MADISON — I have been with Pregnancy Helpline since 2011. When I joined, I had been a member of St. Maria Goretti’s Saint Vincent de Paul (SVDP) chapter for a few years.
Part of that ministry includes home visits, which is a chance to share and offer SVDP clients information about the different services that the county offers for those in need.
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| 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,
“Night is coming, when no one can work,” we heard in the Gospel reading of this past Sunday (Jn 9:4).
Jesus told his disciples: do the works of God while it is still day, “night is coming when no one can work.”
No one can work and, I might add, no-thing can work. And I would suggest that night has come.
Even as we’ve just marked the Sunday that we call “Rejoice Sunday,” we acknowledge that we have to rejoice in the truth. God gives us the grace to rejoice in the truth. And the truth is that the night has come and so no one and nothing can work — but the splendid Light of the Resurrection will make that night as bright as day!
The story of the man born blind, which we encountered in the Gospel reading, is in many ways an allegory for our very own culture and our very own society. It is a culture and a society of death. A culture upon which night has descended, so nothing works.
*Caution to parents: the following article uses frank and honest language to discuss the serious and complicated subject of human sexuality. Care should be used when determining if your children are old enough to read and discuss the contents of this article.*
Discrimination is often understood as acting out of prejudice against persons who differ from us and do not share our views, traits, values, or lifestyles.
The word “discrimination,” however, has an older meaning as well, namely, to draw a clear distinction between proper and improper, good and evil, to differentiate and recognize as different.
MAZOMANIE — The Hispanic ministry of Divine Mercy Parish in Sauk City will be hosting a Hispanic Retreat for Lent at St. Barnabas Church, 410 Cramer St. in Mazomanie, on Saturday, April 5, and Saturday, April 12, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding with a Hispanic Mass at 6:30 p.m.
Planned for the retreat are talks, time to share ideas and ask questions, music, sharing of food, and more. Childcare, complete with child activities, will be provided.
MADISON — The Sonderegger Science Center on the campus of Edgewood College will soon be filled with opportunities to explore science through hands-on activities for learners of all ages (but mostly for the younger ones).
Many exploration stations allow young minds to investigate a wide variety of physical phenomena, chemical craziness, and biological beauty.
CUBA CITY — Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli died on February 23, 1864.
In recognition of the 150th anniversary of his death, the students of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School in Cuba City presented the play Medicine for Wildcat on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at St. Rose Church.
BARABOO — The staff and volunteers of Durward’s Glen invite you to join them at the “Gala for The Glen” event from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, May 3, at the Baraboo Arts Banquet Hall.
This year’s event will be bigger and better than ever, with fine food and wine, dancing to the Big Band sounds of the Hal Edwards Orchestra, door prizes, and a silent auction.
BLOOMINGTON — For 25 years, people in Bloomington and the surrounding areas looked forward to forgetting their problems and getting rid of the “winter blues” by attending the St. Mary’s Parish Players’ hilarious comedy productions.
Because of the enormous amount of time involved in producing a play, the Players decided it was time to retire — but not completely.
MADISON — The newspapers and gossip columns are filled with Hollywood stars and their prenuptial agreements. These agreements are not just being used by the super wealthy.
Fr. Tait Schroeder, who did his dissertation on prenuptial agreements, will de-mystify some of the aspects of what prenuptial agreements mean for Catholics approaching marriage. He will delve into how prenuptial agreements impact marital consent.
BARABOO — Durward’s Glen, W11876 McLeish Rd., is hosting Holy Mass every first Saturday of the month throughout 2014. The First Saturdays Devotion is a Catholic practice that has been requested by the Virgin Mary in several apparitions, notably Our Lady of Fátima and the subsequent Pontevedra apparitions.
This devotion and the Marian apparitions have been officially embraced by the Roman Catholic Church as worthy private devotions but are not obligatory.
