Year: 2016

On
Kevin Wondrash

Youth Service Council raises money for the poor in Lebanon

MADISON — The Madison Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) Youth Service Council (YSC) recently sent more than $1,000 to St. Vincent de Paul-Lebanon to assist the poor, unemployed, and refugees there.

While attending a national St. Vincent de Paul meeting in Providence, R.I., last fall, YSC members Claire Finucane and DC Morris heard Julien Spiewak, the society’s international secretary general, outline the struggles the country of Lebanon currently faces and how the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is trying to help.

Challenges in Lebanon

The SVdP has been active in Lebanon since 1860 but has recently faced greater challenges than usual.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Thank you to all volunteers!

When I’ve helped prepare and serve a meal at the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) in Madison, I always come away with a feeling of satisfaction.

I’ve played a role in providing a nutritious meal which the guests appreciate. And I have spent some time volunteering in our community. Hot meals are served every day of the week at the CMC, thanks to hundreds of volunteers who supply the food, get it ready, and serve it to the guests.

The CMC — like so many Church organizations — depends on volunteers. Volunteers are essential in our Catholic parishes, schools, hospitals and health care facilities, and other agencies such as Catholic Charities and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Lessons derived from the Resurrection

The Resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the be-all and the end-all of the Christian faith. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, all bishops, priests, and Christian ministers should go home and get honest jobs, and all the Christian faithful should leave their churches immediately.

As Paul himself put it: “If Jesus is not raised from the dead, our preaching is in vain and we are the most pitiable of men.” It’s no good, of course, trying to explain the Resurrection away or rationalize it as a myth, a symbol, or an inner subjective experience. None of that does justice to the novelty and sheer strangeness of the Biblical message.

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On
Ask IPS

Should we push our children to aim for perfection?

Ask IPS

QUESTION: “I was wondering about the balance of aiming for perfection. As a parent, I want my children to do well in life, and especially in school, but I also do not want to push my child too far. Is working for perfection with your children a positive thing?”

RESPONSE: William McKenna, M.S. Clinical Psychology Extern at Catholic Charities

Excellent question! Before answering, however, I would like to present to you a quote from Coach John Wooden, the famous UCLA basketball coach who led his team to 10 championship victories in 12 years. He said, “Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility.”

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On
John Bohn, M.D.

What’s POLST? Another medical decision tool . . . with big problems

John Bohn, M.D.

Medical care decisions can be difficult, emotional, and often very confusing. And adding more forms to fill out can make it seem overwhelming. This is especially true for serious medical decisions involving end-of-life issues or other situations that may call for life- sustaining treatments.

In recent years, a new form has been heavily promoted as a “tool” to deal with such matters in hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics across the country. It is called the POLST form. POLST stands for “Physician’s Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.”

Think twice about POLST

But should you have a POLST form on file? Promotors see it as a tool to effectively translate patient wishes about life-sustaining treatment into medical orders that is easily accessed from their medical record.

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On
Chris Lee

Dr. Ralph Martin to give St. Thérèse Lecture Series

MADISON — Dr. Ralph Martin will present the next St. Thérèse Lecture on Wednesday, April 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center. His topic will be “Mercy and Mission: Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times.”

This special lecture during the Year of Mercy will help all the faithful enter more deeply into their understanding of mercy and their call to mission and to bring mercy into their daily lives.

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