Author: Chris Lee

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Chris Lee

Sister Marie Walter Flood, OP, dies

SINSINAWA — Sister Marie Walter Flood, OP, died March 3, 2014, at St. Dominic Villa. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa March 7, 2014, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister Marie Walter made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1943, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1946. She taught high school for 10 years and college for 12 years and travelled to different areas sharing her knowledge of theology and religious studies. Sister Marie Walter served the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation as formation director and prioress provincial of the Southeast Province. She ministered as pastoral associate for one year; as superintendent of education for the Diocese of Madison Office of Education for two years; and as a volunteer with adult education for two years. Sister Marie Walter served in Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Alaska, as well as Toronto and Trinidad and Tobago.

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Chris Lee

Sister Kathleen “Kaye” Ashe, OP, dies

SINSINAWA — Sister Kathleen “Kaye” Ashe, OP, died Feb. 15, 2014, at Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital, La Grange, Ill. Her religious name was Sister Keverne. The funeral Mass will be held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Saturday, March 1, at 11 a.m., followed by burial of the cremains in the Motherhouse Cemetery. Friends may call after 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, Wis., where a wake and remembering service will be held at 6:30 p.m. A Memorial Service will be held Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 5 p.m. in Rosary Chapel, Dominican University, River Forest, Ill.

Sister Kaye made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1950, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1953. She taught elementary school for seven years, ministered in various higher education positions for 28 years, served the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation as prioress for eight years and in development for four years, worked in copy editing for three years, and ministered as a spiritual director for four years.

She has lectured widely and is the author of Today’s Woman, Tomorrow’s Church plus many individual chapters in other books, articles, and book reviews. Sister Kaye served in Maryland, Wisconsin, Illinois, and California as well as Fribourg, Switzerland; London, England; and Florence, Italy.

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Chris Lee

2014 Annual Catholic Appeal: ‘Beacon of Faith, Fire of Charity’

MADISON — As we prepare for Lent as a Catholic community, we prepare to give alms. What does it mean to give alms? The definition includes the charitable giving of money, food, or goods to people in need. It is one form of sacrifice we as Catholics are asked to perform during the season of Lent, just as Christ sacrificed himself for each of us.

This year’s theme for the 2014 Annual Catholic Appeal is “Beacon of Faith, Fire of Charity.” The focus this year is on evangelization and the Corporal Works of Mercy. The Annual Catholic Appeal funds both of those ministries, plus many others. Here are a few examples:

• Evangelization and Catechesis — Each of us as Catholics is asked to share Christ’s message through evangelization. The Church catechizes the young through religious education classes and adults through RCIA, retreats, and classes.

• Catholic Charities — As the Corporal Works of Mercy arm of the Diocese of Madison, Catholic Charities touches so many lives. They visit the sick through the Respite Care Program; feed the hungry and give drink to the thirsty through the Mobile Food Pantry and the Catholic Multicultural Center. These are just a few of the programs supported by the Annual Catholic Appeal and provided through Catholic Charities.

 

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Chris Lee

Cristo llama al laico a ser “sal y luz”

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:

La semana pasada estuve en Jackson, Mississippi (unas 36 horas) Ahora, ¿por qué fui allá? ¿Fue porque nunca había estado en Mississippi y nunca había probado ese modo particular de cocina sureña?

Bueno, admitiré que eso también lo tenía en mente… pero nunca habría hecho ese viaje especial solo por esa razón. Fui a Jackson para la ordenación de su nuevo Obispo, Monseñor Joseph Kopacz.

Obispo de la misma parroquia de casa

El Obispo Kopacz es un gran sacerdote, unos cuatro años más joven que yo, con quien crecí en la misma parroquia de casa cerca a Scranton, Pennsylvania — St. Anthony’s en Dunmore.

Imagínense: dos obispos de la misma generación de la misma parroquia. Si pueden, les pido sus oraciones por él al comenzar su ministerio en Jackson.

Además de compartir algo de mi semana, menciono este viaje porque el Obispo Kopacz eligió como su lema episcopal “Hágase la luz”.

Esas fueron las primeras palabras de Dios en las Escrituras. “¡Hágase la luz!” Así de importante es la imagen de la luz en nuestra fe que las primeras palabras de la Escritura y que vienen de la boca del Padre se refieren a la luz.

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Chris Lee

Social ministry gathering offers look at vibrant Church

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

It has been a few years since I last attended the annual Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in Washington, D.C. What I saw when I joined nearly 500 others at the 2014 meeting was another inspiring example of how a diverse and vibrant group of Catholics can inspire each other and bear witness to our faith.

Initiated some years ago by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), the Social Ministry Gathering is now also co-sponsored by a number of Catholic organizations, including Catholic Charities USA, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Rural Life, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Relief Services, the National Council of Catholic Women, and a number of other groups.

Over a three-day period, attendees renewed relationships, celebrated policy victories, educated ourselves on important policy issues, and visited our respective congressional delegations in support of the USCCB’s policy priorities.

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Chris Lee

Eleanor Ryan Curtin dies

Eleanor Ryan Curtin

MADISON — Papal award recipient Eleanor Ryan Curtin, 93, of Madison died on Monday, Feb. 3, at home, surrounded by her family.

She was awarded the Cross Pro-Ecclesia et Pontifice by Pope John Paul II in 1997 in recognition of service to the Church in the Diocese of Madison.

Eleanor was born May 13, 1920, the daughter of Dr. Frank and Loretto (Carbery) Ryan in Chicago, Ill.

She attended high school at Loretta Academy in Chicago and went on to Chicago Teachers College and received her teaching degree in 1942.

She was a kindergarten teacher in Chicago until her marriage to William J. Curtin II in 1944 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Chicago.

She and her husband settled in Madison. They had seven children.

 

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Chris Lee

Presentation examines mystical phenomena

Science Tests Faith is a presentation which includes videos of the testimony and reports of three professionals — an attorney, a scientist, and a journalist — who have examined certain mystical phenomena that have occurred in the Catholic Church in modern times.

Their work, Signs from God, Science Tests Faith, investigates Eucharistic miracles, the phenomenon of a statue of Jesus that weeps tears and blood, the stigmata in a current day mystic, and more.

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Chris Lee

Gimme Shelter is moving, realistic film

NEW YORK (CNS) — Perhaps the best moment in the fact-based drama Gimme Shelter (Roadside) comes when its beleaguered, deeply sympathetic protagonist, played by Vanessa Hudgens, wonderingly recites a passage from the Book of Psalms that tells of God’s promises to those who trust in him.

It’s a moving scene precisely because such faith-based optimism seems so far removed from all that Hudgens’ character, teenager Agnes “Apple” Bailey, has previously endured.

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