Day: March 21, 2013

On
Chris Lee

St. Thérèse of Lisieux lecture to focus on Christ in The Hobbit

Joseph Pearce

MADISON — In a prestigious 1997 British readers’ poll, J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings was voted the greatest book of the 20th century.

In the United States, a 1999 poll of Amazon.com customers selected this same novel as the greatest book not merely of last century, but of the millennium.

No less celebrated is this novel’s charming prequel, The Hobbit, as last year’s new blockbuster motion picture adaptation bears witness.

How did J.R.R. Tolkien’s devout Catholic faith influence his story telling and serve as a guide for communicating beauty, goodness, and truth in The Hobbit? How can this film provide a cultural means for evangelization?

World renowned Catholic author and EWTN television host Joseph Pearce will be exploring these questions and more at the spring St. Thérèse Lecture on Friday, April 5, at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center in Madison at 7:30 p.m. His lecture is titled, “The Hobbit and the Beauty of the Christian Life.”

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

We have a pope! Habemus Papam!

This column is the bishop’s communation with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

Dear Friends,

We have a pope! Habemus Papam! Last week, even as the Catholic Herald was finding its way to your homes, the Holy Spirit, working through the College of Cardinals, gave to us a new Holy Father, Pope Francis.

He is, as you have surely noticed on your own and through even the secular media reports, a “Pope of firsts” — he is the first Pope from the “new world” — an Argentinian, the first Pope who was trained as a Jesuit priest, the first Pope to take the name Francis — taking that name especially in honor of the much beloved (though often misunderstood) St. Francis of Assisi.

We are just getting to know our Holy Father, but already there is a great deal that sets him apart and helps us to know who he is.

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On
Kat Wagner, Catholic Herald Staff

Fennimore church expected to undergo renewal of splendor

FENNIMORE — The sanctuary of the church, where Jesus resides in the Blessed Sacrament, should be “heaven on earth” — both visually and spiritually, said Rick Statz, national project director at Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, a firm that specializes in restoration and conservation.

In the latter half of the 20th century, though, in an effort to egalitize and modernize the churches in the post-Second Vatican Council age, many Catholic churches lost the symbolism that reminded worshippers of the extraordinary place they were entering.

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On
Mary C. Uhler

Pope Francis follows in footsteps of his namesake

St. Francis of Assisi is known for his love of the poor and all of God’s creatures. We often see pictures of St. Francis with the wolf he purportedly tamed and with other animals and birds gathered around him.

I have visited the town of Assisi in Italy twice. On my first trip, I was amazed to see a flock of birds sitting on the statue of St. Francis in the garden outside the basilica there. Our guide said that the birds constantly flock to that statue, almost as if they know it depicts St. Francis.

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Gabi Lopez-Betanzos, For the Catholic Herald

Praying for the new pope and the world

Seminarian Gabriel Lopez-Betanzos in Rome is pictured with St. Peter’s Basilica in the background. (Contributed photo)

Editor’s note: This is the third of a series of reflections on recent events happening at the Vatican by Diocese of Madison seminarians studying in Rome.

It was a cool, rainy evening in Rome. I stood in St. Peter’s Square with a group of seminarians and student priests from the North American College. Along with thousands of others from all over the world we awaited the smoke from the little chimney above the Sistine Chapel.

Then, without warning, smoke started coming out of the chimney! At first it appeared dark, but then it was clearly not the deep black smoke we had seen earlier. We have a new pope! As the smoke continued to flow from the chimney and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring we made our way forward through the crowd. We reached a position centered in front of the now-famous balcony not far from the front of the crowd and waited anxiously to see the new pope.

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Jean Mueller

Caregivers should seek outside help when needed

Ask Jean column by Jean MuellerQ: After my mother suffered a massive heart attack I offered to have her move in with me so I could provide the necessary care. That was six months ago and in that time she has progressively gotten weaker and less able to care for herself. My care in the beginning consisted of making meals, doing her laundry and reminding her to take her medications. Now she is having trouble walking on her own; she definitely needs help with her personal hygiene and we have not talked about this level of care. I am extremely uncomfortable giving my mother a shower or helping her with other needs such as going to the bathroom. How can I convince her to accept some outside help? (From a daughter in Sun Prairie).

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On
John Huebscher

Here’s a chance to influence state policy

Eye on the Capitol by John Huebscher

We can’t live out our vocation as faithful citizens unless we are also active between elections, when the hard work of making laws and policies is done.

Some of that hard work will take place in the next few weeks when the Joint Committee on Finance schedules its hearings on Governor Scott Walker’s state budget proposal. Those hearings will give Catholics and others a chance to influence the content of that budget. It is a chance we should exploit.

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