When I had children many years ago, I did not have paid maternity leave.
I was able to use my accumulated vacation and sick leave. But that meant that I had very little time off available the rest of the year. That was difficult, especially with young children.
Fortunately for other parents, our nation took a step toward a more family friendly future 25 years ago when the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) became law.
As we know, the more things change, the more they stay the same. That could be said about the Catholic press in our country.
As the United State was forming, opposition to immigration was strong. Sounds familiar?
The lack of social standing of immigrants — many of them Catholic — created a need to unite and educate, to bring news from home, and to fight for civil and religious rights in their new country.
My 12 years attending Catholic schools — eight in elementary school and four in high school — definitely helped shape the person I became in life.
I received an excellent academic education in the Catholic schools I attended, but I benefited from much more than that. My teachers — clergy, Religious, and lay — also taught me about my faith and how to live it out in daily life. I learned the importance of service to others and how to be a leader. And all of these things helped me succeed in life, not only professionally but as a person.
Fr. Tait Schroeder will soon be leaving the Diocese of Madison to work at the Vatican.
One of the first events I covered for the Catholic Herald was a pro-life rally held at the state Capitol on January 22, 1974.
It was held one year after the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
I went back and read that article, which noted that many people attending the rally wore buttons which said, “Give Life a Chance.”
Bishop Robert C. Morlino has asked that people in the Diocese of Madison pray for the triumph of good in our world and the overcoming of evil by praying the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel at all Sunday and Solemnity Masses in our diocese.
In doing some research (see www.catholic.org), I learned that Saint Michael the Archangel is the leader of all angels and the army of God. He has four main responsibilities, according to Scripture and tradition:
• To combat Satan.
• To escort the faithful to heaven at their hour of death.
• To be a champion of all Christians and the Church itself.
• To call men from life on Earth to their heavenly judgment.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino has asked that people in the Diocese of Madison pray for the triumph of good in our world and the overcoming of evil by praying the Prayer to Saint Michael the Archangel at all Sunday and Solemnity Masses in our diocese.
In doing some research (see www.catholic.org), I learned that Saint Michael the Archangel is the leader of all angels and the army of God. He has four main responsibilities, according to Scripture and tradition:
• To combat Satan.
• To escort the faithful to heaven at their hour of death.
• To be a champion of all Christians and the Church itself.
• To call men from life on Earth to their heavenly judgment.
As someone who has three granddaughters living in Wisconsin, I am concerned that our state is one of worst states in our country in terms of both sex and labor trafficking.
That information was shared at Catholics at the Capitol held in March. “Human trafficking is happening in counties all over Wisconsin. It happens everywhere, in rural and urban areas and online,” said keynote speaker Colleen Stratton, a survivor of human trafficking and member of the Eye Heart World Outreach Team.
January is observed as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. It is an effort to raise awareness among businesses, national and community organizations, families, and all Americans to recognize the vital role we can play in ending all forms of slavery and to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities.
This is the time of year when we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
We know that for his mother, Mary, her pregnancy could not have been an easy time. Although she knew she was carrying the Son of God in her womb, it must have been challenging to discuss her pregnancy with others, especially since she and Joseph were not yet married.
Fortunately, Joseph supported her. Yet, they travelled to Bethlehem in the last month of her pregnancy for a census and could find no place to stay in an inn. So Jesus was born in a stable, probably not the easiest place for labor and delivery!
Many women today may find themselves with an unexpected pregnancy. We may know such women; they could be members of our families or friends, people who work with us, married or unmarried.
We’ve been hearing a lot about incidents of sexual abuse of girls and women this year.
It is a difficult subject to talk about, and I think many people want to avoid discussing it. However, I think we all have a responsibility to deal with this issue, especially in our own families.
