Category: Columns

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Bishop Robert Barron

Vikings is religiously interesting show

At the prompting of some of my younger colleagues at Word on Fire, I spent time during a recent vacation getting caught up on the History Channel show Vikings.

My friends had told me that Vikings, curiously, is the most religious show on television. They were right.

Don’t get me wrong. There is enough violence, pillaging, plundering, sword-fighting, and political intrigue to satisfy the most macho viewers; but Vikings is also drenched with religion — and for that I applaud Michael Hirst, its sole writer and director.

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Julianne Nornberg

Sharing, teaching God’s love with children

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

The face of my four-year-old scrunched up as he sounded out a word in a book. “Gah,” he said, successfully figuring out the sound of the letter “G.”

He considered the next letter, “O,” thought a moment, then said, “Ahh.”

Finally he got to the last letter, “D,” and put the sounds together. “Gah-ahh-dd,” he said slowly, enunciating each letter individually, his eyebrows knit in concentration.

“Gahd.”

Suddenly, his eyes flew open, his eyebrows shot up, and the light of understanding emanated from his joyous grin as he shouted out, “God! It says God!”

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Bishop Robert Barron

The cross of Jesus: God’s awful work of love

I would like to continue reflecting on Fleming Rutledge’s extraordinary book The Crucifixion, which I consider one of the most insightful theological books of the decade.

In a previous article, I drew attention to Rutledge’s bracing insistence on the awfulness and shame of the crucifixion. In the ancient world, there was no punishment more painful, terrifying, and de-humanizing than the cross.

It is not simply that Jesus died or even that he was put to death by corrupt people; it was that he endured the death reserved only for the lowest and most despised.

In the light of the resurrection, the first Christians looked back on this horrific event and saw in it something commensurate with the weight of sin. Somehow, on that instrument of torture and humiliation, the Son of God was addressing what could not be adequately addressed in any other way; he was paying the requisite price.

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Veronica Arntz

Answering the question: ‘What is marriage?’

Veronica Arntz

Marriage and family are clearly under attack in many forms in our secular society.

Thus, as Catholics, we must clearly understand the Church’s teaching on marriage and family.

Yet, even in the Church, there is disagreement surrounding marriage and family (including how to help the divorced and remarried), especially since the publication of Pope Francis’s post-synodal apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia.

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Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Cremains and respect for the human body

In the famous story of David and Goliath, Goliath boasts to the young David that after he kills him, he will give his flesh “to the birds of the sky and beasts of the field.” He conveys his profound disdain for David by speaking this way, deprecating even his corpse.

This offends our sensibility that dead bodies should not be desecrated, but should instead be respectfully buried. Proper disposition and care of another’s body also manifests our Christian faith in the resurrection of that body on the Last Day.

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Bishop Robert Barron

How strange is the cross

Fleming Rutledge’s The Crucifixion is one of the most stimulating and thought-provoking books of theology that I have read in the past 10 years.

Both an academic and a well-regarded preacher in the Episcopal tradition, Rutledge has an extraordinary knack of cutting to the heart of the matter. Her book on the central reality of the Christian faith is supremely illuminating, a delight for the inquiring mind — and man, will it ever preach.

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Julianne Nornberg

Maintaining a spiritual life during summer

Everyday Faith column by Julianne Nornberg

I sat down in the midst of my children today and did Morning Prayer aloud.

Never mind that it was already 10:30 a.m. Never mind that the two little ones were giggling and grabbing markers from each other at the kitchen table.

Never mind that the older ones still needed to empty the dishwasher and take out the recycling and I still needed to start the laundry.

Never mind that we needed to pack a lunch for our day of running errands and playing at the park.

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Jean Mueller

Navigating a complicated health system

Q I am trying to be an advocate for my mother who has some health issues and I feel as though we are getting lost in this complicated health care system.

I have permission to be with her during the frequent visits to the numerous specialists she must see. It seems when I bring up a concern, all we get is another series of tests, a trial for a different medication, or a referral to yet another specialist.

My mother does not want to keep seeing new physicians and repeating the same information all over again. She does not understand all of this “fussing” and would just like to be comfortable.

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Kim Wadas, Wisconsin Catholic Conference

Surge in voter turnout needs to continue

On Independence Day, I saw many in the Badger State wearing red, white, and blue. Like some of you, I “liked” statements on social media asserting national pride and joined in singing patriotic songs at Mass.

These celebrations affirm our democracy and recognize those who have protected our founding freedoms.

Importance of elections

However after reviewing past election results, I was reminded that everyone enjoys the celebration, but many people don’t like the planning. Elections are how we as citizens plan our government.

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