editorial – Page 9 – Madison Catholic Herald

Welcome to the future! If you’ve dragged yourself through A.D. 2020 and just wanted to move onto the next year, congratulations! Here we are! 2021 — the future. This is what we wanted, right?

The way I’m looking at it, one of two things is going to happen as we make our way through “’21”.

Either things are going to be way better, relatively speaking, than they were in 2020, or things are going to reach new levels of 2020-ness, and instead of saying things are “so 2020,” we’ll be saying things are “so 2020s”.

How about that?

We could have an entire decade like the year we just had. Instead of the “Roaring 20s,” we’d have the “Abhorring 20s”?

On December 15, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

What I want for Christmas

Dear Santa,

For Christmas, I would like:

A case of Caffeine-Free Pepsi, a package of bacon, an Amazon gift card, and some Babcock Hall cookies ‘n’ cream ice cream.

I’d also like the energy, ambition, and desire to pray more. I want the habit of opening my Bible more and embracing God’s word. I want to make Holy Mass a centerpiece of my life and feel like every time I am going up for Communion that it’s the most important thing I’m doing that day.

I want an increase in discipleship and evangelization. I want Catholics to know and live their faith so well that leading others to Christ is a natural and normal occurrence.

On December 8, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

Things are different this year

Other than the strong few that are holding on to tradition and doing things as they’ve always been, in spite of 2020 doing its 2020 things all around them, I can divide everyone into two groups.

Those who started their Christmas season as early as possible (12:01 a.m. on November 1) and those who haven’t gotten around to their shopping, putting decorations out, getting the tree up, etc., yet all because “it doesn’t feel like Christmas yet.”

And yes, Church-ily speaking, it’s Advent, now, not Christmas.

On November 24, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

Make a list, check it twice

We love to make lists. Be they shopping lists, Christmas wish lists, bucket lists, or future vacation lists, we are always making lists.

They help to illustrate and organize thoughts and plans in our minds. They also aid us as reminders. We are less likely to forget something if it’s “on the list”.

‘I’ll pray for you’

A lot of people we know are going through challenges. You know what they are; I’ll spare you a hypothetical list.

On November 17, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

‘What else is going on?’

There are two major news stories going on right now: the election and the pandemic.

We have even reached a point where we don’t have to be specific about which election and which pandemic we are talking about. All we need is “the”.

Part of the goal of an editorial is to focus on some sort of current event.

So that means more words about the election and the pandemic, right? No, not this time.

On November 10, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

‘Don’t wish your life away’

Not unlike millions of other people at various times in their lives, a few weeks ago, I was having somewhat of an undesirable day at work, and I wanted nothing more than to make the clock go faster and go home for the day.

Upon expressing this desire to a friend of mine, I was told, “Don’t wish your life away”.

Ever since my friend uttered that chiding, but necessary, comment it’s really stuck with me.

On November 3, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

Moving on with God at our side

I’m in sort of an odd position as I write this piece. Today is Monday, Nov. 2, the day before Election Day.

By the time most of you read this, it’ll be a day or two or more following Election Day.

You’ll know what happened on that night better than I do right now.

I can’t predict the future as much as I wish I could.

On October 28, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

Please vote

If you don’t know that Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 3, I am slightly jealous of you. You’ve probably missed out on some of the craziness, negativity, and frustration that has been the 2020 campaign season.

It’ll all be over soon, right?

Other than perhaps the Super Bowl, I can’t think of an event still in existence, or with its peak effect, that creates as much national attention as the day when we learn who the president will be over the next four-year term.

Voting = power and a voice

Unlike the Super Bowl, we have a say in the results of Election Day.

On October 21, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

‘If I can dream of a better land . . .’

Recently, I rewatched the HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher.

The more than three-and-half hour miniseries looks at the life and career of the affectionately-labeled “King of Rock and Roll”.

In the film, his story is bookended and told within the context of his 1968 “comeback special” that aired in December of that year.

At the conclusion of that special, Mr. Presley sings an emotional version of the song “If I Can Dream.”

On October 14, 2020

Kevin Wondrash

Remembering one of the best days ever

As I am looking at the calendar for October of 2020, and seeing we have a Friday, Oct. 16, coming up, I’m asking myself — How has it been five years already?

The last time October 16 fell on a Friday was in 2015.

My parish, St. Maria Goretti (SMG) in Madison, and the Diocese of Madison as a whole, had one of its most eventful days ever.

The relics of St. Maria Goretti came to the parish for nearly a 24-hour stay, part of the Pilgrimage of Mercy tour that had taken her relics around the country ahead of the Year of Mercy, which started later that year.