Author: Vernon Dobelmann

July 17, 2026, will mark 40 years since I heard the doctor say those words which changed the trajectory of my life forever. I was diagnosed with testicular cancer late in the afternoon, admitted into the hospital, and scheduled for surgery the next morning. In a 24-hour timespan, life changed dramatically.

My experience through a lifetime of health struggles has given me a deep appreciation for the fragile nature of life. Every breath I take, and every beat of my heart is truly a gift from God. That realization has definitely impacted my approach to life.

Those who suffer have a special place in my heart. I know what it is to hurt. It is not just the pain, but it is so much more. There is a disruption to the daily routine of life. There is uncertainty about the eventual outcome. Will treatment be effective, or will the disease conquer all efforts to heal? Prolonged illness wears out the caregivers and loved ones who take on additional tasks to keep things going in the midst of the chaos. There are financial costs. On and on the list could go.

Pope Saint John Paul II declared the feast day of Our lady of Lourdes on February 11, to be World Day of the Sick. Obviously, there is a deep connection between the miraculous healings at Lourdes and the desire to pray for all the sick on this particular feast day. It has been somewhat disappointing to me to see that the World Day of the Sick has never really gained much traction.

The Catholic Health Association of the United States has some astounding statistics listed on their website. It clearly demonstrates the potential for making the World Day of the Sick an impactful annual endeavor to truly touch the hearts and lives of God’s people who are hurting by lifting them up in prayer and offering some tangible and practical help to reduce their burden even if only for a brief moment in time. There are some real opportunities to live out both the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy in caring for the needs of the sick.

It appears that every state has a Catholic hospital except for Wyoming. Urban areas have 74% of the Catholic hospitals while 26% are located in rural areas. Every day, more than 1 in 7 patients are being cared for in a Catholic hospital. The 659 Catholic hospitals employ 497,697 full-time employees and 219,808 part-time employees. There are 1,520 Continuing Care Facilities in the Catholic system as well. The CHUSA website states that there were nearly 4.5 million admissions to Catholic hospitals during a one-year period and 921,405 Medicaid discharges.

Why do I share this with you? I am asking you to “Lend A Hand” in making the World Day of the Sick more than a designation on a Catholic calendar. Let’s join together and make it an annual event that has dramatic impact on the lives of God’s hurting people from both a spiritual and corporal vantage point. Pray for the sick. Pray with the sick. Cook a meal. Cut the grass for them. Shovel the snow. Find some way to serve them. Share in the healing ministry of Christ.

February 11, 2026–Our Lady of Lourdes–World Day of the Sick

I was ordained a deacon in June of 1999. I went to school for another year after ordination to receive my certifications to be an administrator of religious education at all age levels–elementary, secondary, and adult education. I accepted my first full-time position as a Director of Religious Education in July of 2000 at St. Benedict’s Parish in Florence, Colorado. Wow! More than a quarter of a century has passed since then.

I recently had the opportunity to return to Florence for a brief visit. It filled my mind with many great memories. I had much to learn in my new role back when I started shortly after ordination. There were bumps in the road to be sure, but my second year revealed the depth of goodness in the people of St. Benedict. I was diagnosed with cancer just a little over a year after beginning my role at St. Benedict. The outpouring of love and prayerful support went far beyond anything I could have expected.

The parish has added a Divine Mercy Chapel. Seeing this new chapel made me stop and pause. God has blessed me with an abundance of Divine Mercy over these nearly 27 years of ordained ministry. At my ordination I heard these words clearly, “Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you now are. Believe what you read. Teach what you believe. Practice what you teach.” In God’s mercy, I have been given the gift of serving despite my many shortcomings and flaws.

I am extremely grateful for the privilege of having served at St. Benedict Parish in Florence, Colorado. Blessings to all in this wonderful community!

Saint John Bosco was known as the “Apostle of Youth.” He founded the Salesians, which today numbers around 15,270 religious.  They are primarily dedicated to educating youth. www.salesians.org

Whether it is frozen fog causing an icy scene, or a warm summer’s day during a Cheyenne Frontier Days parade passing by, the Cathedral of St. Mary stands majestically along Capitol Avenue in the City of Cheyenne.

This Saturday, January 31st, there will be a special Mass at 9:00 am in honor of the 117th Anniversary of the Dedication of the Cathedral of St. Mary. I had the privilege of serving as a deacon for many years at this beautiful cathedral.

Blessings to all of the clergy and parishioners as you celebrate another year of handing on the faith and celebrating the Sacraments of the Church in this sacred space.

I was in Cancun last December and had the opportunity to take a boat ride to a nearby island (Isla Mujeres). I only had 90 minutes to explore the island on foot, and I ended up spending most of my time at this church. It was well worth it just to see the Stations of the Cross.

I have had a bit of suffering in my own life, and I am only now beginning to truly grasp the level of suffering my mom endured through the years. My mom had numerous physical health challenges throughout her life. However, the suffering I couldn’t see is what impacts me now.

I have an older brother that I never met. He only lived seven days. Sadly, he also died on mom’s birthday (January 28). Mom was not even able to go to the funeral due to still being in the hospital from complications from the birth. Since this all happened before my arrival to earth, it did not impact me in a monumental way. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 25 that I started to grasp the level of grief from both mom and dad.

As the chemo treatments ravaged my body and I looked more and more like death warmed over, the look on my parents’ faces told the story of suffering. Would they soon be burying another one of their children?

What story does your suffering tell? How has God’s grace impacted you?

We are just three weeks away from Ash Wednesday. I simply share these Stations of the Cross now as a precursor to this upcoming holy season. Let the story of salvation unfold before you in these 14 Stations of the Cross. How has the suffering of Jesus, depicted in these unique Stations of the Cross, shaped who you are as a person?

It is with great joy that I will be sharing part of the Lenten journey with the folks at Saint Joseph Parish in Fort Collins, Colorado. I will preach at all five Masses on the weekend of March 21 and March 22.

This will be followed up with a one-hour presentation each evening on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday beginning at 6:30 pm. We will have refreshments and fellowship after the gatherings on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, there will be an opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance at the conclusion of the Parish Mission.

This will be a powerful way to prepare for entering into Holy Week the following week. I have been preaching parish missions for many years. It never ceases to amaze me at how God moves so powerfully among His people during these days of prayer, reflection, and learning.

If you live anywhere in the Fort Collins region, I invite you to join us and take advantage of this time where we will experience an outpouring of God’s grace and love. You will experience renewal and a fresh dose of healing and hope.

Saint Joseph Parish celebrates a milestone as their parish school celebrates 100 years of ministry. What a tremendous gift to northern Colorado! Saint Joseph Catholic School has been educating and forming students in the faith for 100 years. That is no small feat. I am grateful to be just a small part of the 100-year celebration as I preach this Lenten Parish Mission at Saint Joseph.

It is my pleasure to be the closing speaker for the second year in a row at the Knights of Columbus Lenten Day of Spiritual Reflection for Men. I will never take for granted these invitations to speak to groups and parishes as they pursue a life of holiness. It is indeed sacred ground upon which we enter.

I look forward to seeing men from all four parishes across Fort Collins, Colorado on Saturday, February 21.

I recently had the opportunity to spend some time in Mexico. Unfortunately, being herded like cattle through the airport resulted in picking up a bug on the way home. Today is the first day I have spent more than a couple of hours out of bed in a week. Yes, I missed out on celebrating Christmas. Let’s just say I celebrated a week early with temperatures in the low to mid 80’s, a nice breeze off of the Gulf of America (Mexico), and palm trees as a backdrop to an artificial Christmas tree. What a blessing it was to be there!

December 26 finds us celebrating the life of St. Stephen, the first martyr. Why is that important? It’s simple. He was a deacon. Deacons are always shining examples of how to live the faith. Right? Okay. I am still a work in progress.

We celebrate the Octave of Christmas. Keep celebrating well.

Nearly 60 men attended the Morning of Recollection at Saint Patrick Parish in Wentzville, Missouri on October 25. This was my first time speaking at this parish, and what a blessing it was for me. There are times you walk into a parish and can feel the energy. This was one of those places. Wow!

After hundreds of speaking engagements over the last quarter of a century, I am still amazed at the powerful ways God touches the hearts of His people. The private conversations during the breaks always reveal the various ways God is speaking to His people in the depths of their hearts. It is indeed a beautiful experience.

Many thanks to the Knights of Columbus for organizing a terrific event.

After several years of absence from the blogging world, I have returned once again with a single purpose in mind. I want to be articulating hope.

Our world is hurting in many ways, but the Church can be a beacon of light in the midst of the darkness. It is my desire to encourage you, as well as myself, to keep being faithful witnesses of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Our Lady of the Rosary–pray for us!