Sister Mary James (Alice Margaret Mary) Geenen entered Eternal Life February 20, 2012, the third child of Henry R. Geenen and Gladys Catherine (McCormick) Geenen. She was born March 31, 1919 in Freedom. She attended Saint Nicholas Elementary School. After graduating from high school she attended Saint Norbert College and Silver Lake College where she earned a BA Degree in Elementary Education with majors in Philosophy and English. She attended the University of Dayton earning a MS Degree in Elementary Education.
Tag: Catholic
Lenten alms: A rice bowl for all
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When I first heard about Operation Rice Bowl at my parish in America, I thought they were talking about something I knew so well from Chinese culture.
I don’t have to tell you that the Chinese people eat a lot of rice — you have been to enough Chinese restaurants and seen enough Chinese landscapes with rice paddies to know that. But “rice bowl” was a term I heard all the time, and not just at mealtimes.
Violation of religious liberty cannot stand
Normally this column addresses state policy issues. This time it speaks to a national question — the scope of religious liberty in our national health care reform legislation.
On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed a rule forcing nearly all private health plans to include coverage for all FDA-approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, as well as surgical sterilization. These are listed among “preventive services” for women.
Nearly all health plans will have to cover these services without co-pays or other cost-sharing. The mandate applies regardless of whether the insurer, the employer or other plan sponsor, or even the woman herself, objects to such coverage.
Violation of religious liberty cannot stand
Normally this column addresses state policy issues. This time it speaks to a national question — the scope of religious liberty in our national health care reform legislation.
On January 20, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) reaffirmed a rule forcing nearly all private health plans to include coverage for all FDA-approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices, as well as surgical sterilization. These are listed among “preventive services” for women.
Nearly all health plans will have to cover these services without co-pays or other cost-sharing. The mandate applies regardless of whether the insurer, the employer or other plan sponsor, or even the woman herself, objects to such coverage.
Recall season overlays final legislative sessions
A year ago, the first thing the newly elected Legislature did was to adopt its scheduling resolution for the 2011-12 legislative session.
This resolution defined the floor periods during which the Legislature would meet to debate and pass legislation. In so doing, the legislators determined that they would convene for three “general business” floor periods between January 17 and March 15 in 2012, the last day of regular business for the year.
Complicates legislative schedules
When they adopted that resolution, our lawmakers had no way of knowing that their session schedule would mesh with Wisconsin’s first ever recall of a governor and recalls of several state senators. But that is what appears will happen and it will affect what lawmaking takes place in these final floor periods.
We need priests to celebrate the Eucharist
In the United States the Catholic Church celebrates National Vocation Awareness Week from Monday, Jan. 9, to Saturday, Jan. 14, this year.
During this week the Church asks us to pray for all vocations. In no. 2013 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church it says, “All Christians in any state or walk of life are called to the fullness of Christian life and to the perfection of charity. All are called to holiness.” God calls us all to live our faith and seek out our vocation as a deacon, priest, Religious Brother, Sister, married, or single person.
No priests, no Eucharist
However, we need to continue to pray for and encourage priestly vocations because priests preside at the Eucharist, which is the center of Catholic life. During the 2009 Year for Priests, Pope Benedict stressed that without priests there would be no Eucharist, no mission, or Church. We priests have the privilege of celebrating Mass and ministering to Catholics at key spiritual times in their lives from infancy to old age. Priests administer the sacraments, preach, offer pastoral care, and much more.
The cardinal Down Under
In the Baltimore of the 1960s, my canny pastor devised a neat scheme for getting “Father Visitor” (as the confessional doors read) to fill in during the summer for his vacationing curates: bring over newly-ordained Australians from their studies in Rome.
There were no language issues (save for those of, er, accent); by the standards of student priests fresh from the Urban College of Propaganda Fidei, the young Aussies were recompensed handsomely and got to see something of the United States; it was win-win, all around.
Thus in the summer of 1967 I met Fr. George Pell of Ballarat, who, with the oils of ordination still wet on his forehead, spent several months at my parish before embarking on doctoral studies at Oxford.
Change is not such a bad thing
Aging is all about changes. Some changes are in-evitable. Some are good. And some are plain difficult.
Changing seasons is welcome. On the Sunday after Thanksgiving, I stood sorting through my closet before dressing for church. The time for rusts and golds was past and it was too soon for Christmas colors. I picked purple.
An hour later as I walked into church, our sacristan grabbed my arm. “You remember that you’re a lector today, right?” I hadn’t, of course.
Advent: A time to reflect on God’s presence
An Advent homily that often comes back to me during this time of the Church year was delivered by a priest who shared what he was doing for Advent to help him appreciate the true meaning of the season.
For that Advent he would slow down and stop at every yellow light and wait patiently for it to turn green. This little exercise would hopefully remind him of the people of God who waited so long for the Messiah to come and save them.
Learn more about your faith
From October 2012 through November 2013, Catholics around the world are celebrating the Year of Faith.
Do you want to learn more about being Catholic?