Tag: Mass

On
Christina Capecchi

A short life bookended by tragedy

Guest Column

The youth choir Christina Green belonged to performs just once a month, on the second Sunday at the 9 a.m. Mass. And sure enough, the day after the nine-year-old was killed in Tucson, Ariz., the youngest victim of the shooting targeting Representative Gabrielle Giffords, St. Odilia’s youth choir sang.

It was January 9, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, and there was just one Baptism at that Mass, a nine-year-old girl.

That wasn’t lost on Fr. Richard Troutman, pastor of St. Odilia Parish in Tuscon, Ariz.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Roe vs. Wade challenges us to protect the unborn

In 1925 Dorothy Day became pregnant. Because of a previous abortion, her pregnancy seemed a miracle. Now she had to make the toughest decision she ever made. If she gave birth, Forster Batterham, the child’s father, would probably leave her. He would stay with her if she aborted their baby.

On March 4, 1926, Dorothy gave birth to Tamar Teresa. She had her baptized and raised her as a Catholic. Later, Dorothy Day became a Catholic. Her decision caused her to lose the man she loved. But she gained salvation for herself and Tamara.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

The lasting spirit of Christmas

During World War II near London, on Christmas morning, some lonely American soldiers looked for a Mass to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

As they searched, they discovered an old gray stone building. Carved over the door were the words, “Queen Anne’s Orphanage.” They knocked and a matron came to the door. She explained that the children were orphans whose parents had been killed in bombing raids.

Sharing the Christmas spirit

The soldiers went inside as the children tumbled happily out of bed and hurried into the gray guest room. There were no Christmas trees, crib, or presents.

 

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Verbal victims of the Dictatorship of Relativism
This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

We live in a world where many, many people have either made themselves into “God” or they’ve been tricked into thinking that they are “God” by others. The impact of this reality touches each and every aspect of our lives and shakes the foundations of our society and certainly of our Church.

Our Holy Father has spoken several times of what he has called the “Dictatorship of Relativism” — that is, there is no objective truth. To say there is no objective truth is to say there is no God. These are the same statement, for when one says there is no objective truth, they are, in effect, saying, “I’m God,” and therefore, “I create the world in which I live.” If there is no objective truth or objective way that things are, then things are the way that one thinks they are. It allows one to say, “I create my own world, my own bubble, which is different from everybody else’s bubble.”

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On
Charles J. Sippel, Waterloo

Latin was introduced as a vernacular language

To the editor:

In the article “Latin Mass appeal” in the Catholic Herald (February 11, 2010), Kenneth J. Wolfe does not mention that Latin was introduced into the liturgy as a vernacular language for the Romans by Pope Saint Callistus between 217 and 222 AD. He felt sorry for the Romans since they could not understand Greek. Latin was their speaking language.

He does not mention that the language of the first Mass, the Last Supper, was Aramaic.

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On
Frank J. Gilardi, Ph.D., Madison

Preserve some Latin words but offer Mass in vernacular

To the editor:

On Kenneth J. Wolfe’s article, “Latin Mass appeal” (Catholic Herald, February 11, 2010), I would like to make two comments.

When the language of the Mass was changed from Hebrew/Aramaic to Greek to suit the Greek worshipers, two Hebrew words were preserved: Amen and Alleluja. When later the Greek language yielded to Latin in Western Europe, three Greek words were preserved: Kyrie, Christe, eleison.

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