Month: March 2010

On
Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer

Witnessing to hope — Stories from the missions

Propagation of Faith by Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer

Hopelessness. At times the feeling may overwhelm us — maybe as we watch the pain and suffering of others, as we all witnessed recently from the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Perhaps we feel hopeless from the challenges and trials in our own lives, maybe our financial worries, an illness, or anxieties for someone we love, or for ourselves.

On a small island in the Philippines, Nene watched her mother experience such feelings. Confined to her bed because of illness, Nene’s mother couldn’t care for her family. She felt helpless — hopeless.

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On
Audrey Mettel Fixmer

How the kids see their faith

Grand Mom by Audrey Mettel Fixmer

This Lent has brought about a big change in our parish. We have doubled the attendance at daily Mass, thanks to a change in school policy. For the first time in maybe 30 years, the top three grades of our Catholic school students are attending Mass every day during Lent.

We daily Massers (a.k.a. senior citizens) had become adjusted to spreading out in our cozy little chapel, reserving the big church for Sundays and Thursdays when the whole student body is in attendance.

Surprised at first, we were happy to move over a bit and welcome a few teachers and so many bright young faces, filling every seat in our chapel. Only one thing worried me. What about our Word and Communion Service?

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino

The prodigal son: A tale of two ‘snots’
This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

The story we heard in the Gospel on Sunday, the story (as it is called) of the “Prodigal Son,” is a terrific story. I have a bishop-friend who always refers to this, not as the parable of the prodigal son, but as the “parable of the two snots.” That, indeed, is exactly what it is.

Let’s take a brief look at the first son. In speaking of this story over the past weekend, Pope Benedict talked about how, as young people grow up, they go through a period of “infantile dependence” on their parents, during which time they practice “infantile obedience.” Then, as they hit those wonderful teens, they get the idea that they should be free and more independent of their parents. And then they sing that old song, “I gotta be free, I gotta be me.”

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On
Bob Crawford, Sun Prairie

Modern liturgy is gift from Holy Spirit, joyful experience

To the editor:

I’m wondering what past century Kenneth J. Wolfe dropped in on us from after I read “Latin Mass Appeal.” His indictment of Cardinal Bugnini as the sole “perpetrator” behind liturgical reform (even hinting that Bugnini was really a Freemason) would be laughable if Wolfe weren’t so serious. Remember that the bishops and cardinals of Vatican II voted overwhelmingly for reform.

Raised a Catholic in pre-Vatican II times, I experienced the traditional Latin Mass with the priest facing the tabernacle and whispering in a foreign language. I was an altar boy, trained to respond in Latin though I had only a faint idea of what the responses meant. I experienced hundreds of Latin Masses in which, as a member of the congregation, I dutifully forced myself to focus my attention on the Latin-speaking priest.

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On
Janet McKellar, Waunakee

Both forms of the Mass are beautiful ways to worship

To the editor:

This is in response to the article entitled “Concerns about Returning to the Use of Latin in Mass.” First of all, I do not understand why there is so much concern about offering the Extraordinary Form of the Mass in Latin along with the Ordinary Form of the Mass in English.

No one is being forced to attend the Latin Mass. It is there for those who prefer to worship God as the Church has done for centuries and who find this traditional form of worship to be very meaningful, reverent, and spiritually uplifting.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, editor

Make sure you’re counted: Why it’s important to complete the U.S. Census questionnaire

We should be receiving the 2010 U.S. census form in the mail soon. The Census Bureau assures us that this is one of the shortest forms in history. With just 10 questions, most people should be able to complete the form in 10 minutes.

Every person in each household is counted and must answer seven questions about name, gender, race, ethnicity, and whether they sometimes live somewhere else. The head of the household indicates how many people live in the residence; whether it is a house, apartment, or mobile home; and provides a telephone number for census workers to follow up if any information is incomplete or missing.

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On
Obispo Robert C. Morlino

El hijo pródigo: una historia de dos “mocosos”

Bajo el libro del evangelio por Obispo Robert C. Morlino
Esta columna está dirigida a los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia transgrede la intención del Obispo.

La historia que hemos escuchado en el Evangelio del Domingo, la historia (como es llamada) del “Hijo Pródigo” es verdaderamente genial. Tengo un amigo obispo que siempre se refiere a ella, no como a la parábola del Hijo Pródigo, sino como la “parábola de los dos mocosos” (niños). En realidad, es exactamente eso.

Miremos brevemente al primer hijo. Refiriéndose a esta historia el pasado fin de semana, el Papa Benedicto habló sobre como, mientras los jóvenes crecen, se da en ellos un periodo de “dependencia infantil” de sus padres, durante el cual practican la “obediencia infantil”. Luego, en los años adolescentes, tienen la idea de que deben ser libres y más independientes de sus padres. Y luego cantan esa vieja canción “I gotta be free, I gotta be me”. (Tengo que ser libre, tengo que ser yo)

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