Tag: lange

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Fr. Donald Lange

Jesus is main teacher at Catholic schools

In 1974, Catholic Schools Week was established as the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States.

This year it occurs from January 26 to February 1. Catholic schools celebrate with Masses, open houses, and other activities for students, families, parishioners, and community members.

Educate whole person

Jesus is the main teacher in Catholic schools, where students learn about Jesus and his teachings. His message is not just a set of intellectual propositions or truths, but a way of life.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Technology can help the pro-life movement

On January 22, 1973, the United Supreme Court gave our nation Roe v. Wade and its companion decision, Doe v. Bolton. In so doing, it effectively removed every legal protection from human beings prior to birth.

Since then, millions of lives have been destroyed before birth and even during the process of being born. Countless women have been traumatized so deeply by abortion that for years they struggle to find peace, healing, and reconciliation. Men grieve too because they could not “choose” to protect a child they helped bring into existence.

Society has increasingly been coarsened by toleration and acceptance of acts that purposely destroy human life.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Working for peace in the new year

We begin each new year with the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. The World Day of Peace also occurs on January 1.

Mary, the mother of God, gave birth to the prince of peace, who helped the human race to begin anew to work for peace.

Be persons of peace

Since New Year’s is a time to make resolutions, one resolution might be to continue to try to be persons of peace during the new year.

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Fr. Donald Lange

A Christmas crib brought peace to a prison

The original Christmas crib was built at Bethlehem.

Centuries later, St. Francis of Assisi built another Christmas crib and made it popular.

According to The Life of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Bonaventure, in 1223, St. Francis received permission from Pope Honorius III to set up a manger with hay and two live animals — an ox and a donkey — in a cave in the Italian village of Grecio.

He then invited the villagers to visit the scene while he preached about “the babe of Bethlehem.” (Francis was supposedly so overcome by emotion that he couldn’t say “Jesus.”)

A gift of peace

The Christmas crib inspired a group of German POWs in Algona, Iowa, to build a Christmas crib.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Let us sing as we prepare for Jesus’ birth

Years ago, Sister Victricia chose seventh and eighth graders for the Kieler Immaculate Conception grade school choir. Miraculously, I was chosen. At rehearsals, however, whenever I sang, Sister stopped playing the piano and stared at me. My voice was changing. To survive her stares, I began to lip-sync long before I ever heard of it.

A positive thinking friend told me, “Maybe Sister was admiring your singing.” If so, why did she quit staring after I stopped singing? Dad often said that the Louisburg Langes can’t sing. Fr. Ron Lange, my missionary first cousin, agrees.

Perhaps this is a senile illusion, but now I think I can sing a little better at Mass. Because of old age, however, when celebrating Mass I often refrain from singing hymns that I don’t know to conserve my limited energy for parts that I proclaim and for the Gospel reading and homily.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Earth Day invites us to care for our home on Earth

I gratefully recall the evening when Dad and I sat on our front lawn and studied the farmer’s green field across the road.

The sun like a beautiful orange-red host sank slowly into the chalice of God’s good earth. It was a heavenly moment of harmony between God, nature, Dad, and me.

The Earth is God’s

Dad broke the sacred silence by saying, “You know, we don’t really own anything!”

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Fr. Donald Lange

Labor Day invites us to reflect on our work

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.

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On
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.

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