Greta Weissman, a […]
Tag: Christ
The beauty of striving
 |
|
| Morgan Smith |
On a recent trip to Florida, I went kayaking in a nature preserve. I started in the Gulf of Mexico and followed the shoreline into a creek that wove and curved through a forest of banyan trees.
Banyan trees are so mysterious. Their roots rise up out of the ground and intertwine to make the trunk and roots shoot out of the branches and reach toward the ground — actually, I cannot tell exactly where the roots are originating from as they flow together in a beautiful and tangled mess.
All people are children of the same God?
To the editor:
In the January 21 issue of the Catholic Herald is an article about Pope Francis’ visit to a synagogue where he made the statement that all people are children of the same God.
Really??? That is not the teaching of the Scripture. 1 Peter 1:23-25 tells us that we become the children of God through receiving the gospel; Jesus is the Son of God, who came to the earth to die for the forgiveness of sins and will return to gather in those who are His and punish those who are not.
Rejoice during the Year of Mercy
 |
|
| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
This past Sunday — Gaudete or “Rejoice” Sunday — provided plenty of reason for rejoicing.
In addition to our celebration of the rapidly approaching Feast of Christmas (which celebrates not only the Incarnation of the Lord, but also our hope in the Second Coming) we marked, in a particular way, the beginning of the Year of Mercy in the Diocese of Madison.
Opening the Holy Doors
On this past Sunday we opened the Holy Doors, which are present at the two sites of the Cathedral Parish (St. Patrick Church and Holy Redeemer Church) and at the Schoenstatt Founder Shrine.
As I mentioned in my letter for the opening of the Year of Mercy, these doors should be a place of pilgrimage for us and they bear with them a plenary indulgence granted by Pope Francis.
It should be noted, however, that the indulgence does not simply come upon passing through the doors. There is spiritual conversion that is to be done. You need to grow in freedom from the attachment to sin.
A primary symbol of this Year of Mercy is the entrance through the Holy Doors. So, I encourage you to take the time and consider making several pilgrimages through one of the Holy Doors of Mercy.
In the second reading of this past Sunday (Phil 4:4-7) we have that wonderful admonition from the Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always! Rejoice!”
Now, if you look around the world with all the violence, and at the collapse of the culture in our own country, and at the war against the Natural Law, against the law of human reason, which is being waged, there’s reason not to rejoice.
But St. Paul says to rejoice anyway — “Rejoice in the Lord always!” Nothing is so big that it can conquer the joy of Christ. Nothing.
Keeping Christ in the forefront
This Year of Mercy could also be called the “Big Picture Year,” where we keep the big picture in mind — Jesus Christ is still risen from the dead!
King Fest Chili/Soup Cook-Off heats up in McFarland
MCFARLAND — Chili, one of America’s most popular soups, has a long and rich history. The number and variety of recipes grows daily.
Arguments lasting decades concerning the addition of meat to chili continue to rage without resolution and stories abound regarding its origins.
Stories about origins
Enthusiasts of chili say one possible though far-fetched starting point comes from Sister Mary of Agreda, a Spanish nun in the early 1600s who never left her convent yet had out-of-body experiences in which her spirit was transported across the Atlantic to preach Christianity to the Indians.
Remembering saints and all souls in November
 |
|
We begin November by celebrating the feast of All Saints.
All Saints Day
On All Saints Day, we remember and we honor both the canonized and non-canonized saints of the Catholic Church. Both invite and inspire us to imitate their Christ-like lives.
Encountering Christ and radiating Him to others
|
|
| Morgan Smith |
As I go through each day, often monotony sets in, and I try to remember my conversion. I try to keep the memory of what happened to me — the event of meeting Christ and falling in love with Him — alive to let it permeate my being through the drudgery of everyday things.
This is so difficult for me! Why is it so easy to forget what has happened to us? Why do we allow the distractions of life to take hold of our hearts and minds until we forget the reason for life itself?
Rosary Rallies for Religious Liberty to be held at McFarland parish
MCFARLAND — Our religious freedoms have come under attack. What is the Catholic response to hostilities, political agendas, and perhaps unjust laws?
The most important response is to pray, support one another, and reflect on how to bring love and peace to often difficult and emotional situations.
For the fourth year, Christ the King Parish will be holding weekly Rosary Rallies for Religious Liberty. The kickoff is Tuesday, June 23, at which Fr. Steve Smith, pastor, will present a short overview of the issues and our role as Catholics in bringing light and truth to the challenges we are facing.
Corpus Christi Mass and procession to be held in Madison
MADISON — The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord, or Corpus Christi, celebrates the Eucharist in more focused way than Holy Thursday. It is traditionally celebrated on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday, although in many places it is transferred to Sunday.
In 1246, Robert of Thourotte, Bishop of Liège in Belgium, had instituted a feast for the Eucharist at the request of an Augustinian nun and mystic, St. Juliana of Cornillon. Corpus Christi was established for the whole Church by Pope Urban IV in 1264. Its Mass and Office were composed by St. Thomas Aquinas (+1274).
Light will overcome darkness through faith
|
|
| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
Christ is Risen! Indeed, He is Risen! Let the whole world shine forth with joy! Alleluia!
In these days we recall the ultimate reality of our faith and the source of our joy and hope. Jesus Christ, in His victory over sin and death, has won the victory for each of us and for the whole world. The powers of sin and death are but passing things, which shall ultimately hold no power over the Creator of the world, and His Son, sent to redeem it.
Our Easter faith
As I mentioned in my homily at the Chrism Mass this past week, the realities of our Easter faith are essential to keep in mind, especially as we are living in the shadow of the horrible episode in the French Alps, wherein a plane was deliberately destroyed by one of the pilots. The man was sick, we pray for him and we pray for those whom he killed, 150 in total.
There is a great deal of effort being expended attempting to determine what led to this horror. And indeed, there seems to be some serious, clinically-diagnosed depression at play here.