Author: Chris Lee

On
Chris Lee

Sr. John Fisher Soeldner, OP, dies

SINSINAWA, Wis. — Sr. John Fisher Soeldner, OP, died April 21, 2012, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa April 24, 2012, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.

Sister John Fisher made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican March 8, 1938, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1941. She ministered in education for 44 years, 38 as a teacher, three as assistant principal, and three as library assistant while also serving in family care. Sister John Fisher coordinated the canceled stamp program at the Motherhouse for 22 years. She served in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Wyoming and Oklahoma.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

María, la Rosa Mística, une a Dios

Bajo el libro del evangelio por Obispo Robert C. Morlino
Esta columna está dirigida a los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia transgrede la intención del Obispo.

Queridos amigos:

El domingo pasado escuchamos el conmovedor pasaje del Evangelio sobre “la vid y los sarmientos”, en el que Jesús deja claro que Él, Él mismo, es la verdadera vid a la que siempre debemos estar adheridos y solo a través de Él podemos dar fruto.

La imagen de la vid y los sarmientos claramente se refiere a nuestro rol en la Iglesia de Cristo, y mientras me veo tentado a reflexionar extensamente sobre la Iglesia con ustedes aquí, me gustaría reflexionar un rato más particularmente sobre María en esta primera columna de mayo.

El rol de la Madre de Dios en la viña del Señor

Al reflexionar sobre el rol de la Madre de Dios en la viña del Señor, nuestros pensamientos se dirigen a las mismas raíces de la vid y a otra imagen de las escrituras: la de Isaías 11: “una generación brotará de la raíz de Jesé, y una flor brotará de su raíz, y el Espíritu de Dios se posará sobre ella (Is 11, 11).

La conexión a la raíz de Jesé y a la Casa de David se refiere a Jesús, a través de María, y estas raíces son esenciales en nuestra historia de la salvación. Dios elige salvar a la humanidad a través del pueblo de Israel y específicamente a través del linaje de David. María es el cumplimiento de la larga espera de los judíos por el Mesías y porta, correctamente, el título de “Amada Hija de Sión”.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Dolan says archdiocese ‘has permanent place in his heart’

HUBERTUS — Despite the heavy rainfall and low temperatures, about 1,200 people gathered at the Basilica of Holy Hill in Hubertus on Saturday, April 28, to celebrate Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan’s Mass of Thanksgiving.

A steady hum of excited chatter filled the church, and grew louder as the cardinal made a special stop before Mass to the side chapel where people with disabilities viewed the celebration on monitors, and again as he greeted people down the center aisle of the upper church. Cameras flashed nonstop as he flashed his smile, shared his greetings, hugs, and firm handshakes.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Diocesan celebration of Blessed John Paul II’s beatification

Sr. Marie Simon-Pierre poses in front of a picture of the late Pope John Paul II after a news conference in Aix en Provence, France, in January of 2011.  (CNS photo/Jean-Paul Pelissier, Reuters)

MADISON — The chant rang out in St. Peter’s square in Rome at what turned out to be perhaps the largest gathering in of Christianity in history, “Santo Subito!”

A consensus among the faithful and even the community of the world seemed to be aptly expressed: “Sainthood Now!” for the recently deceased pontiff John Paul II.

Joining the estimated four million Christian mourners gathered in Rome was the single largest gathering of heads of state ever outside of the United Nations, including four kings, five queens, and at least 70 presidents and prime ministers, with more than 14 leaders of other religions symbolizing this universal recognition of John Paul II’s extraordinary life.

“Santo Subito” was not just a slogan that emerged on this afternoon of April 8, 2005, but one that dates back to the early centuries of the Church in conjunction with another slogan at the time, “Vox Populi, vox Dei,” meaning “The voice of the people is the voice of God.”

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Catholic Daughters of the Americas

MONROE — Are you looking for a way to help the less fortunate in your community? Or are you considering how to take an active role in your parish community, state, or nation? Are you wondering how you can help people or your community cope with a tragedy?

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Protecting our daily bread

Making a Difference column logo

Every person who has enough nutritious food to eat and cares about the one billion people who do not, should be paying attention to the 2012 Farm Bill.

At stake are deep, heartless congressional monetary cuts to national and international food assistance programs, environmentally protective farm and ranch conservation projects, and safety net programs designed to help struggling small and mid-sized family farmers and rural communities.

Proposed cuts to Farm Bill

Bob Gronski, policy coordinator, for the National Catholic Rural Life Conference (www.ncrlc.com) explained to me that Congress is poised to cut between $23 billion and $34 billion from current funding levels of the Farm Bill.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

We thank God for our mothers

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes, by Fr. Don Lange

Some mothers claim that they would do anything for their children. Stephanie Decker, a 37-year-old Indiana mother, demonstrated this in a heroic way.

On March 2, as a tornado crushed her family home, Stephanie covered her children with her body to protect them. Debris from the tornado caused her to lose part of both legs while saving her children from the deadly 175 mph tornado.

Enduring maternal bond

Someone wrote that a mother carries her child in her womb for nine months and in her heart for the rest of her life. Conceiving, carrying, and giving birth to a human being is as close as any person can come to the act of creation. After birth, motherhood continues through nurturing, sacrificing, loving, and ultimately letting go.

Read More
On
Chris Lee

Statement of the Diocese of Madison

Statement of the Diocese of Madison, regarding coverage of the delicate situation in Platteville, in the Wisconsin State Journal

This past weekend, the Wisconsin State Journal chose to run a story on the sad events surrounding the closing of St. Mary’s School in Platteville.

Instead of reporting the facts as they are, the State Journal opted to turn one of the expressed reasons of Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s letter (that of “In charity and in justice, I must caution you most strongly that this cannot continue. I do this now in sincere hopes of avoiding the issuance of Canonical warnings [or penalties]”) into the exact opposite and the basis for their entire story.

Read More