MADISON — “Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.”
We begin by reflecting on these words by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, which define our mission as Christians as being a disciple to Christ and thus our relationship with him gives “direction” to our lives.
Spending an entire day at Love Begins Here (LBH) will make anyone question if they are doing enough with their 24 hours.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness states that there are 564,708 people experiencing homelessness on any given night in the U.S.: 36,907 (6.38 percent) are children, 47,725 (8.33 percent) are veterans, and 269,991 (47.6 percent) are disabled and unable to work.
Many factors can contribute to a person becoming homeless. These factors include (but are not limited to):
• Poverty
• Lack of affordable housing
• Job loss
• Lack of health care
• Mental illness
• Substance abuse
• Domestic violence
JANESVILLE — It’s never a dull moment when Totus Tuus comes to your parish.
For the fourth summer in a row, the Diocese of Madison is presenting the summer Catholic youth program dedicated to sharing the Gospel and promoting the Catholic faith through evangelization, catechesis, Christian witness, and Eucharistic worship.
Two teams of four college-aged leaders each are travelling to a different parish, over a six-week period, to lead programs for grade school-aged and junior high-aged children.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino called the evening “something truly unforgettable.”
Three men — Fr. Jared Holzhuter, Fr. Andrew Showers, and Fr. Luke Syse — were ordained as priests in the Diocese of Madison on June 30.
FORT ATKINSON — In an afternoon “shareshop” on leadership at the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) convention held recently at St. Joseph Parish Hall here, members of MDCCW board shared their enthusiasm for the work of CCWs at the parish and vicariate levels.
Calling each segment an infomercial, Co-President Sue Koch introduced each one, beginning with technology presented by MDCCW Treasurer Kathy Loy, Fennimore, and Jan Block, Grant Vicariate president from Lancaster.
We rejoice in the ordination of three new priests for the Diocese of Madison: Frs. Jared Holzhuter, Andrew Showers, and Luke Syse.
While we thank God for the gift of their priesthood, some of us can also take a little credit for their ordination.
Why is that? According to the annual survey of this year’s ordination class, 82 percent of the men ordained to the priesthood were encouraged by four people in their lives, including parish priests, friends, or other parishioners.
MADISON — Youth of all ages in the Diocese of Madison are busy spending time with old friends and new friends and growing in faith and fun.
Two programs now underway for the year, Love Begins Here — in its ninth year in the diocese– and Totus Tuus — in its fourth year — both promise to help grow kids’ hearts for Christ.
Love Begins Here (LBH) is an apostolate of the Diocese of Madison Office of Evangelization and Catechesis.
Deacons Jared Holzhuter, Andrew Showers, and Luke Syse will be ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison on Friday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison.
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| Bishop Robert C. Morlino gave a talk on the “Ethics of IVF and Surrogacy” at Holy Family Church in Waterloo on May 18. Here he is pictured with Fr. Jorge Miramontes, pastor. (Photo by Laura Karlen) |
WATERLOO — Fewer areas of ethics have become more complex than those surrounding reproductive technologies. How can the Catholic faithful begin to recognize the problems with advancements such as in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, and surrogacy and truly understand the Church’s position?
It takes a good teacher. On Thursday, May 18, Bishop Robert C. Morlino drew on his doctoral studies in Moral Theology and specialization in bioethics to teach on the issue of surrogacy at Holy Family Catholic Parish in Waterloo.
In early 2016, an existing surrogacy agency, Pink & Blue Surrogacy and Fertility LLC, moved into a storefront on the main street in Waterloo. The agency matches intended parents who desire a child with a surrogate mother, a woman who is contracted and compensated to carry a child —usually conceived through in vitro fertilization — for the intended parents.
At first glance, Bishop Morlino said this can sound like an “act of charity” on the part of the surrogate mother, who is enabling a couple to bring home a baby. But, a closer look reveals surrogacy’s “moral evil.”
