In August of 2009, the Catholic bishops of all five dioceses in Wisconsin wrote a letter sharing their “deep concern” about a provision in the new state budget that would require providers of health insurance to include contraceptive services as a “mandated benefit.”
The bishops were concerned because this mandate would “compel Catholic dioceses, parishes, and other agencies that buy health insurance to pay for a medical service that Catholic teaching holds to be gravely immoral.”
Can one federal judge overturn God’s natural law and the votes of nearly seven million citizens of California regarding the definition of marriage? No, I don’t think so!
U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ruled recently that California’s voter initiative, known as Proposition 8, was unconstitutional. Voters approved this proposition in 2008 by a margin of 52 percent to 48 percent. It defines marriage as between a man and a woman, thus banning same-sex marriage.
We all need food to survive, but do we really think about the food we’re eating: where it came from, who grew it, how it was prepared?
There are many aspects of food production that have moral and even spiritual dimensions, points out Tom Nelson, coordinator of the Rural Life Office for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Madison. Nelson’s reflections on “the sacred act of eating” can be found in this week’s Catholic Herald. He points out that we humans serve as stewards of creation and we must take care of the resources God has provided.
The topic of vacations may not seem weighty enough for an editorial. However, I figure if Pope Benedict XVI can talk about vacations, it’s worthy of discussion.
Recently the Holy Father has mentioned vacations several times. Of course, he himself is spending time at the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, which he said offers him a chance to rest and relax.
It has been six months since an earthquake devastated the country of Haiti, affecting an estimated three million people and leaving more than one million Haitians homeless.
Immediately after the earthquake, people throughout the world responded generously with humanitarian aid. The outpouring of support was especially needed in Haiti, which was already the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere before the quake.
Ever since the April 20 explosion and fire on the BP oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, Americans have stood by, watching helplessly as millions of gallons of oil have poured into the Gulf each day.
We’ve observed the failed efforts of BP to stop the oil spill. We’ve seen marine animals covered with the globby black mess. We’ve heard stories of the economic hardships experienced by fishermen and other workers affected by the disaster.
It’s predicted that this man-made disaster will have far worse consequences than Hurricane Katrina five years ago. The Gulf area is still recovering from Katrina and it’s now dealing with the oil spill, with no end in sight.
Many of us continue to feel helpless in the face of this situation. What can we do? How can we help?
Back when I was growing up, priests were an important part of my daily life. I attended a Catholic school and the students went to Mass every morning during the week, so we saw our parish priests almost every day.
Besides celebrating Mass, our priests taught in the school. They prepared us for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Communion and gave us those sacraments for the first time and many times after that.
On Sunday, June 6, a statue recognizing Msgr. Thomas F. Campion, founder and director of the Apostolate to the Handicapped in the Diocese of Madison, will be unveiled and blessed by Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus, in a 2 p.m. ceremony in the courtyard of St. Victor Church in Monroe.
As part of the celebration of St. Victor’s 150th anniversary, the statue honors an important part of the parish’s life for nearly 40 years. Monsignor Campion brought the Apostolate to the Handicapped with him in 1971, when he came to Monroe. The priest served as chaplain at St. Clare Hospital and the Monroe Clinic for many years along with directing the Apostolate.
This week two men will be ordained as deacons and in June, two others will be ordained as new priests for the Diocese of Madison.
Having met all four of these fine men, I can tell people that we are indeed fortunate to have such fine men willing to serve our diocese as priests. They make us proud!
On Friday, May 28, Bishop Robert C. Morlino will ordain Jorge Miramontes and Timothy Renz to the Order of Deacon. They will be ordained as transitional deacons, meaning that they plan to be ordained to the priesthood in the following year. On June 25, Deacons David Carrano and Gregory Ihm will be ordained to the priesthood.
This is the season of graduations. Students, family members, friends, and teachers are celebrating graduation from pre-schools, grade schools, high schools, and colleges.
It’s a time of great joy mixed with some sadness, as students celebrate their accomplishments but also leave behind the familiar and venture into the unknown. Parents of high school graduates especially find themselves looking forward to their children growing into adults and possibly leaving home for college. Some parents may face the empty nest with trepidation — and others may high five their spouses!
