Day: November 16, 2016

On
Pat Casucci, Catholic Herald Correspondent

Beloit parish hosts Thanksgiving dinner for public

BELOIT — In honor of Thanksgiving Day, to share blessings, and to show gratitude, Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) parishioners are serving a traditional Thanksgiving feast to the public.

Parishioners extend an invitation to anyone alone on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24, to come and enjoy dinner at no cost, along with caring fellowship, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in Assumption Hall, 2222 Shopiere Rd.

There is an elevator to the lower level hall that guests can use. Reservations for the dinner are appreciated. Rides are offered to anyone needing transportation. For a reservation or a ride, call either DeeDee Spahos, 608-365-7900, or Rita Bonds, 608-362-6011.

Making a difference

Seizing the opportunity to express their thanks and gratitude on this day, a core group has planned the event down to every last detail. Turkey and the traditional accompaniments will be served, along with dessert.

At Assumption Hall, greeters will welcome people and assist with seating. Tables will be decorated with pumpkins made by first and fourth graders from OLA Grade School.

DeeDee Spahos said, “It’s the mission of our church to help others; we want to make a difference by offering dinner and fellowship to anyone in our area. We not only invite those who have no place to go for Thanksgiving dinner, and those who are alone, but also a couple or group of people who would like to share the meal with us.”

Rita Bonds said the idea for the event came from the Parish Social Justice committee. “We then discussed it in our Small Christian Community group, then it quickly took on a life of its own,” she explained. “Support from our Pastor Fr. Mike Resop and the parish was overwhelming.”

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Fr. Tadeusz Pacholczyk

What should be done with orphans stranded in liquid nitrogen?

Some humanitarian tragedies occur quietly and “in the background,” only gradually coming to light years or decades after serious harm has already occurred, like nerve damage in infants exposed to lead paint or cancers in patients who were exposed to asbestos.

More recently, the humanitarian tragedy of hundreds of thousands of embryonic human beings frozen and abandoned in fertility clinics has come to light — “orphans in ice” arising from the decades-long practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF).

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

The spiritual path of ‘Doctor Strange’

Scott Derickson’s new film, Doctor Strange, has received rave reviews for its special-effects, its compelling story-telling, and the quality of its actors, but I would like to focus on the spirituality implicit in it. Doctor Strange is far from a satisfying presentation of the spiritual order, but it represents a significant step in the right direction, which proves especially helpful for our time.

The plot line

Played by the always splendid Benedict Cumberbatch, Dr. Strange is dashing, handsome, ultra-cool, a brilliant neurosurgeon, called upon to handle only the most delicate and complex surgeries. He is also unbearably arrogant, pathologically self-absorbed, utterly dismissive of his colleagues, something of a first-class jerk.

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Christ alone is our King, not politicians

Dear Friends,

We find ourselves in the wake of an election season that has divided our country, broken friendships, and even estranged families to an extent I’ve never witnessed in my life.

Now, engaging in and taking the human science/art of politics seriously is an objectively good thing.

But that anyone would or could allow their politics, a candidate, or an election to keep them from talking to a friend or loved one, for any period of time, or to “unfriend” someone is beyond my comprehension.

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On
Laura Karlen, For the Catholic Herald

St. Ambrose Academy to hold 10th annual benefit dinner

MADISON — It started with Chef Bishop Robert C. Morlino at the grill.

On the feast of St. Ambrose in December of 2007, Madison’s startup Catholic classical school, St. Ambrose Academy, welcomed 200 guests to the cozy social hall of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish for its first benefit dinner.

The red-aproned bishop led the student kitchen crew in cooking his very own recipes for roasted asparagus, garlic-and-rosemary potatoes, and chicken saltimbocca over a snowy grill in honor of the Italian bishop, St. Ambrose of Milan.

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On
Jean Mueller

Family should be given opportunity to help

Q My father-in-law recently experienced some health concerns.

As a family member I wanted to offer support and assist in any way I could. I offered to sit with my mother-in-law as she spent endless hours in the hospital, bring a meal over, or help with some chores around the house.

It is not that my offers were ignored, my mother-in-law just politely said, “Thank you so much for the offer, but I am fine.”

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Director of new homeless resource center named

MADISON — Two dozen years of experience in outreach and management are some of the strong leadership skills Judith Metzger will provide as the new director of the day resource center for the homeless at 615 E. Washington Ave. near downtown Madison.

Metzger has been hired to operate the center when it opens next year by Catholic Charities Madison, who is in a partnership with Dane County.

“I am impressed by the high standards and commitment to excellence in delivering widespread services to individuals and families in need,” Metzger said.

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