Day: August 27, 2015

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Hundreds protest Planned Parenthood in Madison

Planned Parenthood Protest, Madison

Fr. Bart Timmerman, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison, leads more than 200 people in praying the Rosary outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side as they protested the selling of baby body parts from abortions. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MADISON — Prayer.

That’s what it will take to end abortion.

That’s what rush hour commuters saw as more than 200 people prayed on the sidewalks near the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side to do their part to see that facility close and protect the lives of the unborn.

The protest on Monday, Aug. 24, was held in unity with nationwide protests following reports of Planned Parenthood harvesting and selling the organs and tissue of aborted babies.

As people’s workdays ended, they arrived at the Orin Rd. site for the 5 p.m. protest, despite the unseasonably cold and gloomy late August weather.

‘All things are possible’

Fr. Rick Heilman, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff and St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Mount Horeb and Perry, welcomed everyone who came out.

“With man it’s impossible, but with God all things are possible,” he said. Encouraging everyone to pray and be in a state of grace, he added, “We need to lean on God and his grace . . . lean on Our Lady as much as you can. She is the one who steps on that satanic head.”

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Marshall native starts Hosea’s Heart to help women and children in Swaziland

MARSHALL — There aren’t many women in their mid-20s who would give up a teaching career and move to a southern African country to help young women in need — but sometimes all it takes is one person to make a difference.

Twenty-eight year old Marshall native Mary-Kate Martin is one of those women.

The member of Holy Family Parish in Marshall and Waterloo is the founder and executive director of Hosea’s Heart.

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

The Red Mass: Asking the Holy Spirit for guidance for the legal community

MADISON — When the Red Mass is mentioned, people often express some curiosity about it and wonder what it is, where it originated, and why it is called “red.”

The last question is the easiest to answer. It is because the celebrant of the Mass wears red vestments and long ago, some of the royal judges also had red vestments.

What is a Red Mass?

But what is a Red Mass? It is a Mass, usually celebrated as the new judicial term begins, to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance for all those engaged in the justice and legal systems.

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By Patrick Gorman, Director, Madison Diocesan Choir

Madison Diocesan Choir is looking for singers, places to sing

MADISON — The Madison Diocesan Choir currently is seeking new members for all sections of the choir. The choir rehearses on Tuesday evenings (7 to 9:30 p.m.) in the chapel of the Bishop O’Connor Center on Madison’s west side. (We especially would like to add tenors and basses.)

You don’t have to be a pro! We‘re looking for people with pleasant voices who are willing to work toward our goal of singing God’s praise with full hearts, minds, and voices.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

A book a day keeps the doctor away!

Ever since I was a child, reading has been one of my favorite things to do.

Perhaps I was fortunate that my parents didn’t buy a television until I was in the fifth grade. We spent our free time playing games of all kinds and doing a lot of reading.
In the summers, we visited the public library every week. I must have read almost every book in the library. I loved books of all kinds!

That love of reading continues to this day. I read several books every week, usually taking time to read during lunch and in the evening after my work is done. Now I’m able to access books through a Kindle, although I still like holding a “real” book in my hands.

Reading is good for health

Besides being something that’s fun to do, I’ve recently learned that reading is actually good for your health. How about that! Something that’s enjoyable and healthy, too!

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On
Julie Zenz, For the Catholic Herald

Bloomington students visit China

BLOOMINGTON — This summer, students from St. Mary School in Bloomington and others traveled to China as part of a school exchange with Shijiazhuang Middle School Number 40.

The goal of this program was to create unique friendships and positive connections with others and to bring a global experience to students in a positive setting.

First group to visit China

Laura Tolle and her daughters Anna and Carolyn, Margie Duwe, Katelyn Zenz, Mel Mergen, and Julie Zenz lived with families and traveled with students in China as the first group from St. Mary School to visit China.

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On
Fr. Robert Barron

Mother Nature is one unreliable lady

Conservation International has sponsored a series of videos that have become YouTube sensations, garnering millions of views.

They feature famous actors — Harrison Ford, Kevin Spacey, Robert Redford, and others — voicing different aspects of the natural world, from the ocean, to the rain forest, to redwood trees. The most striking is the one that presents Mother Nature herself, given voice by Julia Roberts.

Nature’s indifference

They all have more or less the same message, namely, that nature finally doesn’t give a fig for human beings, that it is far greater than we, and will outlast us. Here are some highlights from the Mother’s speech:

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On
Veronica Arntz

Theme four: Two Become One

Veronica Arntz

To prepare for the upcoming World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia this September, the Office of Evangelization and Catechesis of the Diocese of Madison is providing a monthly series on a particular theme on marriage and family. Each theme is a chapter in the preparatory catechesis developed for the event entitled Love Is Our Mission: The Family Fully Alive, available in paperback from www.osvparish.com or for free online at www.worldmeeting2015.org

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Fr. Paul Fagan to celebrate 55 years of missionary priesthood

PRAIRIE DU CHIEN — Fr. Paul Fagan, CP, a native of the Diocese of Madison area, is celebrating 55 years of ordination to the priesthood.

Father Paul was ordained on June 11, 1960, at Maryknoll, N.Y. He was assigned to the Diocese of Shinyanga in what was then Tanganyika Territory, now Tanzania.

After 47 years as a missionary, he was incardinated into the Diocese of Shinyanga, in which he has served all of his 55 years as a priest.

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