In the early years of the Diocese of Madison, a Catholic Family Life Movement included outreach to couples planning to be married and married couples.
Tag: Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell
A timeline of key events in the Diocese of Madison’s 75-year history
Fifth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison
Following is a timeline of key events in the 75-year history of the Diocese of Madison under each of the diocese’s bishops.
Parting thoughts on editorial writing and importance of the Catholic press
When he named me editor of the Catholic Herald in 1986, Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell expressed his confidence in me and encouraged me to write “one solid editorial” every week.
I’ve lived up to his request. In these 34 years, I estimate I’ve written almost 1,600 editorials.
Apostolate puts the disabled front and center
One of my favorite things to cover for the Catholic Herald over the years have been Masses and events sponsored by the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities (formerly the Apostolate to the Handicapped).
Over the past 25 years: Catholic Herald has changed, but mission remains the same
In June of 1986, Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell announced that Msgr. Andrew R. Breines was retiring as editor of the Catholic Herald and he named me as the new editor. I am only the second editor in the 63-year history of the Diocese of Madison’s official newspaper, since Monsignor Breines served in that capacity for 38 years. I might not match his longevity!
My first editorial thanked my predecessor for his many years of faithful service. I said Monsignor Breines “was always cautious to avoid the easy labels of ‘liberal’ and ‘conservative’ often used in the secular media. His writing illuminated without polarizing and attempted to show various sides of complex issues while remaining true to those Church teachings which are clear and unambiguous.”
I pledged that our paper would continue “to enlighten and educate as it has done under his leadership.” Hopefully I have done that over the past 25 years in a time of continuing change in the Church, world, and publishing business.
Remembering Monsignor Campion: His ‘parishioners’ will carry on his legacy
It brought tears to my eyes the first time I saw it. And I probably had to rub my eyes on subsequent times. It always amazed me.
What I’m talking about is the Offertory procession at the Christmas and Easter Masses for the handicapped held for many years at Monroe High School. What happens is about two dozen young men — many of them large football and basketball players — each come up paired with a disabled or elderly person.