Author: Chris Lee

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Chris Lee

40 Days for Life concludes life-saving vigil in Madison

Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison leads people in prayer at the 40 Days for Life closing vigil on Sunday, Nov. 2. For the eighth straight year, the vigil was held outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison’s east side. Reportedly, two babies were saved during this year’s vigil in Madison with 528 lives saved across the country. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak)

MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino was on hand to celebrate efforts to respect life as prayer warriors came out to help conclude this year’s 40 Days for Life vigil.

40 Days for Life is an internationally-coordinated 40-day peaceful pro-life campaign to end abortion.

Locally, the Madison vigil — in its eighth straight year — ran from September 24 to November 2 and consisted of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach.

For 24 hours a day, volunteers prayed outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side for an end to abortion.

About 50 people gathered at that site for the closing celebration on Sunday, Nov. 2.

Bishop Morlino thanked the pro-life community in Madison for its “perseverance” in praying and working toward an end to abortion.

The bishop also spoke about how everyone must continue to bring the truth on marriage to life.

Special recognition

After the closing prayer vigil, some of the group went to St. Albert Church in Sun Prairie for food and fellowship.

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Chris Lee

St. Ambrose Academy Benefit Dinner

MADISON — It’s become a tradition. Each Advent season, St. Ambrose Academy in Madison welcomes apostolates, organizations, and friends from every corner of the Diocese of Madison for a fun, festive Benefit Dinner in support of Catholic education.

This year’s Benefit Dinner is Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison. The cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner itself begins at 7 p.m.

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Chris Lee

Revisiting spiritual welfare

In the sixth chapter of St. Mark’s Gospel, we find the account of Jesus sending out the Twelve, two by two, on mission.

The first thing he gave them, Mark tells us, was “authority over unclean spirits.” And the first pastoral act that they performed was to “drive out many demons.”

The reality of evil spirits

When I was coming of age in the ’60s and ’70s, it was common, even in seminaries, to dismiss such talk as primitive superstition — or perhaps to modernize it and make it a literary device using symbolic language evocative of the struggle with evil in the abstract.

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Chris Lee

VetsRoll offers opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to veterans

BELOIT — Imagine 200 veterans from World War II (WWII) and the Korean War era along with “Rosie-the-Riveters” being honored by VetsRoll as they travel along with 100 volunteer assistants in 10 luxury buses to visit war memorials and other sites in the Washington, D. C., area.

Included on the itinerary are the WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial, National Marine Corps Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, and also the Dayton, Ohio, Wright Patterson AFB Air Museum.

Saying thank you in special way

VetsRoll provides a four-day all expenses paid trip, safe ground transportation, and an enjoyable experience. According to the founders of VetsRoll, brothers Mark and John Finnegan, traveling in the luxury buses provides the flexibility of socializing, watching videos, restrooms, camaraderie, and most importantly, closure.

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Chris Lee

Organists in Mineral Point, Belmont are ‘youth in action’

Organists Kassandra Palzkill (14), Caleb Mitchell (17), and Dominic Mailloux (13) provide music for Masses at the Congregation of St. Mary/St. Paul Parish in Mineral Point and St. Philomena Parish in Belmont. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash

MINERAL POINT — “It’s just a great joy to see these young people stepping forward and to see Catholic youth in action.”

Those are the words of Fr. Monte Robinson, the proud pastor of the Congregation of St. Mary/St. Paul Parish in Mineral Point and St. Philomena Parish in Belmont.

The two linked parishes have quite a blessing — a new generation of organists — all in their teens.

They are 17-year-old Caleb Mitchell in Mineral Point along with 14-year-old Kassandra Palzkill and 13-year-old Dominic Mailloux in Belmont.

“We’re very grateful that these young people are doing this, and they’re very accomplished for their age,” said Father Robinson. “I’m just very proud of every one of them.”

Meet the organists

Mitchell, the oldest of the three, has been playing organ every Sunday at St. Mary Church in Mineral Point since December of last year. He had been playing piano since he was seven years old and had an easy time transitioning to the organ.

“It’s pretty fun; I like leading people,” said Mitchell. When parishioners find out how young he is, Mitchell said, “A lot of people are amazed, but I try to do my best.” He added his favorite part of being a parish organist is accompanying the choir at Mass.

Fourteen-year-old Kassandra Palzkill has been playing organ for Masses the longest of the three — for the past two years at St. Philomena Parish in Belmont. She also made the transition from piano to organ.

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Chris Lee

Pro-lifers fight for unborn and all human life

To the editor:

For all you pro-lifers out there, I have to empathize with your plight in the struggle for respect and gratitude for the time and energy you have devoted to the fight for the unborn AND anyone at any other stage of human life.

We’ve been ignored by churches and ministers who refused to acknowledge our efforts for 40+ years. Tony Magliano has spelled it out for us. We’re war mongers!

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Chris Lee

Vote to uphold sanctity of all human life

To the editor:

For 40 years, the grim reality of abortion has hidden in the shadows of euphemisms and double-speak. As such, we can walk into the voting booth and forget the horrible damage caused by abortion: damage, first and foremost to the baby, but also damage to the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of the mom.

How important is the sanctity of each human life? St. John Paul II tells us, “truly great must be the value of human life if the Son of God has taken it up and made it the instrument of the salvation of all humanity!” (from The Gospel of Life)

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