“We are missionaries who work with passion, knowing we can bring God’s love to our brothers and sisters who hunger. Love, in order to survive, must be nourished by its sacrifices, especially the sacrifice of self.”
Day: August 21, 2014
Couples celebrate 50 plus years of marriage
It was a day of thanks and celebration as 121 married couples packed the Bishop O’Connor Center chapel. The August 10 occasion was the Mass of Thanksgiving for couples celebrating 50 years or more of marriage.
Celebrate Bishop Morlino’s ordination anniversary
Every summer during the annual seminarian gathering in the Diocese of Madison, priests and seminarians have social time and dinner together.
Bishop ordains diocesan permanent deacon
BOSCOBEL — On Sunday, July 20, Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided at the diaconal ordination Mass of Larry Schmitt.
Deacon Schmitt’s ordination to the permanent diaconate is the first to take place in the Diocese of Madison since 2004. As Deacon Schmitt marks the beginning of his diaconal ministry, fellow permanent deacons in the diocese celebrated 10 years of service to their parish communities and ministries.
Don’t miss this movie! Actor and producer put good values into When the Game Stands Tall
 |
|
At this year’s annual Catholic Media Conference held in Charlotte, N.C., those of us attending were given the opportunity to watch a new movie called When the Game Stands Tall. After viewing the movie, we also had the privilege of talking with the film’s star, Jim Caviezel, and producer, David Zelon.
The program at our conference told us a little bit about the movie. The reason it was shown at a Catholic Media Conference — besides being a great film — is that the movie tells the remarkable real-life journey of a football coach at a Catholic high school in California.
Coach Bob Ladouceur (played by Caviezel) took the De La Salle High School Spartans from obscurity to a 151-game winning streak that shattered all records for any sport. Ladouceur retired in January of 2013 after winning his last state championship in December of 2012.
The movie is based on a book of the same name by Neil Hayes, a former Chicago Sun-Times and Contra Costa Times sportswriter. The movie is scheduled to be released in theaters on August 22. I encourage everyone to see this movie.
Bishops revise advance care forms
MADISON — Earlier this year, the Catholic bishops of Wisconsin published a form aimed at helping individuals convey their desires regarding advance care planning in a manner that aligns with Catholic principles.
The form, which was published in one version for those who are Catholic and in another version for those who are not, is designed as an addendum to the State of Wisconsin’s Power of Attorney for Health Care (POAHC) document.
The newly revised edition of the form provides greater clarity for users regarding the Church’s teaching on nutrition and hydration.
Bishop authorizes collection for displaced Iraqis
MADISON — Bishop […]
POLST: A Catholic moral dilemma (part one)
 |
|
Author’s note: “Love — caritas — is an extraordinary force which leads people to opt for courageous and generous engagement in the field of justice and peace. To defend the truth, to articulate it with humility and conviction, and to bear witness to it in life are therefore exacting and indispensable forms of charity. All people feel the interior impulse to love authentically: love and truth never abandon them completely, because these are the vocation planted by God in the heart and mind of every human person” (Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate).
These words from Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI capture so well the weight of the pro-life mission. Working as a dining room server at a retirement home in high school, I formed friendships with the elderly community there. This experience was formative and heightened my awareness of the love that must infuse end-of-life care. In my research, I came across the controversial POLST form, an advance directive becoming commonly used in hospitals, hospices, and nursing homes.
Parish offers creation care class
MADISON — Blessed Sacrament Parish will host the Just Faith Ministries’ module, “God’s Creation Cries for Justice,” which probes a faithful response to climate change.
In this eight-week class, participants will examine climate change through the lens of Catholic social teaching — reflecting on their place in and responsibility for God’s creation. With a particular focus on the impact of climate change on the poor and vulnerable, the group will explore what action steps they can take to insure a sustainable future for all.
St. Stephen Parish hosts benefit for Connor Gracyalny
CLINTON — Food, kids’ games, a silent auction, and fun in a family-friendly atmosphere will be featured at the Connor Gracyalny Benefit to be held on Saturday, Aug. 23, from 4 until 8 p.m. at the St. Stephen Parish Family Center. Parishioners and the public are especially invited to the event.
Ten-year-old Connor, son of Michelle and John Gracyalny, St. Stephen parishioners, has been undergoing treatment for Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) for the past 10 months. He was diagnosed September 30, 2013, with the disease, which is a type of cancer of the white blood cells.