Local News

A priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis and longtime hospital chaplain died Aug. 26 in southwestern India, his home country. Father George Thoomkuzhy was 77. He ministered in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis from 2005 to his retirement in August 2014.

As COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc physically, even bringing death into some people’s homes, the shutdown this spring and the virus’ continuing effects also have impacted mental health.

Sister Catherine McNamee, a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet and longtime Catholic educational leader, died Aug. 30 at the age of 89. She was living at her order's residence in St. Paul.

As of Sept 5, priests in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis have a third — and familiar — option for distributing Communion at Mass during the coronavirus pandemic.

A priest of the Diocese of Rapid City, South Dakota, Father Michel Mulloy was scheduled to be ordained the 10th bishop of Duluth Oct. 1.

The rosary ministry of the late Matt Wiederkehr, known on Facebook as “The Rosary Guy,” has only grown in the wake of his death at age 90, one year ago this month.

The Gospel passage read at weekend Masses Aug. 29 and 30 came to life on one of the most picture-perfect weather days of the summer. 

In a virtual format with about 150 people listening and participating online, Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Lutheran Bishop Ann Svennungsen Aug. 31 discussed scriptural and faith traditions that undergird both Christian denominations’ call to welcome migrants and refugees.