To the editor:
As Catholics, we understand our Church has long been a voice for the voiceless — especially innocent unborn babies. Yet many view pro-life work as “too controversial” or simply uncomfortable.
I understand. Abortion should make us all uncomfortable because of what it does to women, babies, and all involved in the act, including those who work inside the abortion clinics.
As we observe October as Respect Life Month, we often think of protecting innocent human life, such as the unborn, the sick, the disabled, and the elderly. But I think it is more challenging to consider protecting the lives of those who have been convicted of crimes. Obviously, they are not innocent.
However, as Catholics we are called to protect ALL human life. In 2018, Pope Francis revised the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s section on the death penalty to teach that the death penalty is “inadmissible” and to say that the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide.” In a rescript, or decree, the Holy Father replaced the previous version of n. 2267 of the Catechism to read:
Every time I’ve had the privilege of visiting Valley of Our Lady Monastery in Prairie du Sac I’ve been impressed by the joy shining on the faces of the Cistercian Sisters.
These cloistered Sisters — who live in silence quite a bit of the day — have very warm smiles and cheerful dispositions. They make me want to smile, too!
The Sisters do not take a vow of silence, but they speak only during specific times of recreation or as necessary to accomplish their work in the monastery.
Perhaps it’s because they don’t speak all the time that they appreciate the opportunity to talk when they can. Or more importantly, it’s because of the joy they experience in their times of communal and personal prayer that brings them such happiness.
News from 40 Days for Life National revealed that less than a week into the vigil, which started on September 25, already 26 babies were known to be saved by the witness of pro-life volunteers.
In Madison, 40 Days for Life volunteers have seen many turn-aways (young women or couples who have left Planned Parenthood without going through with their appointment and have either gone across the street to the Women’s Care Center or just left the area).
This happened after volunteers were seen praying and peacefully witnessing for life and telling about the support and free services available at the Women’s Care Center near Planned Parenthood.
When I started working for the Catholic Herald, we shared offices with Catholic Charities (then called Catholic Social Service) in the St. Patrick Parish rectory building in downtown Madison.
Of course, I quickly became acquainted with the work of Catholic Charities. I even helped out by holding babies when they needed some extra arms for a pending adoption. One of the foster mothers used to dress the babies in cute clothes, some of them seasonal. I still remember a baby dressed in a tiny witch costume.
Over the years, Catholic Charities has provided compassionate, caring services to help the poor and vulnerable in our communities in the 11-county Diocese of Madison area.
Almost every day we hear about terrorist attacks, escalating violence, and wars throughout the world.
We wonder whether peace is even possible. And if it is, how do we achieve it?
We don’t build peace by weapons, but by prayer and dialogue, Pope Francis said in a message to a religious peace meeting which opened on September 15.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines compassion as a “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”
Perhaps it’s the constant news of disasters deluging us these days, but it seems as if many people have lost a sense of compassion. We’ve almost become numb to the suffering of others, whether it be from mass shootings, natural disasters, immigrants’ distress, or wars.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta was declared a saint on September 4, 2016, and her feast day was designated on September 5, the day of her death in 1997.
St. Mother Teresa inspires us to live out the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. That’s why the Diocese of Madison established the Saint Mother Teresa Mercy Endowment Fund in 2016 in honor of her canonization and the Church’s Jubilee Year of Mercy.
To the editor:
I enjoyed reading your article on “A dozen reasons to choose Catholic schools”. The list was spot on, except for number 12, “We provide a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
Many Catholic schools are unable to enroll children with disabilities. I find this very disconcerting, as our faith is all about welcoming and helping the least of us.
Having children and grandchildren pitch in with household chores is very important. It’s something we’ve always done in our family, and I think it’s important in teaching children the value of work.
As we’re approaching Labor Day on September 2, it might be a good time for families to take a look at how they’re encouraging kids to get involved in helping with household work.
