Almost daily we hear reports of violence in our nation and the world. We experience sorrow, anger, and fear each time we learn about another shooting.
Eventually, we almost feel numb to the violence. We don’t know what we can do — if anything — in the wake of so much hatred in the world.
Of course, we can and should pray. Pray for the victims, their families, the communities affected, and even for the perpetrators. But what else can we do to bring peace to our world?
It doesn’t seem possible that almost a year has passed since Pope Francis issued Laudato Si’, his beautiful encyclical on care for our common home.
Released on June 18, 2015, the encyclical touched on many of the critical issues facing our world today, including the availability of fresh drinking water, the loss of biodiversity, decline in the quality of human life, the breakdown of society, and global inequality, to name a few.
When I was growing up in La Crosse, I used to attend Our Mother of Perpetual Help novenas every Tuesday evening with my family at Blessed Sacrament Parish.
I liked attending the novenas, but I never learned much about this Marian devotion. It wasn’t until recently that I found out how it developed.
I discovered that the icon of the Blessed Mother with her divine son (pictured here) has helped provide strength, comfort, and even miracles to the faithful for centuries.
It seems appropriate during May — the month dedicated to Mary — that we learn more about Our Mother of Perpetual Help.
It is no coincidence that Pope Francis designated that the Year of Mercy should begin on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8.
In his announcement of the Year of Mercy, Pope Francis said, “I am convinced that the whole Church will find in this jubilee the joy needed to rediscover and make fruitful the mercy of God, with which all of us are called to give consolation to every man and woman of our time.
“From this moment, we entrust this Holy Year to the Mother of Mercy, that she might turn her gaze upon us and watch over our journey.”
When I heard about the terrorist bombings in Paris, my heart broke.
I visited Paris many years ago, and it is such a special city. It saddened me to hear that so many innocent people were killed and injured, apparently by three teams of Islamic State terrorists.
Although the French people had a reputation for being somewhat aloof, we found them to be friendly — especially when we spoke some French. Once we made the attempt to communicate with them, the Parisians usually spoke English with us.
But it was not only the loss of lives and the injuries that upset me. It was also the damage the terrorists might have caused to the city of Paris itself.
There are so many historic places in Paris, many of significance to the Catholic Church.
One of the saddest pictures I’ve seen recently is that of a three-year-old Syrian boy lying on a Turkish beach. He looks like he’s sleeping with his head turned to one side. But he isn’t asleep; he’s dead.
Catholic News Service, to which the Catholic Herald subscribes, ran the picture of the little boy. However, I decided not to use that picture with this article (I felt it was too disturbing). Instead, I have included another sad picture: one of the boy’s father weeping. Abdullah Kurdi, father of three-year old Aylan Kurdi, is shown crying as he leaves a morgue in Turkey September 3.
The family of Aylan, the Syrian toddler whose body washed up on a Turkish beach, had been trying to emigrate to Canada after fleeing the war-torn town of Kobani.
Since he has been our Holy Father, Pope Francis has been spending time in prisons.
Not only does he visit prisoners in Rome, but he also puts visits to prisons on his itinerary for trips outside of Rome. When he comes to the United States in September, he will stop at a prison in Philadelphia.
When he was the archbishop of Buenos Aires, he made a point of spending time with prisoners. Even as pope, he continues to make a phone call every other Saturday to inmates he used to visit in Buenos Aires.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I’m hoping this is true, because instead of writing a long “Editor’s View” this week, I’m publishing a picture. I hope it tells the story better than many words!
It was perhaps providential that I paid a visit to Niagara Falls close to the time when Pope Francis issued his encyclical, Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home.
Cardinal Francis George’s episcopal motto was: Christo gloria in ecclesia (To Christ Be Glory in the Church).
Cardinal George dedicated his life to Christ and His Church. However, it wasn’t an easy life, which is probably why Cardinal George felt such compassion for other people.
At age 13, Cardinal George suffered from polio. He said the disease left him “a captive in my own body.”
This is the time of year when Catholics throughout the Diocese of Madison are hearing and reading about the Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA).
Members of parishes have received a letter and pledge form from Bishop Robert C. Morlino. In addition, there have been prayers and announcements about the ACA at Masses each weekend.
There was an insert about the appeal distributed last weekend in parishes; it is also included in this week’s Catholic Herald. Next weekend, we will watch a video message from our bishop.
