Tag: Catholics

On
George Weigel

Tim Tebow and Christophobia

The Catholic Difference by George Weigel

Two weeks into the NFL season, ESPN ran a Sunday morning special exploring why the third-string quarterback of the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow, had become the most polarizing figure in American sports.

He has become more polarizing than trash-talking NBA behemoths; more polarizing than foul-mouthed Serena Williams; more polarizing than NFL all-stars who father numerous children by numerous women, all out of wedlock.

Why does Tebow, and Tebow alone, arouse such passions? Why is Tebow the one whom “comedians” say they would like to shoot?

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On
John Huebscher

Human beings are not commodities

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

The cornerstone of Catholic social teaching is that human life is sacred. As such the Catholic Conference evaluates any law, policy, or program in terms of its impact on the life and dignity of the human person.

Teaching on the economy

Catholic teaching on the economy reflects this emphasis on the human person. Pope John Paul II put it quite directly in his 1981 encyclical letter, Laborem exercens. He recalled that the error of early capitalism can be repeated wherever humans are treated as mere instruments or means of production and not as ends in themselves.

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Sr. Constance Carolyn Veit

The elderly are a blessing, not a burden

As the 20th century came to a close, the United Nations celebrated the International Year of Older Persons, heralding the vision of “A Society for All Ages.”

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The first years of the new millennium have been anything but that, with the abandonment of frail seniors during natural disasters from New Orleans to Japan, the legalization of assisted suicide in several U.S. states and foreign countries, and political rhetoric that seems to consider the growing population of seniors merely as a drain on our health care system and the federal budget. Is this the society for all ages we envisioned in 1999?

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On
John Huebscher

We celebrate Labor Day for very good reasons

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

Years ago, when we were packing for one of our family vacations, I asked my mother where she went for vacations when she was a little girl.

“We didn’t take vacations when I was little,” she said. “Your grandfather worked for a railroad, and if he wanted a day off, they would give his job to someone else.” She paused a moment and said, “Later when the union came, we got to take vacations.”

Enjoy benefits won by others

I think of that moment from time to time, usually around Labor Day. It’s useful to recall that what many of us enjoy today is the result of victories won by others years ago.

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John Huebscher

Is conceal carry proposal necessary?

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

The right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and by the Wisconsin Constitution.

But that right, like many others, is not absolute and may be regulated to a certain extent. One such regulation is our state’s current ban on carrying concealed weapons.

Proposal up for consideration

Wisconsin is nearly alone in that regard. For some time this fact has fueled a desire to join other states in permitting citizens to carry a concealed weapon (CCW). Such legislation has passed twice in recent years only to be vetoed by Governor Doyle.

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John Huebscher

Catholic conferences bring Church’s message

The springtime of the year is a season for debates over state budgets. Here, as in other places, state Catholic Conferences are part of the conversation.

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

And here, as in other states, the issues of concern to state Catholic Conferences don’t fit neatly into the conventional liberal-conservative categories.

WCC and the budget proposal

In Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) backs the governor’s recommendations regarding the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program and his proposal to remove the mandate that health insurance policies include contraceptive services coverage, even when religious organizations do not want to purchase such coverage.

The WCC also supports budget provisions that limit or end funding for family planning programs, but also urges that those funds be redirected to programs that help pregnant women and their children.

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Olivia Knier

Growing closer to the Mother of God during May

Our Lady is for us the ultimate example of somebody adhering herself fully to God’s will. She was surely scared and unsure of what might come next, but unknowingly said yes to God’s will, that she would bear His son.

We can use this as a model for our relationship with God, and invoke Mary’s kind whispers in Jesus’ ear to help us through a hard time and grow closer to Jesus.

Devotion through the Rosary

Obviously, a powerful devotion to Our Lady, the Rosary is a great way to strengthen your relationship with God’s mother. While many people my own age think of the Rosary as a chore to pray with family or a boring task, sometimes its true potential is never quite realized.

 

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