A Wisconsin man, Jeff Helgeson, found a bishop's golden crosier in a Minnesota scrapyard. The discovery of the crosier has prompted Helgeson, 62, to seriously pursue returning to the Catholic Church. Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda accepted the crosier on May 30 and used it during the closing Mass of the Archdiocesan Synod Assembly 2025. The archbishop referenced the biblical story of dry bones in his homily, comparing the crosier found in the scrapyard to a sign of hope.
2 months ago
Jeff Helgeson, a 62-year-old from New Richmond, Wisconsin, found a golden bishop's crosier in a Minnesota scrapyard in March 2025 while dropping off scrap metal from his job at an electric motor manufacturer.1
He immediately recognized it as a church artifact, noting its ornate design and hook holding a cross, and obtained it for free after workers consulted their manager.1
Helgeson researched similar crosiers online, initially contacting the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois, before reaching the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.1
No theft reports were found, and on May 30, 2025, he presented it to Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda at the Archdiocesan Catholic Center in St. Paul.1
Archbishop Hebda carried the crosier at the closing Mass of the Archdiocesan Synod Assembly 2025 on June 7 at the Cathedral of St. Paul, sharing its story in his homily as a "sign of hope" amid scrap, akin to Ezekiel's dry bones.1
He later held the refurbished crosier at the Dec. 28, 2025, event closing the Jubilee Year of Hope, calling it an "icon" of renewal and mercy.1
The discovery reignited Helgeson's Catholic faith, dormant for 40 years after anger over a friend's clergy sexual abuse case and subsequent suicide.1
Inspired by Pope Francis' death on April 21, 2025, and Pope Leo XIV's election on May 8, he began reading the Bible aloud, returned to weekly Mass in August, and plans confession; the archbishop's words, "You can always come back," struck him profoundly.1
Archbishop Hebda urged the faithful to emulate Helgeson in recognizing "the treasure that God has in our midst," tying it to Jubilee themes of conversion and mercy.1
Helgeson described it as the "lost sheep" finding the shepherd's staff, marking his spiritual homecoming.1
Crosiers as tangible signs of hope in Catholic spiritual renewal
Crosiers, the pastoral staffs borne by bishops and certain abbots, stand as profound tangible symbols within Catholic tradition, embodying the shepherd's authority to guide, correct, and nurture the flock toward spiritual renewal and hope. Rooted in ancient liturgical practices, they evoke Christ's own mission as the Good Shepherd, offering visible assurance of the Church's enduring care amid trials, and inviting believers to renewed faith through the bishop's ministry.
The crosier, often called the pastoral staff, originates from early Christian symbolism, evolving from simple walking aids or shepherd's crooks into a richly emblematic instrument of episcopal office. Conferred during ordination, it represents the bishop's apostolic mission: "giving the book of the Gospels, the ring, the miter, and the crosier to the bishop as the sign of his apostolic mission to proclaim the Word of God, of his fidelity to the Church, the bride of Christ, and his office as shepherd of the Lord's flock." This presentation underscores its role in solemn rites, where it symbolizes authority tempered with mercy—correcting vices while fostering virtues, ruling with "gentleness that is tempered with severity."
Historically, the crosier's form developed from a wooden rod bent at the top (known as the pedum), to more ornate versions with knobs, crosses, or volutes, often crafted from ivory, gold, or silver. Its crook, turned outward for bishops, signifies drawing souls back to God, while the pointed end "goad[s] the slothful," the straight shaft denotes righteous rule, evoking the shepherd's crook used to support the weak and redirect the straying. In heraldry and armorial bearings, it appears behind the shield, distinguishing episcopal jurisdiction from that of abbots, whose crosiers are smaller and sometimes veiled in a bishop's presence. Eastern traditions enrich this imagery: in Maronite usage, the crozier guides "Christ’s flock to good pastures and to punish the stubborn"; West Syrian bishops carry one topped with serpents or a cross-encrusted ball, echoing prudence "as snakes" (Mt 10:16). These tangible forms make abstract pastoral duties concrete, akin to sacramentals that "signify effects, particularly of a spiritual nature," disposing the faithful to grace.
Beyond ornament, the crosier manifests the bishop's concrete responsibilities, uniting him with priests in "sacerdotal dignity" while depending on him for pastoral functions. As "moderator of the penitential discipline," the bishop wields reconciliation, a ministry exercised through collaborators commissioned by him or the Pope. Carried during pontifical functions, it visibly affirms this role, from catacomb relics possibly dating to the fourth century to its mandate in the Council of Toledo (633). Popes once used it, though modern practice reserves it for bishops and abbots, emphasizing hierarchical order. In this way, the crosier becomes a "seal and emblem" of divine commission, like Moses' rod, empowering bishops to sustain the faltering, confirm the wavering, and reclaim the erring—hallmarks of spiritual oversight.
While not explicitly termed "signs of hope" in magisterial texts, the crosier's shepherding symbolism inherently conveys eschatological assurance, aligning with the Church's call to spiritual renewal. As the bishop proclaims the Gospel and governs the flock, the staff recalls Christ's reconciling Cross, where the Good Shepherd "lays down his life for the sheep," drawing all to eternal life. This pastoral charism fosters hope amid groaning creation (Rom 8:22-24), urging transformation toward God's plan. In eras of renewal—like preparation for Jubilees or mission days—the crosier embodies the "springtime people" baptized into Christ's Passover, sustained by the Spirit to evangelize with zeal.
Bishops, bearing the crosier, model conversion through Penance, where the Spirit grants "authority to forgive sins," inspiring "new life and freedom." This ministry counters worldly distractions, awakening "inner conversion" and "fruitful hope" in daily duties, as in movements like Renewal in the Holy Spirit. Grounded in unbreakable love (Rom 8:35-39), the crosier thus tangibly signals hope's perseverance: bishops as "prudent co-workers" lead the presbyterium, reconciling divisions and building a "more human world." In heraldry's crook turned outward, it promises unrestricted jurisdiction to gather the scattered, mirroring hope's vast horizon.
Today, amid scientific progress and global challenges, the crosier reminds the faithful of "signs of hope" in the Church: charisms, unity efforts, and dialogue. As artisans of hope, missionaries pray like Cardinal Van Thuan, drawing from sacraments to restore humanity. The crosier's enduring form—volutes of dragons impaled by crosses or floral wreaths—visibly combats sloth and error, inviting all to holiness. Parishes and communities, seeing bishops process with it, encounter a call to "live different lives" in evangelical leaven.
In essence, crosiers tangibly incarnate the bishop's hopeful shepherding, from ordination's grace to daily governance, weaving liturgical tradition with the Spirit's renewal. They beckon believers to trust in Christ's victory, pressing forward in faith, hope, and charity toward reconciled creation.