November invites us to reflect upon last things.
It especially invited Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago, to do so. On August 30, 1996, he learned that he would probably die of pancreatic cancer. He prayed that God would give him strength to complete his final book The Gift of Peace. God did. Cardinal Bernardin finished the book on All Saints Day, on November 1, 1996. He died 13 days later.
Our nation faces many challenges and our bishop has called for two days of prayer on Monday, Nov. 1, (All Saints Day) and Tuesday, Nov. 2, (All Souls Day).
Never before in our country’s life, which was built on the family, has the sanctity of the family, of life, and of marriage — one man and one woman — been so endangered.
“If my people, who are called by my name, humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
Decree of Canonical Merger:
St. William Parish, Paoli, and St. Andrew Parish, Verona, into St. Christopher Parish in the County of Dane in the State of Wisconsin.
Decree of Canonical Merger:
St. Bridget Parish, Ridgeway, and Immaculate Conception Parish, Barneveld, into St. Bernadette Parish in the County of Iowa in the State of Wisconsin.
To the editor:
Catholic Charities recently and correctly cited the horrendous poverty in American and that action needs be taken.
The Catholic Church must speak out against the American and international banks and credit card companies that are allowed to charge unreasonable interest. In the Church of the Middle Ages this was a heinous sin, called usury, that demanded punishment in hell and probably still does.
To the editor:
It is shocking and scandalous. Tom Barrett, candidate for governor of Wisconsin, said at an October 15 town hall meeting in Milwaukee that embryonic stem cell research is “the Lord’s work.”
What a breathtaking new description of life-destroying research! We all know God as the Creator of life, and now Barrett has made Him a willing accomplice in research that depends on destroying a living human embryo.
To the editor:
The period of time during the 40 Days for Life, September 22 through October 31, is an ideal time for all Catholics to be reminded that human life begins at the moment of conception.
At the moment of conception God infuses a newly created immortal soul into the cell union. At that moment there is a body and soul. At the moment there is a new person, a human being.
To the editor:
It is necessary that we vote according to our properly formed consciences as Catholic Christians. We have to stand up for what we believe and cannot check our Catholic faith outside the voting booth.
The right to life of every human person from conception to natural death is the primary and thus the most essential of all human rights. We should remember that the poorest of the poor is the human person in the womb that is menaced with abortion.
Our Catholic faith teaches us to respect all human life, from womb to the tomb. In our society today, it seems as if we focus more on the beginning of life than on the end of it.
Many people do not like to talk about death, but it is something we all will face. Some of us will face it sooner than others, but it is inevitable.
