“Love is what it’s all about,” Msgr. Felix Oehrlein told high school youth attending the Resurrection 2004 rally in Wisconsin Dells. “Jesus reminds us to keep his commandments. Jesus came here and lived among us and lives with us today. He lives in the Church and you and I are that Church.”
Category: Editorial
Thanks: A word we don’t use often enough
It seems to me that our sense of gratitude has diminished in recent years. How often do we send or receive thank you cards? How often do we express our appreciation to people in our lives, let alone to God who has given us the gift of life itself?
Most of us would have to be honest and say we don’t say “thanks” often enough. We take so many things for granted.
Abstinence education: Why it’s more important than ever
In Wisconsin, we’ve been hearing a lot in the media these days about sex education. Our state Legislature is debating a bill which would overturn a law passed two years ago called the Healthy Youth Act.
That law required public schools that offer sex education to teach about proper use of contraceptives, among other things. The proposed new law, called the “Strong Communities . . . Healthy Kids Act,” would emphasize abstinence as the only reliable way to prevent pregnancy and disease.
In the autumn of the year: A time to remember some lessons and blessings
Although I love spring, autumn is also a special time of the year. There are things I like about autumn, but there are things that bother me, too.
We live on a street lined with trees on both sides of the road. I enjoy watching the leaves on the trees change from green to yellow, gold, and red. What a beautiful sight!
But those leaves start falling from the trees, and that means lots of blowing and raking. We get our yard clear of leaves and pile them on the curb to be picked up, then we start again as more leaves fall. Of course, they don’t all fall at the same time. It’s frustrating when we think we’ve gotten the leaves all cleared and wake up the next morning to see the lawn full again — many of them having blown in from our neighbors’ yards.
Birth of Baby Seven Billion: Is it cause for celebration or concern?
A baby born on October 30 in the Philippines has been welcomed as one of the world’s symbolic “seven billionth” babies.
The Associated Press admitted that with all the babies born in the world on that day, it is impossible to pinpoint the arrival of the actual Baby Seven Billion. But the United Nations chose to mark Filipino Danica May Camacho as the symbolic seventh billion child. The parents and the baby were met by top United Nations officials in the Philippines, who presented the child with a small cake.
The birth of any child should be a happy occasion. However, the birth of Baby Seven Billion is being looked at as a cause for celebration by some and a reason for concern and even fear by others.
To live each day with dignity: Dealing with illness and death with faith, hope, and love
We all know that we will eventually face illness, disabilities, and death of our family members, friends, and ourselves. Despite the inevitability, it is difficult to think about and even more difficult to talk about issues involving sickness and dying.
Yet, these are issues we must confront and deal with — and our faith can provide a great deal of guidance and support. As we conclude Respect Life Month, we should remember that respect for life must encompass respect for the disabled, the elderly, the sick, and the dying.
Poverty in the United States: As it continues to rise, it has serious impact on children and families
As we continue reflections during Respect Life Month, we should reflect on the standard of living in this country and how it impacts children and families.
We all need food, clothing, and shelter to live healthy, happy lives. Yet statistics show that 46.2 million Americans are living below the poverty line. That means that many families have to make hard choices as they face hunger and can’t afford housing or health care for themselves and their children.
Living the corporal works of mercy: Let’s be our brother’s and sister’s keepers
Respect for all human life certainly begins with the unborn baby, but it should continue by respecting human life at all its stages.
It’s a child, not a choice: Ultrasounds have powerful impact on pregnant women
In October we celebrate Respect Life Month. This is a special opportunity for Catholics to reflect on issues involving respect for all life from womb to tomb.
During October, I will focus on various life issues in the “Editor’s View,” starting at the beginning of life. I also encourage people to read the special Respect Life section and other articles in this week’s print edition and online edition of the Catholic Herald.
Life begins at conception
Human life begins at conception. The union of the egg and sperm includes all the genetic material needed for the baby to grow and develop.
Falling through the cracks: More people need help paying for prescription drugs
Those of us who take drugs by prescription realize we depend on those drugs to lower our cholesterol, keep our blood pressure under control, and do many other things to keep us healthy or prevent more serious health problems.
Some studies have shown that almost half of Americans take at least one prescription drug. And half of our senior citizens take three or more prescription medications.
We all know that the cost of drugs continues to rise. Plus the number of people who are uninsured or underinsured also keeps going up.