Category: Opinion

On
Jan Mailloux

Bishop Barron’s comments on Luther found ‘confusing, disturbing’

To the editor:

This letter is in response to Bishop Robert Barron’s article, “Looking at Luther with Fresh Eyes,” in your June 29, 2017 issue.

Bishop Barron’s comments, based on a book he had read on Martin Luther, were confusing and disturbing. In the article’s descriptions of Luther’s “experience of grace,” his “love affair,” and his “ecstatic experience,” the seriousness of Luther’s harmful effect on countless souls was minimized. Bishop Barron even seemed to conclude that both the criticism and the celebration of Luther’s solas could simultaneously be appropriate, thus helping to pave the way for ecumenism.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Encouragement key for new priests

We rejoice in the ordination of three new priests for the Diocese of Madison: Frs. Jared Holzhuter, Andrew Showers, and Luke Syse.

While we thank God for the gift of their priesthood, some of us can also take a little credit for their ordination.

Importance of encouragement

Why is that? According to the annual survey of this year’s ordination class, 82 percent of the men ordained to the priesthood were encouraged by four people in their lives, including parish priests, friends, or other parishioners.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Protect freedom to worship and serve

At their spring assembly held June 14-15 in Indianapolis, the U.S. Catholic bishops voted to made their ad hoc religious liberty committee a permanent committee.

In some ways, it is unfortunate that we need this committee at all. However, freedom of religion has eroded in our country as it has in many other parts of the world.

Freedom curtailed

Although Catholics in the United States can worship freely in our churches and homes, the freedom to practice our religion in the public arena has been questioned and even curtailed.

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Virginia Schmitt

Our Lady has shown us what to do to save ourselves

To the editor:

Thank you for your pictorial report on the Fatima rallies attended on Saturday, May 13, in some diocesan parishes. Thank you to all the parishioners who attended these rallies.

How is it that we can spend money, large parts of our days on sports events, TV, and electronic devices, but only 50 or fewer individuals could find an hour or less to honor Our Lady on the 100th anniversary of her first apparition at Fatima?

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Please don’t weaken the safety net

Health care safety net providers are institutions that are critical in providing care and services in low-income, medically underserved, immigrant, and communities of color.

These institutions already serve a large percentage of patients who are underinsured or on Medicare. They have relied on help from the government. Yet, now Congress is considering changes to health care which could weaken that safety net.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

First responders deserve our gratitude

In the aftermath of the bombing in Manchester, England, we noticed the quiet efforts of first responders to ease victims’ fears and concerns.

In so many disasters — natural and man-made — we see the heroic efforts of police, fire, and emergency medical (EMS) units. We almost take them for granted.

Yet what would we do without these first responders who offer such invaluable service? These first responders deserve our gratitude.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Importance of visiting cemeteries

Editor’s note: Several years ago, I wrote this Editor’s View about the importance of visiting cemeteries. I felt it was worth repeating as we look forward to observing Memorial Day.

Maybe I’m a little strange, but I have always enjoyed visiting cemeteries. I still have memories from my childhood of walking around the small country cemetery when we visited my grandmother’s home not too far away.

It was interesting to see the names of our relatives on the tombstones. Some of the monuments even had pictures of the deceased and information about them. Rather then being scary, the cemetery gave me a sense of peace and connection with those who lived before me.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Support our local farmers

On May 15, we celebrated the feast of St. Isidore the Farmer, so this is an appropriate time to reflect on issues involving farmers and their impact on all of us.

Farmers provide much of the food we eat, so we should all be concerned about the state of agriculture.

Farm industry in crisis

Unfortunately, things do not look good for the farm industry in many parts of the United States. A Catholic News Service (CNS) backgrounder article by Mark Pattison reports that family farmers are facing the worst financial stretch since the 1980s.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

And the name is . . . The Beacon

It is a sad fact that many men, women, and children continue to be homeless in the city of Madison and Dane County.

Here we are in the capital city of Wisconsin, a city known for its progressive character. Yet each year, about 3,500 people experience homelessness, nearly half of them being children.

Working together

How can we reduce or even eliminate homelessness in our city? A bold effort is underway to work on this problem. It is a collaboration of the faith, business, nonprofit, government, and neighborhood communities working together.

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