Category: Letters to the editor

On
Trudi Jenny

Will we answer pope’s call to action?

To the editor:

I would like to express my gratitude to Pope Francis for writing his encyclical, Laudato Si’. He inspires us all to act on our calling to care for the gifts of God’s creation.

In 2001, the U.S. Catholic bishops said, “global climate change is not about . . . partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God’s creation and the one human family. . . ”  Pope Francis’ encyclical endorses this and moves the climate change conversation beyond politics to the moral realm where it belongs.

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Jane Tarrell

Judging who should live

To the editor:

I just read in the very last paragraph of an article in the June 2 Wisconsin State Journal, “Walker ready to sign 20-week abortion bill,” this statistic for 2013: “89 of 6,500 abortions were performed after 20 weeks.” A mere 89 little people were killed after 20 weeks and the rest were younger. No big deal!

It’s sickening to see the apathy of a once-great nation in regard to standards of living. Who are we to judge which is more important, the life of the child or of the mother?

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Tom Roberts

Posture for Communion

To the editor:

The article “Reception of Holy Communion in the U.S.” (Catholic Herald, May 28) quotes “the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar” with the reception of Communion while standing.

Historically, kneeling has been a gesture of submission to emperors and civil authorities. The Communion postures being advocated are the very ones Diocletian, the great Roman persecutor of Christians, decreed to increase the authority of the imperial office.

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Elizabeth Durack

Sisters’ cooperation with Vatican hopeful sign

To the editor:

The statements in the recently released Final Report on the Doctrinal Assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) to the effect that Jesus Christ is central and Sisters should be implementing “an ecclesiology of communion” echo past documents on the Religious Life. Some may miss why this is significant in the new report — after all, isn’t that a given for Religious Sisters?

The painful ground-level reality has been that some Sisters and whole LCWR congregations have grown apart from the Church in heart and mind and come to feel estranged from what they call “the institutional Church.” More than a few have questioned whether they want to be part of it.

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Patrick Hardyman

Faithful Christians bear crosses today

To the editor:

Good Friday service with the reading of the “Passion” and the “Veneration of the Cross” had a deeper meaning for me this year considering the events happening in our world today.

Approximately six weeks ago, 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians were beheaded by the Islamic State in Libya and a few days ago, Al-Shabab, another Islamic extremist group, murdered 148 university students and personnel in Kenya who professed to be Christian and not Muslim.

This follows a pattern that has been happening frequently throughout many parts of North Africa and the Middle East. In addition to the killings, these groups are destroying churches and priceless artifacts dating back to Biblical times.

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Rick Lofgren

Become an organ donor to save lives

To the editor:

The Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) was founded in 1986 when residents of Bloomington, Ind., rallied around a toddler who needed a life-saving liver transplant. In less than eight weeks, the community raised $100,000 to place the boy on the organ waiting list.

But the child died before an organ became available. Those community volunteers, along with his parents, turned tragedy into triumph by using the funds they raised to help other transplant families. That was the beginning of COTA.

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Anonymous

Pray the Rosary daily for world peace

To the editor:

The Holy Rosary is a beautiful prayer. The article published on March 5 in the Diocese of Madison Catholic Herald, “McFarland parish promotes love of the Rosary,” should be an incentive for all Catholics to say the Holy Rosary.

The Blessed Mother has encouraged us to pray the Holy Rosary and do penance for world peace. Most people could say a Rosary daily; even the busiest person could say at least a decade of the Rosary daily.

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Kathy Wehrle

Take steps to engage in healing, growth

To the editor:

I was happy to read your editorial that discussed the recent shooting of a young black man in Madison.

A major part of the piece is the subject of the letter written by a group of 90 religious leaders in the Madison area.

I had to go elsewhere online to read the full letter and to see the list of people who signed this call for action. However, I was saddened by the fact that none of the signers were Catholic priests, nor was Bishop Morlino a signer.

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Virginia Schmitt

Pray the Rosary daily for world peace

To the editor:

There was a write-up in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald about the kidnapping and rescue of the mother of Fr. Paul Arinze. I was overjoyed when I heard of her rescue.

Even more awesome was the fact that she distracted herself by praying the Rosary on her fingers all through this frightening ordeal. What a powerful weapon is Mary’s Rosary, and how she shows her care for those who pray her Rosary faithfully!

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On
Monica Simpson

Thanks for touching tribute to Audrey

To the editor:

Thank you for that touching tribute to Audrey Mettel Fixmer. She wrote such wonderful pieces about a time of life that can be seen as the most difficult and yet as you wrote, she did so in a positive way.

Audrey’s columns were always a first-read for me. And I’m several generations younger! The way she shared her faith with humor and grace was a tremendous witness.

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