Denver Catholic

11 W the spring of a near-record drought, John Donnelly reached out to a priest for a blessing. The Feast of St. Isidore, patron saint of farmers, had just passed on May 15, and John, a lifelong steward of the land, was determined to honor the tradition. Though the priest couldn't make the 60-mile journey to the ranch, he offered the blessing over the phone. Within the week, the skies opened. Since then, John said, "We've had an inch of rain every week. It's been amazing. People all around us will get hail, one neighbor even a tornado — and we won't." For John and his wife Barb, faith and farming have always gone hand-in-hand. From their home in Berthoud, they manage a farm 130 miles away and a ranch 250 miles away in northern Nebraska's Sheridan County. They grow alfalfa, hay and corn, and have a cow-calf operation. An engi- neer by training who also runs an engineering firm alongside his agribusiness, John hires help for much of the labor these days. TR ADITION B RENEWAL In the Donnelly home, modern life is balanced with traditional values. Barb, who once worked in the business, has always prioritized family and faith. "We never opened Christmas presents before going to Mass. Church always came first," she ref lected. They raised five children and now have eleven grandchildren — some of whom have drifted from the Church. But slowly, faith is finding its way home. One son's family found their way back to the Church — including the children's Baptism and the eventual conversion of their mother — during the pandemic, thanks to a neighbor's inf luence and a Catholic preschool. "You talk about God working. Now they all go to church together," she said. For many farmers and ranchers, faith is tied to the land, shaped by the seasons and the uncertainties that come with them. The Donnellys feel that tie deeply. Each year, John continues the tradition of having their land blessed near the Feast of St. Isidore. "The prayer goes, 'Lord, please give us a crop, but if you can't, please let us be satisfied,'" he said, admitting with a laugh, "I'm obviously not very good at the second part." DENVER CATHOLIC | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2025 w c c

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