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It might seem that everything that could be said, has been said, about the shepherds, the wise men, and the Christ Child.
But that’s one of the marvels of Scripture: the unfolding history of the Church draws out of the inspired Word of God allegories and images previously unrecognized.
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The great British physicist Stephen Hawking has emerged in recent years as a poster boy for atheism, and his heroic struggles against the ravages of Lou Gehrig’s disease have made him something of a secular saint.
The new bio-pic A Theory of Everything does indeed engage in a fair amount of Hawking-hagiography, but it is also, curiously, a God-haunted movie.
In an opening scene, the young Hawking meets Jane, his future wife, in a bar and tells her that he is a cosmologist. “What’s cosmology?” she asks, and he responds, “Religion for intelligent atheists.”
MADISON — “I love ‘Freshly Brewed.’ Topher, Lindsay, and Sara are the perfect combination.”
Like most trends and anything else that is “cool,” the youth, like the one quoted above, are on top of the latest creation of awesome for teens in the Diocese of Madison.
PINE BLUFF — “I should get up when and drive where for what? For Mass?!? But it’s a Saturday!”
There is a centuries long tradition during Advent called the “Rorate Mass.” These Masses are generally offered during Advent on Saturdays, the customary day to honor the Blessed Virgin.
Mass begins in the darkness before dawn. Remember, Advent is a penitential season after all.
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| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear Friends,
The timing of this column falls into one of those awkward periods that comes with the schedule of our weekly publication.
As I write, we are still at the height of preparation for Christmas, yet this will likely be the edition of the Catholic Herald that is in your homes on Christmas Day. As such, I’m going to look forward joyfully and reflect upon the goodness that is “already, but not yet.”
I suppose it’s appropriate to be stuck in this place of anticipation, as it does speak to our lives each and every day, and it’s made especially clear at Christmas.
At Christmas we celebrate and rejoice in the reality of eternal life made possible for us by God’s coming into the world.
We celebrate that everything is now changed for humanity. We celebrate God with us, a light in the darkness, the Word made flesh, God’s Kingdom at hand.
And yet, we remain in a period of waiting and of laboring. The world is not right. We may be redeemed, with hope for forgiveness, but we still fail, and falter, and sin.
When Jesus came into the world, it meant redemption from sin and the hope of an eternity of joy, but it did not mean mankind would be unable to choose otherwise, it did not mean everything would be peachy for us at all times.
BELOIT — Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Parish will celebrate Lessons and Carols on Saturday, Jan. 3, beginning at 7 p.m. in the church, 2222 Shopiere Rd.
The 30-voice OLA Parish Choir, under the direction of Randy Gracyalny, will be joined by instrumentalists from the parish and area to provide an uplifting prayer and musical experience.
One of the most commonly-used words during the Advent season, as everyone looks ahead to Christmas, is “tradition.”
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Q This may have been asked before, but I need some advice on how to manage holiday gatherings with someone who has dementia.
My mother lives with my sister. Mom has Alzheimer’s disease and my sister wants the entire family, all 25 of us, to gather at her home for Christmas.
I think it will be too hard for mom to be around all of us at the same time. My sister thinks we might not have another Christmas with mom so I don’t know how far to push.
(From a son in Sun Prairie).
MADISON — Each year, Catholic committees on scouting, including those on the diocesan level, take time to honor and recognize adult leaders and committee members who give large amounts of time, effort, and faith to promote scouting for boys and girls.
On November 9, two leaders in the Diocese of Madison were given special recognition for their work with Boy Scouts in the diocese.
Richard Ley, member of St. Dennis Parish in Madison, and Gregory Bergenske, member of St. Patrick Parish in Janesville, were honored at the annual Diocese of Madison Catholic Committee on Scouting (DMCCS) 2014 Annual Adult Recognition Dinner at St. Dennis Church in Madison.
MADISON — Help the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) help the community.
On Friday, Dec. 12, from 12 noon to 6 p.m., all are invited to participate in the third annual Radiothon fundraiser on La Movida Spanish radio to benefit the CMC food pantry, personal essentials pantry, and employment search assistance program.
