2021 was a challenging year, but Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said he certainly saw the Lord’s abundant blessings bestowed on the faithful. For one, he recalled the ongoing involvement with the Archdiocesan Synod process and “the mammoth effort” that took place last fall with the Synod Parish Consultation with Small Groups.
One of the things made clear to him is that the faithful in the archdiocese “so much want to be involved in the Church in a deeper way,” he said.
“We’re grateful for that opportunity to come together and to discuss it,” he said, referring to the Synod Small Groups, while speaking to “Practicing Catholic” radio show host Patrick Conley in a segment airing 9 p.m. Jan. 14 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM.
Parishioners having the opportunity to gather in a meaningful way to discuss their dreams for the Church and how to move forward was very positive for nearly everyone, he said.
“I realize how the Lord has really blessed our local Church through that process, and that people had that opportunity to engage with each other, but also with their archbishop on those things that were obviously so important to them,” Archbishop Hebda said. “So, for me, that was a great blessing in 2021.”
Archbishop Hebda joined Conley to review memorable events and successes in the archdiocese in 2021, and to look ahead to several significant events coming in 2022.
The growth in archdiocesan Catholic school enrollment, especially in the midst of challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, was another blessing, the archbishop said. Teachers have managed to persevere despite the pandemic and to keep students safe, but also provide a Christ-centered education in a way that appeals not only to students but also to their parents and families, he said.
Archbishop Hebda also recalled the new propaedeutic year at The St. Paul Seminary, which is a change in seminary formation. Sixteen men are the first to come together from different dioceses for a preparatory year before traditional seminary formation.
“We want to make sure that those men are really being prepared to have the deep spiritual foundation that they need to be able to withstand some of the storms, whether it be COVID or something else that our pastors have to live with,” he said. “We need to have men (who) are extraordinarily rooted in Christ and in the Gospel.”
Conley asked Archbishop Hebda what he is looking forward to in 2022. The ordination of Bishop-elect Joseph Williams Jan. 25 as the new auxiliary bishop for the archdiocese is a big milestone, the archbishop said. He also noted the continuation of the Synod, with additional parish leadership teams soon meeting in online forums, and the Synod Assembly is set for Pentecost weekend, June 3-5.
To hear more details, listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic.” It also airs at 1 p.m. Jan. 15 and 2 p.m. Jan. 16 on Relevant Radio.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes interviews with clinical counselor Joseph Lundsten of Novare Consulting Center, who describes self-care from a Catholic perspective for the post-holiday doldrums, and Nancy Schulte Palacheck, who describes Totus Tuus, an archdiocesan summer missionary program.
Listen to all of the interviews after they have aired at
