This column is part of a series on holy orders and the first on the priesthood. It follows eight columns by Father Van Sloun on the ordination and ministry of deacons in the Church.

In the opening story of this collection — which lends its title to the whole — the reader is introduced to Bub, a young boy reluctantly dragged off by his father to “help” his elderly grandmother.

The ministry involved with implementing Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s 2022 pastoral letter “You Will Be My Witnesses, Gathered and Sent From the Upper Room” does not aspire to be a quick fix for evangelization.

Deacons Francis “Frankie” Floeder and Philip Conklin are counting down the days until their priestly ordination on May 25, when they will receive the sacrament of holy orders with 11 other men at the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul.

Father Mark Pavlak is about to go fishing — fishing for men, that is, as he takes up the role of vocations director for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis this summer.

Seminarians and religious men and women need well-rounded formation throughout their lives, not only at the onset of their religious training, Pope Francis said.

Andrew Drees of St. Michael in Pine Island came to St. John Neumann in Eagan April 26 to participate in Mass, prayer and absorb — with hundreds of other people — the year two plans in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for implementing Archbishop Bernard Hebda’s pastoral letter.

On April 13, Guardian Angels in Oakdale partnered with King of Kings Lutheran Church in Woodbury and received support from Oakdale-based food bank Open Cupboard to host its first Community Meal Event.

Parishioners in several Midwestern states are coming together to bring help and healing after tornadoes ravaged the area April 26-28, killing at least four.

A foundation that promotes devotion to St. Pio of Pietrelcina, more widely known as Padre Pio, is making 10 never-before-seen photographs of the saint available to the devout for free.