extraordinary – Page 3 – Madison Catholic Herald

According to Vatican-speak, a specially scheduled session of the Synod of Bishops is an “Extraordinary Synod,” meaning Not-an-Ordinary Synod, held every three years or so.

In the case of the recently-completed Extraordinary Synod of 2014, extraordinary things did happen, in the “Oh, wow!” sense of the word. And if this year’s Extraordinary Synod was a preview of the synod for which it was to set the agenda, i.e., the Ordinary Synod of 2015, that synod, too, promises to be, well, extraordinary.

How was the Extraordinary Synod of 2014 extraordinary? With apologies to the Bard, let me count the ways:

On October 23, 2014May 20, 2021

Audrey Mettel Fixmer

Good news for families

At my age, it is not too surprising to have a bad health day that keeps me home. But when it happens on Sunday and I must miss Mass, I find myself asking, “Why, God? Why today? Don’t you want me to go to Mass?”

On October 16, 2014

Cindy Wooden, Catholic News Service

Married life is better with NFP, says couple at synod


	Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Ky., president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, talks with Jeff and Alice Heinzen of Menomonie, Wis., as they leave the morning session of the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican October 13. The couple are auditors at the synod. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Catholic couples who ignore Church teaching on contraception “don’t know what they are missing,” said a U.S. couple invited to address the extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the family.

Alice and Jeff Heinzen, family life leaders in the Diocese of La Crosse, spoke at the synod October 7, urging efforts to find new ways to share its teaching about the beauty of family life.

Natural Family Planning

Although the couple has practiced Natural Family Planning (NFP) for 27 years and taught NFP — Alice is a member of the NFP advisory board for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops — they did not speak specifically about family planning in their presentation to the synod.

On October 2, 2014

Denis Downey, La Crosse Catholic Times Staff

La Crosse couple presenters at synod

MENOMONIE — Alice and Jeff Heinzen will not only be serving as auditors for the upcoming Extraordinary Synod on the Family that Pope Francis has called for October 5 to 19 at the Vatican but also they will make a presentation before the general assembly at the historic event.

In their main role as one of 14 married couples from around the world selected to serve as auditors for the synod, the Heinzens will observe all of the general assembly sessions and participate in group discussions with the English-speaking delegates.

On February 5, 2014

Kevin Wondrash

Workshops for extraordinary ministers of Communion

MADISON — The Diocese of Madison’s Office of Worship will hold Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion Workshops at two locations in the coming weeks.

At Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 2222 Shopiere Rd., Beloit, on Saturday, Feb. 15, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
At St. Joseph Church, 405 S. Dacotah St., Dodgeville, on Saturday, March 1, from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

On February 5, 2014

Kevin Wondrash

Day of prayer and formation in Watertown

WATERTOWN — St. Henry Parish, 300 E. Cady St., Watertown, is hosting a day of prayer and formation for all lectors, musicians, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, catechists, greeters, altar servers, ushers, and art and environment committees on Saturday, March 1, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, will be the keynote speaker. Abbot Rooney is a dynamic speaker who has consulted on the liturgy with Blessed John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

On February 5, 2014

Kevin Wondrash

Evening of reflection for extraordinary ministers

MADISON — Join Abbot Marcel Rooney, OSB, and other Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHC) on Wednesday, March 26, from 7 to 9 p.m. for a mini-Lenten retreat at St. Maria Goretti Church, 5313 Flad Ave., Madison.

This evening is intended as an enrichment opportunity for veteran eucharistic ministers and does not fulfill the requirement of training at one of the regularly-scheduled workshops for EMHC.

On December 4, 2013

Kevin Wondrash

Diocese posts synod information and resources webpage

In recent weeks, the Diocese of Madison has posted a page on its website to assist people in the diocese with understanding the much-discussed Extraordinary Synod of Bishops on the Pastoral Challenges to the Family, which begins next year.

The site contains a general explanation of the Synod of Bishops, some resources on the family, and pointers on what interested Catholics can do to support the synod.

On January 18, 2012May 20, 2021

Audrey Mettel Fixmer

Following the recipe for a good life

During the holidays I love hearing from old friends, voices from my past; Charlotte, a “mother’s helper” who lived with us for her senior year of high school and now has grandchildren of her own; Tom and Betty, who taught with Bob in the ’50’s and shared our laughter and tears.

They were the short term relationships, the layers of love that add flavor and richness to our lives. The long term relationships were the foundation.

I thought of the analogy as I was making my seven layer taco dip for a New Year’s Eve party.