catholic school staff, volunteers, priests and others working in ministry packed the auditorium at the River’s Edge Convention Center Aug. 31 for Diocesan Ministry Day. The day featured a keynote address by Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, president of…
