Category: Guest column

On
Robert Enright

Forgiveness education for children, adolescents

Robert Enright

Fifth in a series of seven articles on forgiveness.

All of a sudden, Martha, age 28, found herself unable to cope with life.

Until now, the challenges were few and manageable. She grew up in a stable two-parent household, was an excellent student, and graduated from a university. She married and was blessed with two young children.

Difficulty coping

Four weeks ago, her husband suddenly and unexpectedly asked for a divorce. This is something for which Martha was unprepared.

She is having trouble sleeping, sometimes is not patient with the children, and is constantly tired. She wishes to forgive, but she is unsure how to accomplish this. “I am confused, angry, and scared. I do not know how to even start forgiving him” is her honest response.

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On
Msgr. John Hebl

A Catholic approach to forgiveness

Msgr. John Hebl

Editor’s Note: During Lent, a series of articles on Forgiveness will be presented by Msgr. John Hebl, pastor emeritus and charter member of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI), and Robert Enright, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, author, and founder of the IFI. This will help introduce the first ever International Conference on Forgiveness in July 2017 which IFI is sponsoring in the Holy City of Jerusalem. This is the fourth in the series of seven articles.

A number of years ago, an elderly priest in one of our neighboring dioceses began his Lenten homily by telling the people, “I hope I don’t die in the confessional.”

After pausing to get the parishioners’ attention, he added, “because they probably wouldn’t find my body for three days!”

What he meant, of course, is that many Catholics are not making use of the sacrament of God’s forgiveness commonly known as Confession. So the priest sits there all alone.

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On
Msgr. John Hebl

Helpful hints on forgiving others

Msgr. John Hebl

Editor’s Note: During Lent, a series of articles on Forgiveness will be presented by Msgr. John Hebl, pastor emeritus and charter member of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI), and Robert Enright, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, author, and founder of the IFI. This will help introduce the first ever International Conference on Forgiveness in July 2017 which IFI is sponsoring in the Holy City of Jerusalem. This is the third in the series of seven articles.

Pope Francis declared 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. However, few people realized that human mercy had its inception about 2,300 B.C, that’s 4,300 years ago, when Hammurabi reigned as the sixth king of the Babylonia Dynasty.

He noticed that people often wanted to “get even” when someone offended them. It had a snow ball effect as many times retaliation ended in a fashion of extreme violence.

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On
Msgr. John Hebl

Helpful hints on forgiving others

Msgr. John Hebl

Editor’s Note: During Lent, a series of articles on Forgiveness will be presented by Msgr. John Hebl, pastor emeritus and charter member of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI), and Robert Enright, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, author, and founder of the IFI. This will help introduce the first ever International Conference on Forgiveness in July 2017 which IFI is sponsoring in the Holy City of Jerusalem. This is the third in the series of seven articles.

Pope Francis declared 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. However, few people realized that human mercy had its inception about 2,300 B.C, that’s 4,300 years ago, when Hammurabi reigned as the sixth king of the Babylonia Dynasty.

He noticed that people often wanted to “get even” when someone offended them. It had a snow ball effect as many times retaliation ended in a fashion of extreme violence.

Read More
On
Msgr. John Hebl

Helpful hints on forgiving others

Msgr. John Hebl

Editor’s Note: During Lent, a series of articles on Forgiveness will be presented by Msgr. John Hebl, pastor emeritus and charter member of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI), and Robert Enright, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, author, and founder of the IFI. This will help introduce the first ever International Conference on Forgiveness in July 2017 which IFI is sponsoring in the Holy City of Jerusalem. This is the third in the series of seven articles.

Pope Francis declared 2016 as a Jubilee Year of Mercy. However, few people realized that human mercy had its inception about 2,300 B.C, that’s 4,300 years ago, when Hammurabi reigned as the sixth king of the Babylonia Dynasty.

He noticed that people often wanted to “get even” when someone offended them. It had a snow ball effect as many times retaliation ended in a fashion of extreme violence.

Read More
On
Robert Enright

Clearing up misconceptions about forgiving

Robert Enright

Second in a series of seven articles on forgiveness.

Lent is a time of seeking forgiveness for sins and then practicing forgiveness toward those who have been unfair to us.

When we forgive, we give the gift of goodness to those who have not been good to us. As we are forgiven, we forgive, as the Catholic Church teaches (Catechism of the Catholic Church, par. 2838).

Sometimes, when people reflect on this link between being forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance and then forgiving others, there may be some apprehension in now extending that forgiveness to those who have been hurtful.

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On
Fr. John Hebl

‘Your sins are forgiven you . . .’

Msgr. John Hebl

Editor’s Note: During Lent, a series of articles on Forgiveness will be presented by Msgr. John Hebl, pastor emeritus and charter member of the International Forgiveness Institute (IFI), and Robert Enright, University of Wisconsin-Madison professor, author, and founder of the IFI. This will help introduce the first ever International Conference on Forgiveness in July 2017 which IFI is sponsoring in the Holy City of Jerusalem.

A number of years ago, a priest friend, now deceased, shared a personal conversation he once had with a parishioner.

She stated she liked him as a confessor. Somewhat taken aback, he asked whether it was because of his education (he held two Master’s and a Doctorate degree), or his empathy, compassion, and understanding, or maybe even because he was elderly.

She said, “no it was none of these,” and then added, “It’s because you’re hard of hearing!”

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On
Deacon Jack Fernan

Saving souls on the installment plan

Deacon Jack Fernan

As we approach Ash Wednesday and Lent, we are invited to look for our own penitential practices and the way for us to accomplish what God destined for our spiritual journey.

The most simple way, of course, is for us to first of all obey the 10 Commandments and to love God and our neighbor as we love ourself, and then to grow up spiritually.

Many years of haphazard spiritual practices have taught me to stop dilly-dallying around. If you too have not been very diligent about helping others grow spiritually, maybe we can get serious about improving our spiritual practices day by day and week by week.

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On
Gwen Finnegan

Pro-lifers rally to defund Planned Parenthood

Gwen Finnegan

Amidst chants of “‘pro-life, it’s a lie — they don’t care if women die”‘ from a group of counter protesters organized by the International Socialist Organization out of Madison, about 60 pro-lifers from the Diocese of Madison gathered together for a Defund Planned Parenthood Rally on Saturday, Feb. 11.

The rally held outside the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Madison was organized by Vigil for Life-Madison.

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