At the most recent one in August, 250 people - Muslims and Christians - attended and shared a potluck meal. The human interaction is as important as the theological discussion, say members.
"Before this [mall stabbing] we learned to laugh with each other, to eat each other's food that came out of our own kitchens. Because of this, we could move into this [new discussion due to the mall stabbing] with respect," Langer said.
Both Langer and Sister Helen agree that having the foundation of mutual respect and friendship built by the ongoing dialogue is key to moving through the new community crisis.
"We have our mission cut out for us," Sister Helen said.
In an interview with the St. Cloud Times on Sept. 22, Bishop Kettler called on the community to not back away from dialogue and interaction. In his column in the diocesan paper, the St. Cloud Visitor, he also wrote, "This is what I am asking you to do: Don't be afraid." He also quoted Pope Francis' 2015 address to the U.S. Congress, reminding Catholics, "If you want security, give security."
Dialogue Continues
It seems the flock is heeding the advice of its shepherd.
On Thursday, Sept. 22, almost 300 people filled the parish hall at St. Joseph's Church in St. Joseph, Minnesota, a small town 10 miles outside of St. Cloud, for a Christian-Muslim dialogue that also welcomed nine Somali-Muslim families into the community. The event was organized locally by an ad hoc group with help from the Interfaith Christian-Muslim Dialogue Group, an organization that started 10 years ago in St. Cloud and has expanded regionally.
Planning started approximately four months ago, when the town's historic homogeneity was broken by the new arrivals.
"In a town of 6,000, of which 3,000 are students at St. Benedict's College, the impact was obvious and created some consternation in the community," said Vince De Vargass, a resident of St. Joseph and organizer of the event.
According to De Vargass, many Somalis have come to Minnesota because the government asked the Lutheran Church to resettle Somali refugees, and there is a large Lutheran presence in Minnesota. Members of the Lutheran church also held a listening session in July to allow St. Joseph residents to express their reactions to the demographic change.
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According to De Vargass, the "venting meeting" aired complaints that the Somalis were rude, and solely there to take advantage of American resources. Nevertheless, he thought it helped local white Christians to be more open to dialogue.
In the planning for the Sept. 22 event, De Vargass reached out personally to all of the Somali families in St. Joseph. Then he invited parishioners. The announcement started at the Saturday evening Mass on Sept. 17, before the attacks had taken place. On Sunday morning, he didn't hold back, reminding parishioners that the actions of one person do not speak for a whole community.
'These Are Our People'
The evening accomplished exactly what De Vargass had hoped it would.
"The reception was awesome," De Vargass said. "People found the Somalis jolly, cheerful and talkative. It was not expected in the minds of a lot of people, but they really enjoyed meeting their neighbors."
Almost all of the Somali families in St. Joseph attended, along with hundreds of Christians. The evening started with three speakers: Crosier Father Virgil Petermeier, a longtime missionary among Muslims; Ayan Omar, a language arts teacher at Technical High School in St. Cloud; and Jama Alimad, a Muslim elder in St. Cloud and executive director of Community Grassroots Solutions. Omar received a standing ovation after sharing her personal story of fleeing her home and starting life over in Minnesota.