Author: Mary C. Uhler

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Mary C. Uhler

Protecting children: In learning from its mistakes, Catholic Church can be role model

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Ten years ago in Dallas, Texas, in June of 2002, the United States Catholic bishops passed their Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People. It was a bold move to deal with the sexual abuse of minors by priests and prevent such abuse from happening again.

As we learn more about the sex abuse scandal at Penn State and reports of incidents involving pornography, rape, and sexual abuse at other colleges and universities, it might be wise for our society to pay attention to how the Catholic bishops have dealt with these issues.

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Mary C. Uhler

Moving on from here: In a renewed kind of politics based on faithful citizenship

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Now that the Wisconsin recall election is over, some people are rejoicing and others are disappointed in the outcomes. However, I think almost every citizen in our state is happy to be moving on, away from the incessant political ads, phone calls, and media hype.

Now that the recall is in the history books, the question is: Where do we go from here? I think most Wisconsinites want to live and work together peacefully, yet the climate in our state — and in our nation, for that matter — has been so contentious.

Steps towards healing

Governor Scott Walker took one step by inviting legislators and staff members of both political parties to what was called the “Brat Summit” at the governor’s mansion. The governor himself grilled the brats, and it seemed that those attending enjoyed themselves.

Spending time talking with each other might be a first step in the process of healing in our state. If we listen to what people say, we might start understanding their point of view. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with everything they say, but we might be able to find some common ground and ways to work together.

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Mary C. Uhler

Importance of families: Making family a priority in our lives

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

This is the time of year when families celebrate in so many ways. We have Mother’s Day, First Communions, graduations, Father’s Day, and the start of the wedding season.

It’s an opportunity for families to enjoy each other’s company and emphasize the good things that are happening in their lives. I hope that most people are able to take time away from other commitments and spend time with their family members of all ages.

Most families do get together for some of these occasions, but I know that other families do not have the opportunity to get together. These days some families are split apart by geographic distance, difficulties with health, or divorce and separation.

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Mary C. Uhler

Protecting our first freedom

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Many of the early settlers to our land came to  America in order to practice their faith freely.

It was so important that the very First Amendment to the United States Constitution says: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

Threats to religious liberty

However, what Pope Benedict XVI has called the “most cherished of American freedoms” — our religious liberty — is being threatened in many ways. We have heard much discussion about the Health and Human Services mandate requiring insurance coverage of contraception, sterilization, and abortion. But that is not the only way freedom of religion and conscience is being threatened today.

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Mary C. Uhler

Congratulations, graduates! Catholic schools have prepared you well

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

This is the season of graduations. Students, family members, friends, and teachers are celebrating graduation from pre-schools, grade schools, high schools, and colleges.

It’s a time of great joy mixed with some sadness, as students celebrate their accomplishments but also leave behind the familiar and venture into the unknown.

Parents of high school graduates especially find themselves looking forward to their children growing into adults and possibly leaving home for college. Some parents may face the empty nest with trepidation — and others may high five their spouses!

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Mary C. Uhler

Recall rules: Issues involved in Wisconsin’s first statewide recall primary

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

On Tuesday, May 8, Wisconsin will be experiencing its first statewide recall primary. No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, the recall election is happening and state citizens should be paying attention.

Faithful citizenship resources

The Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) encourages  Catholic voters to visit its Faithful Citizenship voter education page for resources on Catholic teaching (www.wisconsincatholic.org/faithful_citizenship.cfm).

There you will find  a letter from the bishops of Wisconsin written prior to the 2010 elections. In that letter, the bishops admit that “being a faithful citizen is never easy.” Yet, they encourage Catholics to “remain engaged, not just politically but also culturally,” since there is “so much good that we will contribute to our nation and to our world.”

The WCC Web site also includes the latest edition of its Guidelines for Church Involvement in Electoral Politics as well as a question card voters can use when questioning candidates running for state office.

Information for state voters

Also helpful is information provided by the state’s Government Accountability Board (GAB), which issued a press release with information for state voters about the primary recall rules (http://gab.wi.gov/elections-voting/recall).

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Mary C. Uhler

Remember the poor: Catholic bishops call for ‘circle of protection’

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

An elderly woman lives on a very tight fixed income. She depends on food stamps to provide enough food so that she can pay for her rent and medical expenses.

A married man with four children loses his job. His unemployment compensation has run out and he relies on receiving government help for rental assistance and buying food for his family.

These are real situations facing real people. In fact, recent statistics show that one in two Americans are living at or near the poverty level. That means up to 50 million Americans are poor, the highest number since the Census Bureau began tracking poverty rates in 1959.

But despite the growing numbers of poor people — many of them formerly considered “middle class” — we aren’t hearing much about poverty in the current political campaign. It seems to be an issue that everyone is avoiding like the plague.

Everyone except the U.S. Catholic bishops, that is.

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