Tag: Francis

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Catholic Herald Staff

Fr. Francis Steffen dies

Reverend Father Francis Jerome Steffen entered eternal life on December 28, 2020 at the age of 89, at Edenbrook Nursing Home in Platteville, Wisconsin. He was born on November 18, 1931 in Platteville, Wisconsin, and is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Florence (Klar) Steffen, by his sister, Rosemary (Elmer) Digman, and his step-mother, Clara Steffen (Bussan, Tesmer).

After attending Sunnydale Rural Grade School in Belmont Township, and then St. Mary Parish Grade School, Platteville, Fr. Steffen attended Loras High School in Dubuque, Iowa. He completed his collegiate studies at Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy in 1953. He attended St. Francis Major Seminary, Saint Francis, Wisconsin, for theological studies. After ordination, he subsequently earned a Master of Arts in Library Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fr. Steffen was ordained to the sacred priesthood by The Most Reverend William P. O’Connor, Bishop of Madison, on May 25, 1957 at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison.

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Kevin Wondrash

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

Hying logo

Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is October 4, remains one of Catholicism’s most popular saints.

Statues and pictures of him abound, especially in gardens and fields, and young people often choose him as their Confirmation saint.

He captures the imagination of artists, writers, poets, intellectuals, and common folk alike.

It is easy to romanticize his story, but like all saints, Francis shows us what happens when an individual gives everything to Christ.

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Bishop Donald J. Hying

St. Francis of Assisi, pray for us!

Hying logo

Francis of Assisi, whose feast day is October 4, remains one of Catholicism’s most popular saints.

Statues and pictures of him abound, especially in gardens and fields, and young people often choose him as their Confirmation saint.

He captures the imagination of artists, writers, poets, intellectuals, and common folk alike.

It is easy to romanticize his story, but like all saints, Francis shows us what happens when an individual gives everything to Christ.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Earth Day and Laudato Si’

A parishioner asked his pastor, “Father, it seems that every time I read a Catholic newspaper, I read about taking care of the environment. Shouldn’t we Catholics be more concerned about taking care of the world’s bigger problems such as war, hunger, and sickness?”

The priest responded, “Haven’t you heard about Laudato Si’, Pope Francis’ encyclical on ecology? It is the first encyclical in Catholic Church history to focus on ecology and care for creation. In this encyclical, Pope Francis makes a connection between care for the environment and war, hunger, and sickness.”

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Bishop Robert Barron

Spending time with my spiritual father

I write these words from the Eternal City of Rome, whither I’ve come with my brother bishops from Region 11 (California, Nevada, and Hawaii) for our ad limina visit.

This is a regular and canonically required trip to pray at the limina apostolorum (the threshold of the Apostles), the tombs of Ss. Peter and Paul, and to meet with the successor of Peter.

Yesterday was the first official day of the pilgrimage, and it was extraordinary indeed.

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Kevin Wondrash

Adoration to be held at Cross Plains church

CROSS PLAINS — St. Francis Xavier Parish in Cross Plains will be holding 32 hours of Adoration at the church, 2947 Thinnes St., as a special time of prayer for the reparation of sins of the entire Church and worldwide peace.

Prayers will also be offered for the new bishop of the Diocese of Madison, along with prayers for national leaders, that they will seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in making decisions that honor the sanctity of life from natural conception to the end of life, freedom of religion, and marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

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