Day: September 17, 2015

On
Mary C. Uhler and Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Catholic Charities conference focuses on healthy aging

Gayle Laszewski speaks on wellness  at the Catholic Charities Healthy Aging Conference. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MADISON — More than 150 people came to the Sheraton Hotel in Madison on September 9 to learn about healthy aging at the fifth annual aging conference presented by Catholic Charities (CC) Madison.

Catholic Charities’ mission

Bill Hamilton, director of Aging Services for Catholic Charities, welcomed everyone, saying the day was “a great opportunity to not only educate yourself, but also to be able to share what you learned here with others.”

He outlined programs CC offers for older adults, including: in-home support and personal care, adult day services and respite, caregiver training, and specialized care for those with Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

“Our mission is to help older adults remain independent in their homes and in the community for as long as they want and as long as it’s safe,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton also noted the many sponsors of the conference who had information booths set up where attendees could learn about various services for older adults.

The day included two keynote speeches and a choice of eight breakout sessions.

Learning forgiveness

Dr. Robert Enright opened the conference with a keynote address, “Learning Forgiveness: Finding Hope and Joy in the Senior Years.” Enright is a professor of educational psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and co-founder of the International Forgiveness Institute.

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Bishop Robert Barron

Why Serra matters today

The upcoming canonization of Blessed Junípero Serra in Washington, D.C. — the first ever to take place on American soil — has generated, as I’m sure you know, a good deal of controversy.

For his defenders, Padre Serra was an intrepid evangelist and a model of Gospel living, while for his detractors, he was a shameless advocate of an oppressive colonial system that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of Indians.

Even many who typically back Pope Francis see this canonization as a rare faux pas for the Argentine pontiff. What should we make of all this?

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On
Jean Mueller

Distinguishing between fact and fiction

Ask Jean by Jean Mueller column logo

Q My mother just moved into a lovely condominium. It is not designated as an “over 55 community,” however many older adults live there.

Lately, my mother has been telling me about some instances when she hears the doorbell ring very late at night or very early in the morning.

She is careful not to get up, is vigilant about making sure the door is locked, and has a home security system sign posted by the front door. There is no evidence that someone is trying to break in or that anything is disturbed.

She has not notified anyone and insists she is fine. I don’t want to doubt her, but is this a cry for attention? I find it difficult to believe that anyone would just ring someone’s doorbell and take off.

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Abbot Marcel Rooney

Adaptation and renewal of Religious Life: Role of ‘active,’ apostolic Religious

Reflections on Religious Life column by Abbot Marcel Rooney

Editor’s note: During this Year of Consecrated Life, this is the seventh in a series based on the Second Vatican Council’s document, Perfectae Caritatis (Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life) written by Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, former abbot primate of the Benedictine order who now resides in Madison.

In this commentary on the decree of the Second Vatican Council Decree On the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life, we have reflected upon the meaning of Religious Life expressed by the council fathers.

The fathers gave special attention to the two main expressions of Religious Life in the Western Church: 1) the contemplative and/or monastic life; 2) the active and/or missionary life.

In the previous installment, we reflected upon the contemplative expression of Religious Life. This seventh reflection will consider the council’s teaching on the “active” or apostolic expression of the special call to Religious Life.

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Kevin Wondrash

Ladies of Divine Mercy second year to kickoff

PINE BLUFF — The second year of the Ladies of Divine Mercy will kick off on Friday, Sept. 18, with speaker Fr. Christopher Gernetzke, newly ordained priest of the diocese.

Ladies of Divine Mercy, modeled after the popular Knights of Divine Mercy, is a prayer apostolate which meets the third Friday of each month, September through April, at St. Mary of Pine Bluff Church, 3673 Co. Hwy. P, Cross Plains. The events are open to all women. Nursing mothers are welcome to bring their nurslings. The January and April events will be combined events with the Knights of Divine Mercy.

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On
Morgan Smith

Encountering Christ and radiating Him to others

Morgan Smith

As I go through each day, ­­often monotony sets in, and I try to remember my conversion. I try to keep the memory of what happened to me­ — ­the event of meeting Christ and falling in love with Him­­ — alive to let it permeate my being through the drudgery of everyday things.

This is so difficult for me! Why is it so easy to forget what has happened to us? Why do we allow the distractions of life to take hold of our hearts and minds until we forget the reason for life itself?

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Pregnancy Helpline sponsors Diaper Dash run/walk

MADISON — Pregnancy Helpline, Inc.’s Diaper Dash run/walk will kick off Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 28 through October 4.

This week in Wisconsin has been proclaimed for the second year through the effort of Pregnancy Helpline of Madison to draw attention to the struggle low-income families face to keep their children in clean diapers. Sizes four, five, and six are especially needed.

Diaper Dash

The first Diaper Dash 5K run/two mile walk will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, at McKee Farms Park, 2930 Chapel Valley Rd, Fitchburg. Check in begins at 8 a.m. with the race at 9 a.m.

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