Tag: Jesus

On
Abbot Marcel Rooney

Adaptation and renewal of Religious Life: Embracing the vow of obedience

Reflections on Religious Life column by Abbot Marcel Rooney

Editor’s note: During the Year of Consecrated Life which ends on February 2, this is the last in a series based on the Second Vatican Council’s document, Perfectae Caritatis (Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life) written by Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, former abbot primate of the Benedictine order who now resides in Madison.

In this commentary on the Decree of the Second Vatican Council, On the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life (original = Perfectae Caritatis), we have been reflecting on how the Council Fathers envisioned a deep renewal of what the Church calls “the Consecrated Life.”

Number 14 of the decree speaks of one of the evangelical counsels, obedience. It is one of the most important ones, and gives a particular color to the entirety of Religious Life.

Read More
On
Fr. Donald Lange

Continuing to follow Dr. King’s dream

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is an American federal holiday that marks the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. It is observed on the third Monday of January, which is around Dr. King’s birthday, January 15. This year it is observed on January 18.

In his speech to Congress in September of 2015, Pope Francis lifted up four Americans who worked for social justice. They were two non-Catholics, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr., and two Catholics, Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton. Crux columnist John L. Allen Jr. called them the pope’s “Fantastic Four” who stood up for the poor.

Read More
On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Is there still no room at the inn?

We know the familiar story of Jesus’ birth. Mary and Joseph could find no room at an inn in Bethlehem, so Jesus — the son of God — was born in a humble stable.

We realize that the Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, had decreed that a census should be taken, so that’s perhaps why the inns were full.

But the apparent lack of hospitality shown to a pregnant mother and father still should bother us. Why didn’t someone else give up their room for this expectant mother?

Read More
On
Dodie Weberpal

How about spending more time with Jesus?

To the editor:

What an inspiring and wonderful experience we had with Pope Francis. How amazing to see the thousands who traveled many miles and waited hours for even a glimpse of the Holy Father as he drove by.

Yet isn’t something wrong when we have Jesus, Himself, present on our altars for Adoration and the majority of us do not stop our “busy” lives for even an hour for a personal visit with Him?

Read More
On
Morgan Smith

Encountering Christ and radiating Him to others

Morgan Smith

As I go through each day, ­­often monotony sets in, and I try to remember my conversion. I try to keep the memory of what happened to me­ — ­the event of meeting Christ and falling in love with Him­­ — alive to let it permeate my being through the drudgery of everyday things.

This is so difficult for me! Why is it so easy to forget what has happened to us? Why do we allow the distractions of life to take hold of our hearts and minds until we forget the reason for life itself?

Read More
On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Abolish the death penalty

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.

Read More
On
Tom Roberts

Posture for Communion

To the editor:

The article “Reception of Holy Communion in the U.S.” (Catholic Herald, May 28) quotes “the danger of a loss of reverence for the august sacrament of the altar” with the reception of Communion while standing.

Historically, kneeling has been a gesture of submission to emperors and civil authorities. The Communion postures being advocated are the very ones Diocletian, the great Roman persecutor of Christians, decreed to increase the authority of the imperial office.

Read More