Local Catholics Gather In Celebration Despite Controversies
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) Thousands of people showed up before sunrise for a day-long celebration of Catholicism in the Twin Cities Saturday.
The Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis hosted the "2013 Rediscover" event at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, described as a celebration of "the depth and beauty" of the Catholic faith.
The event, headlined by Archbishop John Nienstedt, was held in the midst of controversy after a priest pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct, child pornography was discovered on a reverend's laptop and the diocese announced they were creating a taskforce to investigate the way church officials handled accusations.
A spokesperson for the event said the gathering was in no way related to these recent events since "Rediscover" had been planned for months.
One of the people who attended was Amelia Gallagher of Golden Valley.
"With any family, there are some things that don't go right, but that doesn't do something to your faith," Gallagher said. "You still have faith, and the church helps that faith to grow."
Next year, a larger, two-day event is planned in Minneapolis.
