Day: December 5, 2012

On
Dick Jones, For the Catholic Herald

Diocesan Choir holds annual Lessons & Carols Dec. 16

MADISON — With Pope Benedict XVI’s declaration of the Year of Faith, the Madison Diocesan Choir’s Festival of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, Dec. 16, at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center takes on greater significance and solemnity.

More than the traditional Advent prayer service celebrating in Scripture and song the Christ Child’s birth, Lessons and Carols this year offers all an opportunity to witness and affirm the good works of others throughout the diocese, as well as rediscover and renew their own relationship with Christ and the Church.

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On
Office of Stewardship and Development, For the Catholic Herald

Bless our Priests Collection

MADISON — God has granted us many gifts throughout our lives, including the important gift of faith.

Good and hard-working priests across our diocese have played a significant role in making the sacraments available to us throughout a lifetime. The Bless Our Priests collection is our chance to thank them for their tireless effort to serve our parishes and families.

 

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Beauty helps prepare us for Heaven

Last summer, I was honored to be part of a Conference of the Napa Institute with regard to Catholic leadership. There I addressed the relationship between freedom, beauty, and feelings, in the context of the truth that democracy requires authentic freedom on the part of those who are blessed to live out that form of government. I’ve touched briefly on some of those themes here before, but would like to examine them anew.

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Bless our Priests Collection

Dear Friends in Christ,

The Year of Faith, begun in October, offers each of us a challenge to rediscover our faith and share it with others. It offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on the gift of faith we have been given and grow in that faith.

In reflecting on those who have influenced our lives in faith, most of us have our parents, grandparents, other family members, and great friends to thank. We certainly have great catechists and Catholic school teachers to thank, as well. Those of us of a certain age owe a great debt to the religious sisters who taught in our schools. But every single one of us has a number of priests to thank for the faith we have been given by God.

 

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On
Wayne Hunt

Catholics must be vigilant to protect religious freedom

To the editor:

As Thanksgiving Day passes into history, I was reminded this morning at Mass to give thanks to the Catholic martyrs who have died because of their resistance to anti-religious freedom laws. In particular this day, we remember Blessed Miguel Pro, a Jesuit priest in Mexico during the violent anti-Catholic persecutions in the 1920’s. On this day in 1927, he was taken to a police firing range and shot to death. His crime against the Mexican government was simply to minister to the Catholic people in their worship of Jesus Christ.

Mexico’s President Calles personally ordered Father Pro’s execution. Before the execution, Father Pro prayed, and then held out his arms in the form of a cross. As the police took aim with their rifles, he spoke the words, “Viva Cristo Rey!” (“Long live Christ the King!”).

Father Pro was not alone in his opposition to religious persecution. According to some sources, more than 200,000 Mexican people from every socio-economic background were killed or martyred by 1930. In the year 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized 25 Catholic martyrs in Mexico, among them being Blessed Miguel Pro.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Peace in the Holy Land: Let’s pray and work for an end to conflict in the land of Christ’s birth

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

At this time of year, many of us put up our Nativity scenes as we prepare for Christmas. The scene from the stable in Bethlehem reminds us of that time long ago when Jesus was born.

The Holy Land of Jesus’ birth played such an important role in the development of our Christian faith. Jesus was raised in Nazareth and preached throughout the region. His passion, death, and resurrection happened in Jerusalem.

This area of the world is also sacred to people of the Jewish and Muslim faiths. For example, Jerusalem is mentioned 669 times in the Hebrew Bible. Many sites in the Holy Lane have been destinations for religious pilgrimages by people of these faiths for centuries.

Yet conflict and violence continue to plague this area of the world. It is always sad to hear about violence happening in the places where Jesus — the Prince of Peace — walked.

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On
Margie Schels, For the Catholic Herald

A busy month at Jefferson school

JEFFERSON — The month of November at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Jefferson was filled with several special events that concluded with the school’s annual Thanksgiving Food Drive.

The eighth graders and Student Council members sponsored the event, which collected over 600 items donated to the Jefferson Food Pantry. Fifth graders helped their “buddies” in pre-kindergarten make special turkey food bags for the many families given donations for Thanksgiving.

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