Chris Lee

To the editor:

I want to thank the Catholic Herald for running the excellent article on Pope Leo XIII’s assessment of socialism as evil. It truly is.

Socialism, with its tempting allure of equality, has not produced equality, only poverty, repression, and death. Socialism has manifested itself worldwide in many forms and variants, but always with a similar end result of poverty and death.

Whether it was the millions killed in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the genocide of Hitler’s German Socialist Workers Party, or the mass desert graveyards of Saddam Hussein’s Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Iraq, the result is always the same.

Letters to the editor

On January 30, 2013

Chris Lee

Nation grieves for 20 lost, but how about 55 million?

To the editor:

As a former student of Sandy Hook Elementary School who still lives in Sandy Hook today, I am saddened at the tragedy that occurred. It is devastating that so many innocent children’s lives were taken before they had their first day of middle school, their first day behind the wheel, their first time falling in love — so many firsts that these children will never experience.

On January 25, hundreds of thousands of people who have achieved these milestones were going to “March for Life” in Washington for another group of people who have not been given the opportunity to experience their most important first — their first breath.

Letters to the editor

On January 30, 2013

Chris Lee

America’s problems occur when Constitution ignored

To the editor:

In response to last week’s disturbing column by Stephen Kent and the need to change the Second Amendment, it should be pointed out that all of America’s problems — slavery, the relocation of Native Americans, prohibition, concentration camps for Japanese-Americans, undeclared wars, and Roe v. Wade — occurred when we ignored or “improved” the Constitution.

Even more curious is the Conference of Catholic Bishops’ statement that guns are too easily accessible. Were it not for the Second Amendment, there would be no Catholic Herald, a Conference of Catholic Bishops, or even Catholics, for that matter, since we would long ago have been hunted down like rats, just like in the mother country of Merrie Olde England.

Making a Difference

On January 30, 2013

Chris Lee

King’s advice to the president

What advice would America’s most renowned black man offer to America’s first black president? If he were alive today, what wisdom would the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., offer to President Barack Obama?

This question takes on added significance considering that this year the federal holiday honoring King, and Obama’s second public inauguration, fell on the same day — January 21.

Youth Column

On January 29, 2013

Chris Lee

A scientist witnesses to Catholic faith

As a young Catholic, I look for examples of successful scientists who witness to their Catholic faith, because in modern society, they are heroes.

Dr. Theresa Deisher, whose expertise is adult stem cell research, is a stellar example of a conscientious Catholic who is impacting lives by her work. Enjoy our first Guardians for Life interview!

Around the Diocese

On January 23, 2013

Chris Lee

Immaculate Heart of Mary School nears record enrollment


	Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Monona has increased its enrollment by 49 percent, primarily due to recruiting Hispanic and Asian students through its Catholic School Advantage Program. (Contributed photo)

MONONA — Five years ago, a trend toward decreasing enrollment at Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) School in Monona had become an increasing concern.

To respond to this concern, a five-point strategy was implemented to retain and increase school enrollment.

Five-point plan

The five-point plan included:

Prayer — putting faith in God to provide opportunities for increasing enrollment
Public school partnership — becoming a 4K site for the Monona Grove School District
Retention — commitment to improving student retention between elementary and middle school
Outreach — implementing the Catholic School Advantage (CSA) Program for Hispanic immigrant families
Enrollment management — hiring a development director to focus on building and retaining enrollment

Exciting new program

Since implementation of the plan, with God’s help, this five-point strategy is working.

One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of this strategy is the Catholic School Advantage (CSA) program. This program is a ground-breaking student recruitment effort that reaches out to Hispanic-immigrant students from families who want to send their children to a Catholic school, but are unable to afford tuition.

Around the Diocese

On January 23, 2013

Chris Lee

Catholic Multicultural Center class brings hope

MADISON — The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) has always been a place people can turn to for job search assistance, from a workshop that helps job-seekers prepare for interviews to a walk-in program where people can get aid with writing résumés, cover letters, and more.

One notable program involves direct job training and addresses some of the major problems disadvantaged people have when applying for jobs. This is the Culinary Creations Program and it has a mission: to eliminate barriers to employment for economically disadvantaged people. This program gives people useful employment skills and has the potential to shape communities and change lives.

Artículos en Español

On January 23, 2013

Chris Lee

Siguiendo el plan de Dios para la familia


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

Queridos amigos:

Esta semana se cumplen 40 años desde que la Corte Suprema de nuestra nación legalizara el aborto. Desde entonces, más de 55 millones de niños (eso es lo que sabemos) han sido destruidos a través del aborto quirúrgico.

Hay algo terriblemente roto en nuestra nación que hace que permitamos esto y que nuestro gobierno haya sancionado (y de muchas formas apoyado) semejante destrucción. Podría aproximarme de distintas maneras para hablar sobre los males de nuestra sociedad en este aniversario del fallo Roe vs.Wade, y he hablad de muchas cosas relacionadas en el pasado, pero este año me gustaría hablar sobre la interacción entre la familia y el gobierno. Es algo que he estado contemplando a la luz de nuestra celebración de la fiesta de la Sagrada Familia hace algunos domingos. Espero que perdonen que recuerde las lecturas en esa fiesta, por el bien de la familia: un asunto que ciertamente merece nuestra consideración que vaya más allá de uno o dos días al año.

Creo que es tremendamente interesante, considerando que desde el mismo principio de la Revelación de Dios a la humanidad, que existe una expresión clara pero muy simple de Su plan eterno para la familia. Comenzando en el Génesis, escuchamos el plan de Dios: Dios creó hombre y mujer, y Él creó el matrimonio, que está formado por un esposo, una esposa, de por vida, con apertura a los hijos: desde el mismo principio de la creación. Y la narrativa avanza en la Escritura hasta que llegamos a Jesús, José y María, que santificaron la vida matrimonial de una manera muy especial porque, por supuesto, Jesús era Dios, María Su madre y José Su protector. Recordando las lecturas que la Iglesia nos ofrece en la Fiesta de la Sagrada Familia, desde el mismo momento vemos algunos elementos básicos de la familia (Eclesiástico 3:2-6, 12-14; Salmo 128:1-2, 3, 4-5; Colosenses 3:12-21; y Lucas 2:41-52).

Eye on the Capitol

On January 23, 2013

Chris Lee

Catholics have much to offer in firearms debate

Popes Paul VI and John Paul II both described the Catholic Church as an “expert in humanity.” This term recognizes the truth that through its long history Catholicism has engaged and reflected on the fullness and complexity of the human experience.

The Church’s insights on human experience provide a valuable resource to any generation seeking to craft more humane policies and more just societies.

Our Catholic Schools

On January 23, 2013

Chris Lee

Holding students to a higher standard: New norms in diocese point us to the cross

We have all heard much in the media about the importance of our schools, and the importance of holding our students to high expectations and academic standards.

“Catholic Schools Raise the Standards,” the theme for Catholic Schools Week, echoes the popular news but reflects something which Catholic schools have been doing since St. Elizabeth Ann Seton opened St. Joseph Catholic School in 1810.

The school educated girls who, at that time, had significantly fewer educational opportunities than boys, and provided them with a solid academic foundation as well as skills necessary to make a living. Most importantly however, the Catholic school provided its students with a firm education in the Catholic faith. This ensured that students not only received a practical education, but that they learned to model their lives on Gospel values — the standards given to us by Christ himself.