Author: Chris Lee

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Chris Lee

La importancia de la Ascensión

Esta columna es la comunicación del Obispo con los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia va más allá de la intención del Obispo.

Queridos amigos:

El domingo pasado celebramos la Solemnidad de la Ascensión del Señor. Como un hermano obispo bromea, celebramos este misterio glorioso exactamente de acuerdo a los Hechos de los Apóstoles . . . 44 días después de la Pascua.

Sin importar la precisión de la fecha, sin embargo, es una fiesta tremendamente importante para nosotros . . . una de las más importantes.

Lo que significa el Misterio Pascual

En todo el tiempo de Pascua, especialmente en las oraciones iniciales de la Misa y en los prefacios, hemos escuchado la referencia una y otra vez al Misterio Pascual.

Repetimos eso muchas veces y me pregunto si es claro en nuestras mentes lo que eso significa. Estos 50 días de Pascua son la celebración del Misterio Pascual.

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Chris Lee

Statement from Bishop Robert C. Morlino, regarding a federal judge’s ruling on marriage

Statement from Bishop Robert C. Morlino, regarding a federal judge’s ruling on marriage /Article XIII, Section 13 of Wisconsin’s Constitution:

First, it bears repeating that, we must respect, love, and care for every individual we encounter, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or how they define themselves. This will never change. It is at the core of who we are as members of Christ’s Church. Christ, Himself, invites each individual to know and love Him and live a life in response to His love. His love and mercy can heal all divisions that separate us; however, we must acknowledge the divisions that exist — notably those we choose through our actions. All are invited to this love and these graces offered by Christ, through His Church. This applies to all who sincerely seek the Truth.

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Chris Lee

‘Ocean to Ocean Campaign in Defense of Life’ pilgrimage to visit Madison

MADISON — After traveling 40,000 miles through 24 European nations, the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, already viewed by millions and venerated by hundreds of thousands of Christians, landed on the shores of America in August 2013 for the next leg of an historic pilgrimage in the movement to build a Culture of Life.

The Black Madonna, a replica of the original in Jasna Gora Monastery in Poland, was received at a ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, on St. Clement’s Island, Md. — the exact site of the first landing of Catholic pilgrims in the American British colonies of the 17th century. Tradition holds that the original icon of the Black Madonna was painted by St. Luke on a cypress table used by the Holy Family.

The Human Life International-sponsored “Ocean to Ocean Pilgrimage in Defense of Life” will visit Madison on Thursday, June 19, 2014. The Black Madonna will be on the sidewalk outside of Planned Parenthood on Orin Rd. for a 3 p.m. prayer vigil, and at 7 p.m., there will be Mass with Fr. Peter West of Human Life International as celebrant at Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monona.

Details and a short video about the pilgrimage can be found at www.hli.org/oceantoocean

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Chris Lee

Poverty, inequality, and Pope Francis

Just think about it. According to the United Nations, approximately 1.2 billion people live in extreme poverty throughout the world.

Clean water and sanitation, adequate nutritious food, a safe job with fair pay, an education, medical care, and a decent place to call home are unfulfilled dreams to these brothers and sisters of ours.

Every day they must somehow find a way to survive on less than $1.25. Even in the poorest countries, it is almost impossible to live on this meager amount. And in fact, many do not make it.

Affects of extreme poverty

Every day approximately 21,000 fellow human beings die from hunger and hunger related diseases. And according to the United Nations Children’s Fund, some 300 million children go to bed hungry every night.

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Chris Lee

Responsible fathers are compassionate and good examples for their children

After Bubba Watson won the 2014 Masters, his two-year-old adopted son, Caleb, waddled onto the green to be embraced by his father.

He reminded me of John F. Kennedy Jr., saluting his father’s casket. Bubba Watson’s wife followed Caleb, and the entire family basked in the moment of glory.

Bubba Watson’s dad nicknamed him “Bubba” after former NFL player Bubba Smith, who was a good role model.

He said that his son Caleb is teaching him how precious life is. “He puts life in perspective,” he said. “Golf is a game. When I play bad, he doesn’t care. When I play great, he doesn’t care. All he cares about is, ‘Daddy give me a hug. Daddy pick me up.'”

Besides his family, another influence on Watson’s game is his faith. “Looking at my son, I want to be as Christ-like as possible,” Watson said. “I’ll never be perfect. I’m always going to mess up, but my whole goal is to be the role model for my son.”

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Chris Lee

Your life is not about you

Time Magazine’s cover story “The Childfree Life” has generated a good deal of controversy and commentary.

The photo that graced the cover of the edition sums up the argument: a young, fit couple lounge languidly on a beach and gaze up at the camera with blissful smiles — and no child anywhere in sight.

What the editors want us to accept is that this scenario is not just increasingly a fact in our country, but that it is morally acceptable as well, a lifestyle choice that some people legitimately make.

Whereas in one phase of the feminist movement, “having it all” meant that a woman should be able to both pursue a career and raise a family, now it apparently means a relationship and a career without the crushing encumbrance of annoying, expensive, and demanding children.

Childlessness on the rise

Childlessness is on the rise in the United States. Our birthrate is the lowest in recorded history, surpassing even the crash in reproduction that followed the economic crash of the 1930s.

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Chris Lee

Voter ID laws do more harm than good

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

The “principle of proportionality” is a useful tool for evaluating laws and public policy. It suggests that the remedy should not create more problems than it solves.

Put another way, the principle means: “Thou shalt not use a sledgehammer to kill a fly.” Moreover, in assessing whether a law’s impact is proportionate, we must take special care to weigh its impact on those who have a special claim on our concern: the poor and marginalized in our society.

The principle of proportionality can be quite helpful when applied to proposals to require law-abiding citizens to produce a photo ID card prior to voting in Wisconsin.

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