Seeds of Sanctity

In the heart of North Dakota’s green plains and rolling hills is a small farm community called Haymarsh. It consists only of a handful of farmyards and a little Catholic chapel. This is the quiet, simple place where Servant of God Michelle Duppong grew up, and where her parents still live and farm today. This summer I was blessed to be able to live and work on the Duppong farm.   

Michelle Duppong lived in relationship with Jesus and had a deep desire to invite others into a relationship with Him. She joyfully lived out this desire during her six years as a FOCUS missionary, and later as the Director of Adult Faith Formation for the Diocese of Bismarck, ND. At the age of 30, she was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Her acceptance of her sufferings united her more closely to Christ, revealing God’s love to others in a radical way during her journey with cancer. Michelle passed away on December 25th, 2015 at the age of 31, and the Church officially opened her cause for canonization in 2022, declaring her a Servant of God.  

Much could be shared about Michelle’s impact on the lives of those who knew her and now through her intersession, but one of the most impactful aspects of her life for me is the reality that we are all called to be saints, and that it is possible for each of us to live a holy life, especially in the most simple and human ways.   

Living at the Duppong farm this summer gave me a beautiful glimpse into this simplicity. At the farm, I primarily worked in gardens and fruit plots, and then helped with various other jobs around the farmyard. Through these ordinary outdoor tasks, through friendship with the Duppong family and my coworkers, and through the witness of Michelle’s life, I encountered God’s voice in new, profound ways.   

One of the most impactful parts of the summer was getting to work with God’s creation. Through experiences like planting seeds, pruning grape vines, and working with cattle, I witnessed firsthand many of the ways that God works in nature and discovered that He works in these same ways with me. Like the seeds that I planted early in the summer, it will take time for me to grow! It is easy for us to want immediate growth, or to try to artificially make things happen in our lives, but God’s grace is given to us in His perfect and patient timing.  

For anything to grow, it needs a nourishing environment, and I had a privileged experience of the “soil” Michelle was planted in. The Duppong family has a living, deeply rooted faith in Jesus and His Church, and they graciously welcomed me and three summer hires into this. It quickly became a home and a spiritual family for me. Being able to pray and work together provided a community of friendship and mutual growth, much like in the seminary. “And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold” (Lk 8:8). 

I think God has a treasury of His love resting over the humble Haymarsh community and the Duppong family. I was privileged to encounter God there this summer through His creation and the nourishing environment of the Duppong home. Michelle Duppong is a witness that we are all called to be saints in the hidden simplicity of our own lives, and in doing so, we too will bear fruit a hundredfold. In an article she wrote months before her passing, Michelle wrote, “You were made to be a saint. Do you believe that? Do you think you can do it? I want to remind you that there’s no doubt in God’s mind that you CAN do it! He made you for it.”  

 

Radiating Joy, a documentary about Servant of God Michelle Duppong, will be in theaters for one night only, November 12, 2024. ​Find tickets at focus.org/michelleduppong/

Aaron Ripplinger is a College III Seminarian for the Diocese of Bismark