March 2026
The
COURIER
Official Newspaper of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester, MN | dowr.org
Dublin to Winona Another Record Year for OCIA From The History and Mission of the Religious Sisters of Mercy
By NICOLE WENINGER
�he Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, MI, have
become a valued and familiar part of the Winona community since their arrival in 2012. What you might not realize is that this order of sisters has a rich history that began in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831. In the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day in March, let’s take a deep dive into the Religious Sisters of Mercy and their Irish roots. Their story begins with Catherine McAuley. Orphaned at a young age, Catherine went to live with relatives who were strongly anti-Catholic. Despite this difficult trial of faith, she remained steadfast in her Catholic beliefs, finding (in the words of historian Sr. Angela Bolster, RSM) “peace
By BRIAN KUSEK
�
ishop Barron celebrated the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion on February 22 at Queen of Angels Parish, Austin, for many of these individuals, along with their sponsors, to acknowledge that God has called them to initiation and full communion with the Church of Christ. They now spiritually prepare, during Lent, to receive and celebrate the Sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil and throughout the Easter Season. Last year, the Diocese of Winona-Rochester saw the highest number of adults receiving the sacraments of initiation through OCIA. This year, we welcomed another record-setting group, with 317 catechumens and candidates preparing for the Easter sacraments.
Venerable Catherine McCauley
Brian Kusek is the director of evangelization for the Diocese of Winona-Rochester.
Dublin to Winona, cont'd on pg. 12
INSIDE this issue
How We Spent Catholic Schools Week pages 8-9
Adapting with Purpose page 10
The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd page 12