Just before Christmas, we learned of more violence in the world. In Berlin, Germany, a truck drove into a crowd of holiday shoppers at a Christmas market, killing at least 12 people and injuring as many as 50.
This attack came just hours after the assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey. The gunman was identified as a Turkish police officer who yelled, “Don’t forget Aleppo. Don’t forget Syria,” after he shot Andrei G. Karlov in the back.
It may not be a coincidence that two significant dates in history occurred in our country within a few days of each other in January, albeit in different years.
One New Year’s resolution often heard is: “I will cultivate a sense of humor.” Maybe we say this because we feel we’re too serious much of the time.
When I hear about someone being murdered, I say a prayer for the victim — and for the perpetrator.
Someone might question my praying for someone who has committed a crime. However, there are many circumstances that lead to that act of violence against another person.
We don’t know everything involved in that person’s life. Sometimes there may have been a lifetime of abuse he or she endured. There may have been mental illness leading to that act of violence.
Although we may be tempted to call only for justice for the victim — an “eye for an eye” — we also have to consider the possibility of forgiveness and healing for the murderer.
Abortion has been legal in the United States since 1973, but that doesn’t mean most Americans approve of abortion.
According to a national Marist University survey released this year, the vast majority of Americans are very uncomfortable with abortion. Eighty-four percent said that laws should protect both the well-being of a woman and the life of the unborn child. The poll revealed that a majority of Americans say abortion is morally wrong (60 percent).
The survey also found support for abortion restrictions among both “pro-life” and “pro-choice” supporters, according to an article on www.lifenews.com
Friday, June 26, will be a day of great joy in the Diocese of Madison. On that day, Bishop Robert C. Morlino will ordain six men to the priesthood at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison
Our society today seems to be obsessed with controlling pain. Most people experiencing pain of any kind run for the nearest bottle of pain-relieving pills to stop their discomfort.
There are also people who protest the supposed pain felt by animals in scientific research (there is disagreement over how much pain animals actually feel during experiments). And there are those who don’t like farm animals to be raised in environments which cause them pain and distress.
But where is the outcry about the pain experienced by unborn babies during an abortion procedure? We don’t hear much about their pain.
Yet, there is growing medical evidence that unborn children do feel pain at 20 weeks or more of gestation. It’s not surprising that a child dismembered in the womb would feel pain.
May is a busy month filled with many special occasions and observances, from Mother’s Day to Memorial Day — and many graduations inbetween.
Since the 13th century, the Catholic Church has dedicated the month of May to Mary, our Blessed Mother. In May of 2002, St. John Paul II said, “In accord with a long-standing tradition of devotion, parishes and families continue to make the month of May a ‘Marian’ month, celebrating it with many devout liturgical, catechetical, and pastoral initiatives.”
Since Mary is the mother to all of us, I’m sure she would encourage us to cherish all members of our families, especially those in their later years of life.
Several years ago, I made my first visit to Arlington National Cemetery. I had a specific destination: to visit the grave of one of our deceased neighbors.
She had served as a nurse during World War II and met her husband during the war. They decided to be buried at Arlington.
However, when she died, her husband was not able to attend the burial ceremony there because of his age and health. I happened to be traveling to Washington, D.C., for a meeting, so I told him I would visit her grave and take pictures.
Just when Pope Francis plans to canonize Blessed Junipero Serra on September 23 during his visit to the United States this year, the California Senate voted April 12 to replace Serra’s statue in the U.S. Capitol with a statue of the astronaut Sally Ride.
The vote must still be approved by the California Assembly and by Governor Jerry Brown.
Each state can place two statues of its important citizens in the U.S. Capitol. The statue of Serra has been in the Capitol since 1934. The other California statue is of former President Ronald Reagan.
