March 6, 2025 // Bishop

Bishop Urges Youth at St. Dominic to Embrace Call to Holiness

Montse Hernandez

Bishop Rhoades knocked on the second-grade classroom door and entered the room filled with children who were thrilled to see him and eager to learn. The students in the catechesis program at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Bremen had been anticipating his arrival, and they were ready to fire their questions at him.

At the invitation of the parish’s pastor, Father Dan Niezer, Bishop Rhoades visited St. Dominic to celebrate Mass and visit catechism classrooms on Sunday, February 23.

Students were prepared with their burning questions for Bishop Rhoades. One of the second-grade teaching aides, Cheli Gutierrez, told Today’s Catholic: “They were told last week that Bishop Rhoades was coming. So, they’ve had time to ponder and think of the questions they have for him.”

Shortly after Bishop Rhoades walked into the second-grade classroom, a student asked, “What is the Holy Spirit?”

Bishop Rhoades responded: “The Holy Spirit is a who, not a what, because He is not a thing. The Holy Spirit is God. God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

The students sat quietly, listening to every word from Bishop Rhoades, who turned the tables and asked them who God the Son was. A student joyfully exclaimed, “Jesus!”

“Yes! God the Father sent His Son to forgive us and to lead us to heaven,” explained Bishop Rhoades.

Before Bishop Rhoades left the classroom, he challenged the students, asking if they knew the Act of Contrition. The students were ready to impress and demonstrated their great preparation for their first reconciliation, which they will celebrate later this month.

All the students in unison recited in harmony the Act of Contrition, and Bishop Rhoades congratulated the students with delight.

Gutierrez said, “[Having Bishop Rhoades visit] gave the kids someone to look up to, like a role model.”

Bishop Rhoades made sure to visit each class preparing for sacraments this spring.

At the end of the visits, several classes gathered in the downstairs level of the parish center to be addressed by Bishop Rhoades. He noted their dedication to preparation for the sacraments and encouraged the students to continue receiving Jesus in the Eucharist and making a regular confession.

Bishop enthusiastically emphasized the call to holiness, saying that even despite their age, they are called to follow the will of God.

He even led a prayer for the students as they pursue a path to holiness. They prayed: “Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, to you, we turn in humble prayer. Look with favor upon all young people, bearers of hope for the Church and the world. Jesus Christ, companion of youth and young adults, bless the paths of discovery and discernment, through times of joy and experiences of hardship, with the constant love and support of your Church. Jesus Christ, alive in the hearts of all your people, grant that we may journey together, young and old, to nourish our enthusiasm, cause dreams to emerge, awaken prophecies, and enable hope to blossom. Jesus Christ, Redeemer of all humankind, open our hearts to encounter all young people, to accompany and be in community together, and as one Church, embark upon our holy mission. Jesus Christ, in the company of the Father and the Holy Spirit, graciously hear our prayer and be with us forever more. Amen.”

After the classroom visits, Bishop Rhoades celebrated Mass in Spanish. In his homily, he focused on the Gospel reading from St. Luke.

“Jesus says to us: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you,” Bishop Rhoades preached during his homily. “Wow – difficult, right?” He continued, “I think that these words are the most challenging teaching of Jesus.”

Bishop Rhoades preached Christ’s words to the people: to love all of those around us. One must respond with love despite the difficulties of daily life and frustrating encounters.

He emphasized the call to love radically and offered a loving response for one to say if there is a moment of anger or frustration. He called on the people to bless the other rather than cursing or responding in violence.

The parishioners of St. Dominic were glad to receive Bishop Rhoades to their parish, and they celebrated his visit with a 500-tamale lunch in the parish center following the Mass.