Year: 2016

On
Chris Lee

Bishop Morlino issues statement on Holy Thursday washing of feet ritual

MADISON — On Thursday, Jan. 21, the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship announced that Pope Francis had issued the declaration that “from now on, the people chosen for the washing of the feet in the Liturgy of Holy Thursday may be selected from all the People of God, and not only men . . . ,” thus changing the rule and allowing women to be among those chosen to have their feet washed during the Holy Thursday ritual for the first time.

As with every change in the ritual or law of the Church, the practices and permissions in the Diocese of Madison will be in full accord with those of the Universal Church.

Upon learning of the announcement, Bishop Robert C. Morlino offered the following statement:

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On
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The different Rites of the Latin Church

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

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

“Bishop Morlino did what? What’s that all about?”

You may have seen notices and articles over the last year or so about Bishop Robert C. Morlino celebrating “Pontifical Mass at the Throne in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.”

It is possible that some of you, seeing “Throne,” and “Pontifical,” and “Extraordinary,” might say “What’s that all about?” as you turn the page.

In a short series over the next few issues of the Catholic Herald, let’s drill into “what that’s all about.”

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Abbot Marcel Rooney

Adaptation and renewal of Religious Life: Embracing the vow of obedience

Reflections on Religious Life column by Abbot Marcel Rooney

Editor’s note: During the Year of Consecrated Life which ends on February 2, this is the last in a series based on the Second Vatican Council’s document, Perfectae Caritatis (Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life) written by Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, former abbot primate of the Benedictine order who now resides in Madison.

In this commentary on the Decree of the Second Vatican Council, On the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life (original = Perfectae Caritatis), we have been reflecting on how the Council Fathers envisioned a deep renewal of what the Church calls “the Consecrated Life.”

Number 14 of the decree speaks of one of the evangelical counsels, obedience. It is one of the most important ones, and gives a particular color to the entirety of Religious Life.

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Bishop Robert Barron

Pope Francis and the evangelicals, part one

Part one of a two-part series.

The whole Christian world has watched with fascination as Pope Francis, over the past several months, has reached out to evangelicals.

Who can forget the mesmerizing iPhone video, filmed by the pope’s (late) friend Bishop Tony Palmer, in which the Bishop of Rome communicated, with father-like compassion, to a national gathering of American evangelical leaders?

His smile, his tone of voice, and the simple, direct words that he chose constituted a bridge between Catholics and evangelicals. What I found particularly moving was the remarkable reaction of the evangelical audience after they had taken in the video: a real prayer in the Spirit.

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On
George Weigel

China’s population crisis: an evangelical opportunity?

State-sponsored cruelty has been a staple of the human condition for millennia.

But has there ever been a more wicked policy, with more disastrous social consequences, than the “one-child policy” China began to implement in the early 1980s ­ a state-decreed population-control measure that resulted in, among other horrors, untold tens of millions of coerced abortions?

In her new book, One Child (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), veteran China-watcher Mei Fong describes both the impact of the policy on the destruction of China’s traditional social fabric and its draconian effects on China’s medium- and long-term future.

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Margie Schels, For the Catholic Herald

‘Hour of Code’ at St. John the Baptist, Jefferson

JEFFERSON — Students attending St. John the Baptist School in Jefferson celebrated Computer Science Education Week recently, by participating in the “Hour of Code” which introduces students to computer coding.

The program was developed by Code.org a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding participation in computer science across all grade levels.

Several partner organizations support the Hour of Code: Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the College Board, and many others.

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Paul Richgels

All people are children of the same God?

To the editor:

In the January 21 issue of the Catholic Herald is an article about Pope Francis’ visit to a synagogue where he made the statement that all people are children of the same God.

Really??? That is not the teaching of the Scripture. 1 Peter 1:23-25 tells us that we become the children of God through receiving the gospel; Jesus is the Son of God, who came to the earth to die for the forgiveness of sins and will return to gather in those who are His and punish those who are not.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

‘Surge of the Heart’ mission in Montello

MONTELLO — St. John the Baptist Parish in Montello and Good Shepherd Parish in Westfield invite everyone to take part in their upcoming “Surge of the Heart” Parish Mission.

Guest speaker is Jon Leonetti, an international Catholic speaker and author of two books entitled Mission of the Family and Your God Is Too Boring.

The parish mission will begin on Sunday, Feb. 7. A light lunch will be offered before Leonetti’s talk from 11:45 a.m. up to the time of the first talk at 1 p.m. in the St. John the Baptist Parish Center, 277 E. Montello St. Each of Leonetti’s talks is one hour long.

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