At the home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, Archbishop Bernard Hebda celebrated a different kind of goal Jan. 29 — presiding at Mass with elementary students at Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Nearly 7,000 students from 76 schools came to the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul for an event called the Mass of the Holy Spirit sponsored by the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence (CSCOE). They danced to the music of local praise and worship band Sonar, then settled in for some remarks by youth minister, speaker and musician Pat Millea followed by Mass. It was the third such Mass since Archbishop Hebda arrived in 2015. The previous Masses were in 2016 and 2018.

Archbishop Hebda was joined by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Izen, former pastor of St. Michael and St. Mary in Stillwater, which was represented by its parish school, St. Croix Catholic School. More than 60 priests also came, joining a festive processional that featured students carrying banners of their respective schools. Also part of the event were two newly ordained deacons who are school principals — Deacons Mike McGinty of Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Edina and Bruce Richards of St. Joseph Catholic School in Waconia.

During his homily, Archbishop Hebda spoke to the students, teachers, staff members and families about what it means for a child to attend a Catholic school.
“The fact that you are in a Catholic school is proof that you are loved,” he said. “You have God who loves you. You have parents who love you. You have a Church that loves you.”