During a recent family reunion, my elderly mother and I were the only ones at the table without smartphones. We felt left out.
A few days later I read that Pope Francis advised parents to ban mobile devices from the dinner table to help restore the quality of family relationships.
These two occurrences reminded me of the life of our foundress, St. Jeanne Jugan.
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I had the enormous privilege recently of addressing English-speaking priests from around the world who had gathered in Rome for a special Jubilee celebration of the Year of Mercy. I met Fathers from the States, Canada, Australia, Latvia, Ghana, Cameroon, Ireland, Nigeria, and many other countries.
During the Communion at the Mass which followed my talk, I saw hundreds of priests in their albs coming to the altar to receive the Lord, and I thought of the passage from the Book of Revelation concerning the white-robed army gathered around the throne of the Lamb.
As a basis for my presentation, I used the wonderful story from the fourth chapter of John’s Gospel concerning Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well. From this encounter, I derived four principles regarding the divine mercy.
“Kids! Set the table! Finish vacuuming!”
My voice roared through the house as I struggled to complete the task of getting dinner on the table for my family of six. It was 5:55, and Daddy would be home shortly.
Homework was scattered across the table, toys littered the living room floor, the two little ones were bickering downstairs, and the two older ones, lost in books, were reluctant to tackle their chores.
The general chaos of the household suddenly set me on fire as I caved in to the feelings of stress and anger that erupted on the surface.
JEFFERSON — Inspired by the Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, Margarete Schels’ eighth grade class at St. John the Baptist (SJB) Catholic School organized a “Basketball FUNday” in honor of Kena Eighmy, a fifth grade student battling leukemia.
Extended care teacher Katie Warpinski, whose own husband, Josh, is fighting cancer, suggested that the students do something for Kena.
With the guidance of their teacher and school principal, Susan Loof, they planned the all-morning event that offered a variety of activities.
ASHTON — “I want to talk to you today about something very special that we can pray about,” said Grace Mazza Urbanski, director of children’s ministry for the Apostleship of Prayer, to students at St. Peter School in Ashton.
That “very special thing” was mercy.
“We’re going to pretend we are mercy walking through the world,” Urbanski said.
The Apostleship of Prayer, based in Milwaukee, encourages Christians to make a daily offering of themselves to the Lord for the coming of God’s Kingdom and for the Holy Father’s monthly intentions.
MADISON — St. […]
MONONA — A celebration of the Feast of Divine Mercy will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Monona on Sunday, April 3, beginning at 2:30 p.m.
The liturgy will include Eucharistic Adoration, blessing of the Divine Mercy image, the Divine Mercy chaplet (sung), Litany of the Saints, recitation of the Rosary, the Divine Mercy Litany, and benediction.
LA CROSSE — The Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe will host the Relics of the Passion program throughout Divine Mercy weekend, Friday through Sunday, April 1 to 3, starting at 10 a.m. each day. The program will be at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The event, designed to connect participants to the roots of their faith, is sponsored by the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in collaboration with the Apostolate for Holy Relics (AHR), an organization founded 10 years ago in Los Angeles.
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| 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. |
Dear Friends,
The Gospel reading of this past weekend (Jn 8:1-11) provides a portrait of Jesus in the face of intense anger and hatred and it leaves us with two key points: 1) how we might react to diffuse such situations, and 2) the importance and the inseparable nature of mercy and repentance.
Now, the Gospel really shows us the Pharisees and the Scribes at their worst. They are out to get Jesus.
Let’s recall the story — some people have begun to question whether Jesus is the Messiah and He has therefore begun to get the Scribes and the Pharisees pretty upset.
They are ready to be done with Him, but first they need to trip Him up so as either to give them an airtight case against Him, or to arouse the ire of the people, or both.
MADISON — What do walking for justice and mercy have to do with the three foci of Lent: fasting, prayer, and charity? Everything!
During the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy and the coming Good Friday time of meditating on the suffering and death of Jesus, Madisonians are invited to walk together to 10 stations in downtown Madison that will call to mind the need for justice and mercy in the world.
On Friday, March 25, all will gather at 4:30 p.m. at Cathedral Place, near the corner of West Washington Ave. and S. Henry St., to commence a one-hour, one-mile loop walk to 10 locations, including the Dane County Jail and the State Capitol.
