Tag: Fr

On
Fr. Joseph Baker

Important questions and decision

Death: Our Birth into Eternal life

Fr. Joseph Baker

The following article is the next installment in a series that will appear in the Catholic Herald to offer catechesis and formation concerning end-of-life decisions, dying, death, funerals, and burial of the dead from the Catholic perspective.

We should all be prepared for those difficult situations when end-of-life medical decisions need to be made.

Modern medical advancements have given us wonderful opportunities to bring about cures, to slow the progression of diseases, and to alleviate many symptoms.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Observing the week of prayer for Christian unity

The theme for the 2021 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18 to January 25) is “Abide in my Love. You shall Bear Much Fruit.”

This theme finds its origin in John’s gospel (cf. John 15:5-9). In Jesus’ time, important people often shared what was important to them in a farewell discourse. In chapters 14-17 of John’s gospel, Christ’s farewell discourse shows that unity is important to Him.

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Catholic Herald Staff

Fr. Francis Steffen dies

Reverend Father Francis Jerome Steffen entered eternal life on December 28, 2020 at the age of 89, at Edenbrook Nursing Home in Platteville, Wisconsin. He was born on November 18, 1931 in Platteville, Wisconsin, and is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Florence (Klar) Steffen, by his sister, Rosemary (Elmer) Digman, and his step-mother, Clara Steffen (Bussan, Tesmer).

After attending Sunnydale Rural Grade School in Belmont Township, and then St. Mary Parish Grade School, Platteville, Fr. Steffen attended Loras High School in Dubuque, Iowa. He completed his collegiate studies at Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 1953. He attended St. Francis Major Seminary, Saint Francis, Wisconsin, for theological studies. After ordination, he subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Library Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fr. Steffen was ordained to the sacred priesthood by The Most Reverend William P. O’Connor, Bishop of Madison, on May 25, 1957 at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Fr. Kumud Nayak ordained to the priesthood

Fr. Kumud Ordination
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison lays hands on Fr. Kumud Nayak, CJD, during Father Nayak’s Ordination Mass on December 7 at Holy Name Heights in Madison.
(Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak)

MADISON — The vigil of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception included a blessing for the Diocese of Madison — a new priest.

Fr. Kumud Nayak was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison on December 7 in the Holy Name Oratory at Holy Name Heights in Madison.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a limited number of invited guests were able to attend the Ordination Mass, while hundreds from the diocese and elsewhere watched via a livestream.

‘Here I am, Lord’

“Let Rev. Mr. Kumud Chandra Nayak, who is to be ordained a priest, come forward,” proclaimed Deacon Chris Schmelzer during the Mass.

At those words, still-Deacon Kumud stood up from his pew and uttered “present”.

He then came forward as Vicar General Msgr. James Bartylla presented the priesthood candidate to Bishop Hying.

Knowing him to be “worthy,” Bishop Hying said, “Relying on the help of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we choose Kumud, our brother, for the order of the priesthood”.

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Fr. Joseph Baker

Managing pain at the end of life

Death: Our Birth into Eternal life

Fr. Joseph Baker

The following article is the next installment in a series that will appear in the Catholic Herald to offer catechesis and formation concerning end-of-life decisions, dying, death, funerals, and burial of the dead from the Catholic perspective.

Using the principle of therapeutic proportionality, we have examined the use of curative and life-sustaining treatments.

Recall that there is no moral obligation to utilize such treatments, if, in one’s best judgment, such measures would be futile or result in burdens disproportionate to anticipated benefits.

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