Barb Simon-Johnson talks with Brenda Kresky, director of planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud and members of the Diocesan Planning Council, Karen Pundsack and Andy Klinnert.

As World Day of the Poor is celebrated around the country, two members of the Service in Christ committee from the Mary Mother of the Church ACC, Marilou Heltemes, interim chairperson, and Bruce Uselman, Good Samaritan Fund liason,  join Luke Preussler, rural life coordinator for the office of social concerns at the Diocese of St. Cloud, to discuss how they work locally to encounter and serve those in their communities who are in need and encourage others to do the same. Their conversation is moderated by Amber Walling.

Barb Simon-Johnson talks with Brenda Kresky, director of planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud and Mike Laughery from Emmaus Partners about some of the current realities the diocese is dealing with.

Barb Simon-Johnson talks with Brenda Kresky, director of planning for the Diocese of St. Cloud and Mike Laughery from Emmaus Partners about the history behind the planning process and some of the challenges facing the diocese now and in the future.

Amber Walling of the diocesan communications office talks with Dr. Antonio Ramirez, associate professor of Theology and Pastoral Ministry at the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio, Texas and Donelle Poling, Director of Conversatio: Creating a Culture of Encounter at Saint John's School of Theology and Seminary about the upcoming program, "Attune Your Soul: The Sacred Art of Listening for Ministry," being presented Sept. 26 at SJU.

“Together in Solidarity: How CCHD helps fund the work of Fei y Justicia and the Greater Minnesota Worker Center.”

Program participants Camille Piper from San Antonio, Texas, and Luke Waltman from Little Falls, share what they learned from the Rural Immersion Program and how this will impact their ministry going forward.

Christine Luna-Munger, director of the Episcopal House of Prayer and new farmer, and Deacon Leo Wehseler, who both presented to the students, discuss life in small towns and on the farm, what it means to know your neighbor and how life in rural community yields more than sellable goods.

Ben Durheim, assistant professor of theology, and Daniella Zupan-Jerome, assistant professor of pastoral theology and director of the Sustained Encuentro program, both from Saint John’s School of Theology and Seminary, discuss the origins of the Rural Immersion Program, the school's partnership with the Mexican American Catholic College, the process of inviting speakers to the program and why curriculum of this type is vital for ministry today.

Bill Vos, a priest of the Diocese of St. Cloud, moderates a discussion about how mission work is changing and how we can encourage young people to choose to go into mission. Guests are Father Rodrigo Ulloa-Chavarry and Greg Darr, both from the Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers, a Catholic foreign mission society based in New York.