Author: Kevin Wondrash

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Kevin Wondrash

Make each day an Earth Day by respecting creation

For some astronauts, an unexpected result of their participation in the space program was a deepening of their faith in God.

Frank Borman was commander of the first space crew to travel beyond Earth’s orbit. Looking down on Earth from 250,000 miles away, he radioed back a message, quoting Genesis 1: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.”

He later added, “After viewing Earth from space, I experienced an enormous feeling that there had to be a power greater than any of us, that there was a God and a beginning.”

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Kevin Wondrash

God holds us in His hands at all times

This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

Dear Friends,

The readings of this past weekend speak a much-needed word of consolation, hope, and joy to each of us, in the here and now.

I don’t know about each of you (though I’ve heard from a number of you), but in my opinion there are a good number of reasons for concern in our times, and there’s good reason to wonder where things are going — especially in terms of our national political scene.

But in such moments of uncertainty, the followers of Jesus Christ have always been able to consider the ultimate realities and to reflect back upon readings like those of this past weekend.

In the first place, we can consider the context of Paul and Barnabas (Acts 13:14, 43-52) as they have begun to go out and preach the Good News far and wide.

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Kevin Wondrash

On ‘aging gracefully’

It seems odd, even a bit repulsive, when we encounter tales of elderly men running after women who are young enough to be their granddaughters.

The wheelchair-bound billionaire oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall was 89 years old when he married the 26-year-old Anna Nicole Smith. He had met the Playboy model and reality TV star in a strip club. Anna insisted that she really did love the old man and wasn’t in it for the money.

Redirecting our focus

With age should come wisdom. It’s appropriate and fitting for older men to leave behind their former ways and no longer live and act like college frat boys. It’s right to expect growth in self-control as we mature and to expect a more reflective and sober approach to life.

 

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Kevin Wondrash

Some initial comments on Amoris Laetitia

Dear Friends,

There is a great deal to consider and to speak of this week. However, I want first to comment on the readings of this past weekend and specifically upon the Second Reading (Rev 5:11-14), which provide us with a beautiful image of heaven.

In that reading we hear of the vision that St. John had of all creation singing eternally: “To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor, glory and might, forever and ever!” A beautiful, glorious hymn of praise for all eternity is one very reliable picture of what heaven is like.

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Kevin Wondrash

Youth Service Council raises money for the poor in Lebanon

MADISON — The Madison Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Youth Service Council (YSC) recently sent more than $1,000 to St. Vincent de Paul-Lebanon to assist the poor, unemployed, and refugees there.

While attending a national St. Vincent de Paul meeting in Providence, R.I., last fall, YSC members Claire Finucane and DC Morris heard Julien Spiewak, the society’s international secretary general, outline the struggles the country of Lebanon currently faces and how the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is trying to help.

Challenges in Lebanon

The SVdP has been active in Lebanon since 1860 but has recently faced greater challenges than usual.

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Kevin Wondrash

Lessons derived from the Resurrection

The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the be-all and the end-all of the Christian faith. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, all bishops, priests, and Christian ministers should go home and get honest jobs, and all the Christian faithful should leave their churches immediately.

As Paul himself put it: “If Jesus is not raised from the dead, our preaching is in vain and we are the most pitiable of men.” It’s no good, of course, trying to explain the Resurrection away or rationalize it as a myth, a symbol, or an inner subjective experience. None of that does justice to the novelty and sheer strangeness of the Biblical message.

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Kevin Wondrash

Should we push our children to aim for perfection?

Ask IPS

QUESTION: “I was wondering about the balance of aiming for perfection. As a parent, I want my children to do well in life, and especially in school, but I also do not want to push my child too far. Is working for perfection with your children a positive thing?”

RESPONSE: William McKenna, M.S. Clinical Psychology Extern at Catholic Charities

Excellent question! Before answering, however, I would like to present to you a quote from Coach John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach who led his team to 10 championship victories in 12 years. He said, “Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility.”

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