Month: May 2011

On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

David Johannes to be ordained to diaconate

David JohannesMADISON — David Johannes will be ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Robert C. Morlino on Friday, May 27, at 7:30 p.m. in the chapel at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison.

Johannes has attended St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver, Colo., for the past six years.

His home parish is the Cathedral Parish in Madison. Johannes graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he was active in the Knights of Columbus at St. Paul’s University Catholic Center. He served as grand knight of the UW council, which won the Most Outstanding College Council Award at the national level for two years.

Through the Knights of Columbus, Johannes became involved as a volunteer with the Apostolate to the Handicapped of the Diocese of Madison. He became a server and commentator on the weekly television Masses sponsored by the apostolate on Channel 3.

Read More
On
Obispo Robert C. Morlino

Dios obra en nosotros a través del Espíritu Santo

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.

Queridos amigos:

Las lecturas del pasado fin de semana incluyeron el hermoso recuento de los Apóstoles cuando eligieron a sus “ayudantes” en su misión de caridad y justicia, y yo también tengo el gozo de acudir este viernes al altar y ordenar, al diaconado transitorio, a David Johannes, quien es simplemente un gran candidato y quien será un diácono y sacerdote sobresaliente.

En el otoño, Dios mediante, Mark Miller también será ordenado diácono en la Basílica de San Pedro en Roma. Él y David serán ordenados sacerdotes juntos en un año. Por favor recen por estos dos grandes jóvenes que asumen ahora su diaconado y llegan al año final de preparación para el sacerdocio.

Read More
On
Patsy Kozlowski

Majority of taxes in U.S. are paid by the wealthy

To the editor:

Mr. Dagnon’s letter titled “America society has been redistributing wealth from the poor to the rich” (Catholic Herald, April 28) does not make any sense. The title debases his arguments and exposes him as a left wing ideologue. Poor people have no wealth to distribute — that is why they are called poor.

The only means the government has to generate funds to redistribute to the poor is through taxation and he fails to mention that the majority of taxes paid in this country are paid by the wealthy. In fact 51 percent of the U.S. population pays no federal taxes at all.

Read More
On
Theresa Krusko

Teachers have been doing more than their share to help economy

To the editor:

Back in the February 24, 2011, issue of the Catholic Herald, you had a guest columnist by the name of Constance Nielsen whose article, I felt, was very offensive to the public workers of Wisconsin. I remember quite clearly how I was feeling at that time because the media had been doing a fairly good job of promoting the misconception that public workers, especially teachers, had cushy jobs and were grossly overpaid.

Considering the difficulties that many of us are experiencing financially at this time, I found it deplorable that suddenly public workers, many of whom had been taking pay cuts or pay freezes for several years, suddenly were the “cause” of the budget deficit in Wisconsin.

Read More
On
Mary C. Uhler

Church is leading the way: In providing safe environment for children

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Although we lament the horrible instances of sexual abuse of minors by clergy, we can be proud that the Catholic Church in the United States is doing all it can to understand the causes of such abuse and try to prevent it from happening in the future.

The new report released May 18 on the causes and context of sexual abuse should help further that understanding and strengthen the many efforts underway to provide a safe environment for children in the Catholic Church.

Read More
On
Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Natural Family Planning and the telos of sex

Making Sense out of Bioethics column by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Married Catholics today often struggle to understand the moral difference between using contraceptives to avoid a pregnancy and using Natural Family Planning (NFP).

NFP relies on sexual abstinence during fertile periods in a woman’s cycle, as assessed by various indicators like cervical mucus or changes in body temperature.

NFP and the Catholic Church

To many, the Church’s prohibition of contraception seems to be at odds with its acceptance of NFP because in both cases, the couple’s intention is to avoid children. That intention, however, is not the problem, as long as there are, in the words of Pope Paul VI, “serious motives to space out births.”

Read More
On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino

God working in us through the Holy Spirit

Under the Gospel Book by Bishop Robert C. Morlino
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.

Dear Friends,

This past weekend’s readings included the beautiful recounting of the Apostles choosing “helpers” in their mission of charity and justice, and so I have the joy of going to the altar this Friday and ordaining, to the Transitional Diaconate, David Johannes, who is simply a terrific candidate and who will be an outstanding deacon and priest.

In the fall, God willing, Mark Miller likewise will be ordained a deacon at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and Mark and David will together be ordained priests a year from now. Please pray for both of these great young men as they come upon their diaconate ordinations and final year of preparation for the priesthood.

Read More
On
Kat Wagner, Catholic Herald Staff

Protecting life at all stages

Bishop Robert C. Morlino, surrounded by pro-life advocates, stands outside the Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin building in Portage to pray a Rosary. The Peace and Justice Committee at Immaculate Conception Parish in Portage has included pro-life efforts in its agenda for years. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) For more pictures click here.

PORTAGE — Several dozen people, many from the Portage area and others who had come more of a distance to be present, gathered on the sidewalk in front of the local Planned Parenthood clinic on a main street here recently.

The April 26 prayer gathering, which featured a Rosary led by Bishop Robert C. Morlino, was one of the many pro-life efforts engaged in by members of the local parish. In fact, the St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish’s Peace and Justice Committee invites people of all faiths and denominations to gather outside the Planned Parenthood every second Tuesday of the month from 5 to 6 p.m. for prayer to end abortion.

This focus on the protection of the unborn is only a part of the parish’s broader acknowledgement of the importance of social justice in Catholic teaching.

“Social justice begins in the womb, and we start from there,” said Eileen Knecht, a member of the Peace and Justice Committee.

Conquering earthly pride

The belief human life is sacred and that the dignity of the human person is the foundation of a moral vision for society is the foundation of all the principles of Catholic social teaching, the U.S. bishops have said.

“It’s earthly pride that causes hatred and earthly pride that makes people feel that they are in charge of human life from conception to natural death — and we know by reason alone that God is in charge,” Bishop Morlino said during the prayer gathering.

 

Read More