January 6, 2022 marked the twentieth anniversary of the Boston Globe’s groundbreaking story about the Archdiocese of Boston’s failure to protect children and attendant cover-up. While the scandal involving Catholic Church leadership and clergy abuse began in Boston, it quickly spread throughout the country like a wildfire resulting in numerous stories about failed leadership in … Continue reading 2014 Memo Highlights Fraught Time in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

When looking at the state of our country and the struggles that abound, the fact that so many individuals and our society seek to journey apart from the light of God's grace and truth should not be minimized for its effect. Scripture often presents the two paths that are open before us - with God … Continue reading Attending to Spiritual Realities – Principles for a Healthier and Happier 2021

Last Wednesday as the U.S. Capitol was under siege in a violent attack, which left 5 dead, several injured, scores arrested and a country on the brink, I was in the midst of an Ignatian retreat. After my requisite and fruitful prayer periods on January 6th, I tuned into the evening news and was stunned … Continue reading The Framers Prescient Fears Come to Fruition in this Season of Discontent

With a fulltime schedule as a pastor and professor and amidst a fraught political environment, I didn’t have the time or inclination to blog this past fall. Now, in the interregnum between semesters – having submitted my grades yesterday – I thought I would weigh in with a look back and a look ahead to … Continue reading Looking Back and Looking Ahead

July 1, 2020 marked the one-year anniversary of my appointment as Liaison for Restorative Justice and Healing in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. This date also marked 15 years that I have served as a pastor in the archdiocese. I see so many bridges between the work of restorative justice and the ministry … Continue reading Reflections on a Year as Liaison for Restorative Justice and Healing

 DAVE HRBACEK | THE CATHOLIC SPIRIT June 5, 2020 marked the fifth anniversary of the groundbreaking charges brought by the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office (RCAO) against the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis (ASPM). In bringing criminal charges and a civil suit, Ramsey County Attorney John Choi stated that he was seeking a change of … Continue reading Culture Change Regarding Racial Justice is Possible in Minnesota and Nationally

Last Saturday, on a beautiful June morning, family, friends and colleagues of Tom Johnson celebrated his remarkable life and important work at Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis. Although attendance for Tom’s funeral was significantly limited due to COVID, Governor Walz, Lt. Governor Flanagan and Senator Klobuchar were all in attendance. After the funeral, which … Continue reading Rest in Peace Tom Johnson – The Call to Continue His Work

A week ago, George Floyd was killed in broad daylight in Minneapolis as Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck and back for nearly nine minutes, while the other officers stood at the scene looking on. The casualness of Derek Chauvin’s look on his face as he was snuffing the life out of Floyd, as Floyd … Continue reading Harm, Trauma and Transformation: Confronting the National Sin of Racism

Below is a link to a talk I gave last Sunday at Our Lady of Lourdes in Minneapolis. It was the final talk in what turned out to be a 3-part series on ecclesial and American culture and the need for cultural transformation for both Church and society. I followed the path of Vatican II … Continue reading Healing a Wounded Church and Nation: Roadmap to Restoration

A former student of mine emailed me the other day to get my thoughts about the perennial question of God’s providence amidst the suffering of humanity. Suffering that has experienced a new breadth and depth in the midst of the pandemic. This former student is off the charts in her sense of justice and empathy … Continue reading The Providence of God and the Suffering of Humanity