The following article is the next installment in a series that will appear in the Catholic Herald to offer catechesis and formation concerning end of life decisions, dying, death, funerals, and burial of the dead from the Catholic perspective.
Day: September 23, 2020
How to vote according to our Catholic faith
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Many faithful Catholics have asked me to offer some direction regarding conscience formation and the moral aspect of the many issues facing us as a nation, as we approach this year’s presidential election.
We would all agree that this election has a contentious and angry divisiveness that we have not seen in our lifetimes.
This is due, in part, to the personalities, policies, and factions in play, and it certainly has been exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and social unrest (I believe that there are other, more significant and fundamental reasons for the growing tension in our society, but that’s a topic for another time).
What does participation in Mass look like?
Last week’s article discussed the need for everyone in the congregation to participate because that is how we allow the liturgy to do its job of praising God and making us more Christ-like.
Jackson Fonder leaves behind legacy
MADISON — A familiar figure in the important work of helping others in the Diocese of Madison is moving on to the next part of his life journey.
“I think it goes by fast because you’re not really tracking it, you’re having the time of your life, you feel like you’re making a difference, and you’re working around really smart people,” said Jackson Fonder, whose time as president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Madison is coming to an end on October 1.Let us appreciate our grandparents every day
In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be observed on the first Sunday after Labor Day.
Msgr. Michael Burke dies
The Reverend Monsignor Michael Laurence Burke entered eternal life on September 19, 2020 at the age of 72, at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. He was born on March 11, 1948 in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, the oldest of eight siblings, and is predeceased by his parents, Laurence and Claribel (Gough) Burke, and by his sister, Maggie.
40 Days for Life starts in Madison
On September 23, 40 Days for Life returned to Madison to continue its tradition of prayer, fasting, and grassroots educational outreach to end abortion.
WCC supports Hmong community on 2020 World Day for Migrants and Refugees
From the Wisconsin Catholic Conference:
On September 27, 2020, the Church celebrates the World Day for Migrants and Refugees. In recognizing the unique contributions of immigrants and refugees, the Catholic bishops of Wisconsin have sent a letter to President Trump and other Administration officials acknowledging the special contribution of Hmong and Lao refugees. In a February 14, 2020, letter, the U.S. Department of State acknowledged ongoing negotiations with the government of Laos to accept deported Hmong and other Lao U.S. residents. The bishops of Wisconsin have asked the President to end these negotiations.
“We understand,” the bishops wrote, “that legal residents may be deported if they have committed certain crimes and that previous administrations have sent several hundred individuals back to Laos, but we urge you to limit, not amplify, such deportations.”Life changes, turning corners: an old normal
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This month, I said goodbye to a labor of love of mine for the past several years.
Since 2013, I had been the coordinator of the young adult group (20s and 30s) — on a volunteer basis — at St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison.
As I’ve gotten older, the new people have gotten “younger,” many of my longtime friends have moved on from the group or moved away, and myself having less time and energy to devote to the ministry, it was becoming obvious and apparent that it was time to move on and let others take over from here.