Month: March 2014

On
Jean Mueller

Power of Attorney for Health Care: what it means

Q My brother and I are hoping you can shed some light on this.

Our 89-year-old mother lives in an assisted living facility in Dane County. Although it is expensive, I think she is getting good care and this is the best option for her.

She has been there for the last six months and has made some friends, but mostly it is the care we were looking for, as there are no options for her to live with either of my two brothers or me and she can not live independently.

The issue is my older brother, who is her Power of Attorney for Health Care. He frequently asks the staff to do things for mom that she can do on her own. He feels she is paying for care and that means the staff should do everything for her. I think mom needs to continue to do things for herself that she can do — that this will give her some purpose. But, as the Power of Attorney, does he “hold the power” over everything related to mom’s care? (from a son in Portage)

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Annual Catholic Appeal

Dear Friends in Christ,

What better place to look for the theme of this year’s diocesan appeal than to the witness of our new Holy Father, Pope Francis? His powerful example of charity will be our focus as we approach our 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal and its theme: “Beacon of Faith; Fire of Charity.”

Brothers and sisters, we are each chosen to be a Beacon of Faith to our friends, family, co-workers — a beacon radiating the light of Christ to all with whom we come into contact. Pope Francis has made clear that as the world grows darker, we must continue to strengthen our own faith; allow ourselves to be evangelized anew; to become part of the New Evangelization; and work together as one with the mission of Christ and His Church.

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On
Fr. Robert Barron

Cosmos and the tired myth

Seth MacFarlane, well known atheist and cartoonist, is the executive producer of the remake of Cosmos, a television series which recently made its national debut.

The first episode featured, along with the science, an animated feature about the 16th century Dominican friar Giordano Bruno, who was burned at the stake by Church officials. A statue of Bruno stands today in the Campo de’ Fiori in Rome on the spot where he was put to death.

In MacFarlane’s cartoon, Bruno is portrayed as a hero of modern science, and Church officials are, without exception, depicted as wild-eyed fanatics and unthinking dogmatists.

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On
Fr. Frank Pavone

Just a pinch of incense: refusing to compromise on religious principles

Guest Column

In The Offense of the Cross, W. A. Criswell points out, “The Roman Empire was the most tolerant, the most liberal, the most wise, and the most accurate in its handling of the many provinces and religions of its empire of any kingdom that ever existed. Men could worship, have temples, and do as they pleased.

“And yet the Roman Empire and the Caesars persecuted the Christians. Why? For one simple reason: the Christian refused to compromise his faith with any other religion whatsoever.”

That refusal to compromise is seen in the response of the apostles themselves to the command not to teach in the name of Jesus: “We will obey God rather than men!”

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Kevin Wondrash

Durward’s Glen to begin First Saturdays Devotion

BARABOO — Durward’s Glen, W11876 McLeish Rd., is hosting Holy Mass every first Saturday of the month throughout 2014. The First Saturdays Devotion is a Catholic practice that has been requested by the Virgin Mary in several apparitions, notably Our Lady of Fátima and the subsequent Pontevedra apparitions.

This devotion and the Marian apparitions have been officially embraced by the Roman Catholic Church as worthy private devotions but are not obligatory.

 

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On
Susanna D. Herro, President, St. Thomas More Society of Madison

Catholic lawyers to meet

MADISON — The newspapers and gossip columns are filled with Hollywood stars and their prenuptial agreements. These agreements are not just being used by the super wealthy.

Fr. Tait Schroeder, who did his dissertation on prenuptial agreements, will de-mystify some of the aspects of what prenuptial agreements mean for Catholics approaching marriage. He will delve into how prenuptial agreements impact marital consent.

 

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