Author: Chris Lee
Praying and working for Christian unity
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity will be held from January 18 to 25 this year.
Its theme is “Has Christ Been Divided?” This theme is based upon 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, where St. Paul — angry over divisions in the Corinthian Church — wrote, “Each of you is saying ‘I belong to Paul,’ or ‘I belong to Apollos’ or ‘I belong to Kephas’ or ‘I belong to Christ.’ Is Christ divided?”
Helping aging parents
Q: In this new year I have decided to be more “present” for my parents.
By that, I mean I want to relieve any anxiety they may have about their advancing age.
I know about things like helping them physically with yard work or home repairs, but what are some things I need to know about in order to help them live their lives the way they wish?
I have heard about living wills and power of attorney, but I am not sure if they know about this or if they have these things prepared. Where do I begin? (From a son in Black Earth)
Abortion as ‘health care’ and conscience rights
To the editor:
Ted Cruz (Republican U.S. senator from Texas) was on the news this morning. So refreshing! He told it like it was — the Democrats and the White House manipulated the government shutdown just as they are responsible that the sequester went into effect. A delay of Obamacare was the only requirement to prevent the shutdown.
On C-SPAN, healthcare.gov experts were asked the question: “Why do I need an ID to sign up for health care on the government website?” The answer in so many words was, “You need an ID for everything.”
Oops, how do you explain the lack of a need for voter ID?
How is legal abortion “women’s healthcare”? There has never been a piece of legislation requiring inspections of abortion clinics. Many abortions are done only because the baby is a girl. I’ve never heard of a government program to address the emotional trauma of having had an abortion.
Sister Jo Wear, OP, dies
SINSINAWA — Sister Jo Wear, OP, died Jan. 14, 2014, at St. Dominic Villa. Her religious name was Sister Flavian. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Jan. 17, 2014, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Jo made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Jan. 26, 1937, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1940. She taught for 14 years and served as principal for 15 years, coordinator of student sisters for three years, guidance counselor for four years, social worker for 17 years and pastoral caregiver for 11 years. Sister Jo served in Illinois; Washington, D.C.; Alabama; Wisconsin; Minnesota; California; and Florida.
Winter farmer’s markets feature brunches held at churches
Schedule at Madison
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| • Saturday, Jan. 11, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Our Lady Queen of Peace/Blessed Sacrament Parishes, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 401 S. Owen Dr., Madison • Sunday, Jan. 19, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — St. Stephen Lutheran Church, 5700 Pheasant Hill Rd., Monona • Saturday, Jan. 25, 9 a.m. to 12 noon — St. Albert the Great Church, 2420 St. Albert Dr., Sun Prairie • Saturday, Feb. 1, 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon — Holy Mother of Consolation Church, 651 Main St., Oregon • Sunday, Feb. 9, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Ave., Madison • Saturday, Feb. 15, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ, 1501 Gilbert Rd., Madison • Saturday, Feb. 22, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — First Unitarian Society, 900 University Bay Dr., Madison |
MADISON — The Churches’ Center for Land and People (CCLP) is sponsoring winter farmer’s markets in church halls featuring brunches using local food.
The “Markets and Meals for Hope” program, coordinated by the CCLP, has scheduled seven farmer’s markets and brunches in the Madison area from January 11 through February 22.
The brunches include local food prepared by people in the churches under the direction of professional chefs.
These markets provide small-scale farmers the chance to sell their products in the off-season. The farmers supply the ingredients for the brunches and are able to sell products directly to those attending the meals.
Products for sale at the markets include woolen goods, farmstead soaps, cheese, produce, preserves, honey, and meats.
Farmers help each other by donating 10 percent of the sales to the Harvest of Hope emergency fund with 100 percent of donations given to farmers in need.
Edgewood College students bridge borders
MADISON — During winter break, while many college students are hanging out with hometown friends or catching up on sleep, a group from Edgewood College is spending some of that time helping others.
From January 2 to January 13, almost a dozen students and their instructor are in the state of Chiapas, Mexico helping with two service projects.
Must Christmas spirit end with the season?
In some traditions, January 6 represents the 12th day of Christmas. As such, the date marks a transition from the Christmas season to the ordinary time of our lives.
But does that have to mark the end of the “Christmas spirit”? Dare we hope that the softening of our hearts and the acts of kindness central to Christmas might become an ongoing habit rather than a seasonal exception?
In ways large and small, we have opportunities to express, in our deeds and our choices, a concern for others, especially those whose needs may be greater than our own. Some of those opportunities may be found in our public policy choices.
God’s Mother inspires us to work for peace
We Catholics begin the New Year by celebrating the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God.
On New Year’s we also celebrate the World Day of Peace. This is a feast established by Pope Paul VI and supported by other modern popes.
In many ways these two feasts complement each other, because peace begins in the family. Responsible parents teach us to be persons of peace. Mary is Queen of Peace and the mother of the Prince of Peace.
Sister Madelyn Kortendick, OP, dies
SINSINAWA — Sister Madelyn Kortendick, OP, died Dec. 24, 2013, at St. Dominic Villa. Her religious name was Sister Sulpice. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Dec. 30, 2013, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Madelyn made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1937, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1940. She taught for 30 years and served as principal for 13 years, pastoral minister for two years, and as support staff for 13 years. Sister Madelyn was one of the first four missionaries from the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation sent to Holy Cross Parish, Santa Cruz, Bolivia, where she opened the school, taught English to people of all ages, gave catechetical instruction, and served as pastoral minister. She served in Illinois, New York, and Wisconsin, as well as Bolivia.