Ministry updates, news and notes – checking in from Minnesota
The Ministry Ideals of the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND) can be summarized as: embody Gospel values and actualize the social teachings of the Church; minister with the conviction that education enables individuals to reach the fullness of their potential; exclude no one from our concern; promote unity; respond to the crises of this age; and effect systemic change in order to establish God’s beloved community.
Looking back on the first quarter of 2026, several Minnesota-based ministries stand out in significant and special ways as they responded to complex and challenging situations faced by the immigrant populations they serve. Through the guidance of these ideals and their own deeply rooted care for their communities and neighbors, they are meeting the moment and making a difference that matters.
“In this distressing time, a number of our ministries are being called on to adapt, find new methods and apply new intensity in that work,” said Ben Brzeski, ministry director for School Sisters of Notre Dame Central Pacific Province (SSNDCP). “They are very much on the front lines of this work.”
MORE, an affiliated ministry of SSND based in St. Paul, welcomes and supports new Americans by providing language education and basic services. This includes everything from free English classes to help accessing food and clothing. Another key focus is their collaboration with local businesses to develop training programs and classes which meet the real-world needs of immigrant workers in their jobs. MORE was a recent finalist for the Minnesota Cup, the nation’s largest statewide competition for innovative ventures for this effort.
In January, with the uptick in immigration enforcement in the area, MORE moved their class offerings from in-person to an online format so that their students could avoid any contact with agents.
“We made the decision to move classes entirely online, which is a tremendous challenge,” said Jane Rydholm, executive director of MORE. “The MORE team has been deeply committed and tireless in this task. Thursday [Jan. 15] was the first day all our classes were fully online. At dismissal time that day, when students normally would have been pouring out of MORE and walking home, we saw ICE agents going door-to-door. Because classes ran long, we were able to alert students in real time. Teachers could hear ICE pounding on students’ doors during online class, but our students knew they had the right not to answer.”
With people scared to venture out for groceries and shopping, MORE also put out the call for increased food donations and worked to deliver these items to those who needed them.
“We got food to over 80 families,” said Jane. “We supported MORE students, MORE community clients, two St. Paul schools, one Maplewood school and one Minneapolis school. Demand continues to increase, and we will start supporting two more St. Paul schools. We are able to do this through the dedication of our team and our amazing volunteers.”
In response to the continuing need, MORE went on to deliver food to another 150 families in the following weeks.
Good Counsel Learning Center, an affiliated ministry in Mankato, provides tutoring and language services in their community, including to many immigrant students. The organization has been weighing how to best serve these populations in the current climate of fear and uncertainty. In January, they made the decision to cancel classes on days they knew agents were in the area.
“ICE was in our neighborhood, and we decided to cancel classes for the day,” said Cimarron Burt of Good Counsel Learning Center. “Everyone is terrified, and it is increasingly difficult to stay grounded.”
“Our ministry leaders, in Minnesota and beyond, take as a north star the six ‘ministry ideals’ articulated in the province’s vision for ministry,” said Ben. “Those ideals include a deep commitment to those who are made vulnerable by society, the promotion of a unity evidenced by inclusivity, internationality, interculturality and community, providing a tangible response to the crises of this age, and effecting systemic change towards the establishment of God’s beloved community.”