Year: 2017

On
Kevin Wondrash

Backyard Family Games and Bean Bag Tourney

MONONA — Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Athletic Committee will host its first Back to School Backyard Family Games and a Bean Bag Tournament on the IHM School grounds on Saturday, Sept. 16. All proceeds of both events benefit IHM Athletics.

For the Backyard Family Games, cost is $20/family of four and $2 for each additional family member OR $5/person. The fee includes food/drink ticket for a brat or hot dog, chips, and soda, water, or lemonade. Additional food and drink will be available for purchase.

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Kevin Wondrash

Peaceful, prayerful, effective 40 Days for Life campaign to build on successes in Madison

MADISON — “On September 27, the highly successful 40 Days for Life campaign returns to Madison with 40 days of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach,” said Gwen Finnegan, who is coordinating the local campaign.

“We pray that these efforts will help mark the beginning of the end of abortion in the Madison area.”

Finnegan said, “We know 40 Days for Life has made a difference in Madison. Our volunteers have made extraordinary sacrifices to expose the abortion industry and to protect children and their mothers from abortion.”

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Kevin Wondrash

Diocesan Office of Worship offers sessions on Mass, workshops

MADISON — The Diocese of Madison’s Office of Worship is offering a number of workshops.

Praying the Mass with Abbot Rooney

“Praying the Mass” is a series which will explore the Mass with Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, former abbot primate of the Benedictine Order and an advisor to popes. Abbot Rooney will discuss some history of the Mass and reflect upon how we can pray the Mass rather than simply pray at Mass.

People are invited to attend one session or all five.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Importance of prayer in times of trouble

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

We have certainly been overwhelmed by all the disasters happening these days, from hurricanes to earthquakes to violence and discord in the world.

We may be tempted to throw in the towel, so to speak. We wonder if there is anything we can do in the face of all the turmoil.

Of course, we should respond with any kind of assistance possible. We can donate money to Catholic Charities USA and other outreach efforts. But is there anything else that we can do?

The power of prayer

I found an interesting commentary by the late Norman Vincent Peale, a minister in the Reformed Church in America, who was well known for espousing the power of positive thinking. The headline for his commentary is: “How to Pray in Times of Trouble: You can pray your way through any difficulty.”

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Julianne Nornberg

Keeping the presence of God in busy times

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

Rest has never been something at which I’ve particularly excelled.

Somehow there is always laundry to be folded, children to be fed, dishes to be washed, and stories to be read.

A parent’s job is never done.

And yet, today, I saw just how important rest is.

Amid a busy schedule, somehow my seven-year-old daughter got a full, good night’s rest, uninterrupted by nightmares or early-rising siblings.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Farmers called to a unique vocation

DODGEVILLE — “Farmers are called to a unique vocation,” said Jim Ennis, executive director of Catholic Rural Life, the Catholic non-profit organization serving the rural Church in the United States for over 93 years.

Ennis discussed the role of farmers in an interview about a recent document called The Vocation of the Agricultural Leader: Integrating Faith with Agriculture and the Environment.

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Bishop Robert Barron

Worldly approaches to religion: karma or grace?

Just a few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting Dr. Stephen Davis, retired professor of the philosophy of religion at Claremont University.

In preparation for the meeting, I read Dr. Davis’ book called Christian Philosophical Theology, which includes a chapter contrasting two basic approaches to religion throughout the world. The first — which can be found in much of the East — is a religion of karma, and the second — prominent in the Abrahamic religions of the West — is a religion of grace.

Religion of karma

The first approach has a lot to recommend it — which explains its great endurance across the centuries. A karmic approach says that, by a cosmic spiritual law, we are punished or rewarded according to our moral activities. If we do bad things, we will suffer, either in this life or a life to come. And if we do good things, we will be rewarded, again either here or in the hereafter.

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