MADISON — Donald […]
Author: Chris Lee
¡Tenemos Papa! ¡Habemus Papam!
Queridos amigos:
¡Tenemos Papa! ¡Habemus Papam! La semana pasada, mientras se distribuía a sus hogares el Catholic Herald, el Espíritu Santo, obrando en el Colegio de Cardenales, nos dio un nuevo Santo Padre, Papa Francisco.
Él es, como seguramente ya han visto o seguido en los informes de los medios seculares, “un Papa de los primeros”: él es el primer Papa del “nuevo mundo”, un argentino, el primer Papa que fue formado como sacerdote jesuita, el primer Papa en tomar el nombre Francisco, en homenaje especialmente al tan amado (y con frecuencia mal entendido) San Francisco de Asís.
Estamos conociendo a nuestro Santo Padre, pero ya hay muchas cosas que dan una idea y nos ayudan a conocer mejor quién es.
St. Thérèse of Lisieux lecture to focus on Christ in The Hobbit
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| Joseph Pearce |
MADISON — In a prestigious 1997 British readers’ poll, J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings was voted the greatest book of the 20th century.
In the United States, a 1999 poll of Amazon.com customers selected this same novel as the greatest book not merely of last century, but of the millennium.
No less celebrated is this novel’s charming prequel, The Hobbit, as last year’s new blockbuster motion picture adaptation bears witness.
How did J.R.R. Tolkien’s devout Catholic faith influence his story telling and serve as a guide for communicating beauty, goodness, and truth in The Hobbit? How can this film provide a cultural means for evangelization?
World renowned Catholic author and EWTN television host Joseph Pearce will be exploring these questions and more at the spring St. Thérèse Lecture on Friday, April 5, at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center in Madison at 7:30 p.m. His lecture is titled, “The Hobbit and the Beauty of the Christian Life.”
Fennimore church expected to undergo renewal of splendor
FENNIMORE — The sanctuary of the church, where Jesus resides in the Blessed Sacrament, should be “heaven on earth” — both visually and spiritually, said Rick Statz, national project director at Conrad Schmitt Studios of New Berlin, a firm that specializes in restoration and conservation.
In the latter half of the 20th century, though, in an effort to egalitize and modernize the churches in the post-Second Vatican Council age, many Catholic churches lost the symbolism that reminded worshippers of the extraordinary place they were entering.
Here’s a chance to influence state policy
We can’t live out our vocation as faithful citizens unless we are also active between elections, when the hard work of making laws and policies is done.
Some of that hard work will take place in the next few weeks when the Joint Committee on Finance schedules its hearings on Governor Scott Walker’s state budget proposal. Those hearings will give Catholics and others a chance to influence the content of that budget. It is a chance we should exploit.
Caregivers should seek outside help when needed
Q: After my mother suffered a massive heart attack I offered to have her move in with me so I could provide the necessary care. That was six months ago and in that time she has progressively gotten weaker and less able to care for herself. My care in the beginning consisted of making meals, doing her laundry and reminding her to take her medications. Now she is having trouble walking on her own; she definitely needs help with her personal hygiene and we have not talked about this level of care. I am extremely uncomfortable giving my mother a shower or helping her with other needs such as going to the bathroom. How can I convince her to accept some outside help? (From a daughter in Sun Prairie).
Praying for the new pope and the world
Seminarian Gabriel Lopez-Betanzos in Rome is pictured with St. Peter’s Basilica in the background. (Contributed photo)
Editor’s note: This is the third of a series of reflections on recent events happening at the Vatican by Diocese of Madison seminarians studying in Rome.
It was a cool, rainy evening in Rome. I stood in St. Peter’s Square with a group of seminarians and student priests from the North American College. Along with thousands of others from all over the world we awaited the smoke from the little chimney above the Sistine Chapel.
Then, without warning, smoke started coming out of the chimney! At first it appeared dark, but then it was clearly not the deep black smoke we had seen earlier. We have a new pope! As the smoke continued to flow from the chimney and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica began to ring we made our way forward through the crowd. We reached a position centered in front of the now-famous balcony not far from the front of the crowd and waited anxiously to see the new pope.
Suggests a discussion group about Pope Francis
To the editor:
I have been researching online for information on Pope Francis. There any many good things to learn about him.
May we please convene a monthly discussion group in the Diocese of Madison in which we can learn about Pope Francis together?
Difundiendo la verdad del Papado
Queridos amigos:
Estamos justo en medio del Año de la Fe y a punto de emprender lo que el Beato Juan Pablo Magno y el Papa Emérito Benedicto han alentado que hagamos, es decir, la “Nueva Evangelización”. Y no sólo eso, sino que nos encontramos en la era de un nuevo Papa. Mientras escribo esta columna, el Cónclave aún debe empezar, pero al momento en que la lean, es posible que ya tengamos un nuevo Papa.
A diferencia de las noticias en los medios (considerando su interés en el escándalo) una de las cosas claves en que los Cardenales en el Cónclave se concentrarán o en que se han concentrado, por inspiración del Espíritu Santo, es la elección de un Papa que seguirá en la realización de esa Nueva Evangelización.
De hecho, ha habido y hay gente pecadora en la Iglesia, y de hecho hay pecaminosidad “desde abajo hasta lo más alto” porque hay pecadores en todos los ámbitos de la Iglesia aquí en la tierra, pero nuestro primer pecado es y ha sido siempre alejarnos de Dios y de lo que Él nos llama. Volver a Dios es precisamente de lo que se trata la Nueva Evangelización y allí es donde cualquier reforma de la Iglesia tiene que empezar. Todo hombre, mujer y niño en la Iglesia – desde el Papa hasta el último – tiene que ser llamado nuevamente a encontrarse con la persona auténtica de Jesucristo de modo que transforme la vida y debe ser cambiado por Él. Toca ser sacudidos de la somnolencia que golpea a Pedro y los Apóstoles en el huerto de Getsemaní y que nos acecha cada vez que puede. Por medio de su Vicario, Cristo tiene que volver a nosotros, una y otra vez, para decirnos “¡Levántense… recen… la hora está cerca!”(ver Mt 26:36-46, y ss).
Sister Mary Nona McGreal, OP, dies
SINSINAWA — Sister Mary Nona McGreal, OP, died March 20, 2013, at St. Dominic Villa, Sinsinawa. The funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Tuesday, March 26, 2013, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery. Friends may call after 5:15 p.m. Monday, March 25, 2013, at the Motherhouse, Sinsinawa, where a wake and remembering service will be held at 6:30 p.m.
Sister Mary Nona McGreal made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Sister March 8, 1933, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1936. She taught in elementary schools of the Congregation for eight years, including St. Clement, Sheboygan, Wis., 1933; St. Brendan, Chicago, 1933–1937; and St. Thomas the Apostle, Chicago, 1937–1941. Sister Mary Nona completed her graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, receiving her Ph.D. in 1951. With Sister Mary Joan Smith, OP, she developed a widely used new curriculum for U.S. Catholic schools, publishing the three-volume work Guiding Growth in Christian Social Living: A Curriculum for the Elementary School during the 1940s.