Tag: prayer

On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Prayer: It’s the FIRST thing we should do

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Sometimes when we are facing problems and challenges in our lives, we try many alternatives to fix the problem or meet the challenge. When all our alternatives are seemingly exhausted, we finally turn to prayer.

We say to ourselves, “Well, I guess all I can do now is pray about it.” In effect, it’s our last resort.

Experiencing many tragedies

Recently our world has been experiencing many tragedies: conflicts between the Israelis and Palestinians, shooting down of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 in the Ukraine, Christians fleeing the city of Mosul in Iraq for fear of being killed by the Islamic State group . . . the list goes on.

In addition, many people have been killed and injured in weather-related disasters. People have been murdered in drive-by shootings and gang warfare in our own country.

What can we do in the midst of all these awful things happening around us? Pope Francis keeps reminding us to pray in the face of each disaster. But are we really listening to him and turning to prayer?

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Fr. Don Lange

Consider offering support and prayer for retired priests

To the editor:

In his inspiring Holy Thursday homily, Pope Francis declared, “I ask the Lord Jesus to confirm the priestly joy of those who have already ministered for some years.” He prayed that God gives them a “second wind” to help them faithfully serve.

Our 77-year-young pope continued, “I ask the Lord Jesus to make better known the joy of elderly priests, whether healthy or infirm. It is the joy of the cross, which springs from knowledge that we possess an imperishable treasure in perishable earthen vessels. May these priests find happiness wherever they are.”

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Remembering mothers: On Mother’s Day and throughout the year

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Mother’s Day is set aside to remember and honor all mothers. It is important that we recognize mothers on this Sunday, May 11.

As a mother myself and now a grandmother, I appreciate spending time with my children and grandchildren. The gift of time is probably more important than cards and gifts, but most mothers like to receive a small token of love from their children.

Many of us keep those special homemade cards and drawings we got through the years. I found some of them when we moved from our house to a condo last year and enjoyed sharing them with our now grown children.

But while Mother’s Day should be observed in some way, we should also remember mothers throughout the year. This is especially vital for our aging mothers, mothers-in-law, and grandparents. They especially cherish the time we can spend with them, including those who live in senior housing, assisted living, or nursing homes.

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Pray, examine conscience, guide others

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,

This week we’ll have come upon Lent and in that regard I’d like to ask a few things:

1) Let’s keep one another in prayer. Please know that you can count on my prayers, just as I renew them for every person in the diocese, every blessed day, and I’d ask that you try to remember me as well.

2) If you would, please go back and read my columns from the past two weeks — on conscience and fraternal correction (they’re available at the Madison Catholic Herald website — www.madisoncatholicherald.org — if you’ve already discarded your previous issues).

Take some time to reflect upon them, to examine your own conscience. Spend some real time doing so this Lent, and think about what changes you can make in your own life — in accord with a conscience well-formed by the Church and oriented toward Truth.

3) Think of two people with whom you might engage personally and directly in the ways I mention in that second column. Really try to purify your intentions as you consider approaching them (do not fall into sin in carrying out this exercise!) and do so in love and with joy.

Our Holy Father, in his message for Lent, speaks of the types of poverty affecting our world. He speaks, of course, of material destitution, and he challenges us to help our brothers and sisters in that regard — and so we must!

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