Month: January 2016

On
Kevin Wondrash

Men’s retreat at Durward’s Glen January 30

BARABOO — On Saturday, Jan. 30, St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo will be hosting a men’s retreat titled, “Men of Mercy” at Durward’s Glen.

This year’s featured speaker is Fr. Scott Jablonski, parochial vicar at St. Bernard and St. Henry Parishes in Watertown. Activities during the day include Mass, small group discussion, Rosary, Confession, and Adoration.

The retreat begins with Mass at 8 a.m. and concludes by 3:30 p.m. New this year, there will be an optional Friday night program beginning at 7 p.m. for those who want to extend their retreat.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Theology on Tap for young adults set for January 28

MADISON — Theology on Tap for young adults will meet on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. at the Brink Lounge, 701 E Washington Ave.

Msgr. Kevin Holmes, pastor of Cathedral Parish in Madison, will speak on “Are Catholics Allowed to Think? The Intellectual Tradition of the Christian Faith.”

This lecture, on the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, will focus on if religion relies on ignorance and superstition, fighting against scientific knowledge to protect a medieval faith, or if Catholics are “allowed to think.”

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Continuing to follow Dr. King’s dream

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday that marks the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January, which is around Dr. King’s birthday, January 15. This year it is observed on January 18.

In his speech to Congress in September of 2015, Pope Francis lifted up four Americans who worked for social justice. They were two non-Catholics, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr., and two Catholics, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. Crux columnist John L. Allen Jr. called them the pope’s “Fantastic Four” who stood up for the poor.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

John Huebscher to retire after 29 years with WCC

MADISON — John Huebscher says that the Catholic Church has “always been tugging at my sleeve.”

“I’ve always been interested in the Church,” he said in an interview prior to his retirement this month as executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), the public policy voice of the state’s Catholic bishops.

“I even thought about entering the seminary,” he said. In fact, his pastor encouraged him to visit the seminary in Milwaukee in 1967 and he met the rector in his office.

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On
Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Making good choices, supporting those struggling with addiction

Addiction can be extremely harmful, and in some cases, fatal for those individuals ensnared by it. It can be seriously disruptive and damaging to those around them.

Who is to blame when it comes to addiction? Family and friends may think to themselves, “Why can’t Jane just stop drinking?” Or, “Doesn’t Joe understand that his gambling addiction is bankrupting the family?” Or, “Can’t Bob see how his pornography habit is destroying his marriage and his relationships?”

For those facing addiction, it seems they ought to be able to recognize their behavior as harmful and turn away from it by a resolute decision. Family and friends, however, can face years of frustration when they see their loved ones fall into a slow motion “crash and burn,” spiraling downwards as they remain unwilling or unable to step away from their addiction.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Saint of light, saint of darkness

Like so many others around the world, I was overjoyed to hear of the recent decision of the Vatican to canonize Mother Teresa, a woman generally recognized, during her lifetime, to be a “living saint.”

Mother Teresa first came to my attention through Malcolm Muggeridge’s film and attendant book, Something Beautiful for God. Of course. Muggeridge showed Mother’s work with the dying and the poorest of the poor on the streets of Kolkata, but what moved me the most were the images of the saint’s smile amidst so much squalor and suffering. She was a very bright light shining in exceptionally thick darkness.

Demonstrating love

Mother’s life reveals so many aspects and profiles of holiness, but I would like to focus on three of them.

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On
Ask IPS

Reaching out to the homeless and those in need

Ask IPS

QUESTION: “Especially as the cold settles in this winter, I want to reach out to the homeless in my community. At the same time, this is outside of my comfort zone and I’m afraid of being asked to take on burdens that I’m not ready for. What is a good balance to strike?”

RESPONSE: Sarah Lowrey, M.S. Student at the IPS Center for the Psychological Services

How beautiful that you want to serve and make a difference in your community!

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