Month: April 2017

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

High school ministry goes beyond Confirmation

VERONA — Now in its second year, the High School Ministry program at St. Christopher Parish in Verona is striving to be a community where all teens can be heard, feel like they belong, and form authentic friendships through discussions, prayer, study, and social activities.

The program is a separate entity from the parish’s Confirmation program for teens, who are confirmed in the fall of their 10th grade year.

For Youth Ministry and Confirmation Coordinator Doug Ulaszek, High School Ministry is about the teens “being formed beyond Confirmation” and striving to “change the mentality” from teens being done with their faith formation following the Sacrament of Confirmation.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Encourage early start on volunteering

Most children like the idea of helping others. Parents find this out when they ask their children to help pick up their toys or help set the table or clean up dishes after a meal.

We’ve encouraged our grandchildren to help when they visit our house. They seem happy to assist us, and I’m pleased to see they help when they visit other places.

Volunteering — like so many things — begins in the home. But it’s also important to teach kids about helping others outside of the home. As followers of Christ, we have an extra incentive in living out His commandment to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Jesus’ resurrection is at the heart of our faith

On Easter, we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ resurrection. His resurrection is the heart of our faith.

In 1 Corinthians 15:14, St. Paul teaches, “If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is in vain and our faith empty.”

Jesus’ kingdom

Like many Jews who suffered from messiah fever, on Holy Thursday, deep down, the apostles may still have had lingering hopes that Christ was a political messiah who would conquer the hated Roman occupiers and establish his earthly kingdom.

Despite three years of on-the-job training, the apostles often failed to fully understand that Christ’s kingdom was a kingdom of justice, love, and peace and not of power and violence.

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On
Joy and Bill Exner

A spiritual pilgrimage to the Holy Land through the Rosary

Editor’s Note: Lady Joy, LCHS, and Sr. William, KCHS, Exner are section representatives for the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. in the Diocese of Madison. They are members of St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff, where they are both lectors and involved in marriage preparation. Bill is a parish trustee, Rosary leader, and sacristan.

Our pilgrimage to the Holy Land last year was truly a life-changing event. In fact, we continue to experience it especially when hearing Sacred Scripture read during Mass, in the various liturgies, and in reciting the Holy Rosary.

 

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On
Robert Enright and Msgr. John Hebl

Forgiveness — the heart of mercy
Robert Enright and Msgr. John Hebl

Seventh in a series of seven articles on forgiveness.

This final forgiveness essay is a collaboration of both writers. Previously we discussed what it means and what it does not mean to forgive others; how one goes about forgiving; how forgiveness is viewed within the Catholic faith; and how it appears within schools and families.

Today, in conclusion, we will examine how forgiving might be planted for good in our communities.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Jackie and the priest in conversation

Somehow I managed to miss the film Jackie during the Christmas season, but I watched it, twice, on recent long flights to and from the east coast.

Like many others, I was struck by its moody, more “European” style, the high quality of the acting, especially on the part of Natalie Portman, and its historical verisimilitude, but what particularly impressed (and surprised) me were the scenes between Mrs. Kennedy and a sympathetic priest.

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On
Marilyn Uselman

From closed-in darkness into the open light
Marilyn Uselman

As a Catholic child, going to Confession was a scary and anxious time for me. It involved dark small spaces, dirty drapes, and talking to a stranger about things I did wrong — not a good experience!

As I grew up, going to Confession still was anxiety-provoking. I came to realize I do not like small spaces with closed doors, or talking personally with a stranger. I have a hard enough time going into doctors’ offices. Avoidance is certain.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Theater Bus May events

MADISON — The Theater Bus for persons 55 and over will be traveling to the following events in May:

• Sunday, May 7: The Rhode Center for the Arts presents The Big Five-Oh!, a hilarious, sometimes touching account of a grown man coming to terms with his age, his relationship with his son, and his future. Lunch is at the Kenosha Country Club. Cost is $73.

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