Fans of author J.R.R. Tolkien and Catholics alike gathered in the Bishop O’Connor Center auditorium Friday, April 8, for the latest in the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series.
Day: April 11, 2013
Scott Jablonski: On a journey of faith
BARABOO — Scott Jablonski will be ordained to the Order of Deacons during a Mass celebrated on Sunday, April 14, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Joseph Church in Baraboo.
He will be ordained as a transitional deacon for the Diocese of Madison, meaning that he is expected to be ordained to the priesthood next year.
Diocesan seminarian has lead role in production
ST. PAUL, Minn. — “It’s quite an honor and a blessing to have this opportunity,” said Diocese of Madison seminarian Tyler Dickinson in talking about playing the lead role in a play about the last man sentenced to death by the guillotine in France.
Dickinson, a native of Edgerton, Wis., acted in productions at Edgerton High School and performed in community theater while he was a student at Bradley University in Peoria, Ill. He is in his second year of theology studies at St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity.
Witness of Faith: Bill Liegel
SAUK CITY — Bill Liegel and his wife, Marcy, were one of the four couples on the founding committee for the Eucharistic Adoration program that began 10 years ago at St. Aloysius Church in Sauk City.
The program was started during Advent of 2003 under the direction of Fr. Kevin Holmes, who was pastor at the time (it is now Divine Mercy Parish).
Focusing on death, life, and mercy
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| 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. |
“Death and life have contended in that combat stupendous: The Prince of Life, who died, reigns immortal.”
“Christ indeed from death is risen, our new life obtaining. Have mercy, victor King, ever reigning!”
(Easter Sequence – Roman Missal, 1964 translation).
I choose those two lines to focus upon in this Easter Season, because they are exactly reflective of the themes that our Holy Father, Pope Francis struck during many of the early days of Easter. He has asked the question and raised the issue from Scripture, “why do you seek the living among the dead (Lk 24:5)?”
“Death and life have contended,” and life won out, so, the Holy Father asks, echoing the message of the angel, “why do you seek the living among the dead?”
A second point that the Holy Father has focused upon is reassuring us, once again, that no one with a good and open heart is outside the bounds of the mercy of Jesus Christ, won by His death on the Cross, and confirmed by His Resurrection.
And so, we’ve got two words, or groups of words: “death and life,” and “mercy,” on which we should meditate in this Easter season.
Where is mercy in the world?
“Why do you seek the living among the dead?” Christ died that there might be mercy. Let’s calmly look at our world today, and let’s look around for mercy.
Story of last man guillotined: Inspires us to work for an end to the death penalty
Diocese of Madison seminarian Tyler Dickinson has the lead role in a play called Saved by the Guillotine, which tells the story of Jacques Fesch, the last man sentenced to the guillotine in France. He was beheaded on October 1, 1957.
When I heard the year was 1957, I thought I misunderstood! Was this the right century? After all, the French Revolution happened from 1789 to 1799. We remember hearing about people yelling “off with their heads” during this time in history. Apparently it continued much longer.
The story of Jacques Fesch reminds us of why we should oppose the death penalty. Fesch did commit a murder, although it was not premeditated. His lawyer argued in court that no crime merits another crime.