Moving Out: Acculturation Program Hits the Road    

Larry Brodle, Parishioner

To keep our parish census accurate and current, please help us by returning your completed family census form whether there are any changes or not.

 

Please be sure to update any new information, such as:

 

ü     New address or moving out of the parish

 

ü     Children moving out of the home

 

ü     Births and deaths

 

ü     Name change and change in marital status

 

ü     Phone numbers and e-mail addresses

 

New census forms were mailed out with the mid-year contribution statements. Please return your completed census form to the Parish Office. If you did not receive one, or if you have any questions, call RuthAnne at (651) 633-8333, ext. 1233. Thanks!

Stay Connected! Return your Completed Census Form  

RuthAnne Lapinski, St. John’s Data Processor

After over two years and five “classes” of international priests, the Archdiocesan Acculturation Program is moving from St. John’s to another venue. Thus, a group of four priests from Puerto Rico and a priest from Venezuela will be housed
elsewhere when they arrive in the Twin Cities in preparation for study at the University of St. Thomas.

The concept of housing the Acculturation Program at St. John's sprang from the fertile mind of our former pastor, Father Bill  Murtaugh. Details of the arrangement were worked out, and we
were informed in March of 2004 that two priests from India would be arriving. From the beginning, Bishop Richard Pates had decided that the program would be a three month in-residence experience for priests prior to their assignment to a parish. This may have been the only such program in the United States, the others being periodic regional seminars spread over several years while priests actively serve in their parishes. The advantages of Bishop Pates’ approach was immediately obvious to all involved with the program.

The first meeting of the Acculturation Task Force was held on 31 March 2004 in the rectory at St. John’s. Fr. Sebastien Bakatu, Director of International Clergy for the Archdiocese, was the principal speaker, accompanied by Sr. Dianne Perry, also from the Archdiocese. Fr. Bill, Bob Mike (parish administrator), and nearly a dozen of St. John’s volunteers were present. Fr. Abraham Orathel and Fr. Abraham George, the priests from the state of Karala in India, both gave introductory talks.

Based upon comments by Fr. Bakatu and a set of topics generated by the Archdiocese, we began our first “class” in April of 2004. Our mission was: To train newly arrived priests in the culture and skills necessary to function independently as priests in our society.

Later in 2004, Fr. Juan Jose Saldana was an informal participant in the program while he attended Accent Modification classes at the University of Minnesota. While the program had been initiated by the Archdiocese of St. Paul/Minneapolis to accommodate the needs of priests being assigned within its borders, the Diocese of Duluth enrolled two priests in the program in February 2005. Then, during the summer of 2005, Fr. Robert Nygaard succeeded Fr. Sebastien as Director of International Clergy.

In November 2005, two priests from the Diocese of Winona were enrolled, along with two more priests from our Archdiocese. The final class at St. John’s consisted of two priests from Korea and one from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These men have already left the rectory which is now permanently housing St. John’s pastor and associate pastor.

From the outset, we were determined to build and document a process so as to provide clarity and continuity in the face of inevitable change. Moving the Acculturation Program to bigger quarters, St. James Parish in St. Paul, will test the validity of
our work.

 

Note from the Parish Administrator, Bob Mike:

 

St. John’s is very grateful to all the Acculturation Task Force Volunteers for their hard work, generosity, and cheerfulness. A special thank you to Larry Brodle, a dedicated parishioner, who took the lead and served as an inspiration to us all. I appreciate all of you for your selfless service in “welcoming the stranger.”

Farewell Party for the Acculturation Task Force, 27 July 2006