Day: March 2, 2016

On
Fr. Greg Ihm

Who will fill these shoes?

Fr. Greg Ihm

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

There is a story that comes out of the Archdiocese of Chicago that asks a profound question. It is a story of a monsignor.

At his last weekend before retirement, he placed his shoes at the foot of the altar and after a long pause looked out and asked: “Who is going to fill these shoes now?”

This is a question that has been placed before us as a diocese as we have lost both Msgr. Monte Robinson and Fr. Larry Bowens within a week of each other.

In the past three years, we have also lost Fr. John Auby, Fr. Michael Richel, and Msgr. Felix Oehrlein, who were pastors at the time of their death.

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On
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, For the Catholic Herald

Latin is language for Church teaching, worship

What's That All About column by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The sixth in a series by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf about the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

By now, if you have followed this series, you are probably forming an answer to “What’s that all about?” when you hear that Bishop Robert Morlino is going to celebrate a Pontifical Mass at the Throne in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

In the past few columns we explored the solemn outward style of these Masses, including the elaborate symbolic vestments and gestures, the number of ministers, and detail, decorum, and reverence.

What’s up with the Latin?

Latin is the Latin Church’s official language for teaching and for worship.

The Second Vatican Council’s document on sacred worship, Sacrosanctum Concilium, commanded that the Latin language be retained for worship (SC 36).

It required that Gregorian chant (which is in Latin) be given the primary place in our liturgical music along with polyphony (SC 116).

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On
Laura Green, For the Catholic Herald

Catholic Multicultural Center launches updated English as a Second Language Program

MADISON — “I have lived here [in the U.S.] for 12 years. I come to the CMC to learn English because I need it for my job . . . for everything, even when you go to the store. And, to know how to speak two languages is very important.”

Gregorio is a typical student coming to English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC).

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Risen and the reality of the Resurrection

When I saw the coming attractions for the new film Risen — which deals with a Roman tribune searching for the body of Jesus after reports of the Resurrection — I thought that it would leave the audience in suspense, intrigued but unsure whether these reports were justified or not.

I was surprised and delighted to discover that the movie is, in fact, robustly Christian and substantially faithful to the Biblical account of what transpired after the death of Jesus.

Scene in the Upper Room

My favorite scene shows tribune Clavius (played by the always convincing Joseph Fiennes) bursting into the Upper Room, intent upon arresting Jesus’ most intimate followers. As he takes in the people in the room, he spies Jesus, at whose crucifixion he had presided and whose face in death he had closely examined.

But was he seeing straight? Was this even possible? He slinks down to the ground, fascinated, incredulous, wondering, anguished.

As I watched the scene unfold, the camera sweeping across the various faces, I was as puzzled as Clavius: was that really Jesus? It must indeed have been like that for the first witnesses of the Risen One, their confusion and disorientation hinted at in the Scriptures themselves: “They worshipped, but some doubted.”

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Lenten Women’s Day of Reflection

MADISON — A Lenten Women’s Day of Reflection will be held on Saturday, March 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Schoenstatt Marian Shrine, 5901 Cottage Grove Rd.

With the theme, “Queen of Mercy, Refuge of Sinners,” the day will include talks and discussions, Mass, opportunity for Confession, private prayer, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and indulgence prayers for the Year of Mercy.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Join prayer campaign to support Sisters

An order of Sisters has been quietly caring for the elderly for many years. Founded by Sr. Jeanne Jugan in 1839 in France, the Little Sisters of the Poor now serve in over 30 countries of the world.

The Sisters’ website describes their mission “to offer the neediest elderly of every race and religion a home where they will be welcomed as Christ, cared for as family, and accompanied with dignity until God calls them to himself.”

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