Message from Bishop John
March 2026
CATY MRAZ | THE U.P. CATHOLIC
At the "transitional" diaconate ordination Mass of now-Dcns. Mark Beukema, Drew Langton and Tyler Rivard, Bishop Emeritus James Garland reads part of the Eucharistic prayer. The Mass was celebrated at St. Peter Cathedral on May 16, 2025.
A Recipe for Success
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
What does it mean to be successful? How do we measure success?
Our Lord gives us a clear answer to this question: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).
Fulfilling these two commandments is the true measure of success. We need the Lord’s help to do this. We cannot do it on our own. To open up space in our hearts for the Lord to work, I would like to provide a “recipe for success” or five essentials of practicing our faith. These are the basic ingredients we need.
1) Mass every Sunday and Holy Day of Obligation.
2) Regular Confession (recommended about once a month).
3) Daily prayer (at least fifteen minutes alone with the Lord).
4) Works of charity.
5) Sharing our faith with others.
This, of course, does not exhaust the possibilities available to us, but these are the essentials. During this time of Lent, may we truly focus on these essentials of practicing our faith and grow in our love of God and neighbor.
In Christ,
+Bishop John Doerfler
The Anchor of Hope podcast newest episode: "Friendship"
THE U.P. CATHOLIC
The logo for Bishop John Doerfler’s podcast titled “The Anchor of Hope." Bishop Doerfler co-hosts the podcast with Hattie Hanold. The podcast is distributed to multiple websites and apps, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and more.
What makes a good friend? What kinds of steps should we take to make a new friend who may eventually help us grow in our relationship with Jesus?
Follow along with Bishop John and Hattie as they discuss what makes a good friend and how to get to know a friend through the lens of the Catholic faith.
The show is available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora and more. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the podcast feed on your app of choice to be notified of new episode releases. New episodes of the podcast will be released on the first and third Thursdays of each month.
Follow along with Bishop John and Hattie as they discuss what makes a good friend and how to get to know a friend through the lens of the Catholic faith.
The show is available on all major podcast platforms including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Pandora and more. Be sure to follow or subscribe to the podcast feed on your app of choice to be notified of new episode releases. New episodes of the podcast will be released on the first and third Thursdays of each month.
