Month: February 2014

On
Jacqueline von Zwehl

An invitation to change my view on love

Gifts for Your Soul column by Jacqueline von ZwehlI received the invitation in the mail shortly after New Year’s. It was in an elegant black satin envelope with a black velvet ribbon.

There was no return address, just the name of one of my friends in a fancy Edwardian script. As I eagerly opened the envelope, a return card slipped out and I read the following “You are cordially invited to attend our first annual Un-Valentine Party.”

Inside was a short letter arguing that all of us single girls needed to band together against this commercialized holiday, wear black in solidarity, and enjoy our singlehood with cocktails and embrace the freedom of not being shackled by love.

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On
Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Debating birth control in the public square: use of contraceptives is not just a ‘personal matter’

Making Sense out of Bioethics column by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk

Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, in his December 13, 2012 op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, argues that the cost of birth control could be reduced by eliminating the required doctor’s visit to get a prescription — making contraception available “over the counter.”

If it were made available this way, it would no longer be reimbursable by health insurance, and people could simply purchase it on their own.

Jindal posits that this approach would result in “the end of birth control politics.” He relies on several simplistic assumptions and inadequate moral judgments, however, as he tries to advance this argument.

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On
Nico Fassino

Vocations then and now: a comparison of the first 10 years and the last 10 years in the Diocese of Madison

Guest ColumnAs many regular readers know well, the Catholic Herald celebrated the recently-concluded Year of Faith by publishing a variety of articles, stories, and information to assist the faithful of the Diocese of Madison in rediscovering and deepening their knowledge and practice of authentic Catholic faith.

One of the periodic features that the Herald offered during the Year of Faith was called “From the Archives,” in which full or partial articles from across the 65-year history of the Madison edition of the paper were reprinted.

In the process of preparing these features, I have spent a good amount of time pouring through the extensive archival records of the paper and have been surprised and fascinated by what I learned about life and activities in the diocese from 1946 to the present day.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Evening of reflection for extraordinary ministers

MADISON — Join Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, and other Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) on Wednesday, March 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. for a mini-Lenten retreat at St. Maria Goretti Church, 5313 Flad Ave., Madison.

This evening is intended as an enrichment opportunity for veteran eucharistic ministers and does not fulfill the requirement of training at one of the regularly-scheduled workshops for EMHC.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Day of prayer and formation in Watertown

WATERTOWN — St. Henry Parish, 300 E. Cady St., Watertown, is hosting a day of prayer and formation for all lectors, musicians, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, catechists, greeters, altar servers, ushers, and art and environment committees on Saturday, March 1, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, will be the keynote speaker. Abbot Rooney is a dynamic speaker who has consulted on the liturgy with Blessed John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Workshops for extraordinary ministers of Communion

MADISON — The Diocese of Madison’s Office of Worship will hold Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Workshops at two locations in the coming weeks.

  • At Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 2222 Shopiere Rd., Beloit, on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
  • At St. Joseph Church, 405 S. Dacotah St., Dodgeville, on Saturday, March 1, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

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