“It’s a little chilly, but it’s for a good cause.”
Those were the words of St. John Vianney student Genna Laesch as she walked almost five miles with about 70 of her fellow eighth-graders from Janesville’s four Catholic grade schools.
Author: Kevin Wondrash
Advent Evening of Joy for Women
MADISON — The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis welcomes all the women of the diocese to join us for a Advent Women’s Evening of Joy on Friday, Dec. 13, at 7 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center.
Women who attend will have an opportunity to gather in celebration and reflection on the coming of Christ. The evening will include food, fellowship, Advent carols, and a presentation by author and speaker, Gina Loehr.
Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols in Baraboo
BARABOO — St. Joseph Parish, 304 East St., in Baraboo will hold an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols entitled “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” on Sunday, Dec. 1.
All are invited to come and pray the prophetic promises of salvation using the ancient “O Antiphons.” These have been sung with the Canticle of Mary since the sixth century.
Compassionate Friends Candle Lighting Service
MADISON — The Madison Area Chapter of The Compassionate Friends is having their 17th annual Worldwide Candle Lighting Service on Sunday, Dec. 8, at St. Peter Catholic Church, 5001 N. Sherman Ave. (across from Cherokee Country Club), at 6 p.m. The Compassionate Friends is a support group for parents who have lost a child/children.
Honoring veterans: Janesville school observes Veterans Day
It’s not uncommon for a pastor to greet parishioners in a gathering space prior to Mass or a prayer service. On this particular day, the pastor’s presence took on a special meeting.
Church living in midst of confrontation
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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,
Last week at the meeting of the Bishops’ Conference in Baltimore, our Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who serves as the personal representative of Pope Francis in the United States, addressed us bishops on behalf of Pope Francis.
In the first place, I thought it was interesting that a great deal of his address to us was focused on quotations from Pope Paul VI and Blessed John Paul the Great.
This is a sure sign that Pope Francis wishes to be seen in continuity with his venerable predecessors, a fact which he made clear recently as he affirmed Archbishop Agostino Marchetto’s account of the hermeneutic of continuity as a proper interpretive key for the Second Vatican Council.
But, I want to focus on one particular thought that Archbishop Viganò raised.
Students in Jefferson learn about icons
JEFFERSON — Seventh and eighth graders at St. John the Baptist (SJB) School in Jefferson were recently able to catch a glimpse of heaven thanks to the work of Madison-based iconographer, Drazen Dupor.
Students had been studying religious icons in religion classes. In collaboration with art teacher Sally Koehler and with the support of the SJB Home and School Association, students began their first steps on the journey to understanding and appreciating this cherished liturgical art form.
A gift that will last a lifetime
KIELER — The fourth graders at Holy Ghost-Immaculate Conception School in Kieler each received their own Bible. The Bibles were a very generous gift from the Knights of Columbus Cuba City Council. The students were very excited to receive a gift that will be used throughout their life.
Sex, truth, and the illumination of our guilt
Guilt has gotten a lot of bad press recently. We live in an age where guilt is practically always something bad, something to get past with the help of a shrink.
Particularly when discussing sex, people will declare that religion and morality do nothing more than make people feel guilty.
Andrew Aaron, a sex and marriage therapist in New Bedford, Mass., seems to subscribe to this view: “Through centuries,” he writes, “religious education has associated sex with what is wrong and sinful rather than what is sacred. Instead of an expression of the divine, sex is suspiciously regarded as weakness of the flesh. The result of this influence is that sexuality, a natural part of being human, is tainted with shame, guilt, and ambivalence.”
Bishop to celebrate White Mass on November 23
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino will celebrate the annual White Mass at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, at St. Patrick Church in Madison.
Members of the Madison Guild of the Catholic Medical Association (CMA) will be attending the Mass with the bishop, asking God’s blessing upon doctors, nurses, caregivers, and patients under the patronage of St. Luke.
All those involved in the medical profession are invited to join Bishop Morlino for this “White Mass,” so named from the traditional color of lab coats and nurses’ uniforms.