February 2026
The
COURIER
Man of God
Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
Rite of Election and
Call to Continuing Diocesan Men's Conference in Mankato This Month Conversion February 22 Queen of Angels, Austin
By PETER MARTIN
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en of the Diocese: You’re invited to the Man of God Men’s Conference in Mankato on Saturday, February 21 at St. Peter & Paul’s Catholic Church. I can’t think of a better way to kickstart Lent than by attending this conference! Starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m., the day will be a wonderful opportunity to be enriched, strengthened, and encouraged to become the Man of God that you are called to be! We are blessed to have Keith Nester as our keynote speaker. Keith has gained popularity recently due to his own Catholic Feedback podcast and his recent guest spot on Matt Fradd’s Pints with Aquinas. Keith will share with us his conversion story and will share more about how we can own the Catholic faith of which he is now blessed to be a member. Throughout the day there will be ample opportunities to draw closer to Christ: Prayer, Confession, Mass with Bishop Barron and Adoration. I encourage you to register now, invite your friends, and show up prepared to allow Christ more deeply into your life! Register now at https://www.dowr.org/event-details/3997.
By BRIAN KUSEK
�very year on the first Sunday of Lent, our
Keith Nester will be the keynote speaker at Man of God.
Peter Martin is the director of life, marriage & family for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
bishop celebrates the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion for those who will be welcomed into full communion with the Church of Christ at the Easter Vigil. This is a pivotal moment for catechumens and candidates. Of course, it’s a joy to have a chance to publicly affirm all these individuals have undertaken to grow in their relationship with Christ. But more importantly, our local shepherd – the successor of the apostles – stands as head of the diocese to welcome them; to demonstrate the local church is embracing them. The inscription of names, which serves as a sort of climax to this liturgy, prefigures in a way the engrafting to the Body of Christ which occurs at Easter. This rite, in other words, embodies Lent’s universal invitation to conversion for all of us, drawing the entire Body of Christ into deeper union with Jesus. As the soon to be “elect” are engrafted into this mystical Body, the season challenges all faithful to renew their commitment, fostering a communal path of purification and
Rite of Election, cont'd on pg. 14
INSIDE this issue
St. Polycarp
The Face of Jesus page 3
The Praying Family page 11
page 16