The Rev. Steve LaCanne of Cross Catholic Outreach visited the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Bloomington, Minnesota, the week of Oct. 18 to talk about efforts to connect U.S. parishes with priests and nuns working in  the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.

Originally ordained into the priesthood with the Archdiocese of Minneapolis-St. Paul in 1976, LaCanne spent the next 15 years as a pastor before working as a director of spiritual care in a hospital for 11 years, the Rev. Nathan LaLiberte said in an introduction in the church bulletin.

His passion for serving the people in need, from the sick and the dying to those living on the margins of society, has informed his path in life, LaLiberte said. 

“Healing wounds in the hearts of those who are suffering, especially the emotionally, spiritually and physically poor, expresses God’s love to those most in need. This is the call of the Gospel,” LaCanne said in a quoe shared by LaLiberte.