This year’s annual presbyteral assembly will be at St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cross Plains on Monday, Sept. 21, and Tuesday, Sept. 22.
Month: September 2020
Sr. Mary Ann Heyd, OP, dies
Sister Mary Ann Heyd, OP, died Sept. 6, 2020, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. Her religious name was Sister Wilberta. The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa, Sept. 11, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sr. Patricia “Patt” Smith, OP, dies
Sister Patricia “Patt” Smith, OP, died Sept. 2, 2020, at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa. Her religious name was Sister Charissa. The funeral Mass was held at the Dominican motherhouse, Sinsinawa, Sept. 15, followed by burial of the cremains in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
‘You can’t put your arms around a memory’
I took a couple of audio-visual trips down Memory Lane over Labor Day weekend.
My first trip consisted of dusting off two VHS tapes and watching some “home movies” of the high school band trip to Canada that I went on when I was a senior in high school back in the summer of 2002.
Although I and some of my peers may have rolled our eyes at the time, I’m very grateful that one of the parent chaperones on the trip was constantly using his camcorder and captured more than a dozen hours of memories as they were happening.
Watching for Christ in the Mass
Last week’s article addressed the Catholic belief of Christ’s presence in the celebration of the Eucharist (Mass) and in the Body and Blood of Christ that we receive. This week we look at other ways we can encounter Christ in the Mass.
Catholics invited back to weekly Sunday Mass; safety protocols remain in place
Statement from the Diocese of Madison:
MADISON — As has been circulated in recent days, the five Wisconsin bishops jointly decided to lift the suspension of the Sunday Mass obligation in their respective dioceses this month. For the Diocese of Madison, this suspension will be lifted beginning on Sunday, September 27th.
As Bishop Hying wrote to the priests of the diocese, “We have been living with the obligation suspended for almost six months and we rightly chose to be cautious, concerned for the safety and health of our people, especially at the beginning of the pandemic.”
Since late May, diocesan guidelines, observing all state and local orders for safe reopening of our 134 churches have been in place throughout the 11-county Diocese of Madison. These measures have proven effective. Our churches were reopened for public worship with limited capacity, distancing, and great caution for the public health, without any known spread of COVID-19.
5 Door Recovery helps people with addictions during pandemic
HELP IS AVAILABLE
If you or someone you know are suffering from addictions, contact 5 Door Recovery at:
608-827-9170
help@5doorrecovery.org
http://5DoorRecovery.org
MADISON — March and April of this year was a time to adjust to life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many people were affected by quarantines, the state’s “Safer at Home” order, and other measures taken to try and “flatten the curve” of the coronavirus numbers.
Reducing stress can help us survive the pandemic
Stress seems a unique modern problem; but, it is not. In Mark 6:31, Jesus said to the apostles,”Come away to a deserted place by yourselves and rest a while. For many were coming and going in such great numbers that it was impossible for Jesus and his apostles to even eat.”
God can shape us into who we are called to be, no matter the challenge
A startling truth that struck me as a young priest was the number of people I encountered in the parish who struggled with chronic depression, anxiety, chemical imbalances, a borderline personality, or other forms of psychological and mental challenges.
Many of them were married, held jobs, volunteered in the parish, and were remarkably productive but suffered profound anguish in their minds and hearts.
Sadly, a taboo still clings to psychological illness.
Most people can talk about cancer, heart conditions, and medical treatments of all kinds, but problems of the mind are often feared and denied.
Our Lady of the Assumption Parish in Beloit to hold ‘retooled’ Fall Festival
BELOIT — Change seems to be one word often used when dealing with events during pandemic in 2020.
At Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Parish, the annual Fall Festival on Sunday, Sept. 27, was retooled by committee members to conform with safety protocols that have been put into practice on the entire church campus.