Author: Chris Lee

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Chris Lee

The limits of the papacy

The Catholic Difference by George Weigel

During the preparation of the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Pope Paul VI proposed that the constitution’s discussion of papal primacy include the affirmation that the pope is “accountable to the Lord alone.”

This suggestion was rejected by the council’s Theological Commission, which wrote that “the Roman Pontiff is also bound to revelation itself, to the fundamental structure of the Church, to the sacraments, to the definitions of earlier councils, and other obligations too numerous to mention.”

Pope Paul quietly dropped his proposal.

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Chris Lee

Fatima visionary predicted suffering of Holy Father

To the editor:

In 1917, Jacinta Marto, one of three seers of Fatima, saw in a vision “the Holy Father in a very big house, kneeling by a table, with his head buried in his hands, and he was weeping. Outside the house, there were many people. Some of them were throwing stones, others were cursinghim and using bad language.”

“Poor Holy Father” she said, “we must pray very much for him.”

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Chris Lee

Encontrando esperanza, sanando en la Resurrección

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.

En nombre de todos los sacerdotes de la Diócesis de Madison, y en nombre de todo mi personal, quiero ofrecerles mis sinceras y continuas oraciones en Pascua, en este tiempo de Resurrección.

Cada uno de ustedes cuenta con nuestras oraciones por su salud, seguridad, y por encima de todo, por una unión más profunda con Cristo. Les ruego, también, ofrecer sus oraciones de Pascua por nosotros, porque cada uno de nosotros y nuestra Iglesia ciertamente se basa en la necesidad de la oración. Quería compartir con ustedes unos cuantos pensamientos que ofrecí en la Vigilia Pascual este año.

Celebramos el Domingo de Pascua este año el 4 de abril, el día en el que Cristo fue resucitado de entre los muertos, el día en que cambió la historia para siempre. De alguna forma había esperado ver algunos grandes letreros y avisos en el Domingo de Pascua sobre cómo había sucedido la Resurrección de Jesucristo y cómo celebramos nuestra nueva vida el 4 de abril. ¡En vez de eso, todos los avisos me hablaban del lanzamiento del iPad el 3 de abril! Eso me dice –y les debe decir– algo significativo sobre la misión que Jesucristo pone en nuestras manos en esta Pascua y todos los días.

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Chris Lee

Parents: beware of public school sex ed programs

To the editor:

The Healthy Youth Act is now Wisconsin law. In public school, sex ed programs’ mandatory topics now include: gender stereotypes, prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, use of contraception and barrier methods, and what defines criminal sexual conduct and all using materials which do not promote bias against sexual orientation or sexually active children or pupils.

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Chris Lee

Blessing the oils and the priesthood

Bishop Morlino distributes the holy oils to parishes around the diocese. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner)

MADISON/VATICAN CITY — The Chrism Mass is held every year during Holy Week to bless the oils to be used throughout the year for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, and the Anointing of the Sick.

The Mass also is an opportunity for priests to gather and to renew the promises they made at ordination.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided at the Chrism Mass in the Diocese of Madison on the Tuesday of Holy Week, March 30. Hundreds of priests, religious, seminarians, and laity filled St. Maria Goretti Church for the diocesan celebration.

After acknowledging the presence of Bishops William H. Bullock and George O. Wirz, Canon John Pintabone, Fr. Isaac Mary Relyea, and the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre in his opening remarks, Bishop Morlino thanked all of the priests from around the diocese who came to the Mass.

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Chris Lee

Press should publicize failures of the Church

To the editor:

Just finished reading your editorial, “Media Bias,” in the March 25 issue. I’m disappointed in the whining tone you have taken. I guess you and your family are not one of the many who have been affected by the lecherous activities of your parish priest. “Even if it happened 30 or 40 years ago.”

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Chris Lee

Encouraging to see faith of doctor in his column

To the editor:

It is extremely encouraging for a layperson like me to hear from a medical expert like Dr. Michael Robiolio that “there is never a need for an abortion even in these cases.” The cases referred to in the guest column, “Catholic physician’s perspective on the health care debate,” in the March 25 issue of the Catholic Herald, are rape, incest, and threat to the mother’s life.

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Chris Lee

‘Ultimate solution’ today is aimed at elderly, infirm

To the editor:

The abortion issue is only one part of a complex Culture of Death equation masterminded by liberal minds and aimed at putting “mother earth” ahead of man, created in the image and likeness of God. So the news about the latest battle for government-run health care would imply.

A broader scrutiny reveals, however, that there is another part of this equation, possibly even more despicable than abortion, a discussion which was unfortunately missed in the health care debate. It is aimed at building a foundation for the “ultimate solution.”

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Chris Lee

May our lives sing the song that Jesus lives

Seeing with Jesus' Eyes by Fr. Donald Lange

A great conductor rehearsed a choir for a performance of the Messiah. The chorus sang through to the part where the soprano sings, “I Know That My Redeemer Lives.”

Her singing was flawless: perfect phrasing, pitch, enunciation, and all of the singing qualities that I wish I had. When she finished, the choir waited eagerly for the applause that would surely follow.

Instead, the conductor glared at the soloist and growled, “My dear, you do not really believe that your Redeemer lives, do you?”

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