Category: Columns

On
Christina Capecchi

A short life bookended by tragedy

Guest Column

The youth choir Christina Green belonged to performs just once a month, on the second Sunday at the 9 a.m. Mass. And sure enough, the day after the nine-year-old was killed in Tucson, Ariz., the youngest victim of the shooting targeting Representative Gabrielle Giffords, St. Odilia’s youth choir sang.

It was January 9, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and there was just one Baptism at that Mass, a nine-year-old girl.

That wasn’t lost on Fr. Richard Troutman, pastor of St. Odilia Parish in Tuscon, Ariz.

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Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Clear ethical thinking and the tyranny of relativism

Making Sense out of Bioethics column by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

I once asked a young physician whether he had received any training in medical ethics during medical school. I wondered whether he had been taught how to handle some of the complex moral questions that can arise when practicing medicine.

It turned out that he had taken only one ethics class during his four years of medical school, and it was a rather loose-knit affair. For the first part of each class, he told me, students were presented with medical cases that raised ethical questions.

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Michael Lancaster

Contributing to a better world

Our Catholic Schools by Michael Lancaster

The theme of the 2011 Catholic Schools Week celebrates the significant contributions that Catholic schools have made and continue to make to our parishes, our communities, and our nation.

While Catholic schools have long been known for their rigorous academics, their emphasis on self-discipline and their delivery of an education based on Gospel values, their positive effects have been proven to be much more numerous and far reaching.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Roe vs. Wade challenges us to protect the unborn

In 1925 Dorothy Day became pregnant. Because of a previous abortion, her pregnancy seemed a miracle. Now she had to make the toughest decision she ever made. If she gave birth, Forster Batterham, the child’s father, would probably leave her. He would stay with her if she aborted their baby.

On March 4, 1926, Dorothy gave birth to Tamar Teresa. She had her baptized and raised her as a Catholic. Later, Dorothy Day became a Catholic. Her decision caused her to lose the man she loved. But she gained salvation for herself and Tamara.

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Olivia Knier

Keeping close to Christ after Christmas

Guest Column logo

The lights are lit and the tree is up. The celebration of Christ’s birth has only just begun. The joy in the air is contagious for now, but how can we keep that joy long after the holidays are gone?

It does not take much thinking to come to the conclusion that all the happiness Christmas brings is in the anticipation and celebration of Christ’s birth, us making an effort to be so close to him with our families as he comes into the world.

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Sr. Margie Lavonis

Who has a vocation?

Cutting Edge by Sr. Margie Lavonis

During January, most dioceses in the United States celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week.

This is a good time to think about vocations and who has one. Who do you think has a vocation? If you answered that everyone has a vocation, you get an A.

Receiving our vocation

So often we hear people limiting the term “vocation” to the priesthood and religious life. I hear many people, especially parents with children in Catholic schools, complain that we just don’t have enough vocations, but in truth we each received a vocation when we were baptized.

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Fr. Paul Ugo Arinze

Let us joyfully tell the story anew!

The Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, January 9, 2011 marks the beginning of the National Vocation Awareness Week.

Guest Column

While the Baptism of Christ focuses on the revelation of Christ as the “Beloved Son of God,” it reminds us of our own Baptism.

Baptism marks the beginning of our “vocation”as Christians.

By virtue of our Baptism, we also share in the three-fold mission of Christ to be priest, prophet, and king.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Awareness week invites us to pray for vocations

We celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week this year January 9 through 15. Appropriately, the week begins with the feast of the Baptism of Jesus.

During this week we are encouraged to deepen our friendship with God as we reflect upon our own vocation. We are also reminded to foster and pray for vocations to all states of life. Because of the present need, the Church especially encourages us to pray for and support vocations to priesthood and religious life.

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Sr. Margie Lavonis

Christ bids us to come – and go

Cutting Edge by Sr. Margie Lavonis

I have a ritual I practice on New Year’s Eve or day, depending on what is going on in my life. I take some quiet time to review how God has worked in my life over the past year.

Last year I recalled a journal entry that summarized a talk I still remember. It was given during a day of prayer. The presenter, a wonderful Holy Cross priest, made a simple but profound statement. He said that Christian discipleship can be summed up by two words — “Come” and “Go.”

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