The Church in Minnesota

The Archdiocese honored six individuals across five categories at the St. John Paul II Champions for Life Award Luncheon held Oct. 29 at St. Peter in Mendota. The awards recognize those who promote and respect life at all stages.

Kimberly Bennecke-Danicich received the award in the Adult Pro-Life Professional category. She serves as the executive director of Southwest Options for Women in Eden Prairie, an organization that assists women facing unplanned pregnancies. Bennecke-Danicich transitioned to this role eight years ago after leaving a position as a chief executive officer for a small business in the Twin Cities.

Bennecke-Danicich, 53, stated that her personal experience with an unplanned pregnancy at age 16 drives her commitment to the mission. She is currently enrolled in the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults and intends to enter the Catholic Church in 2027. She and her husband, Peter, attend Mass at Pax Christi in Eden Prairie.

Brian Gibson, the executive director of Pro-Life Action Ministries, discussed his work with the pro-life movement during an episode of the program Practicing Catholic on Relevant Radio. Gibson, who has worked full-time for the ministry for 40 years, spoke with hosts Leah Heselton and Father Tom Margevicius about the intensity of his role.

Gibson noted that the work involves political, legislative, and pregnancy resource center efforts, as well as post-abortion counseling. He attributed his ability to remain focused on his vocation to the prayers of others. Despite facing opposition and witnessing harm, Gibson stated that the ministry continues its work because lives are being saved.

The episode, produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, also features an interview with Archbishop Bernard Heba regarding the influence of Saint John Henry Newman on his work. The program aired at 9 p.m. on October 30, with repeat broadcasts scheduled for 1 p.m. on October 31 and 2 p.m. on November 1.

The Benedictine Sisters of St. Paul’s Monastery in Maplewood, Minnesota, have entered into a covenant called Mutual Blessings to entrust the Hill-Murray School with the stewardship of the monastery's property and financial resources. The agreement was formally announced on Oct. 20 following approval from the Vatican.

Sister Catherine Nehotte, the prioress of St. Paul’s Monastery, said the sisters considered several options for their future, including transitioning to hospice or elderly care. The community currently has 15 members and an increasing median age. Sister Catherine stated the sisters chose to partner with the school to ensure their values continue through the youth.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda has called for the formation of parish-based small groups throughout the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

At Sacred Heart parish in Robbinsdale, a small group for married couples has formed in response to this request. The group includes 12 couples, many of whom have children. To accommodate childcare needs, the husbands meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, while the wives meet on the first and third Tuesdays.

Nick and Natalie Ryan, along with Matt and Lizzy Chalberg and Aaron and Jessica Fimon, lead the group. Members meet at the home of the Fimons. The group provides social and practical support for families, including assistance with household projects and companionship through life events such as job changes, deaths, and the birth of children.

The Church of Gichitwaa Kateri in South Minneapolis serves as the American Indian Catholic Church for the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. The parish provides weekly Mass and faith formation sessions known as family circles, which Robert Haarman, the director of Indian ministry, says are designed to support the community's spiritual journey through cultural sharing.

The church also hosts monthly gatherings for community elders that include prayer, meals, and traditional activities, such as learning to make moccasins.

Gichitwaa Kateri serves as a site for American Indian wakes, funerals, and memorials. The church offers an affordable alternative to funeral homes and operates the Miigiiweyon hearse ministry. This ministry provides one-way transportation for deceased relatives to a reservation at no cost to the families.

Sister Linda Soler, a 65-year-old Benedictine sister, has begun training to serve as a police chaplain for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.

Sister Soler, who serves as the subprioress at the Benedictine Monastery in Maplewood, spent approximately one year discerning the role. After contacting the Sheriff’s Office to explore the position, she met with Sgt. Dan Young, who managed the chaplaincy program at the time. Following a tour of the Sheriff’s Office building in August 2025, Sister Soler enrolled in the chaplaincy training program.

Sister Soler previously served as a chaplain for sports at Hill-Murray School in Maplewood. Sister Catherine Nehotte, the prioress of the Benedictine Monastery, supports Sister Soler's transition into this new ministry.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda said he first discovered St. John Henry Newman while he was a seminarian. In an upcoming episode of the program Practicing Catholic on Relevant Radio, the archbishop discussed how Newman's sermons serve as a source of spiritual inspiration.

Hebda noted that he particularly appreciates sermons Newman wrote while he was an Anglican. He described Newman as a significant figure in the Oxford Movement, a theological effort to return Anglicans to their apostolic roots. This movement eventually led to Newman's public and difficult conversion to the Catholic Church, a transition that resulted in the loss of many friends and colleagues.

The archbishop's episcopal motto, Only Jesus, is a prayer commonly attributed to Newman, though Hebda noted he suspects the quote may have originated from another source. He also uses the phrase as the title for his column in The Catholic Spirit.

Catholic Charities Twin Cities held a pop-up voting outreach event at its Higher Ground Minneapolis campus on Oct. 24. The event, which ran from noon to 3 p.m., served residents of the campus emergency shelter and three apartment buildings ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

Carole Specktor, who led the effort at Higher Ground, said the event helps clients overcome barriers to voting, such as lack of transportation or uncertainty regarding eligibility. The organization provides information to clients to clarify that individuals with criminal records may still be eligible to vote.

Catholic Charities Twin Cities partnered with Minneapolis officials for the event. Supported by a Hennepin County grant, the nonprofit also held a get-out-the-vote activity at its Minneapolis youth shelter on Oct. 27. A similar event is scheduled for the week of the election at the Northside Childhood Development Center in Minneapolis.

Archbishop Hebda congratulated auxiliary bishop Kevin Kenney on the second anniversary of his ordination to the episcopacy.

Bishop Kenney serves as the pastor of Saint Olaf and as the archdiocesan vicar for Latino ministry. The archbishop noted that the bishop has maintained his ministry despite an unexpected diagnosis of lung cancer.

The archbishop requested that the faithful pray for Bishop Kenney, the medical professionals treating him, and all people who are suffering or struggling.

Lumen Christi parishioners gathered at the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Ford Parkway in St. Paul on Oct. 25 to encourage registered voters to participate in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. More than a dozen parishioners held nonpartisan signs and distributed voting information to pedestrians.

The Honk and Wave event was organized by the parish discipleship program, Faith in Action: Bringing Christ’s Light to Public Life. Parishioner Mike Harley stated that the program intends to form a community that applies Catholic social teaching to public life.

The parish also conducted a letter-writing event through the nonprofit Vote Forward. During this activity, volunteers wrote 1,000 personal notes of encouragement to regions with historically low voter turnout. John Benda, a parishioner, helped modify the Faith in Action program for the congregation.