Day: November 15, 2017

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Local woman reflects on Fr. Solanus Casey

solanus casey casket
Audrey Lukes from Sun Prairie prays at the tomb of Venerable Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap,  at his final resting place in Detroit. The Capuchin priest and Wisconsin native will be beatified on Saturday, Nov. 18, at a Mass at Ford Field in Detroit. (Contributed photo/Audrey Lukes)

SUN PRAIRIE — If you mention the name “Shorty” to anyone who has lived in Sun Prairie for the past several decades, they’ll probably know exactly who you are talking about.

His wife, Audrey, will talk about the man who was more than six feet tall, “very athletic,” worked for the county, was a war veteran, went dancing with her all the time, and ran to work every day.

He and his young family met a big challenge when in 1955, at age 31, he was stricken with polio and was paralyzed from the chest down.

Audrey said they had to “change our whole lifestyle”.

This world lost Shorty, also known as Norman Lukes, nearly six years ago at the age of 87.

At the time of his passing, his life, and that of his family, served as an example of faith in God and walking with the Lord, facing life’s challenges.

More than 300 miles away, on Saturday, Nov. 18, at Detroit’s Ford Field, another man, who lived to roughly the same age of 86, will be taking the next step toward canonized sainthood.

More than 70,000 people are expected to attend the beatification Mass for Fr. Solanus Casey, OFM Cap, in a venue more commonly known as the home to the NFL’s Detroit Lions.

What is the connection between Shorty and Father Casey?

The connection is faith in the Lord and a brief encounter with each other toward the end of Venerable Father Casey’s life.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Thank God for blessings seen and not yet seen

Thanksgiving’s roots go back to the Pilgrims. After a long hard year during which more than half died from scurvy or exposure to the elements, survivors held a feast of thanksgiving during which they shared their blessings with Indian friends.

The Pilgrims thanked God that enough of them survived to start a new life for themselves and their descendants. As the colonies grew more prosperous, however, people tended to forget about Thanksgiving. Consequently, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically, if at all.

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital seeks to revitalize chapel

MADISON — SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison is making plans to undergo a spiritual beautification in its chapel.

“The more beautiful, the more inviting a space can be, the easier it is for us to come in contact with the living God,” said Fr. Pat Norris, OP, hospital ethicist. “It facilitates people worshipping God.”

The hospital, through the work of the St. Mary’s Foundation, is looking to upgrade the current hospital chapel, which hasn’t seen any major modifications in the last 30 years.

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On
Fr. Steve Grunow

In Christ, we are baptized to become saints

Word on Fire
Fr. Steve Grunow

Each November the Church celebrates the Solemnity of All Saints. The saints are the great heroes of our faith. The Church describes a saint as a person of “heroic virtue.”

This means that while many Christians might be willing to settle for lackluster accomplishments as disciples, the saints engage their relationship with the Lord Jesus with vigorous creativity and absolute dedication. Most often, the work of the saints will go unnoticed and unseen.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Take a good look at proposed tax bill

Although the president and some members of Congress would like to get a new tax bill passed soon, I think it would be wise for citizens to take a good look at this bill before it is fast-tracked.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, as it is called, is touted as saving taxpayers money and helping the country produce more jobs. However, there are concerns about whether both of those goals will be met in this bill.

Bishops comment on bill

In a November 9 letter to U.S. House of Representatives members, three bishops who are chairmen of three committees of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) called the House version of the bill “unacceptable” as written because it “contains many fundamental structural flaws that must be corrected,” reported a Catholic News Service article.

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On
Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, Diocese of Madison

Frassati Fest weekend for teens to be held February 2-4

WISCONSIN DELLS — High school youth in the Diocese of Madison are invited to attend Frassati Fest February 2-4, 2018, at the Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells.

Frassati Fest is the coolest weekend around for Catholic high school students in the Diocese of Madison. Our planning team has been hard at work planning this year’s event: PURSUIT.

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