3 minute read
From the Bishop
Dear Friends in Christ,
Happy 2025! It is with great joy that I greet you in this New Year and pray for health and blessings for you and yours. We are so pleased to join the Universal Church in the 2025 Jubilee, the 2,025th anniversary of the Incarnation of our Lord entitled “Pilgrims of Hope.” A Jubilee year occurs every 25 years. As the Holy Father, Pope Francis, says, it is an "event of great spiritual, ecclesial, and social significance in the life of the Church." He further stated when he announced the Jubilee, “We must fan the flame of hope that has been given us and help everyone to gain new strength and certainty by looking to the future with an open spirit, a trusting heart and far-sighted vision. The forthcoming Jubilee can contribute greatly to restoring a climate of hope and trust as a prelude to the renewal and rebirth that we so urgently desire...” Together, let's be pilgrims of hope!
Our cover story for this edition of Graceful Living highlights Ingrid Cooper, an extraordinary individual who was living life to the fullest when her husband’s illness and subsequent death changed her life trajectory. Instead of giving up she more deeply embraced her Catholic faith and chose to fulfill bucket list activities that enrich her life and give her a strong purpose.
Sean Beeson followed his calling to score major motion pictures with a specialization in Catholic-themed films and projects. Sean, and his wife Laura, followed their hearts and have been rewarded with the ability to do what they love and find fulfillment in their Catholic calling.
Many of you may know legendary baseball manager Jim Leyland, but I bet you may not know how much his Catholic upbringing and influence have played a part in his life and career. We do a questionand-answer session with Jim and he opens up about his Catholic faith and his amazing journey into the Hall of Fame.
Our last story is particularly poignant for me. Father Dennis Walsh, a native son and priest of our diocese, was recently named Bishop of Davenport, Iowa. He is an extraordinary man who is Christ-driven, humble and smart. While we will miss him dearly in our Diocese, we are excited now to call him Bishop, and that he will continue God’s work in Iowa as a successor of the Apostles.
I hope you enjoy this issue of Graceful Living as much as we have enjoyed putting it together. As always, we would love to hear your ideas for future articles! With every good wish and prayer, I am
Sincerely yours in Christ Jesus,
