People in the Diocese of Madison were recently given a “sneak peak” at the progress of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center (BOC) redevelopment.
Day: December 23, 2015
St. Ambrose Academy holds annual Benefit Dinner
MADISON –On Saturday, Dec. 12, at the height of the busy Advent season, over 500 guests from around the Diocese of Madison and beyond gathered at the Alliant Energy Center to celebrate St. Ambrose Academy.
Historically held on or near the school’s patronal feast day of December 7, the St. Ambrose Academy Annual Benefit Dinner is an opportunity for guests, school parents, students, faculty, and several apostolates throughout the diocese to come together to celebrate classical, Catholic education in Madison.
Christmas and the mystery of time
As we come upon Christmas, I’d like to take a moment to put on my old hat from my time as a philosophy professor — but I’ll try to do it in a way befitting this limited space and broad audience.
The challenge of Our Lady of Guadalupe
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How wonderful that Our Lady of Guadalupe appears as a pregnant woman clothed in the sun!
In the Book of Revelation, Mary is described in just this manner (Rev 12:1). But we should not approach this symbolism in a superficial or merely sentimental way.
The woman clothed in the sun and with the moon at her feet is portrayed in Revelation precisely as a warrior. Confronting her is a terrible dragon intent upon devouring her child as soon as it is born.
Stories about the birth of Jesus
The second grade class at St. John the Baptist School in Waunakee wrote stories about the birth of Jesus. Here are a few selections sent by Principal Conni Stark.
Preaching about sin can be loving and kind
To the editor:
Every so often the Catholic Herald has a letter to the editor which suggests priests preach on sin and what sin is. In my parish I can recall MANY such homilies!
The beautiful sermon on how loving God fills one with love and joy. I am sure there were people listening who wondered “how do I get that?” An invitation to a deeper study of one’s faith.
Ted Kennedy should not be held up as example
To the editor:
In regard to the article by Father Pacholczyk in the December 17 Catholic Herald: “A Higher Standard than for cats and dogs”:
In his article, Father P. writes about the challenges of suffering for humans.I am absolutely aghast that he cites Victoria Kennedy, widow of Ted Kennedy, and devotes no less than six column inches to her quoted words about her husband’s final months.
‘Every Life Is Worth Living’ discussion series planned
MADISON — The Respect Life Committee of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish will host a two-part series, “Every Life is Worth Living.”
On Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2016, Fr. Pat Norris, OP, will present “Catholic Thought on End-of-Life Care.” Father Norris is priest chaplain and ethicist at St. Mary’s Hospital and the bishop’s coordinator for health care for the Diocese of Madison. He will explore Catholic ethical thought on assisted suicide/euthanasia and other end-of-life issues, including palliative care and hospice.
Beloit parish celebrates Lessons and Carols
BELOIT — Will you be tired after the hustle and bustle of the holiday season? Need some time to refocus?
Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Parish will be celebrating Lessons and Carols on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, beginning at 7 p.m. in the church, 2222 Shopiere Rd.
The 25-voice OLA Parish choir, under the direction of Randy Gracyalny, will be joined by instrumentalists from the parish and area to provide an uplifting prayer and musical experience.
Blessed Teresa inspires us to live the Beatitudes
One of my favorite books is Blessed Are You: Mother Teresa and the Beatitudes, by Eileen Egan and Kathleen Egan, OSB (1992). When Pope Francis announced that Blessed Teresa would be canonized in 2016, I took the book out again.
Each chapter of the book offers a short meditation on one of the Beatitudes, Blessed Teresa’s own reflections on that Beatitude, and how she and her order – the Missionaries of Charity — lived that Beatitude.