Author: Chris Lee

On
Chris Lee

Helping aging parents

Ask Jean column by Jean MuellerQ: In this new year I have decided to be more “present” for my parents.

By that, I mean I want to relieve any anxiety they may have about their advancing age.

I know about things like helping them physically with yard work or home repairs, but what are some things I need to know about in order to help them live their lives the way they wish?

I have heard about living wills and power of attorney, but I am not sure if they know about this or if they have these things prepared. Where do I begin? (From a son in Black Earth)

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Sister Jo Wear, OP, dies

SINSINAWA — Sister Jo Wear, OP, died Jan. 14, 2014, at St. Dominic Villa. Her religious name was Sister Flavian. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Jan. 17, 2014, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister Jo made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Jan. 26, 1937, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1940. She taught for 14 years and served as principal for 15 years, coordinator of student sisters for three years, guidance counselor for four years, social worker for 17 years and pastoral caregiver for 11 years. Sister Jo served in Illinois; Washington, D.C.; Alabama; Wisconsin; Minnesota; California; and Florida.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Winter farmer’s markets feature brunches held at churches

Schedule at Madison
area churches
• Saturday, Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Our Lady Queen of Peace/Blessed Sacrament Parishes, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 401 S. Owen Dr., Madison
• Sunday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 5700 Pheasant Hill Rd., Monona
• Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 noon — St. Albert the Great Church, 2420 St. Albert Dr., Sun Prairie
• Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon — Holy Mother of Consolation Church, 651 Main St., Oregon
• Sunday, Feb. 9, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison
• Saturday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, 1501 Gilbert Rd., Madison
• Saturday, Feb. 22, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr., Madison

MADISON — The Churches’ Center for Land and People (CCLP) is sponsoring winter farmer’s markets in church halls featuring brunches using local food.

The “Markets and Meals for Hope” program, coordinated by the CCLP, has scheduled seven farmer’s markets and brunches in the Madison area from January 11 through February 22.

The brunches include local food prepared by people in the churches under the direction of professional chefs.

These markets provide small-scale farmers the chance to sell their products in the off-season. The farmers supply the ingredients for the brunches and are able to sell products directly to those attending the meals.

Products for sale at the markets include woolen goods, farmstead soaps, cheese, produce, preserves, honey, and meats.

Farmers help each other by donating 10 percent of the sales to the Harvest of Hope emergency fund with 100 percent of donations given to farmers in need.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Must Christmas spirit end with the season?

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

In some traditions, January 6 represents the 12th day of Christmas. As such, the date marks a transition from the Christmas season to the ordinary time of our lives.

But does that have to mark the end of the “Christmas spirit”? Dare we hope that the softening of our hearts and the acts of kindness central to Christmas might become an ongoing habit rather than a seasonal exception?

In ways large and small, we have opportunities to express, in our deeds and our choices, a concern for others, especially those whose needs may be greater than our own. Some of those opportunities may be found in our public policy choices.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

God’s Mother inspires us to work for peace

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes, a column by Fr. Donald Lange

We Catholics begin the New Year by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.

On New Year’s we also celebrate the World Day of Peace. This is a feast established by Pope Paul VI and supported by other modern popes.

In many ways these two feasts complement each other, because peace begins in the family. Responsible parents teach us to be persons of peace. Mary is Queen of Peace and the mother of the Prince of Peace.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Sister Madelyn Kortendick, OP, dies

SINSINAWA — Sister Madelyn Kortendick, OP, died Dec. 24, 2013, at St. Dominic Villa. Her religious name was Sister Sulpice. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Dec. 30, 2013, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister Madelyn made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1937, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1940. She taught for 30 years and served as principal for 13 years, pastoral minister for two years, and as support staff for 13 years. Sister Madelyn was one of the first four missionaries from the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation sent to Holy Cross Parish, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where she opened the school, taught English to people of all ages, gave catechetical instruction, and served as pastoral minister. She served in Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin, as well as Bolivia.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Encontrar a Cristo a través de los cambios de la vida

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 gente que caminaba en la oscuridad ha visto una gran luz;

Sobre los que vivían en la tierra de penumbra, una luz ha brillado.

¡Les has dado abundante alegría y gran regocijo!

(IS 9:1-2)

El Señor nuestro Dios realmente nos ha traído abundante alegría y regocijo en la persona de Jesucristo. Es una alegría y una luz que disipa toda oscuridad, y es una alegría y una luz que tiene que compartirse. ¡Es la alegría y la luz de nuestro Evangelio!

Muchos de ustedes seguramente han escuchado de la exhortación apostólica del Papa Francisco, lanzada al final de nuestro Año de la Fe, que terminó hace un mes.

La exhortación se titular Evangelii Gaudium, la alegría del Evangelio, y comienza así: “La alegría del Evangelio llena el corazón y la vida entera de los que se encuentran con Jesús. Quienes se dejan salvar por Él son liberados del pecado, de la tristeza, del vacío interior, del aislamiento. Con Jesucristo siempre nace y renace la alegría (EG, 1)”.

Viviendo la alegría del Evangelio

El propósito de la exhortación, explica el Papa Francisco, es urgir a los fieles cristianos a vivir la alegría del Evangelio y aplicarnos nuevamente para compartir ese Evangelio y esa alegría. Que el documento sea una carta de aliento es un importante primer dato.

En años recientes nos hemos acostumbrado a los documentos consistentes (usualmente encíclicas) del Beato Juan Pablo el Grande y el Papa Benedicto.

Esas encíclicas son documentos del magisterio sobre la doctrina de la Iglesia. Y antes, cuando se tenía un documento sobre doctrina, la respuesta adecuada era darle el asentimiento voluntario y decir, “sí, esa es la doctrina”.

El Papa Juan Pablo fue un gran filósofo y también un gran teólogo. El Papa Benedicto es un gran teólogo y también un gran filósofo. Hemos tenido por mucho tiempo, unos 35 años, documentos de papas que nos enseñan sobre la doctrina. No podrían ser más claros.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Dejemos que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza

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:

En estos últimos días del Adviento, antes de nuestra alegre celebración de la Encarnación de Cristo y del tiempo de Navidad, hemos probado algo de la alegría (en este tiempo penitencial) con el domingo de Gaudete.

En el libro de Nehemías, pero también en el libro de las Crónicas, hay una oración que dice simplemente: “Dejemos que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza” (Neh 8:10).

De hecho, en muchas de las traducciones de la Misa (en español e italiano, por ejemplo) la frase se inserta en la despedida final. “La Misa ha terminado, que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza, podemos ir en paz”.

Antes de la nueva traducción en inglés, yo mismo usaba esa despedida. El Beato Juan Pablo II nunca dejaba de usarla cuando celebraba Misa en privado. “Que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza, podemos ir en paz”, que es la actitud perfecta con la que debemos salir de Misa.

“Dejemos que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza” resume la idea de la primera lectura del pasado domingo (Is 35:1-6a, 10). Celebramos que irrumpe la alegría e inmediatamente escuchamos “fortalezcan sus débiles rodillas”, “fortalezcan sus débiles rodillas”, “¡sean fuertes, no teman!” La alegría y la fortaleza van juntas. ¡Dejemos que la alegría del Señor sea nuestra fortaleza`!

Read More