Month: October 2015

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Blessed Sacrament students raise money ‘marching’ for hunger

blessed sacrament students march
Blessed Sacrament School in Madison second grader Jayden Wijeyakulasuriya leaps joyfully past the church during the school’s recent Hunger March. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MADISON — “Show an Attitude of Gratitude.”

That is the theme this school year at Blessed Sacrament School in Madison.

That is the reason more than 60 first, second, and third graders laced up their running shoes and ran or walked around the school block as many times as they could.

The occasion was the annual Hunger March held recently.

Helping at home and around the world

For almost 40 years, the march has been an opportunity for students to make the Catholic values they learn part of their everyday lives.

In recent years, the Hunger March has helped many people both locally and globally.

Proceeds from the march have gone to building a well in Africa, helping a family secure the first month’s rent of an apartment, helping Our Lady of Hope Clinic in Madison — a non-profit medical group that provides primary care services to the uninsured, as well as donating to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

Prior to the march, the students asked parents, family members, friends, and neighbors to pledge money per lap they completed.

The march begins

As the 9 a.m. start time rolled around and the inspirational music played, the students finished their stretches and warm-ups and got ready for lap number one.

The students walked as a group for the first lap.

As they completed that lap, the students busted through a Hunger March banner and then some took off running as if they’d been waiting all day to do so.

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Cathy Lins, Catholic Herald Correspondent

World Meeting of Families brings together over 17,000 people

Editor’s note: Cathy Lins and Marie Lins from the Diocese of Madison attended events surrounding the recent visit of Pope Francis to the United States. Marie Lins attended the entire World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

The World Meeting of Families (WMOF), held from September 22 to 25 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia, was the largest in history with over 17,000 participants and over 100 countries represented.

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Bishop Robert Barron

The pope, the Congress, and a Trappist monk

I had the extraordinary privilege of following the pope’s pilgrimage at very close quarters. I had this access both as a bishop and as a commentator for NBC News.

It was thrilling indeed to witness just how rapturously the American people received the pope and how affected the Holy Father was by this reception. Many images stay vividly in my mind: the pope kissing the forehead of the 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, the rabbi and imam praying together at the September 11th memorial, a little boy from a New York Catholic school showing the pope how to maneuver his way around a Smart Board.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Let’s renew our commitment to defend all human life

Pablo Casals, the great cellist and conductor, gazed at a baby and exclaimed, “You are unique. In the millions of years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. And look at your body; what a wonder it is! Your exquisite legs, your arms, your cunning little fingers. You may become another Shakespeare, Michelangelo, or Beethoven.”

St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, whose feast we celebrated on October 1, believed that people of her time feared God too much. She couldn’t understand how anyone could fear God, who came to us as a tiny helpless baby.

And yet, today there seem to be some who fear babies more than God.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Catholic Charities strengthens families

Pope Francis talked often about the family during his visit to the United States. Of course, his primary reason for traveling to our country was to attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia.

It’s obvious that Pope Francis really understands the realities of family life. He threw away his script at the Festival of Families in Philadelphia and talked candidly about family life. He said, “Families have difficulties. Families — we quarrel, sometimes plates can fly, and children bring headaches. I won’t speak about mothers-in-law,” he said.

“However, in families, there is always light” because of the love of God’s son, Jesus Christ,” he added.

As one of those mothers-in-law — and having one myself — I know there can be challenges. But I also remember that Pope Francis praised grandparents who bring so much wisdom and a sense of history to family life.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

40 Days for Life mid-point vigil and Planned Parenthood protest in Madison

MADISON — A mid-point prayer vigil for 40 Days for Life — the annual campaign of prayer, fasting, and peaceful vigil to end abortion — will be held Monday, Oct. 12, at 11:30 a.m. on the sidewalk outside of Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison.

Fr. Scott Jablonski, parochial vicar at St. Henry and St. Bernard Parishes in Watertown, will lead the vigil. Immediately following the vigil, Vigil for Life will host its second Defund Planned Parenthood rally.

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