Author: Mary C. Uhler

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Mary C. Uhler

We did it! Diocese puts it all together

The windows at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison sparkled, the church was immaculate, and smiling faces at the entrance greeted people who came for Evening Prayer to begin the installation events for Bishop Donald J. Hying on June 24.

Parishioners and staff at St. Maria Goretti Church had pitched in to get their church ready for the installation of Madison’s new bishop. Fr. Scott Emerson, parochial administrator of St. Maria Goretti, was justifiably proud.

The St. Maria Goretti crew were part of many people who worked behind the scenes to prepare for the installation. It was wonderful to see how people  throughout the diocese joined together to welcome our new bishop.

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Mary C. Uhler

Vatican official: protection of minors is goal

Clergy sexual abuse has impacted many people in society and the Church, including those working in the Church’s “Supreme Court” at the Vatican.

“This work has changed me,” the priest who heads Vatican Disciplinary Action in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith told Catholic journalists June 19.

“When I read the facts of the cases, I feel repulsed,” said Msgr. John Kennedy. However, he and the 16 others working in his office carry on with the work. “For victims and for their parents, it is far worse,” he said. “We’re doing this because it needs to be done to restore what has been damaged.”

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Mary C. Uhler

Fatherhood is an important vocation

Fathers play such an important role in the lives of their children.

My own father died when I was only 16 years old, but he had a profound impact on my life.

Thomas Joseph McDonald (better known as Mac) was married later in life. He actually stayed with his own father until his death.

I’m sure my father received many of his values from my grandparents and great-grandparents, who are buried in the cemetery at Holy Rosary Parish in Darlington.

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Mary C. Uhler

Keep family-based immigration system

When my ancestors settled in Wisconsin from Ireland, Germany, and Belgium, many of them came to this state because other family members had arrived previously.

Today, this would be called family-based immigration. Some of the reasons why my relatives came to the U.S. were the same as they are today.

They were seeking freedom of religion, since most of them were of the Catholic faith. They left their home countries, where they may have had low wages and poor living conditions. They hoped to create a better life for themselves and their families. Some came to escape war and conflicts in their countries.

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Mary C. Uhler

Welcoming young adults back to church

Young adults today are less likely than older generations to join a church, but there are signs that more young adults are coming back to churches.

A report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research examined church membership of young adults ages 18 to 34. While some findings were discouraging, researchers also found that some churches have increased young adult participation. The report drew conclusions that any church can use to draw young members, according to a post on boxcast.com (https://www.boxcast. com/blog/what-can-your-church-do-to-attract-young-adults)

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Mary C. Uhler

Family traditions are vital

As we prepare to celebrate Mother’s Day on May 12, I’ve been thinking of the mothers in my family and how they continue to impact us.

One of the ways we remember our mothers is through the family traditions they carried on or started. For example, my mother-in-law, Ruth, had a number of favorite recipes which we still use today. Her recipes for pasta salad, lasagna, and dill dip are still popular in our family. One of our granddaughters often asks us to make dill dip, which she enjoys eating with potato chips.

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