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One-in-a-Billion – Becky VanKauwneberg

January 17, 2020

This picture was recently printed in the Compass, the Diocesan Newspaper. Our very own, Bishop David L. Ricken, joined other Bishops for a conversation with Pope Francis.
“It wound up being the Holy Father’s sharing deeply from his heart and from his experience as a bishop and now as the pope,” added Bishop Ricken. “The time went very quickly and all of us feel that we know him more as a person and as a pastor.” – The Compass

I am excited to share this image with the group of high schoolers who will begin preparing to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation on May 21st. These teens will be gathering at Saint Francis Cathedral for Confirmation with Bishop Ricken. Last month Bishop Ricken was in Rome shaking the hand of the Pope of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics throughout the world and in a few months he will be Confirming the teens of our parishes. How cool is that!

In today’s Gospel, John the Baptist spoke these words, “the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whom-ever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’” As our teens prepare to receive the same Spirit more fully into their lives through Confirmation, let us pray that they too commit to the mission of the Church and confidently commit to being the young men and women God has created them to be. Each and every one of them is truly one-in-a-billion!

Check out the Full Compass Article featuring Bishop Ricken’s Visit with Pope Francis

Becky VanKauwenberg, High School Faith Formation