Pope Francis has died April 21 at the age of 88.
Tag: Francis
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.
Letter from Bishop Hying concerning Pope Francis’ comments on the topic of ‘civil unions’
On October 21, news of Pope Francis’ comments from a 2019 interview included in a new documentary film, which seem to signal his private and personal support for civil unions of homosexuals, made world headlines.
St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
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Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is October 4, remains one of Catholicism’s most popular saints.
Statues and pictures of him abound, especially in gardens and fields, and young people often choose him as their Confirmation saint.
He captures the imagination of artists, writers, poets, intellectuals, and common folk alike.
It is easy to romanticize his story, but like all saints, Francis shows us what happens when an individual gives everything to Christ.St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!
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Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is October 4, remains one of Catholicism’s most popular saints.
Statues and pictures of him abound, especially in gardens and fields, and young people often choose him as their Confirmation saint.
He captures the imagination of artists, writers, poets, intellectuals, and common folk alike.
It is easy to romanticize his story, but like all saints, Francis shows us what happens when an individual gives everything to Christ.Presbyteral assembly to be held September 21 and 22 in Cross Plains
This year’s annual presbyteral assembly will be at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cross Plains on Monday, Sept. 21, and Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Earth Day and Laudato Si’
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A parishioner asked his pastor, “Father, it seems that every time I read a Catholic newspaper, I read about taking care of the environment. Shouldn’t we Catholics be more concerned about taking care of the world’s bigger problems such as war, hunger, and sickness?”
The priest responded, “Haven’t you heard about Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology? It is the first encyclical in Catholic Church history to focus on ecology and care for creation. In this encyclical, Pope Francis makes a connection between care for the environment and war, hunger, and sickness.”
What is ‘synodality’ and walking the synodal path?
It was a great privilege for me to participate in the Synod on Young People in the fall of 2018.
Spending time with my spiritual father
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I write these words from the Eternal City of Rome, whither I’ve come with my brother bishops from Region 11 (California, Nevada, and Hawaii) for our ad limina visit.
This is a regular and canonically required trip to pray at the limina apostolorum (the threshold of the Apostles), the tombs of Ss. Peter and Paul, and to meet with the successor of Peter.
Yesterday was the first official day of the pilgrimage, and it was extraordinary indeed.
Bishop Hying visits Cross Plains parish, school
CROSS PLAINS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cross Plains had the special honor of having Bishop Donald J. Hying visit our parish and school on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The bishop presided at the 8:15 a.m. school Mass and then spent time in each of our classrooms talking and praying with students.