Month: September 2011

On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald staff

Mark Miller looks forward to ordination as deacon

Mark MillerMADISON — Mark Miller is looking forward to being ordained to the transitional diaconate on October 6 in Rome. God willing, both he and Deacon David Johannes will be ordained to the priesthood on June 29, 2012, in Madison.

Miller’s path to ordination has been different than most Catholic seminarians. He was raised as a Lutheran, the son of Deborah and Rev. Jeffrey Miller (his father is a Lutheran pastor). He grew up in Blanchardville; when he was 16, his family moved to Sparta.

Led to Catholic faith

While he was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he began his own personal study of the Scriptures and theology. That study led him away from his Protestant roots.

He explained, “With Scripture, I found that the impression it left on me seemed closer to a Catholic reading or interpretation. As I learned more and more, many aspects of the Catholic Church seemed to make more sense as organic development of the faith.

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Overcoming evil with the power of mercy

Under the Gospel Book by Bishop Robert C. Morlino
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:

On Sunday, so many of us were united in prayer for the victims and the survivors, and for the families of 9/11, in a special way. The men and women who were affected by this event have all been invited to participate in the suffering of Jesus, which guarantees the Resurrection. But it is an invitation to suffering and, in that sense, it was a somber day of remembrance and we cannot cover it over or white-wash it, because, simply, it was a day that changed the way we live, day-in and day-out, forever.

Of course we were bombarded with information and reflection on 9/11 on the television and internet. There was no escaping it unless you simply avoided most of the major channels all day. The media talked a lot about attitudes of revenge. Asking, was our retaliation sufficient? Will our retaliation ever be complete?

But, beyond praying for the victims, survivors, and their families, the real focus of 9/11 should be two-fold for all of us. Our first focus should be the opening phrase of last Sunday’s First Reading, “Anger and wrath are terrible things” (Sir 27:30). And our second focus should be how such terrible things might be overcome.

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On
Obispo Robert C. Morlino

Vencer al mal con el poder de la misericordia

Bajo el libro del evangelio por Obispo Robert C. Morlino
Esta columna está dirigida a los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia transgrede la intención del Obispo.

Queridos amigos:

El domingo, muchos de nosotros estuvimos unidos en la oración por las víctimas y los sobrevivientes, y todas las familias del 11/9, de una manera especial. Los hombres y mujeres que fueron afectados por este evento han sido todos invitados a participar en el sufrimiento de Jesús, que garantiza la Resurrección. Pero es una invitación al sufrimiento y, en ese sentido, fue un día sombrío de recuerdo y no podemos taparlo con un dedo o borrarlo, porque simplemente fue un día que cambió la manera en que vivimos, en nuestra vida cotidiana, una vez y para siempre.

Claro que hemos sido bombardeados con informaciones y reflexiones sobre el 11/9 en la televisión y en Internet. No había escapatoria a menos que uno simplemente evitara la mayoría de los canales ese día. Los medios hablaban mucho sobre las actitudes de venganza y se preguntaban: ¿ha sido nuestra represalia suficiente? ¿Nuestra respuesta estará algún día completa?

Pero, más allá de rezar por las víctimas, sobreviviente y sus familias, nuestro real punto en esto del 11/9 debe tener dos ejes de reflexión para todos nosotros. El primero debe ser una frase de apertura que está en la primera lectura del último domingo: “La ira y la cólera son cosas terribles” (Sir 27:30). Y el segundo debe ser cómo este tipo de cosas terribles deben ser superadas.

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On
Fr. Paul Ugo Arinze

Ten new seminarians point to Church’s hopeful future

As the fall season rolls in and many students are headed back to school, the seminarians for the diocese are all heading back to school to continue with their seminary formation after a much deserved summer break.

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Starting this fall, we will have seminarians in seminaries in Detroit, Mich.; Denver, Colo.; Washington, D.C.; Winona and St. Paul, Minn.; Seward,

Neb.; South Orange, N.J.; and Rome, Italy. Their years of seminary formation range from freshmen in college to the final year of theology.

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On
Sr. M. Marcia Vinje

Reflections on 9/11 and life in NYC

Guest Column logo

Editor’s note: Sr. M. Marcia Vinje, a Schoenstatt Sister of Mary, recently moved from Madison to work at Our Lady of Pity Parish in Staten Island, N.Y. Following are her reflections on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and other experiences.

The 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, are very much in the awareness of everyone in New York.

Everyone has a story about who they knew that died that day, or why their relative should have been at the World Trade Center but for various reasons they were not there that day or came later. The stories of God’s providence are phenomenal.

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