Alex Erickson, former […]
Day: May 19, 2016
Shocked out of complacency: Abortions only at Planned Parenthood
I must make an embarrassing confession: I am a complacent pro-lifer.
I never thought of myself this way, but it is true. And I have proof.
Abortions only
Beginning May 2, 2016, the Planned Parenthood abortion facility on Madison’s east side began providing only abortion services; it will no longer provide screenings or dispense contraceptives.
How marvelous is the miracle of life
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I experienced a miracle! A few days ago, I held in my arms my first grandbaby — newly born Faith Annmarie.
Thank God she’s healthy and perfectly formed. And as I was looking at her, I reflected how wonderfully she is made: arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, eyes, mouth, nose, ears, as well as what I couldn’t see but was just as real — hundreds of different tissues, dozens of organs including the remarkable brain, and trillions of cells.
And then I reflected on her divinely infused eternal soul.
Daniel Berrigan and nonviolence
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Fr. Daniel Berrigan, SJ, passed away April 30 at the age of 94. Though many younger Catholics might not remember him, Father Berrigan was one of the most provocative and controversial religious figures of his time.
Standing in the tradition of principled non-violence proposed by Mahatma Gandhi, Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day, and others, Berrigan led the charge against America’s involvement in the Vietnam conflict and its on-going participation in the Cold War and the nuclear arms race.
He was most famous, of course, for his leadership of the “Catonsville Nine,” a group of protestors who, in the spring of 1968, broke into a building and burned draft records with homemade napalm. To say that he was, during that tumultuous time in American history, a polarizing figure would be an understatement.
The Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
We are right in the middle of the month of May and this past Sunday we celebrated the great Feast of Pentecost, so what better time to say something about the Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit?
The Blessed Mother’s relationship with the Holy Spirit is powerful and unique.
This is made very clear by some of the most pivotal moments in Scripture and in all of human history.
In the first place, we know that the Holy Spirit overshadowed Our Lady when Jesus was conceived.
Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women convention
BERLIN — With the theme, “Women on Fire for the Lord,” keynote speaker Marianne Skrobiak will challenge women “to witness the power of God in our lives” at the 62nd annual convention of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) Tuesday and Wednesday, June 7 and 8, at All Saints Church here.
MDCCW President Rosa Ropers, Waunakee, invites women “to come together to celebrate, learn, and pray so we can become women who are willing to speak up for the Lord with enthusiasm and dedication.”
Court ruling is step in the right direction
In my Editor’s View column in the March 3 issue of the Catholic Herald, I encouraged people to join a prayer campaign to support the Little Sisters of the Poor.
These Sisters — who primarily care for the elderly — were involved in fighting for their religious beliefs. They refused to go along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) mandate requiring them to provide contraceptive services for their employees.
Many people have been praying for the Little Sisters of the Poor and others involved in the Zubik v. Burwell case being argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Their prayers seem to have been answered.
‘Our Faith Stories’ at St. Ann Parish in Stoughton
STOUGHTON — On Sunday, May 22, Jim Cisler from Holy Mother of Consolation Parish, Oregon, and Laurie Mecum, from St. Ann Parish, Stoughton, will be witnessing to their faith during a night of faith sharing at St. Ann Parish.
The theme of Cisler’s talk in the “Our Faith Stories” series will be, “You need to stay the course with your faith in God on your life’s journey and all will work out in the end.” Mecum will have a similar message, “Jesus, I trust in You!”
‘Eucharistic Miracles of the World’ exhibit to be held at Boscobel parish
BOSCOBEL — The Vatican International “Eucharistic Miracles of the World” exhibit will be at Corpus Christi Parish, at the Immaculate Conception Church hall in Boscobel, on May 27 to 29: Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 9 p.m. The exhibit is open to the public.
Eucharistic Adoration will be available in the church while the exhibit is on, followed by Benediction each day. The DVD Science Tests Faith, a presentation on research done in this area, will also be on display in the hall. People willing to be adorers for Adoration during the exhibit would be welcomed.
What exhibit includes
The exhibit, which features large posters depicting miracles in the Holy Eucharist from across the world, is sponsored by the Real Presence Eucharistic Education and Adoration Association.