Corazón: A Heart for Peace and Justice

Corazón.

This is the Spanish word for “heart.” It is a word that has resonated in recent weeks amid the increased efforts toward immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities and here in St. Croix county as well.

Many of us have had to ask tough questions in these days and have perhaps struggled to find good answers. As your priests, we are with you in these difficulties. Our hearts have been challenged and saddened in several instances as we have navigated this particularly difficult moment. In this message, we intend to share some insights into our role as a parish in this moment and our hope for the future as we work toward peace, justice, and enduring love for our neighbors.

First, we want to share our united voice with that of the Catholic Bishops of our country. We fully support the special message issued by the USCCB in November 2025 and the letter issued by the Bishops of Wisconsin in December 2025. We are grateful for our church’s leadership that can stand in solidarity when situations of hatred, injustice, or violence arise in our communities. In addition to these messages from groups of Bishops, we encourage individuals to read the recent editorial letter written by our neighboring Archbishop, Bernard Hebda, which appeared in the Wall Street Journal on January 20th. Links to all three of these messages can be found at the conclusion of this article.

Second, we want to share our renewed commitment to joyfully proclaim, share, and celebrate the love and mercy of Jesus Christ to the Spanish-speaking population of St. Croix County. The presence of immigration enforcement in our area throughout the last year has certainly altered some of our ministerial activities but it has not deterred us in our call to serve. We have been invited to make unique sacrifices in recent months, including private opportunities for celebrations of the sacraments and catechesis. Regardless, we are committed to doing what we can to meet the spiritual and material needs of our people, especially those who are living in fear.

Third, we want to share a hopeful vision for the future. Our parish’s relationship with Catholics from Spanish-speaking countries has a rich history, especially in our sister parish relationship with San Jose el Tesoro in Guatemala. American Catholics working to alleviate the conditions of immigrants and refugees is not a pipedream. It is a real possibility, and it is one that we have seen happen. We believe that now is the time for people of good will to pursue real dialogue and understanding about our local and national immigration challenges and opportunities so that necessary reform can take place. 

Finally, we want to invite you to join us this Saturday evening, February 14^th, to pray a Holy Hour for Peace. Following this month’s Spanish Mass at 7:00 p.m., we will expose the Blessed Sacrament in the Church then offer readings from Scripture, intercessions, and conclude with Benediction by 9:00 p.m. 

O God of peace, who are peace itself and whom a spirit of discord cannot grasp, nor a violent mind receive, grant that those who are one in heart may persevere in what is good and that those in conflict may forget evil and so be healed.

~Father John Gerritts & Father Dan Tracy

USCCB Article: HERE

Wisconsin Catholic Conference of Bishops Article: HERE

Archbishop Hebda letter: HERE

‍