The Pastor's Page of Pots and Pie: Let Ring

The American Freedom Train toured the country in 1975–1976 to commemorate our nation's Bicentennial. The timing was perfect. At 12 years of age, I was sufficiently impressionable to recall the celebrations, which provided good news following the ending of the contentious Vietnam War in 1975. The train consisted of ten cars carrying American treasures all across the country, with stops in all 48 contiguous states. It included George Washington's copy of the Constitution, the original Louisiana Purchase, even Judy Garland's dress from 1939's blockbuster Wizard of Oz. It made its stop here near my birthday, at the end of August in 1975. Who could forget that on July 4, 1976, New York Harbor hosted a "Parade of Sail" featuring over 200 vessels, including sixteen majestic tall ships from fourteen nations. I also recall the tall ships sailing into New York Harbor filled me with pride for my country.

On the evening of the 4th, The famed Arthur Fiedler conducted the Boston Pops in the playing of the 1812 Overture, ending in a flurry of fireworks. It was unforgettable to me! And yet, beneath the surface, we were a divided nation in 1976. The Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision was just three years old, and I hardly understood its full implications. But how much more so today? By any reasonable measure, we are an extremely divided nation, and must legitimately ask if we are still a melting pot, as opposed to a tightly knit conglomeration of ethnic, socio-economic, and political neighborhoods that have little in common other than the license plates on their cars. St. Paul is currently declining at a rate of -0.36% annually. Its population has decreased by -1.79% since the 2020 census, which recorded a population of 311,156. It is now estimated to be 305,585.

Though today's population is equivalent to 1970 (309,980), the ethnic, racial, and religious breakdown is vastly different. In 1970, Saint Paul's population was 96% Caucasian, while today it is 50%. In 1970, 45-50% of the population was Catholic. Today, it is closer to 25-30%. My hometown has changed, and yet that is the story of many cities all across this nation. In the late 1880's, Catholics of Austrian heritage settled beyond Western Avenue, for years the city limits. They populated our Frogtown neighborhood, at the newly formed Saint Agnes. At the turn of the 20th century, Italian immigrants settled on the upper levee. These communities tended to become quite insular, which concerned Archbishop Ireland. Fifty years later the community was uprooted, its homes condemned following persistent flooding. The residents dispersed, though a bevy of Italian businesses (Cossetta, DeGidio, Mancini and Bonfe) remain on West 7th Street.

In 1888, while attending an event at Guardian Angels in Chaska, a German national parish, Archbishop John Ireland stunned the crowd by saying: "Through an exaggerated love of old habits and trans-Atlantic lands, are you to forget the present and the future, and reduce to social inferiority your sons and daughters?...Your children are American; their hopes and prospects are bound up in the fold of her flag…" He didn't mince words! True enough, Ireland grew up speaking English– it was his native language. But he also spent eight years in seminary studies in France, having been sent there by our first bishop, Joseph Cretin. Upon his arrival as a fourteen-year-old, Ireland had to sink or swim in French. His experience helped shape his passionate belief in the necessity of assimilation. The Archbishop was 100% correct! The lack of assimilation and commitment to the founders' Judeo-Christian values has weakened our nation.

When in 2005, I arrived in Rome as a 42-year-old "new" student, my professors showed no sympathy. After just six weeks of Italian study in Vermont, I was expected to listen, read, write and speak in class, all in Italian. It was part of the deal. While I admit my tendency to romanticize the past (after all, in 1976 disco flourished)– what kind of country are we in 2026? Are we a melting pot? Do we share common values? Far too few politicians see Independence Day as a day of celebration. Are we true to the ideals of our Founding Fathers? The Declaration of Independence states: "We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America…appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, (declare independence)– And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor" (emphasis added).

Do we rely on the protection of Divine Providence and appeal to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions? If not, why not? While we cannot effect change single-handedly, we certainly can love our nation's ideals, striving to live them by applying our Catholic faith to our daily lives. We transform our nation one person at a time, beginning with ourselves. May we strive to live the ideals both of our faith and our country, seeing no contradiction between them. May God speak to our heart, and bless our nation abundantly.

• Saint John Vianney is a fitting patron saint for priests, so zealous was he in his ministry. It is never about the weekly attendance, the collection, or the vibrancy of one's parish school. The priesthood is about bringing Jesus to others– and he did this selflessly for 44 years, almost all in the tiny village of Ars, France.
• I see tremendous value in preserving the rich liturgical tradition of the Church, including offering both the 1962 Missale Romanum, and the current (2002) Missal in Latin. I fully intend to maintain our long-standing tradition of boys only (ages 10+) serving at the altar. It provides a unique opportunity for them to be close to the Mass and discern a possible call to service in the church. We will be offering training for servers (new and old) in early August.
• Good news is good news. While there are numerous reasons– not all of them positive–the U.S. divorce rate has lowered. Minnesota ranks #44 out of 50 states, with a "refined rate" of 12.1 women who divorced in the past 12 months per 1,000 couples. The U.S. rate peaked in 1979 at 22.8 per 1000. I am reviewing a new four-session seminar aimed at strengthening all marriages, no matter how strong they are. I'll present this to our Parish Council in the fall for consideration. Stay tuned.
• I pray that the recent consistory hosted by Pope Leo XIV bears great fruit from listening to the thoughts and concerns of his Cardinals, his closest collaborators, especially those who lead dioceses. He recently addressed a group of Italian swimmers, noting "sport integrates the different dimensions of the human person and directs them toward very important values such as commitment, solidarity, and honesty." Pope Leo XIV connects so well with a wide variety of groups.

Sincerely in Christ,

Fr. John L. Ubel Pastor