Month: July 2015

On
Colleen Sonderberg

Expose horrors of selling aborted baby organs

To the editor:

On July 14, a shocking video came out exposing Planned Parenthood in the selling of baby organs for profit. Planned Parenthood Federation Senior Director of Medical Services Dr. Deborah Nucatola talked about the business of selling baby human organs to two undercover actors from the Center For Medical Progress posing as buyers.

She told of instructing abortionists to deliver live, intact, late term babies breech so organs (heads, livers, lungs, and hearts) are not damaged and can be sold (usually, aborted babies are ripped apart in pieces while still alive and inside the womb). This requires killing live babies even after they are born — when it is illegal to kill babies.

Read More
On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Enough is enough!

Abortion has been legal in the United States since 1973, but that doesn’t mean most Americans approve of abortion.

According to a national Marist University survey released this year, the vast majority of Americans are very uncomfortable with abortion. Eighty-four percent said that laws should protect both the well-being of a woman and the life of the unborn child. The poll revealed that a majority of Americans say abortion is morally wrong (60 percent).

Want abortion restrictions

The survey also found support for abortion restrictions among both “pro-life” and “pro-choice” supporters, according to an article on www.lifenews.com

Read More
On
Fr. Robert Barron

A prophetic pope and social teaching

In the wake of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ and the pope’s recent speeches in Latin America, many supporters of the capitalist economy in the West might be forgiven for thinking that His Holiness has something against them.

Again and again, Pope Francis excoriates an economy based on materialism and greed, and with prophetic urgency, he speaks out against a new colonialism that exploits the labor of those in poorer countries.

In a speech in Bolivia, a country under the command of a socialist president, the pope seemed, almost in a Marxist vein, to be calling on the poor to seize power from the wealthy and take command of their own lives. What do we make of this?

Read More
On
Barbara Sella

Perinatal hospice: Comforting infants and families

Eye on the Capitol by Barbara Sella

Legislative hearings are valuable means of educating the public. During a June 2 hearing in the State Capitol for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (companion bills Senate Bill 179 and Assembly Bill 237), those present learned about a little-known but invaluable program known as perinatal hospice.

The bills would protect unborn children at and after 20 weeks from painful abortions and would require that families be informed about perinatal hospice. (Governor Scott Walker signed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act into law on July 20.)

Read More
On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Diocese of Madison welcomes six new priests

It was more than just the biggest night of their lives — it was a special night for their families, the Diocese of Madison, and the Church as a whole.

No moment symbolically externalized the work of the Holy Spirit more than the thunderous applause for six men who had just presented themselves to Bishop Robert C. Morlino to be ordained to the priesthood.

Read More
On
Brent King, Director of Communications, Diocese of Madison

Appellate tribunal confirms guilty verdict of Fr. Gerald Vosen

MADISON — Diocese of Madison officials were recently notified by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith, in Rome, of the publication of the findings of the appellate tribunal court’s hearing of the appeal of Fr. Gerald Vosen, who was placed on administrative leave in 2004 and formally suspended since 2008.

With this release, we inform the faithful of the diocese and the general public of the appellate tribunal’s conclusions.

The appellate tribunal has confirmed the finding of the first-instance tribunal (Diocese of Madison’s — 2007) that Fr. Gerald Vosen is guilty of two offenses against the sixth commandment (sexual misconduct), with minors under the age of 16.

Likewise, the appellate tribunal confirmed the penalty issued by the first-instance tribunal, namely, Father Vosen’s permanent removal from all ecclesiastical ministry with the admonition to lead a life of prayer and penance. No further right to appeal exists.

The confirmation of this penalty means that Father Vosen is not to exercise any public ministry, whatsoever, nor is he to present himself publically as a minister of the Church, including by wearing clerical dress.

Read More
On
Jane Lepeska Grinde, For the Catholic Herald

‘Lighting the Way: Faith in Action’

MIDDLETON — Just over 100 women representing 42 parishes attended the 61st annual Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) convention held at St. Bernard Church June 16 and 17.

MDCCW President Rosa Ropers, Waunakee, said the theme, “Lighting the Way: Faith in Action,” was chosen to focus on the New Evangelization which “calls us to increase our relationship with Jesus through prayer, study, and our own spiritual growth.

Read More