Year: 2013

On
Kat Wagner, Catholic Herald Staff

Fennimore church expected to undergo renewal of splendor

FENNIMORE — The sanctuary of the church, where Jesus resides in the Blessed Sacrament, should be “heaven on earth” — both visually and spiritually, said Rick Statz, national project director at Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, a firm that specializes in restoration and conservation.

In the latter half of the 20th century, though, in an effort to egalitize and modernize the churches in the post-Second Vatican Council age, many Catholic churches lost the symbolism that reminded worshippers of the extraordinary place they were entering.

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On
Mary C. Uhler

Pope Francis follows in footsteps of his namesake

St. Francis of Assisi is known for his love of the poor and all of God’s creatures. We often see pictures of St. Francis with the wolf he purportedly tamed and with other animals and birds gathered around him.

I have visited the town of Assisi in Italy twice. On my first trip, I was amazed to see a flock of birds sitting on the statue of St. Francis in the garden outside the basilica there. Our guide said that the birds constantly flock to that statue, almost as if they know it depicts St. Francis.

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On
Gabi Lopez-Betanzos, For the Catholic Herald

Praying for the new pope and the world

Seminarian Gabriel Lopez-Betanzos in Rome is pictured with St. Peter’s Basilica in the background. (Contributed photo)

Editor’s note: This is the third of a series of reflections on recent events happening at the Vatican by Diocese of Madison seminarians studying in Rome.

It was a cool, rainy evening in Rome. I stood in St. Peter’s Square with a group of seminarians and student priests from the North American College. Along with thousands of others from all over the world we awaited the smoke from the little chimney above the Sistine Chapel.

Then, without warning, smoke started coming out of the chimney! At first it appeared dark, but then it was clearly not the deep black smoke we had seen earlier. We have a new pope! As the smoke continued to flow from the chimney and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring we made our way forward through the crowd. We reached a position centered in front of the now-famous balcony not far from the front of the crowd and waited anxiously to see the new pope.

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On
Jean Mueller

Caregivers should seek outside help when needed

Ask Jean column by Jean MuellerQ: After my mother suffered a massive heart attack I offered to have her move in with me so I could provide the necessary care. That was six months ago and in that time she has progressively gotten weaker and less able to care for herself. My care in the beginning consisted of making meals, doing her laundry and reminding her to take her medications. Now she is having trouble walking on her own; she definitely needs help with her personal hygiene and we have not talked about this level of care. I am extremely uncomfortable giving my mother a shower or helping her with other needs such as going to the bathroom. How can I convince her to accept some outside help? (From a daughter in Sun Prairie).

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On
John Huebscher

Here’s a chance to influence state policy

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

We can’t live out our vocation as faithful citizens unless we are also active between elections, when the hard work of making laws and policies is done.

Some of that hard work will take place in the next few weeks when the Joint Committee on Finance schedules its hearings on Governor Scott Walker’s state budget proposal. Those hearings will give Catholics and others a chance to influence the content of that budget. It is a chance we should exploit.

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On
Chris Lee

Sister Mary Nona McGreal, OP, dies

SINSINAWA — Sister Mary Nona McGreal, OP, died March 20, 2013, at St. Dominic Villa, Sinsinawa. The funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Tuesday, March 26, 2013, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery. Friends may call after 5:15 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2013, at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, where a wake and remembering service will be held at 6:30 p.m.

Sister Mary Nona McGreal made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Sister March 8, 1933, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1936. She taught in elementary schools of the Congregation for eight years, including St. Clement, Sheboygan, Wis., 1933; St. Brendan, Chicago, 1933–1937; and St. Thomas the Apostle, Chicago, 1937–1941. Sister Mary Nona completed her graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, receiving her Ph.D. in 1951. With Sister Mary Joan Smith, OP, she developed a widely used new curriculum for U.S. Catholic schools, publishing the three-volume work Guiding Growth in Christian Social Living: A Curriculum for the Elementary School during the 1940s.

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On
Obispo Robert C. Morlino

Difundiendo la verdad del Papado

Queridos amigos:

Estamos justo en medio del Año de la Fe y a punto de emprender lo que el Beato Juan Pablo Magno y el Papa Emérito Benedicto han alentado que hagamos, es decir, la “Nueva Evangelización”. Y no sólo eso, sino que nos encontramos en la era de un nuevo Papa. Mientras escribo esta columna, el Cónclave aún debe empezar, pero al momento en que la lean, es posible que ya tengamos un nuevo Papa.

A diferencia de las noticias en los medios (considerando su interés en el escándalo) una de las cosas claves en que los Cardenales en el Cónclave se concentrarán o en que se han concentrado, por inspiración del Espíritu Santo, es la elección de un Papa que seguirá en la realización de esa Nueva Evangelización.

De hecho, ha habido y hay gente pecadora en la Iglesia, y de hecho hay pecaminosidad “desde abajo hasta lo más alto” porque hay pecadores en todos los ámbitos de la Iglesia aquí en la tierra, pero nuestro primer pecado es y ha sido siempre alejarnos de Dios y de lo que Él nos llama. Volver a Dios es precisamente de lo que se trata la Nueva Evangelización y allí es donde cualquier reforma de la Iglesia tiene que empezar. Todo hombre, mujer y niño en la Iglesia – desde el Papa hasta el último – tiene que ser llamado nuevamente a encontrarse con la persona auténtica de Jesucristo de modo que transforme la vida y debe ser cambiado por Él. Toca ser sacudidos de la somnolencia que golpea a Pedro y los Apóstoles en el huerto de Getsemaní y que nos acecha cada vez que puede. Por medio de su Vicario, Cristo tiene que volver a nosotros, una y otra vez, para decirnos “¡Levántense… recen… la hora está cerca!”(ver Mt 26:36-46, y ss).

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

‘Do you love me? . . . Feed my sheep’

Last weekend in Madison, more than 100,000 meals were packed for hungry people at home and around the world.

A good number of the meals are going to children. Many of the meals were packed by children.

Saturday, March 16, was the second annual Lenten “Feed My Sheep” food-packing day at the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) in Madison.

The driving force behind the event is “6:8,” a group based out of Prairie du Sac that spearheaded a fundraising event and brought the money needed for the 100,000 meals. Last year, the group raised enough money to package more than 68,000 meals.

The executive directors of 6:8 are the husband and wife team of John and Sarah Ramthun.

As volunteers, including many children of all ages, poured into the chapel at the CMC for orientation, John shared the message of 6:8: “We desire to transform communities by making service personal,” said John.

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