MADISON — The […]
Tag: Catholic social teaching
A consistent ethic of life protects everyone – no exceptions
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A Utah woman was recently charged with six counts of first-degree murder for allegedly killing six of her newborn infants, according to The Associated Press (AP).
Megan Huntsman, 39, confessed that from 1996 to 2006, she suffocated or strangled the six babies, packed them in boxes, and stored them in her Salt Lake City garage, reports AP.
But if Huntsman had agreed to have an abortion just prior to giving birth to each of the six babies, she would be legally innocent of all charges.
No either/or approach: Church’s pro-life and social justice advocates should work together
What do St. Francis of Assisi, Dorothy Day, and Mother Teresa all have in common? They are just a few well-known Catholics who have put the Church’s pro-life and social teaching into action in their daily lives.
These three holy people had a unified way of living out the principles of Catholic social teaching. They showed respect for the dignity of all human persons, helped the poor and sick, and worked with people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Need to work together
It is unfortunate that some people in the pro-life and social justice ministries today seem to be working separately. They don’t seem to want to cross “party lines,” so to speak (both figuratively and literally).
Yet it seems as if we all should be working together. I can understand that each of us is not able to put all our time and efforts into every cause, but we should respect those who work in a different area.
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.
Suggests more instruction on Catholic social teaching
To the editor:
After rereading Father Sirico’s column and all the letters published in your paper (Catholic Herald) concerning the growing financial and social gap in the United States, I have a suggestion. Please consider locating a writer who has in-depth knowledge of Catholic social teaching to develop a series on this topic that is currently so important in our diocese.
I have noticed short articles in the Catholic Herald over the past weeks on Archbishop Dolan’s comments on Rep. Ryan’s budget proposal, a conference on the currency of the encyclical Rerum Novarum, and a plea from two Catholic bishops to Congress and the White House to care for the “least of our brothers and sisters” in budget development. Perhaps someone from one of these sources such as Catholic University faculty could write such a column.
Renewing the earth: A continuing moral challenge for each one of us
Earth Day has come and gone. Perhaps it was not emphasized as much by Catholics this year since it fell on Good Friday.
However, concern for creation should be something we remember all year long. As we observe the awakening of nature in springtime and the beginning of our planting season, it is an especially appropriate time to think about the earth and our environment.
Our top priority and the common good
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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,
The Gospel of this past Sunday is addressed to those who are too worried about tomorrow. That’s why Jesus addresses them as “you of little faith.” If they were where He wanted them to be in their relation to His Father and Himself, He wouldn’t have said, “you of little faith.” Because of our human weakness and frailty, whatever faith we have, from God’s point of view, is certainly always “little,” but for Jesus to address it as such indicates a moment of challenge to growth.
One of the measures of our faith is: “how much do you and I worry about tomorrow?” Why is it not a good thing to make worrying about tomorrow my top priority? Certainly it is among our priorities, for obviously we have to be concerned with putting food on the table of our family, and clothing on their backs, and shelter over their heads. It is the sacred responsibility of parents to “worry” about such things. Jesus’ point is not offering some kind of recipe for a care-free life, where one’s responsibilities are just forgotten and put aside. But, our top priority can never be worrying about tomorrow, if we have met Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
The more worrying about tomorrow is our top priority, the more we need to place Jesus Christ ahead of that priority, so that He is our top priority.
Catholic teaching and unions: Framing the debate
In the recent struggle between Scott Walker and the public sector unions, many people have asked where Catholic social teaching stands in this debate. The “both/and” nature of Church teaching yet again finds Catholics on both sides of the argument. While the Church offers “no technical solutions” (Caritas in veritate 10) it does provide the principles upon which to frame the debate.
Living in a democracy: We are very fortunate to live in the United States of America
Throughout the world there seems to be a hunger for freedom and democracy. Almost every day there are people demonstrating for a better way of life in countries all around the world.
In the United States, we fought that battle hundreds of years ago and won our freedom. We established a democratic form of government with three branches of government: executive (the president), legislative (Congress with two houses), and judicial (our court system).
Happy birthday, Catholic Charities: Celebrating 100 years of caring and service
At one time, the Catholic Herald newspaper shared offices with Catholic Social Service (now Catholic Charities). Our offices were located in the rectory building at St. Patrick Church in downtown Madison.
Because of our proximity, I was able to witness first-hand many of the programs and services provided. In fact, sometimes when the Catholic Social Service staff were too busy, I got to hold babies brought in for adoption. I can still remember the cute outfits one of the foster mothers made for these babies, including a little witch costume for Halloween one year.