 |
|
We have begun another Church year with the season of Advent. During the first part of Advent, the readings of the Mass prepare us for the second coming of Christ in his glory.
Then on December 17 to December 24, the readings focus upon preparing us for Christ’s coming at Christmas. |
|
| In a video created for the online Lighting the Way event, St. John Vianney in Janesville parishioner Brenda Riley provides tips on how to make Advent wreaths using items from around the house.(Contibuted photo) |
JANESVILLE — At the start of each Advent, St. John Vianney Parish in Janesville hosts an Advent-by-candlelight event called Lighting the Way for Women.
The event is designed to help women, who are typically very busy during the holidays, start their Advent off right by enjoying a peaceful evening of prayer, reflection, and fellowship.
Each year, attendance for Lighting the Way has grown.
In 2019, more than 220 women gathered at St. John Vianney for the event.
As fall 2020 progressed, it became clear that increasing COVID concerns and limitations on gatherings would make it impossible to hold the popular event in person.
Kris Kranenburg, coordinator of adult faith formation at St. John Vianney and one of the event organizers, started to hear from women who were saddened that the gathering couldn’t take place.
“Women were sharing beautiful stories of how Lighting the Way helped them to regroup spiritually and keep their focus on the season of Advent,” said Kranenburg.
“We didn’t want to lose that, especially in 2020 when it felt like so many other things had been taken away.”
Recognizing that people were tired of tuning in for virtual events on platforms like Zoom, the decision was made to create a website that would offer a variety of content. |
|
All masked up, my family and I sat 12 feet away from my elderly parents outside their apartment. Sitting side by side, my parents looked out at us from behind the screened porch.
They clasped hands, as always, embracing the odd state of the world — not knowing what the future would hold — but content to be facing it together, just as they had faced all things in their 63 years of married life.MADISON — Fifteen years ago, Syte Reitz wouldn’t have expected that the prayer bouquet she was preparing for the late Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison would take on the life of its own that it did.
That year, the bishop had been facing many difficulties including the destruction of St. Raphael Cathedral by arson. Reitz thought the bishop could use some prayers and encouragement.
“All I did was start a prayer effort for Bishop Morlino by inviting 30 women from Madison Catholic Woman’s Club to sign up for a monthly prayer to cover the bishop every day of the month,” she said.
It had been her son, Tom, who’d been studying computer science at UW-Madison, who came up with the idea of building a website.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.
MADISON — Spanning three weeks in January and covering five states, pro-life advocates from around the Midwest will gather in multiple locations leading up to the March for Life Chicago.
The “Moving the Movement” Tour will begin with a kick-off event in Madison, on Saturday, Jan. 2.
The Chicago march is an annual event that draws thousands from across the Midwest to celebrate all human life from conception through natural death.
This year in Madison, March for Life Chicago is partnering with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), Wisconsin Family Council, Wisconsin Right to Life, and Pro-Life Wisconsin, the same organizations that sponsored the March for Life Wisconsin in the past.MADISON — As 2020 comes to a close, the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation (CDMF) has a lot to be grateful for.
As of October 30, the foundation has reached $55 million in assets under management and expects to finish out the year strong.
Over the past year, more than $225,000 has been distributed to support the programs and operations of parishes and schools. |
|
Other than the strong few that are holding on to tradition and doing things as they’ve always been, in spite of 2020 doing its 2020 things all around them, I can divide everyone into two groups.
Those who started their Christmas season as early as possible (12:01 a.m. on November 1) and those who haven’t gotten around to their shopping, putting decorations out, getting the tree up, etc., yet all because “it doesn’t feel like Christmas yet.”
And yes, Church-ily speaking, it’s Advent, now, not Christmas.
Dear Mr. Wondrash, I write to urge you to do what you can as editor of the Catholic Herald to promote unity in the Catholic Church in our diocese.
In recent weeks, when reading the editorial page of the Catholic Herald, I feel accusations coming through the letters people have submitted.
I give Catholics who voted for Trump or for Biden the benefit of the doubt that they did not vote for abortion rights and that they felt they had (grave) reasons consistent with their faith to vote for the presidential candidate they did.
 |
|
What a difference a year makes! Who could have imagined last Advent the place we would find ourselves in at this moment?
The COVID pandemic, the presidential election, and the ongoing violence in our cities have completely changed and challenged us in unimaginable ways. The entire human race is hurting. We can see the power of sin and death all around us.
This Advent, I have never felt the need for prayer more profoundly or heard the longings of the Old Testament prophets more keenly.
We seek liberation. We desire a savior. We need Jesus Christ and all that He has to give us.