Dear Friends,
This past weekend we celebrated, Laetare Sunday, that is, “Rejoice Sunday.” As someone who watches and reads the news a lot, I’m tempted to be left in a less-than-Laetare mood — not much of a mood to rejoice.
Year: 2012
From the Threshold of the Apostles
“Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days” (Galatians 1:18).
In my previous two-part preparatory article, I outlined the historical context and current format and content of the ad limina apostolorum pilgrimage, literally, “to the threshold of the apostles,” by bishops to Rome on a quinquennial basis, i.e., five-year basis.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino and the bishops of Region VII, comprising Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana, recently completed their pilgrimage and I’ll offer a brief reflection in thanksgiving as a privileged pilgrim accompanying Bishop Morlino on the ad limina pilgrimage.
I extend my deepest thanks to Bishop Morlino for the opportunity to assist him and accompany him on the ad limina pilgrimage.
It’s not just an issue in Pakistan and China
Thirty-some years ago, I spent a fair amount of time on religious freedom issues: which meant, in those simpler days, trying to pry Lithuanian priests and nuns out of Perm Camp 36 and other GULAG islands.
Had you told me in 1982 that one of my “clients,” the Jesuit Sigitas Tamkevicius, would be archbishop of Kaunas in a free Lithuania in 2012, I would have thought you a bit optimistic.
If you had also told me, back then, that there would eventually be serious religious freedom problems in the United States, I would have thought you a bit mad.
Consider investments, how they impact community
To the editor:
In the Saturday March 10 is of The New York Times, writer Samuel G. Freedman highlights the support that various clergy and congregations have shown to their parishioners and local communities in the midst of the mortgage crisis in “Mortgage Crisis Inspires Churches to Send Lenten Season Message to Banks.”
In the spirit of Lent, churches are calling for a moratorium on foreclosures, moving church monies out of the major banks involved in widespread foreclosures to local banks, even supporting families at meetings with their bank.
Helping the regime change might be better in Syria
To the editor:
Recent media reports from the Middle East and beyond indicate that many Christians of various denominations and rites in Syria are quite nervous, some going so far as to question whether the Arab Spring will wind up being the Christian Winter; this is also a concern for Alawite, Druze, and Shi’ite communities in Syria and Lebanon.
There is no question that what is going on inside Syria cannot be justified as far as implementation goes — unquestionably, the current regime is despotic and shooting at civilians with artillery and all the rest is simply beyond defense. However, seeing what has happened in Iraq and Egypt so far shows that perhaps helping the regime change is vastly preferable to changing the regime.
United for religious freedom: Let’s join our bishops in standing up and praying for religious liberty
The Catholic bishops of the United States have called on all Catholics to unite in opposition to various threats to religious freedom in our country.
At a meeting of the bishops’ leaders in Washington, D.C., the bishops issued a statement on March 14 called “United for Religious Freedom.” The bishops said they are concerned not only with protecting the Church’s own institutions, but also with the care of individuals and the common good.
Diocesan CCHD art contest winners
MADISON — Diocesan winners in the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) Multi-Media Youth Arts Contest were selected recently by the diocesan CCHD Committee chaired by Trudi Jenny. There were 16 diocesan entries in the contest.
The contest engages young people in grades seven to 12 in learning about poverty in the U.S., its root causes, and faith-inspired efforts to address it, especially through the CCHD.
Sr. Mary Catherine Baadte, OP (Matthia), dies
SINSINAWA — Sr. Mary Catherine Baadte, OP (Matthia), died April 17, 2012, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa April 20, 2012, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Mary Catherine made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1940, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1943. She taught for 31 years and tutored for three years. Sister Mary Catherine taught religious education for eight years and served in various support staff positions for 14 years. She served in Wisconsin, South Dakota, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Texas.
Sr. Annacile Kees, dies
Sr. Annacile Kees, 78, of Madison, died at home on Friday, March 9, 2012.
She was born at home in St. John, Wis., on September 3, 1933, the daughter of Michael and Clara (Popp) Kees. She was one of 17 children.
Sister Annacile professed her vows as a Sister of St. Agnes in 1952. She spent many years, mainly as a first grade teacher in Fond du Lac, Sheboygan, Waunakee, and also for a short time in Kansas.
Sr. Marie Frederic Lucks, OP, dies
SINSINAWA — Sr. Marie Frederic Lucks, OP, died March 15, 2012, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa March 19, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Marie Frederic made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1948, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1951. She taught for 46years and served as school support staff for 12 years, with eight years overlapping. Sister Marie Frederic served in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, Texas and Oklahoma.