Jesus – Page 4 – Madison Catholic Herald Archive (2001-2025)

Labor Day has become a day of parades, picnics, and political speeches. Many see this day as a celebration of summer’s end, the beginning of school, and one more chance to relax before fall’s busyness. Labor Day did not begin with this intention.

On September 5, 1882, the first Labor Day celebration and parade in the United States were held in New York City. Thousands of workers marched in a parade up Broadway carrying banners that read: “EIGHT HOURS FOR WORK, EIGHT HOURS FOR REST, EIGHT HOURS FOR RECREATION.” It became a federal holiday in 1894.

Reflecting on dignity of work

In 1891, in his ground-breaking encyclical Rerum Novarum, Pope Leo XIII outlined the rights of workers to a fair wage, safe working conditions, and formation of labor unions, while affirming the rights of property and free enterprise.

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On June 29, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

July 4 invites us to reflect on freedom

Independence Day is an American federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Studying the Declaration of Independence can motivate us to reflect upon the meaning of freedom and independence.

Dependence on God

We Catholics believe that our independence and freedom are rooted in our dependence upon God. Our dependence upon God is clearly stated in the preamble of the Declaration of Independence.

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On May 25, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

Memorial Day reminds us to work for peace

In Vietnam, Brian Rooney, an Army medic, knelt to read a dying soldier’s dog tags. As he did, the soldier whispered, “Remember me.” Rooney promised that he would remember him.

He certainly did. According to the May 23, 2003, Los Angeles Daily News, Brian Rooney spent thousands of his dollars and hundreds of hours memorializing and remembering America’s war dead.

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On May 11, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

Mothers are often under-appreciated

On January 7, 2015, during his general audience, Pope Francis lamented how mothers are often under-appreciated.

The pope stated, “To be a mother is a great treasure. Mothers, in their unconditional, sacrificial love for their children, are the antidote to individualism. They are the greatest enemies against war.”

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On April 20, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

Let’s make every day an Earth Day

We in Wisconsin should especially appreciate Earth Day because it was started by Gaylord Nelson when he was a U.S. senator from Wisconsin.

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans crowded streets, parks, and auditoriums to celebrate the first Earth Day. They called for a healthy, sustainable environment. Earth Day’s time had come.

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On April 13, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

Jesus’ resurrection is at the heart of our faith

On Easter, we celebrate the feast of Jesus’ resurrection. His resurrection is the heart of our faith.

In 1 Corinthians 15:14, St. Paul teaches, “If Christ has not been raised from the dead, then our preaching is in vain and our faith empty.”

Jesus’ kingdom

Like many Jews who suffered from messiah fever, on Holy Thursday, deep down, the apostles may still have had lingering hopes that Christ was a political messiah who would conquer the hated Roman occupiers and establish his earthly kingdom.

Despite three years of on-the-job training, the apostles often failed to fully understand that Christ’s kingdom was a kingdom of justice, love, and peace and not of power and violence.

Around the Diocese

On March 23, 2017

Kevin Wondrash

Eucharistic Day at Sacred Hearts Parish, Sun Prairie

SUN PRAIRIE — St. Teresa of Avila once heard someone say, “If only I had lived at the time of Jesus . . . If only I had seen Jesus . . . If only I had talked with Jesus . . .”

St. Teresa replied, “But do we not have in the Eucharist the living, true, and real Jesus present before us? Why look for more?”

Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, 221 Columbus St., will hold its annual Eucharistic Day, Sunday, March 26.

Letters to the editor

On February 15, 2017

Elizabeth Durack

Repentant persons can reveal Lord’s mercy

To the editor:

Have you ever noticed that among thousands of women saints who are virgins, and several great men saints who repented of fornication, there are no unambiguously historical canonized women saints who were neither virgins nor married, except, traditionally, Mary Magdalene?

One might confusedly wonder if Jesus is above all for virgins, not sinners, and if such women should pin their hopes on purgatory.

Around the Diocese

On February 8, 2017

Chris Lee

Lenten retreat for Latino families

“To become saints only one thing is necessary: to accept the grace that the Father gives us in Jesus Christ. There, this grace changes our heart.” — Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy

MADISON — St. Thomas Aquinas Parish is hosting a Lenten retreat for Latino families, “Encounter Jesus,” on Sunday, March 5, from 1 to 7:30 p.m.

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes

On January 25, 2017

Fr. Donald Lange

Appreciating teachers in Catholic schools

In 1974, National Catholic Schools Week was established as the annual celebration of Catholic education. In 2017, Catholic Schools Week begins on January 29 and ends on February 4. Its 2017 theme is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge, and Service.”

During this special week, Masses, open houses, and other activities for students, families, parishioners, and others are offered. Through these events, Catholic schools call attention to contributions Catholic education provides for youth, church, community, and country.

Since I was a Catholic school- teacher for 22 years, in this article I will focus upon appreciating the value of Catholic schoolteachers.