People with mental, physical, or cognitive disabilities face challenges from the everyday tasks of dressing and transportation to the larger challenges of interacting in a world that is not always welcoming.
During Respect Life Month, it is particularly important to remember that each person is a gift from God, in whatever guise. It is also important to recognize that each of us is differently-abled and this infinite variety is a gift too.
World Mission Sunday, which will celebrate its 82nd anniversary in 2008, affords the entire Church a focused opportunity to reflect on those who have not heard the Gospel — and to respond to Christ’s call to be missionary.
On that day, all parishes in every diocese of the world celebrate together our common vocation to preach and proclaim Christ throughout the world.
Our diocesan Rural Life Office serves to support communities of all sizes as consumers of a constant, safe and affordable food supply, with focused emphasis in supporting the farmers and rural communities who plant, grow, and harvest the crops that feed us.
The Rural Life Office works to connect our rural parish communities to the greater diocesan Church as well as inform non-rural parish communities of the many challenges and justice issues facing those who labor to provide “our daily bread.” The success and vitality of all our communities must be measured along-side the health and sustainability of our local farmers and rural families, rural parishes, and farming communities.
As we creep into the end of another year, it prompts us to consider our charitable gifting opportunities in respect to our year-end tax planning. There are many ways in which you can structure a gift to provide benefit to you personally while supporting the causes that mean the most to you. Congress has recently made it more attractive for IRA owners over 70 to do just that.
On October 3, 2008, as part of the economic recovery plan, the House joined with the Senate to approve the much awaited IRA charitable rollover plan. This allows IRA owners to make a direct gift to their parish, parish school, diocese, or other qualified diocesan institution through their required minimum distribution from an IRA. This also applies to legally binding pledges you may have made to the Church.
To the editor:
This is a response to the letter by Bill Checovich that appeared in the October 2, 2008 issue of the Catholic Herald, in which he urges consideration of a strategic change in the fight against abortion. He refers to Douglas Kmiec as his authority, who in turn believes that the sanctity of life and social justice are best served by an Obama presidency.
To the editor:
I strongly believe our society will be judged on how it has respected life or failed to do so over the last 35 years. Dating back to Roe vs. Wade over 35 million innocent children have been killed in our country. I want to make it very clear that I love and respect my country. I wonder and pray how we will be judged as a country and as individuals when we meet our heavenly Father.
Just last fall, after 34 years of legalized abortion, the first ever conference on men and abortion was held.
Scientists are discovering men’s serious grief responses to abortions. This research is closely connected to Madison and to Wisconsin. Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel in Milwaukee, helped create this conference. From Madison, both Dr. Catherine Coyle and Dr. Robert Enright are cited in the information from the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.
These three Wisconsin people are helping men understand their sense of loss, the erosion of trust, and the “loss of spiritual connectedness to God and to one’s partner . . .” There is a distinct concern that an abortion history makes it harder for men to trust enough to fully commit to marriage and fatherhood.
MADISON — Vicky Skilondz has been named associate director of the diocesan Office of Planning.
She will work with Grant Emmel, vice chancellor and director of the Office of Planning, to provide documentation, training, and oversight for the Trusting in the Spirit parish planning process.
“I’m excited to extend the diocese’s commitment to supporting parishes through Vicky’s customer service focus,” said Emmel. “Her gift for training and helping parish staff with their problems has already paid dividends as part of Trusting in the Spirit.”
Recently a pro-stem cell research group, Wisconsin Stem Cell Now, published a “primer” on the subject of stem cell research in Wisconsin. Among other things, the document seeks to dismiss moral arguments against embryonic stem cell research.
In the process, the authors misrepresent the relationship between ethics and morals, equate morality with religion, and define moral argument in a way that would have disqualified some of our nation’s most significant voices for reform from public debates.
The power of the term, “Respect Life,” needs to be underlined in our minds. When we, in sharing our faith, share our respect for others, we are acknowledging their intrinsic worth and our belief that they are fellow humans to be loved and cherished. This message of loving respect is foundational for all our beliefs.
The other word, life, is too easily glossed over. “Life” for the new human begins when the sperm joins the egg and ends at natural death. All the stages and phases, ups and downs, challenges and soaring triumphs do not change the innate humanity of that unique person.
