Month: June 2016

On
Kevin Wondrash

Evansville scout wins conservation award

MADISON — Culminating years of conservation work, Eagle Scout Isaiah Janisch, a member of Boy Scout Troop 514 in Evansville, was awarded the William T. Hornaday Silver Medal for Distinguished Service to Natural Resource Conservation, Boy Scouting’s highest award for conservation.

In a ceremony on May 14 at the UW Arboretum Visitor Center, Janisch was recognized and honored for his multi-year volunteer and conservation activities.

Projects and achievements

To earn the Hornaday Silver Medal, Janisch earned 14 conservation-related merit badges and organized and led five service projects, each in a different area of conservation, over a three-year period.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Take pope’s advice: World must dial down aggression

Not long before the shooting tragedy in Orlando, I read about a message Pope Francis gave to a group of YouTubers from around the world.

About 12 young people who create their own videos and blogs had the privilege of meeting privately with the Holy Father at the Vatican. These YouTube celebrities apparently have about 25 million subscribers combined.

Dial down aggressiveness

Pope Francis urged them to help wipe out bullying and aggression by being better listeners and offering concrete gestures of tolerance and patience.

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On
Julianne Nornberg

Asking for forgiveness through our humility

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

“Kids! Set the table! Finish vacuuming!”

My voice roared through the house as I struggled to complete the task of getting dinner on the table for my family of six. It was 5:55, and Daddy would be home shortly.

Homework was scattered across the table, toys littered the living room floor, the two little ones were bickering downstairs, and the two older ones, lost in books, were reluctant to tackle their chores.

The general chaos of the household suddenly set me on fire as I caved in to the feelings of stress and anger that erupted on the surface.

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On
Jackson Fonder

One at a time

Fonder Ponders column by Jackson Fonder

Sometimes I feel like I am too small and the problems around the world are so big. I watch the news or read an article and get exhausted from the onslaught of depressing, discouraging, and sometimes crazy news stories. The presidential election. Immigration. Police issues. Racial disparity. The list goes on.

It’s overwhelming. And then I remember how Mother Teresa focused on helping just one person at a time. What a great lesson.

I’ve asked Jerilyn Robinson, our director of family programs, to give an example of how Catholic Charities is doing this with our Behavioral Health in Schools (BHS) program.

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Pray for all students and Catholic schools

Dear Friends,

As we come to the end of the school year, it strikes me as a wonderful time to reflect on Catholic schools.

Of course, this is made all the more easy for me as I’ve also just concluded an outstanding Confirmation circuit. It was simply a joy for me to be with our young people from parishes and schools around the diocese, and I have to say that I was very impressed with the young women and men I encountered and with whom I prayed.

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On
Tony Magliano

We can transform the world

You are the light of the world. Don’t take my word for it, that’s Gospel truth from Jesus himself (Mt 5:14). And it’s a tall order, indeed.

Now on the other hand in John’s Gospel, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Now that at first glance makes far more sense. After all, Jesus — God in the flesh — is obviously “the light of the world.”

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Facing pope’s challenge to protect creation

It doesn’t seem possible that almost a year has passed since Pope Francis issued Laudato Si’, his beautiful encyclical on care for our common home.

Released on June 18, 2015, the encyclical touched on many of the critical issues facing our world today, including the availability of fresh drinking water, the loss of biodiversity, decline in the quality of human life, the breakdown of society, and global inequality, to name a few.

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