On Thursday, Sept. 14, the relics of St. Jude Thaddeus, one of the 12 Apostles, will be at St. Maria Goretti Parish here in Madison available for public veneration. The church will be open from 1 to 10 p.m. to pray to the Lord, seek the powerful intercession of St. Jude, and venerate his relics. I will be presiding at a special bilingual Mass at 7 p.m., to which everyone is invited.
Tag: column
Cooperation versus control: Surrender to God in the Eucharist
Despite my careful planning, I was still in control of . . . very little.
Lessons learned serving others
“One of the foundational experiences of my life and my priesthood is the years I spent doing mission work in the Dominican Republic.”
A look at Veritatis Splendor, part one
Promulgated on August 6, 1993, by St. John Paul II, Veritatis Splendor is the holy pontiff’s articulation of Catholic moral principles.
We’re all in this together
As our priests continue to unpack in their new homes and begin embracing new faith communities, and our people adjust to new leadership and new Mass times, I am certainly aware of the enormity of these changes as we launch Into the Deep.
Seeking silence this Advent
As we live these beautiful days of Advent, the Scripture readings and the liturgy present Mary to us in all of her spiritual power and meaning.
Active summer in the Diocese of Madison
We can so easily focus on the bad news, all the things wrong in the world, the difficulties in our country and Church, and yet, so much good is happening right now.
The meaning of light
Last Wednesday evening, I experienced the beautiful prayer of Tenebrae, named after the Latin word for darkness.
Since the earliest centuries of the Church, believers gathered during the Easter Triduum to offer Scripture readings, texts from the Church Fathers, and hymns to honor the suffering, Passion, and death of the Lord.
Surrendering out of love
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Meditating on the Agony in the Garden, the First Sorrowful Mystery of the Rosary, is always a source of great spiritual fruit for me.
We see Jesus alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing His imminent Passion and death, praying that this cup of suffering pass Him by.
Jesus is so anxious and distressed that He sweats drops of blood, struggling to surrender to the will of the Father and the mystery of the cross.
Radical filial obedience wins out, as Jesus utters His fiat, “Let your will be done, not mine.”
When Christ arises from this prayer, He moves forward with determination, arousing the sleeping apostles, facing Judas and the approaching mob, ready and willing to drink the cup of suffering to the very dregs.
In the Gospel passion narratives, once Jesus has made His surrender in Gethsemane, He embraces the terrible details of His trial, torture, and death with a peace, acceptance, and love that is truly divine.
Jesus’ desire to be in relationship with you
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Because this issue of the Catholic Herald is going to every registered household in the diocese, I want to speak especially to our brothers and sisters who may have been away from Mass and the sacraments for a while and are seeking a renewed connection with God and the parish.
I am happy you are reading this and know that I am praying for you, that the Lord touch your heart with love, peace, and grace, that you feel in the depths of your spirit, Jesus’ great desire to be in relationship with you and that you be inspired to reach out to the Church.
The question of faith
The most fundamental decision every baptized Catholic must face is the question of faith.