Year: 2015

On
Fr. Robert Barron

Love, tolerance, and making distinctions

Last time, I wrote a piece on Bruce Jenner’s transformation into Caitlyn Jenner. I argued that the manner in which Jenner spoke of his transition reflected a Gnostic anthropology, which is repugnant to a biblical view of the human being.

I didn’t say a word about Jenner personally; I urged no violence against him/her; I didn’t question his/her motives. I simply made an observation that the moral and spiritual context for transgenderism is, from a classically Christian standpoint, problematic.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

St. Joseph School golf outing in Fort Atkinson set for July 12

FORT ATKINSON — On Sunday, July 12, St. Joseph School’s Home and School Association will host its sixth annual golf outing at the Koshkonong Mounds Country Club, W7670 Koshkonong Mounds Rd. Registration is at 11:30 a.m. with shotgun start at 1 p.m. Golfing is $35 for members and $75 for non members. Registration forms are available at St. Joseph School and at the Scrip table in the gathering space.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Let’s respond to Pope Francis’ challenge!

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I’m hoping this is true, because instead of writing a long “Editor’s View” this week, I’m publishing a picture. I hope it tells the story better than many words!

It was perhaps providential that I paid a visit to Niagara Falls close to the time when Pope Francis issued his encyclical, Laudato Si’: on Care for Our Common Home.

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On
Trudi Jenny

Will we answer pope’s call to action?

To the editor:

I would like to express my gratitude to Pope Francis for writing his encyclical, Laudato Si’. He inspires us all to act on our calling to care for the gifts of God’s creation.

In 2001, the U.S. Catholic bishops said, “global climate change is not about . . . partisan advantage or interest group pressures. It is about the future of God’s creation and the one human family. . . ”  Pope Francis’ encyclical endorses this and moves the climate change conversation beyond politics to the moral realm where it belongs.

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On
Laura Green

Pope ties ecological justice to social justice

To the editor:

In reading through Pope Francis’ most recent encyclical, he reminds us that by hurting God’s creation, we are also hurting ourselves. We are causing pain to the poor and most vulnerable among us. We are damaging all life on this planet, including our own.

I was struck by the ways Pope Francis ties ecological justice to social justice, urging us “to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” These cries are inextricably linked, though some try to frame them in opposition to one another.

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On
Chris Lee

Bishop visits Care Net Pregnancy Center

Bishop Robert C. Morlino holds a baby and is surrounded by children from Care Net’s Elizabeth House in Madison. (Contributed photo)

MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison visited Care Net Pregnancy Center on June 2, surrounded by children of various ages who have lived in the Elizabeth House.

Care Net staff and volunteers were grateful for the opportunity to pray with the bishop. The children received a blessing from Bishop Morlino.

The faithful of the Diocese of Madison, led by the bishop, have provided ongoing support to the Elizabeth House for 10 years. The diocesan partnership with Care Net helped make the Elizabeth House a reality during the capital campaign, and their ongoing investment has helped provide a safe place to make a change for vulnerable moms and babies.

“We are deeply grateful to the Lord that we have the Elizabeth House here,” said the bishop, “in a setting where we can work together as Catholics and other Christians.”

Laudato Si encyclical released

All creation sings God’s praise, but people are silencing it, Pope Francis says in his long-awaited encyclical, Laudato Si, on Care for Our Common Home.

Click here to read full story.

To read Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s comments on the encyclical, click here.

“We are grateful to Bishop Morlino and the faithful of the Diocese of Madison who have been instrumental in making it possible for women, babies, and families to be changed for generations over the past 10 years,” said Care Net’s Chief Executive Officer Liz Osborn. “We look forward to continuing to provide this safe and nurturing environment together with the diocese in the years ahead.”

The Elizabeth House, Care Net’s nine to 12-month goal-oriented residential maternity and parenting program, is designed to help pregnant women achieve stability and be prepared to care for themselves and their children.

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