Category: Editorial

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Religious roots of Thanksgiving: Let’s not forget that we are one nation under God

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Just as may be happening with Christmas, the religious aspects of our Thanksgiving holiday may also be fading in the United States with a growing secularization in our society.

That’s why it is important for us as Catholics to reflect upon the religious roots of Thanksgiving and perhaps to bring them up in discussions during our holiday observances at appropriate times.

Facts about the first Thanksgiving

It might be good for all of us to review facts about the first Thanksgiving. Most of us know that the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth Rock in gratitude for a good harvest.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Farewell to Year of Faith: It opened the door to deeper faith and a desire to share it

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Since October 11, 2012, the Catholic Church throughout the world has been observing a special Year of Faith. In his apostolic letter Porta Fidei (“The Door of Faith”), Pope Benedict XVI asked Catholics to experience a conversion — to turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with him.

The pope noted that the “door of faith” is opened at Baptism, but during this Year of Faith Catholics were asked to open it again, to walk through it and rediscover and renew their relationship with Christ and his Church.

The first day of the Year of Faith coincided with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council and the 20th anniversary of the publishing of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Pope Benedict asked Catholics to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism to deepen their knowledge of the faith.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

A shrinking pie: Put poor and hungry people first in the new farm bill

In his message for World Food Day, which was observed on October 16, Pope Francis said that “it is a scandal that there is still hunger and malnutrition in the world.”

The Holy Father emphasized, “It is not just a question of responding to immediate emergencies, but of addressing together, in all areas, a problem that challenges our personal and social conscience, to achieve a just and lasting solution.”

Cuts in food assistance benefits

In the United States, there are increasing numbers of hungry people. Many of them rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. As of November 1, the benefits to individuals and families were cut for the first time since 1964. That’s because an increase in food aid approved in 2009 expired, and  Congress hasn’t been able to pass a new farm bill for over a year (the farm bill includes provisions to fund food assistance programs in our country).

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Unsung heroes: Catholic chaplains in armed services deserve our support

As we prepare to mark Veterans Day on November 11, we should take time to remember and thank all those who have served our country in the armed services.

Some of us have relatives, friends, and neighbors who faithfully served their country. Many of them did so quietly with little fanfare. I can still remember that my father-in-law, who served on many bombing missions in World War II, was very reluctant to talk about his service to his country. It was just something he did.

Chaplains: unsung heroes

Perhaps the most unsung of our heroes in the armed services are the chaplains. These are priests who have dedicated all or part of their ordained ministry to serving in all branches of our armed forces.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Care for the dying: We must resist efforts to legalize physician-assisted suicide

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Often when we speak of respecting all human life, we talk about the full spectrum of life from “womb to tomb.” However, it seems as if more of our energy and attention seem to focus on the beginning of life rather than the end of it.

That’s probably because most people don’t like to think about death and dying. Even though we will all die sometime, we usually prefer to put off any discussions about dying until we’re forced into it.

Physician-assisted suicide

However, we should be concerned about issues involving care of the sick and dying, particularly in light of increased efforts to pass laws legalizing physician-assisted suicide.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Oppose the death penalty: Join Pope Francis in supporting abolition of capital punishment

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

As we continue our observance of October as Respect Life Month, perhaps one of the most difficult issues for many Catholics is opposing the death penalty. Yet it is an issue that should be remembered as we consider respect for all human life.

Many people still seem to have the “eye for an eye” mentality when it comes to crime and punishment. They want to see criminals punished by death, especially for heinous crimes. They believe that society is better off without these hardened criminals in our midst.

However, as followers of Christ, we believe that God will show mercy to all sinners if they repent. We should allow everyone the opportunity for forgiveness.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Respect life: Help keep families safe from violence

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Besides being Respect Life Month, October is also designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month in the United States.

In respecting all life, our Catholic faith encourages us to treat all persons with love and dignity. Blessed Pope John Paul II wrote about this in his encyclical, The Gospel of Life, warning against violence against others. He also outlined the importance of the family as the primary community of life and love in which children are nurtured.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Loving our neighbor: Following in the footsteps of St. Francis and Pope Francis

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

When Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio received the 77 votes to become pope during the conclave on March 13, his friend, Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil, told him, “Don’t forget the poor.”

Pope Francis took the words of his friend to heart and chose to be named after St. Francis of Assisi, “the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.”

Respect for all human life

Time and time again, Pope Francis has emphasized the need for respect for all human life at all its stages, but especially for children (pre-born and born), the poor, the disabled, the sick, and the elderly.

In his October 4 visit to Assisi, the home of his namesake, Pope Francis  — as he often does — took time to meet personally with sick and disabled persons. Man of them reached out to him, clasped his hand, and talked with him.

I couldn’t help think that St. Francis would have been so happy to see Pope Francis — the Vicar of Christ on earth — living out the Gospel message he preached in Assisi.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

What’s in a license plate? This one can help save lives

The Respect Life Program begins anew each year in the Catholic Church on Respect Life Sunday, the first Sunday in October.

During the month of October, I like to devote my “Editor’s View” space to various aspects of respect for life. Something I have always supported are pregnancy care centers, which especially offer help to pregnant women and encourage them to choose life for their unborn babies.

‘Choose Life’ license plates

The state Legislature is considering a bill which would provide a new source of funding for these pregnancy care centers: a “Choose Life” license plate, which features a baby’s footprint along with the “Choose Life” message.

Representative Andre Jacque (R-De Pere) and Senator Mary Lazich (R-New Berlin) have introduced companion legislation (Assembly 206/Senate Bill 176) to establish the  “Choose Life” specialty license plate. The plates would be available for $15 and those who purchase them would also be charged an annual $25 fee.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Church as ‘field hospital’: Pope Francis encourages Church to heal wounds, proclaim God’s love

People everywhere are talking about the interview with Pope Francis published in the Italian Jesuit journal, La Civiltà Cattolica, and reprinted in other Jesuit publications.

Rather than relying on media reports about the article, I printed a copy of the article from America magazine and read it myself. It is a wonderful article and gave me much more insight into Pope Francis — not only as our Holy Father, but as a person.

Pope’s humility and the need for God’s mercy

What struck me most was his humility. Here he is, the worldwide leader of the  Catholic Church, the successor of St. Peter. Yet at the beginning of the article, Fr. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., who conducted the interview, asks Pope Francis, “Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio?” His answer is, “I am a sinner.”

The pope goes on to say, “I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.” Pope Francis then talks about his motto, Miserando atque Eligendo (By Having Mercy and By Choosing Him). This motto refers to the Gospel story when Jesus called St. Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him.

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