MADISON — If there were one word to describe the recent “Celebration of Life” event at the Alliant Energy Center, it would be “thanks.”
The evening had a mood of gratitude from both those who put on the benefit dinner and those who attended.
The event was an opportunity for Our Lady of Hope Clinic and the Women’s Care Center of Madison (WCC) to show how they have worked to build a “Culture of Life” in Dane County.
MADISON — Knights of Columbus (KofC) insurance agents Dennis O’Connell and Luke Meinholz, in conjunction with Relevant Radio 1240 AM, are hosting a charity Mallard’s game to support the work of the Women’s Care Center (WCC) in Madison.
The game will be on Sunday, July 27, at 5:05 p.m. The Madison Mallards will be playing the Green Bay Bullfrogs.
To the editor:
Do you think our forefathers, who so carefully crafted our Constitution and Bill of Rights to protect our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are happy or horrified at the turn their beloved nation has taken in these past 50 years? Their 13 colonies became One Nation under GOD, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Three branches of government were created: Legislative [elected] by citizens to past just laws, Judicial [appointed] to interpret laws, and Administrative [also elected] to enforce the laws.
Often when we speak of respecting all human life, we talk about the full spectrum of life from “womb to tomb.” However, it seems as if more of our energy and attention seem to focus on the beginning of life rather than the end of it.
That’s probably because most people don’t like to think about death and dying. Even though we will all die sometime, we usually prefer to put off any discussions about dying until we’re forced into it.
However, we should be concerned about issues involving care of the sick and dying, particularly in light of increased efforts to pass laws legalizing physician-assisted suicide.
HAZEL GREEN — St. Francis De Sales Parish, 2720 N. Percival St., will host the fall Grant Vicariate CCW meeting on Friday, Oct. 11.
Registration and exhibits start at 9 a.m., followed by business meeting. Fr. Lorin Bowens, Lime Ridge, along with attending priests, will celebrate Mass at 11, followed by lunch and program by Clowns for Christ.
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino has announced the distribution of three local grants from the diocesan portion of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) collection.
CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty by helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities.
MADISON — Wisconsin’s Catholic bishops have released the third edition of their pastoral letter on end-of-life health care decision-making and advance care planning, Now and at the Hour of Our Death.
The letter voices the bishops’ concern and compassion for those facing critical health care decisions, and shares a moral and ethical framework for making such decisions.
“The conference issued the first edition of this pastoral statement in 2002. That edition and the second one issued in 2006 have proven to be our most frequently requested document,” explained Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) Executive Director John Huebscher.
“In the seven years since the second edition, we have seen even greater interest in the moral questions surrounding death and dying. The bishops are resolved to keep responding to that interest. Reissuing the document is an effective way to do that.”
I met a young priest in Fairfax, Va., last week. Of course “young” is a relative term. Everyone around me gets younger with each passing year.
Father Jaffe had been at the parish for less than a week and was the priest on call for the local hospital. It was 2 a.m. when his pager went off. A couple had lost their eight-year-old son hours before and the mother wouldn’t let go of his body.
All attempts of the staff and hospital chaplain to get her to release her son had failed. She sat rocking him, unresponsive to anyone. The woman wasn’t Catholic, but the staff knew from experience that it was time to call in a priest.
When the newly ordained 26-year-old arrived, he did the only thing that came to mind. He sat with the parents in silence for a moment and said, “It looks like you need some prayer.” He opened his rite book, The Pastoral Care of the Sick to the section with the prayers for the deceased and he began to pray aloud.
Q My mother lives in northern Illinois. This is home, where we grew up. My mom is in her late 80s, dad died several years ago. My mother gave up the family home and moved into an apartment and has been doing okay, but recently she has been telling me how she is losing so many of her friends. She feels alone.
I am thinking about asking her to move in with me. My brother and sister live in California and Georgia and I know she would not want to live in either of those states.
I wonder if living with me would help her feel less lonely and help me feel less guilty about not always being there for her. (From a daughter in Wausau).
Q What exactly does Medicare cover? My father is in his late 70’s and in failing health.
He has told me when the time comes he would agree to go to a “home,” (my mother died many years ago).
He seems to think Medicare will cover the cost of a nursing home. I don’t think it does. Who is right? (From a son in Beloit).
