A couple big things we've done the past two weeks were for religious freedom. As you probably are aware, Christians (Catholics and non-Catholics alike) are being challenged in their faith and freedom with the development of the HHS mandate, which morally opposes matters of our conscience, which is ultimately a violation of the First Amendment. I don't want to get too political on here, so if you are unaware or want to learn more about what this mandate is and how it challenges the conscience of every disciple of Christ in this country, check out a few links here:
Religious Freedom Rally, St. Paul (pictured below)
On Friday, March 23rd, 30 people from Winona, including ten students, all four FOCUS missionaries, many community members around Winona, our chaplain Fr. Colletti, and Bishop Quinn of Winona, piled into a bus provided by the Diocese that took us up to St. Paul, MN for a Religious Freedom Rally. This was one of three rallies in the state of Minnesota, and Minnesota was one of all 50 states that participated in the peaceful rally across the country. Outside the Federal Courthouse in St. Paul, there were over 2,000 people of all ages, from infancy to elderly. It was beautiful to see many of our students partake in this experience and help be the voice of our generation and those generations to come.
30-Hour Fast for Religious Freedom (pictured below)
Following the rally on the 23rd, many students in our community began a 30-hour fast for religious freedom in our country. This fast, nicknamed "The Hunger," was organized and facilitated by two of our Winona State freshmen men. It was wonderful to see these men step up in leadership and pull off such a successful and meaningful event! Everyone who participated began fasting on their own at 1pm on Friday, then all met up at the Newman center at 7pm that evening. We then had an evening of prayer, fellowship, and vision on why we're fasting. There were about 30 people in attendance, including several seminarians from Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary in Winona and a surprise appearance from Bishop Quinn and Fr. Colletti. The following day included Mass, service work at the Winona Catholic Worker House, and more prayer and fellowship. At 7pm on Saturday, we ended the fast with a rosary and a delicious chili and cornbread dinner. Once again, this was a beautiful display of the students' commitment to something bigger than themselves, especially in giving up most of their weekend. One student said about participating in the fast: "it was a wonderful experience, because although our bodies were hungering for food, we filled that with our hunger for Jesus."
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| Diocese of Winona at the Religious Freedom Rally, St. Paul |
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| 30-Hour Fast: Playing a game after a day of service and 27 hours of fasting |
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| The 30-hour fast group after the meal on Saturday evening |
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