COTTAGE GROVE — […]
Tag: parishes
VetsRoll offers opportunity to say ‘thank you’ to veterans
BELOIT — Imagine 200 veterans from World War II (WWII) and the Korean War era along with “Rosie-the-Riveters” being honored by VetsRoll as they travel along with 100 volunteer assistants in 10 luxury buses to visit war memorials and other sites in the Washington, D. C., area.
Included on the itinerary are the WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial, National Marine Corps Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, and also the Dayton, Ohio, Wright Patterson AFB Air Museum.
Saying thank you in special way
VetsRoll provides a four-day all expenses paid trip, safe ground transportation, and an enjoyable experience. According to the founders of VetsRoll, brothers Mark and John Finnegan, traveling in the luxury buses provides the flexibility of socializing, watching videos, restrooms, camaraderie, and most importantly, closure.
‘Living Last Supper’ visits area churches
Several Catholic parishes of southwestern Wisconsin will host the annual “Living Last Supper” performance at multiple parishes between March 29 and April 13.
Drawing people back to the Church
LA CROSSE — Sherry Weddell has been crisscrossing the U.S. and the globe to engage Catholics. Her main concerns are that Church attendance is on the decline, many Catholics no longer believe in a personal God, and the Church is in need of reform.
I attended a diocesan-wide training in La Crosse in 2013 where Weddell spoke.
Papa Francesco’s words of wisdom: Share joy of God’s love with others, especially the poor
Papa Francesco. That’s the name on the PDF document of the apostolic exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), written by Pope Francis. I went to the Vatican website and downloaded my own copy to read (readers might do the same at www.vatican.va).
The name Papa Francesco seems like such an appropriate way to think of our Holy Father. He speaks to us as a devoted parent, sharing his words of wisdom, just like a loving father would talk with his children.
Noise of the world drowns out God’s voice
Even though this is an upbeat document, Pope Francis — like the Holy Father he is — shows us where we are falling short as disciples of Christ. He observes that we often don’t share the joy of the Gospel with others. He also chastises Christians for letting God’s voice be drowned out by the noise of the world.
He says, “The great danger in today’s world, pervaded as it is by consumerism, is the desolation and anguish born of a complacent yet covetous heart, the feverish pursuit of frivolous pleasures, and a blunted conscience. Whenever our interior life becomes caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others, no place for the poor. God’s voice is no longer heard, the quiet joy of his love is no longer felt, and the desire to do good fades.”
How Catholics join together as a community of faith
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This is the first of a two-part series on how Catholics join together as a community of faith as expressed in the Church’s law on parishes (part one) and sacred places (part two).
Man is a religious being. Man is a social being. These two fundamental truths of human nature spring from our having been created with an immaterial soul capable of knowing and loving.
As such, we have an innate desire to use these faculties to be in communion with God and with those around us. This aspect of humanity is expressed beautifully in the account of creation in Genesis 2, in which Adam and Eve are established in a state of perfect harmony with God and with each other.
One result of mankind’s dual religious and social nature is the desire to come together in order to worship, a ritual expressed in every civilization in human history. We naturally join with those around us to pray and worship God, and what’s more, we often set aside some space dedicated to this purpose of communal prayer.
In this two-part article I will examine the way in which we, as Catholics, join together as a community of faith as expressed in the Church’s law on parishes (part one) and sacred places (part two).
‘Beauty’ film to be shown at parishes for appeal
Lent is a time for prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Catholics look at Lent as a time of beauty, a time when Jesus gave His life to save us. What a beautiful gift he gave.
Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion
MADISON — The Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion for Candidates for Full Communion in the Catholic Church will be celebrated by the parishes of the Diocese of Madison on Sunday, Feb. 17, at 3 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee.
Parishes from throughout the diocese will send those who will celebrate the sacraments of initiation this Easter, as well as their sponsors, family, and friends. About 800 people are expected to attend, with Bishop Robert C. Morlino presiding.
Vicariates Forane created in the Madison Diocese
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What is a Vicar Forane?
A vicar forane, sometimes called a dean, is a priest appointed by the bishop in order to promote a common pastoral activity in a region of the diocese and to provide spiritual and pastoral counsel to the other priests in that region.
History of Vicars Forane
The term “vicar forane” comes from Latin, meaning a representative (vicarius) who is outside (foras), because these priests were considered representatives of the bishop outside of the cathedral city. The office of vicar forane probably dates back to the fourth century when Christianity began to spread beyond the major cities to rural areas. Seeing the need to send representatives to these communities which had embraced the faith, bishops would send an “archpriest” with special delegation and responsibilities to act as a kind of overseer in the region who also was in charge of communication between the bishop and the local priests.
The 1917 Code of Canon Law mandated the establishment of vicars forane in every diocese. However, the understanding of this office experienced a pastoral renewal in the period following the Second Vatican Council. The fathers of the Second Vatican Council saw the vicar forane as a preeminently pastoral office, as a way to bring presbyters together in order to promote and direct a common pastoral activity in their territory. The 1973 directory for bishops likewise affirms the pastoral nature of the office and speaks of the vicar forane as one who animates and enlivens the local presbytery in pastoral action.
Contributing to a better world
The theme of the 2011 Catholic Schools Week celebrates the significant contributions that Catholic schools have made and continue to make to our parishes, our communities, and our nation.
While Catholic schools have long been known for their rigorous academics, their emphasis on self-discipline and their delivery of an education based on Gospel values, their positive effects have been proven to be much more numerous and far reaching.