Month: October 2010

On
Audrey Mettel Fixmer

What to do with the rings?

Grand Mom by Audrey Mettel Fixmer

Since my husband passed away last spring, I have often looked at my wedding rings wondering: should I be taking them off now? Or should I wear them on another finger? They still represent the love of my life, and I won’t pass them on to my oldest daughter until I die.

I began noticing the many widowed friends around me. Some wore nothing like wedding rings, and some wore them on other fingers. We all remember the dramatic story of Jackie Kennedy removing her wedding ring as the wounded Jack lay dying and placing it into his hand. That’s not for me. Still, I wanted to know what was right for me. I was hoping to get an answer from Bob.

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On
Jesse Kuenzi

Allowing tax cuts to expire could be devastating

To the editor:

According to a recent study by the Heritage Foundation, allowing even portions of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts to expire would have devastating consequences to the Second Congressional District. We would lose nearly 2,000 jobs annually, see a decrease of over $6,000 per household in disposable personal income, and face district-wide individual income tax hikes totaling more than $1.2 million.

Apparently, Tammy Baldwin is okay with these dire predictions because she and her colleagues in Congress had the opportunity to extend the tax cuts before they left Washington, but the decision was made not to vote on the extension.

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On
Robert Schelble

Should consider Japanese mindset during World War II

To the editor:

Don Skarda did an excellent job of responding to Tony Magliano’s article in the August 19 Catholic Herald concerning the United States’ use of atomic bombs.

I had the honor of having been on active duty in the Navy when the atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and was anticipating the strong possibility of being involved in the invasion of Japan.

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On
Bill and Joy Exner

Voters can take action to protect human life

To the editor:

The editorial “Respecting All Human Life” (Catholic Herald, October 7, 2010) correctly points out that the most vulnerable among us, the babies in the womb, lack the protections needed to safeguard their lives. The article lists many good things that we can do to protect these children, such as prayer and witness through 40 Days for Life.

However, we voters have another opportunity to take positive action to protect the most vulnerable and this is by not voting for those who have a track record of being pro-abortionists.

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On
Kat Wagner, Catholic Herald Staff

Ceremony held to bless gardens, bid farewell

Sr. Priscilla Weber, far left, and Sr. Mary Ellen Lewis, far right, welcome people into the new Sisters’ Garden at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. They presented each person with a bookmark as they walked through under the arch that once marked the old hospital entrance. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner)

MADISON — St. Mary’s Hospital held a blessing and dedication of two new gardens at the hospital campus October 8. The event, held 99 years to the day on which the first cornerstone was laid by the hospital’s founding Sisters, also was a farewell to the last two Franciscan Sisters of Mary to serve at the hospital, Sr. Priscilla Weber and Sr. Mary Ellen Lewis.

The ceremony was held in front of the garden gate, an archway that had once marked the entrance to the hospital. It had been painstakingly dismantled and then reconstructed to honor the 168 Sisters who have served at St. Mary’s Hospital over the past century. Sister Priscilla and Sister Mary Ellen completed the arch by inserting the final stone during the ceremony.

In addition to thanking the Sisters for their dedication and service, Bishop Robert C. Morlino said before blessing the new gardens the real significance of the gift is to honor the work of consecrated women.

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