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Bishop Sirba ordained for the Diocese of Duluth

On Dec. 14, Bishop Paul Sirba was ordained the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Duluth before a packed DECC Auditorium, in a liturgy broadcast to the region on local television and to a worldwide audience on its Web site.

“As I look out over all of you in my new diocese of Duluth, I am reminded that this is a foretaste of the eternal banquet in heaven,” Bishop Sirba said at the end of the two-and-a-half-hour Mass. Then he gave the final blessing — his first as a bishop.

For more on the ordination, see article here.

Bishop Sirba will be visiting each deanery on the Fridays during Lent for a Mass and a reception so that he can meet people who are not able to attend the ordination.

Below are the tentative dates, places and times for each deanery gathering.

Brainerd Deanery – 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at Immaculate Heart parish in Crosslake.

Cloquet Deanery – 5:30 p.m. March 5 at Queen of Peace parish, Cloquet.

Duluth Deanery – 7 p.m. March 19 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth.

Hibbing Deanery – 5 p.m. Feb. 26 at Blessed Sacrament parish in Hibbing.

Virginia Deanery – 4 p.m. March 12 at Holy Spirit parish in Virginia

Ninth bishop named for Diocese of Duluth

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI named Father Paul Sirba, 49, the ninth bishop of the Diocese of Duluth, on October 15.

Bishop-elect Paul Sirba

Bishop-elect Sirba was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis in 1986. He is the son of Norbert (deceased) and Helen Sirba. He has two brothers, Father Joseph Sirba and John (Sue Ann) Sirba, and one sister Catherine (Scott) Kelly, 13 nieces and nephews, and three grand-nephews. He was raised in Bloomington, attended Nativity of Mary Grade School, the Academy of the Holy Angels, the College of St. Thomas and the Saint Paul Seminary. He received his Master of Divinity degree from Saint Paul Seminary and a Master of Arts degree in spiritual theology from the Notre Dame Apostolic Catechetical Institute in Arlington, VA. After his ordination, he served as associate pastor at St. Olaf Church in Minneapolis from 1986 to 1990 and at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Savage from 1990 to 1991, as a member of the spiritual formation department at St. John Vianney Semininary in St. Paul from 1991 to 2000, as pastor of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin in St. Paul from 2000 to 2006, and as spiritual director at the Saint Paul Seminary from 2006 to 2009. He was appointed vicar general and moderator of the curia for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis by Archbishop John C. Nienstedt on July 1, 2009. Read more ....

With the help of our friends from The Catholic Spirit in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, here is the full audio from Bishop-elect Sirba's press conference yesterday afternoon.

Bishops release statement on CCHD

The bishops responsible for the Catholic Campaign for Human Development have issued a statement in response to criticism and calls for reform. That statement can be read here. Those seeking more detailed information are also invited to see the CCHD site posted by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. That site can be found at http://www.usccb.org/cchd.

Christopher West gets receptive welcome

The annual Catechetical Assembly drew more than 300 people, including some from Canada, to learn from Christopher West about Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body. More in this month's Northern Cross.

Also in The Northern Cross:

The Education Dinner is coming up soon and features Guy Doud. Get your tickets now!

A year after Archbishop Dennis Schnurr announced his new assigment, the diocese is still eagerly awaiting his successor.

NEW SOCIAL ENCYCLICAL: Pope Benedict XVI last month released his third encyclical, "Caritas in Veritate" ("Charity in Truth"). A social encyclical, it addresses the world economic crisis and insists that ethics and a full understanding of the human person are essential to authentic human development. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has created a site for the encyclical here.

YEAR FOR PRIESTS: Following on the heels of last year's Year of St. Paul, Pope Benedict XVI has declared this year a "Year for Priests," beginning June 19, on the Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. His Holiness has released a letter announcing the year, which can be read here. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has set up an informational Web site with a variety of information on the celebration, including information about how to obtain indulgences associated with it. That site can be accessed here. Please pray for the priests of our diocese, and for all the priests of the world.

YOUTH MINISTRY: Summer is already waning. Camp Survive, for younger students, has already maxed out its registration and is set to begin Aug. 9. Pray for our young people. For more information, see the Youth Ministry page.

VOCATIONS: Have you ever wondered if God is calling you to the priesthood, permanent diaconate or religious life? If you want to take your discernment to the next step, talk to our vocations team.

Letters from the Bishop - Dennis Marion Schnurr, Eighth Bishop of Duluth

>	Archbishop expresses gratitude as he says farewell
>	Pope Benedict XVI
>	A Catholic Guide to End-of-Life Decisions Including Advance Medical Directive And Heath Care Proxy

SAFE ENVIRONMENT: To access and complete the online youth protection training course, click here.

DEVELOPMENT: Do you wish to support the Evangelization Through Education Fund but missed your chance earlier? Read more here.

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