Elizabeth is in her 15th year as Director of the St. Cloud Mission Office. Her role as Director includes the overseeing of all funds and contributions for the ministry of mission.  These include but are not limited to:  Mass Stipends shared with our global connections and relationships all over the world; writing, educating and promoting the appeals for the Society for the Propagation of the Faith (St. Peter the Apostle Appeal, Advent/Christmas Appeal, and World Mission Sunday); scheduling and promoting the Missionary Cooperation Plan (MCP) which brings into the diocese 30+  Mission Organizations, dioceses and religious orders into our parish communities each year;  promoting and educating Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in the diocese (Rice Bowl, Local Rice Bowl and CRS Bishop’s Appeal);  maintaining our Global Solidarity partnerships with Homa Bay Kenya and Maracay Venezuela as well as all of our mission connections and relationships throughout the world; communicating with and offering support for our Diocesan Missioners as well as promoting mission vocations; sales as well as promoting and educating in Fair Trade crafts, foods and goods; working with the many parish Mission Groups throughout the diocese; and teaching Mission Education in the parish and schools throughout our diocese.

 

     Elizabeth has previously served as Youth Ministry/Confirmation Coordinator for the parishes of St. Peter and St. Paul in St. Cloud.  She attended Peter & Paul Primary and Middle schools and Cathedral High School before obtaining double degrees in Biology and Art from the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, MN. She recently completed a two-year undergraduate program with a certificate in youth ministry leadership from the Center for Ministry Development in Gig Harbor, WA, in collaboration with St. John’s School of Theology in Collegeville. Before working in parish ministry, Elizabeth worked with the US Forest Service in Timber and Wildlife Management, as well as serving as a Forest Fire Fighter.

     

     Elizabeth spent her senior year in college studying in Kenya, during which time she began giving her heart to mission. True to her passion, years later she traveled to Kenya again, this time to our partner diocese of Homa Bay with a diocesan delegation in 2009. She has been to Kenya 11 times since then, leading 7 delegations as well as trips made with her mother and children. Elizabeth has also traveled to 14 countries including Haiti, Nicaragua and Indonesia and loves becoming immersed in the daily lives of people due to her deep love for all cultures and peoples. Elizabeth recently married Travis Brown, and the two have between them 6 young adult children and two grandchildren.  Elizabeth and Travis live in Big Lake. Elizabeth enjoys hiking, canning, gardening, berry-picking, reading, singing, traveling, and meeting new people.

         Carolina Walz is the Office Manager of the St Cloud Mission Office. Her role extends beyond the typical office duties and includes welcoming guests and community members, accepting donations, assisting with sales of Fair Trade items, and connecting those to the global church.

        

Carolina was born and raised in Maracay-Aragua-Venezuela.  As a teenager she was active in the Parish of San Bartolomé, one of the parishes founded through the partnership between the Saint Cloud Diocese and Maracay Diocese. Carolina participated in RCIA as a candidate, later she was a teen leader in the parish youth activities.  She helped with the Saint Francis of Assisi youth group, Vengan a mi “Come to ME” children retreats, the community kitchen that ran in the parish for the homeless and needy of the community, and many other activities.  Carolina also lived in a Catholic Community called “Fuente Real” Royal Fountain for about a year.  During this time, she was part of the logistics for retreats, evangelizing the rural areas, etc.  Carolina studied accounting at “Centro Tecnico Contable” Accounting Technical Center in Maracay and graduated in 1998. Carolina moved to the U.S. in 2004 with her husband and two oldest children.

 

Carolina is the mother of six; five boys and one girl. She has participated in different parishes throughout the diocese working with the Hispanic community, including Pelican Rapids, Long Prairie, Cold Spring, and Waite Park.  She studied accounting at the St. Cloud Technical College and graduated in the Spring of 2021.  Carolina and her family are active members of Holy Spirit Church in St. Cloud.

     

Carolina enjoys baking and cooking for family and friends, going for bike rides, reading, traveling, and wood working with her husband. She also loves crafts, jigsaw puzzles, and many other things that include being able to spend time with her family.

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     In addition to the three full-time staff members at the Mission Office, Fr. Bill Vos, priest of the Diocese of St. Cloud, also serves in the office as the Diocesan Director of Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

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     CRS, the global outreach of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, is one aspect of our Mission Office efforts.  In our global outreach CRS is a vital link between the people and leadership of the Diocese in responding to natural disasters, supporting development projects in over 100 countries and in advocacy work with civic and government offices and representatives. CRS as one of the largest non-governmental organizations (NGO) from the USA, holds a very strong reputation for prompt and effect responses to emergency situations such earthquakes, typhoons, or tsunami disasters.  CRS also receives high marks for low operational costs, efficiently getting our contributions where most needed.

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     Fr. Vos represents our Diocese in CRS engagements, locally (such as the Rice Bowl Program), within our mid-west region and nationally. Fr. Vos served for 19 years in mission with the Maryknoll Lay Missioners in Eastern Africa and for many years held leadership positions and as Board chair of the Maryknoll Lay Missioners (a separate branch of Maryknoll).  As a former Director of our Mission Office he continues to collaborate with our current staff, particularly in promoting and maintaining our many global connections and in particular our Global Solidarity Partnerships.