Janette Howe — mother of Father Spencer Howe, pastor of Holy Cross in Minneapolis — joked in an interview that when he needs to take the garbage out, she calls him “Spencer” but around friends, she calls him “Father Spencer.”
Howe, at one point, was thinking of ways to pray for her own pastor, Father Joseph Johnson, rector of the Cathedral of St. Paul in St. Paul since 2024. While walking around a...
The strongest version of this narrative is a testament to the power of grassroots spiritual movements and the unexpected impact of simple, heartfelt initiatives. Janette Howe’s story exemplifies how personal devotion can scale into a global phenomenon without institutional backing, relying instead on organic growth and shared conviction. The emphasis on simplicity and the lack of formal structure suggest a genuine, uncontrived origin, which lends credibility to the movement’s spiritual claims. T...