December 12, 2025 

     As I read my morning devotion from Genesis 22, I was struck by the mountain that Abraham had to climb when God asked him to sacrifice his only son Isaac. As I examine this piece of scripture, I ponder the mountain I must now climb.  

     As a Christian educator I followed the light of the Holy Spirit to teach and train up children in the teachings of our Lord. “Feed my lambs.” (John 21:15) I have 10+ years of experience teaching religious education classes and vacation bible school. More importantly, I have 17+ years of teaching in a Catholic classroom. I also hold a master's degree in Education and Learning.  It would have been an easy choice to pursue a career in public education. After all, the salary, insurance, and benefits are significantly higher than those of a Catholic educator. But the Spirit guided my path into a Catholic classroom and with that guidance came the assurance of a livable pension upon completion of my service to the Church.   

      Over the past three years I have had numerous heart challenges (two surgeries and five procedures). Diocesan health insurance has left me with the responsibility of paying some very extremely large medical bills. These bills have been weighing me down and causing an overwhelming amount of anxiety and stress.   

In June of 2025 I began to draw on my Christian Brothers pension. This monthly amount has made a significant difference in my life. It enables me to sleep at night and keep my head above water without having to worry about losing my home, or having my accounts sent to collections. Imagine how stressed I have been with the announcement that Christian Brothers, and the Diocese of St Cloud, will not be able to sustain my earned pension payments.   

      We, the employees of the Diocese, have been told “We hear you.” But do you really? As the shepherd your sheep are hurting and the anxiety and stress caused by this situation is mounting daily. We need to be fully heard, really heard. To expect your sheep to blindly wait patiently while things are “sorted out” is a monumental mountain. 

As the shepherd, please show more compassion and empathy. It is unrealistic to ask that we wait for the diocese to make a decision that affects every fiber of our being. This situation is not a simple oversight. The diocese has a Christian obligation to follow through on all it has promised its faithful servants, including FULLY earned pension payments. 

Your servant in Christ, 

Mary Beth Kulander