Day: August 9, 2012

On
Lindsay Becher, For the Catholic Herald

How we learn to serve others

MADISON — Blessed Miguel Pro, who was martyred in 1927 in the midst of persecution of the Church in Mexico, could be unknown or deemed irrelevant to young Catholics today. His death 85 years ago in the public eye is long removed in time and space. But his witness to the Catholics of that time served to bolster their faith and fight more enthusiastically for Christ the King.

Seminarian Bill Van Wagner shared the story of Blessed Miguel Pro with the nearly 300 young people who have come on Love Begins Here (LBH) mission trips this summer. Each time, it was accompanied by some encouragement to not be afraid to follow Blessed Miguel’s example.

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

The blessings of God throughout our lives

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,

I hope that this summer has been as blessed for each of you as it has for me. As if it couldn’t get any better as we enter this week, I am preparing to spend time with our outstanding seminarians. Hopefully many of you have had a chance to meet some of the great men studying to give their lives in service to you, through Christ and His Church. Please keep them in your prayers, along with several new young women from our diocese who are entering into religious life this year.

In terms of our seminarians, I’d ask that you also give special consideration to offering what financial support you can to our St. Joseph’s Fund for seminarian education. When all is said and done, we may have 32 men studying for the Diocese of Madison. With the blessing of these outstanding men comes the responsibility of paying for their formation and education.

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On
Syte Reitz

Attending Mass on vacation enhances appreciation for Cathedral Parish music

To the editor:

During a recent vacation, which included attending Mass at a variety of new (to me) Wisconsin Catholic parishes, boy, am I happy to be back at Madison’s Cathedral Parish, where the Mass is the Mass, the music is appropriately solemn and dignified, and the lyrics don’t center on us and on God’s good fortune that we showed up, but on a humble, grateful, and reverent attitude towards God.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Don’t forget to vote! State has first primary in August since World War II

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Don’t forget to vote! That’s something we haven’t heard in August for many years. In fact, this is Wisconsin’s first partisan primary in August since World War II, according to the Government Accountability Board (G.A.B.).

The state Legislature moved the partisan primary from the second Tuesday in September to the second Tuesday in August so Wisconsin can comply with a federal law designed to give military and overseas voters enough time to vote by absentee ballot, said Kevin Kennedy, director and general counsel of the G.A.B.

Wisconsin last held partisan primaries in August in 1944 and 1946. That means that only voters over age 84 would remember voting in August.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Mary’s Assumption inspires us to imitate her discipleship

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes, by Fr. Don Lange

Fr. Mark Link shared an inspiring story of a Catholic teenager who felt that her mother rejected her. She transferred her anger for her mother to Mary.

The girl reluctantly went on a required Confirmation retreat. The director talked about Mary. As the girl listened, angry feelings towards her mother surfaced. She rejected everything good the speaker shared about Mary. After the talk, she went outside to walk off her anger. She wanted to cry but her tears froze. She felt bitter loneliness and rejection.

She wandered aimlessly until her curiosity attracted her to a small grotto-like building. She looked inside and discovered a large statue of Mary from whom she was trying to escape. She wanted to run, but she was drawn to the kneeler at Mary’s feet. She fell on her knees, weeping in the folds of Mary’s robes. When she stopped crying, she felt cleansed and renewed. Touched by Mary, she began to accept her as her spiritual mother.

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