When Father Jake Anderson served as an associate pastor at a parish in Stillwater in 2016, he got to know parishioners who were fishermen — fly fishermen in particular.
Many did not know each other, “so one day I invited … these guys over to the rectory to have a little conversation,” Father Anderson said. The group started fishing together that summer, usually Thursday late afternoon or early evening, “and we would drive out to one of the area trout streams in Wisconsin and sometimes Minnesota,” he said.
Eventually, the group expanded and the men talked about starting a retreat, Father Anderson said. The first was held several years ago with about a dozen men traveling to northeast Iowa, with time for fishing, of course. “The guys … loved being there,” he said. “We’re really excited to do a fourth-year retreat with about 15 guys,” he said, with this year’s theme, “Living in the power of Jesus: dignity, depth and daring.”
One attendee for this year’s retreat in northeast Iowa will be Dave Hrbacek, photojournalist for The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. Hrbacek, an avid deer and turkey hunter, recently joined Father Anderson, now with the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota, for an upcoming episode of the “Practicing Catholic” radio show. Show host Patrick Conley interviewed them about spending time in nature.
Hrbacek said he recently set up a turkey hunting blind in western Wisconsin. “When things green up in May, it’s an absolutely glorious time to be out turkey hunting,” he said. Hrbacek is spending an upcoming vacation turkey hunting followed by the fly-fishing retreat. While looking forward to both, Hrbacek said he is “most excited to be out there with my camera because years ago, they had a movie called ‘A River Runs Through It’ and the cinematography was absolutely fantastic. So, I have all these visions in my head of men casting with their fly rods, and a beautiful sunrise or sunset and idyllic setting in northeast Iowa, so I’m really excited about this upcoming trip,” he said.
Father Anderson is looking forward to a three-day backpacking trip to Michigan with about 20 men. “I just really found that the outdoors, period, is just always good, but especially as a priest, just helping men do something shoulder to shoulder, and sweat together a little bit, to draw out something,” he said. “And just being outside really helps draw out the conversations around what being a disciple of Jesus really means.”
One need not be hunting or fishing to appreciate the great outdoors, Father Anderson said. “You can just walk outside and just begin in a very simple way,” he said. “You don’t have to have any equipment, any special skills. You can start wherever you are. There’s so much available to us, especially here in the archdiocese, but then just in the greater state of Minnesota … even if you’re not used to doing much of anything.”
“When you’re out in the country, there’s no traffic jams, there’s no noise; it’s quiet except for the sounds of nature, the animals, the birds singing, and I just enjoy all aspects,” Hrbacek said. “There’s just so much to see and experience, and I just think it’s good for the soul to get out there and just be in nature.”
During the interview, Father Anderson and Hrbacek talked about the patron saint of fly fishing. To learn more, including about a group of fishermen named for that patron saint — and for which Father Anderson serves as chaplain — listen to this episode of “Practicing Catholic,” which debuts at 9 p.m. May 12 on Relevant Radio 1330 AM and repeats at 1 p.m. May 13 and 2 p.m. May 14.
Produced by Relevant Radio and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, the latest show also includes an interview with former Minnesota Viking and lieutenant governor candidate Matt Birk, who also helped start Unity Catholic High School in Burnsville, which is preparing for its first graduation of students who started as freshmen at the school; and Mary Healy, professor of sacred Scripture at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, who previews the May 20 Activated Disciple Seminar in Minneapolis, and how the faithful are called to be disciples.
Listen to interviews after they have aired at PracticingCatholicShow.com or choose a streaming platform at anchor.fm/practicing-catholic-show.
