MADISON — Abraham Lincoln is more a legend than a real person to many people. His famous speeches, his efforts to hold the Union together, and his untimely death overshadow the man who honed his skills as a circuit-riding attorney in Illinois.
At the next meeting of the St. Thomas More Society in the Diocese of Madison, attorney John Skilton will present highlights from “Abraham Lincoln: A Lawyer for the Ages.”
Skilton is an author, lecturer, and leader in the legal community. He has practiced law for 43 years and has given back to the community by serving on the Board of Governors of the American Bar Association as well as serving as president of the State Bar of Wisconsin.
Bringing Lincoln to life
His engaging style brings Lincoln to life with insights into Lincoln’s most important cases, comments from his friends and colleagues, and doses of the famous Lincoln humor.
Susanna Herro, president of the St. Thomas More Society, said, “Learning about Abraham Lincoln fulfills the purpose of our Catholic attorneys’ group by bringing our faith lives more fully into our professional lives.
“Lincoln provides many lessons in humility, persistent advocacy, and humor. Mr. Skilton’s full presentation was undoubtedly the most enjoyable legal class I can recall. If attorneys would emulate Lincoln, we would all be much better people and lawyers.”
Working on service project
Members of the St. Thomas More Society have taken on a service project for the Diocese of Madison. Working with the Global Solidarity Team, St. Thomas More volunteers and others will be contacting parishes to encourage participation in the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Rice Bowl.
With the recent devastation in the Philippines and on-going conflicts in many other areas, food insecurity is a very serious problem. The Rice Bowl effort helps feed people beyond our borders, but also keeps 25 percent of the collection within the diocese. This helps support efforts such as the Catholic Charities’ Mobile Food Pantry, a local effort that brings food to rural parishes.
Members and guests are welcome to the lunch presentation on Friday, March 7, at 12 noon, at DeWitt, Ross, and Stevens, 2 East Mifflin St., lower level. In keeping with the first Friday of Lent, a simple rice-based meatless lunch will be presented.
There will be no set cost but an offering will be accepted for CRS Rice Bowl. Space is limited, so register with Deb at 608-395-6707 or dso@dewittross.com no later than March 5. Application for Continuing Legal Education credits will be made.