Dear Friends,
For those who are willing to see, it doesn’t take much looking to notice the evil that surrounds us. Lies and deceit, violence and murder, hatred and malice, and more and more often, vice treated as virtue.
Tag: blessed
Blessed Sacrament School holds blood drive in honor of student
MADISON — Blessed Sacrament School recently held a blood drive in honor of one of its students diagnosed with leukemia for a second time.
The first blood drive in honor of fourth-grader Nora Williamson was held in November of last year.
Former Blessed Sacrament student and current Edgewood High School student Kevin Thomas organized the blood drive.
Thomas has been volunteering with the Red Cross since he was 14. About a year ago, he met Nora and learned she had leukemia.
Bishop blesses new Stations at Cathedral site
On the Feast of the Exaltation (Triumph) of the Cross, September 14, Bishop Robert C. Morlino prayed and blessed the new Way of the Cross at the site of St. Raphael Cathedral, which was destroyed by arson seven years ago.
Striving for holiness, gift of faith
As we prepare to begin another school year, I often reflect on how blessed we in this diocese are, blessed with over 40 Catholic elementary schools, well over twice the average number of Catholic schools found in dioceses of similar size.
These schools are treasures, pearls of faith, hope, love, and knowledge shining brightly for our parishes, our communities, and our Church.
Blessed Pope John Paul II: Influence continues today
A ripple effect is taking place from the many important documents and contributions made by Blessed Pope John Paul II in his lifetime, according to Professor Douglas Bushman , who gave an engaging talk about the life and works of John Paul the Great as part of a special diocesan event in his honor held at St. Maria Goretti Church on May 20.
Diocesan celebration of Blessed John Paul II’s beatification
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| Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre poses in front of a picture of the late Pope John Paul II after a news conference in Aix en Provence, France, in January of 2011. (CNS photo/Jean-Paul Pelissier, Reuters) |
MADISON — The chant rang out in St. Peter’s square in Rome at what turned out to be perhaps the largest gathering in of Christianity in history, “Santo Subito!”
A consensus among the faithful and even the community of the world seemed to be aptly expressed: “Sainthood Now!” for the recently deceased pontiff John Paul II.
Joining the estimated four million Christian mourners gathered in Rome was the single largest gathering of heads of state ever outside of the United Nations, including four kings, five queens, and at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, with more than 14 leaders of other religions symbolizing this universal recognition of John Paul II’s extraordinary life.
“Santo Subito” was not just a slogan that emerged on this afternoon of April 8, 2005, but one that dates back to the early centuries of the Church in conjunction with another slogan at the time, “Vox Populi, vox Dei,” meaning “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”
From the Threshold of the Apostles
“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days” (Galatians 1:18).
In my previous two-part preparatory article, I outlined the historical context and current format and content of the ad limina apostolorum pilgrimage, literally, “to the threshold of the apostles,” by bishops to Rome on a quinquennial basis, i.e., five-year basis.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino and the bishops of Region VII, comprising Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, recently completed their pilgrimage and I’ll offer a brief reflection in thanksgiving as a privileged pilgrim accompanying Bishop Morlino on the ad limina pilgrimage.
I extend my deepest thanks to Bishop Morlino for the opportunity to assist him and accompany him on the ad limina pilgrimage.
Observing Lent with Mary
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Lent invites us to seek and find God. In this regard, our earthly pilgrimage continues, fixing our eyes on God.
It is our delight to take short-cuts, especially when our way is long and hard. Indeed, our way to God looks enormously long and tedious. God knew our problem and came to our rescue.
Seeking and finding
God in his infinite love created in his children a heart that longs for him. God, from his part, loved to be with us. Salvation history illustrates beautifully this mutual seeking and finding of God and his children. God was the first one to seek.
We need priests to celebrate the Eucharist
In the United States the Catholic Church celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week from Monday, Jan. 9, to Saturday, Jan. 14, this year.
During this week the Church asks us to pray for all vocations. In no. 2013 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness.” God calls us all to live our faith and seek out our vocation as a deacon, priest, Religious Brother, Sister, married, or single person.
No priests, no Eucharist
However, we need to continue to pray for and encourage priestly vocations because priests preside at the Eucharist, which is the center of Catholic life. During the 2009 Year for Priests, Pope Benedict stressed that without priests there would be no Eucharist, no mission, or Church. We priests have the privilege of celebrating Mass and ministering to Catholics at key spiritual times in their lives from infancy to old age. Priests administer the sacraments, preach, offer pastoral care, and much more.
Christmas peace: A gift for Jesus and the world
A few years ago playwright/director Peter Rothstein created a theatrical concert and musical radio drama entitled, All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. This theatrical concert dramatizes a remarkable incident of peace that happened during an unplanned truce during World War I, which some called the war to end all wars.
A Christmas truce
On Christmas Eve, at certain places along the front, German and British soldiers spontaneously sang Christmas carols. On Christmas day unarmed enemy soldiers met in no man’s land, and exchanged gifts of tobacco, rum, chocolate, and even family photographs. In one section they buried each other’s dead and played soccer.