PRINCETON — Have you heard of the phenomena called “Flash Mobs”?
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 1211 W. Main St., is organizing a “Mass Mob” to fill the pews with as many people as possible. It will take place on Palm Sunday, April 13, at the 10:30 a.m. Mass.
MADISON — Catholic Charities, Madison, announces new members for the 2014 Board of Directors, serving a three-year term:
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Darren Aronofsky’s cinematic re-telling of the story of Noah has certainly stirred people up.
While quite a few reviewers, both religious and non-religious, have given the film high marks, many Christians, both Evangelical and Catholic, have registered a far less than enthusiastic reaction.
One prominent Catholic blogger and movie reviewer opined that Noah is “embarrassingly awful” and “the stupidest film in years.” Most of the religious critics have complained that the film plays fast and loose with the Genesis account, adding all sorts of distracting and fantastic elements to the well-known story. In the midst of all of this — and no doubt in part because of it — Noah took in $44 million on its opening weekend.
Noah is best interpreted, I think, as a modern cinematic midrash on the Biblical tale. The midrashim — extremely popular in ancient Israel — were imaginative elaborations of the often spare Scriptural narratives. They typically explored the psychological motivations of the major players in the stories and added creative plot lines, new characters, etc.
As we get closer to Holy Week and the Easter Triduum, we enter a time to reflect on Christ’s Paschal Mystery and how we can apply it to our own lives. While on a much smaller scale, sometimes certain events in our life become a microcosm of the Passion.
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Emergency: Syria! Emergency: South Sudan! Emergency: Democratic Republic of the Congo!
These are the alarming messages being displayed on the homepage (www.unhcr.org) of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
According to the UNHCR, Syria has more people forcibly displaced than any country on earth. Over nine million Syrians have been uprooted from their homes due to civil war — over 2.5 million of them have fled to neighboring countries as refugees. And most distressing, more than half of the displaced are children.
In South Sudan, UNHCR reports the civil war and growing food shortages there has led to approximately 2,000 people crossing into nearby countries per day. Many of these refugees have been arriving exhausted, nutritionally weak, and in poor health.
“Con el Señor hay misericordia y plenitud de redención (Salmo 130:7)”, nos recordaba el salmo responsorial del domingo pasado y estos son los pensamientos a los que debemos volcar nuestras mentes y corazones mientras llegamos a la Semana Santa, Pascua y a la celebración de Su Divina Misericordia.
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| Players on the Sacred Heart Major Seminary basketball team in Detroit, Mich., include Clint Olson (#16) and four other seminarians from the Diocese of Madison. (Contributed photo) |
DETROIT, Mich. — While Wisconsin fans look forward to the Badger basketball team competing in the Final Four in the NCAA’s March Madness, a basketball team from Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit with five players from the Diocese of Madison has already won two tournament championships.
Playing on the Sacred Heart team from the Diocese of Madison are: Stephen Brunner, first year pre-theology; Jared Holzhuter, first year theology; Deacon Scott Jablonski, fourth year theology; and Drew Olson and Clint Olson, both in second year pre-theology.
The Sacred Heart basketball team competed from October through February. They played against a variety of teams, including Catholic high schools, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Sacred Heart security guards.
In competition against other seminary teams, they won a tournament held at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., in January and won another tournament held at the
Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio, in February.
At the tournament in Mundelein, Jared Holzhuter made the game-winning free throw in the championship game.
Clint Olson was named the Most Valuable Player in the Josephinum tournament.
Deacon Scott Jablonski also won a three-point shooting contest.
Besides the basketball players, Madison seminarian Andy Teeter, who is in his first year of theology studies, plays in the pep band at Sacred Hearts.
MADISON — As warmer spring weather approaches, Catholics across the Diocese of Madison are invited to the fifth annual Spring Wine Fest, benefitting the mission of St. Paul University Catholic Center.
St. Paul’s continues to grow its mission and outreach to thousands of Catholic and non-Catholic students who come to UW-Madison from across the diocese and state.
MADISON — Our Lady of Hope Clinic and the Women’s Care Center are partnering to hold “A Celebration of Life” with a benefit dinner for both organizations to be held on Saturday, May 10, at the Alliant Energy Center.
Members of the community are welcome to attend. The benefit will begin with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., followed by dinner and a program detailing how both organizations have worked to build a culture of life in Dane County.
MADISON — I have been with Pregnancy Helpline since 2011. When I joined, I had been a member of St. Maria Goretti’s Saint Vincent de Paul (SVDP) chapter for a few years.
Part of that ministry includes home visits, which is a chance to share and offer SVDP clients information about the different services that the county offers for those in need.
