MADISON — The Diocese of Madison was approached by a local reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal regarding a story about Holy Wisdom Monastery in Middleton, which was published on February 26. In order to clarify some of the issues raised by the article, the diocesan Office of Communications has shared the entirety of the diocese’s answers on the diocesan Web site at www.madisondiocese.org
Tag: Mass
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.
Living with a grateful heart
Many years ago a missionary friend of mine told me about a beautiful tradition practiced by the people who live in Uganda, East Africa.
From a very young age children are taught to live with grateful hearts. The word they use is “webali,” which is an expression of gratitude for all God’s gifts no matter how seemingly insignificant.
For example, any time a person goes to another’s home, the host thanks that person for taking the time out of his day to visit and the guest thanks the host for welcoming him into his home. If someone has a conversation with another, that person thanks her for taking time to speak and listen to her.
Sister Elwyn McHale, OP, dies
SINSINAWA — Sr. […]
World Mission Sunday 2011: Celebrating, sharing faith joyfully in Kenya
The settings couldn’t be more different. One, Mukuru, a slum in the Kenyan capital city of Nairobi, home to some 10,000 living in wood and corrugated metal shacks, crowded together, with no running water, electricity, or sewage systems.
Sister Elizabeth Cummings, OP (Sylvester), dies
SINSINAWA — Sister Elizabeth Cummings, OP (Sylvester), died Sept. 27, 2011, at St. Dominic Villa, Hazel Green, Wis. The funeral Mass was held in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at Sinsinawa Sept. 30, 2011, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Sister Elizabeth made her first religious profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican Aug. 5, 1937, and her final profession Aug. 5, 1940. She taught in the primary grades for 10 years and the middle level grades for 38 years. Sister Elizabeth served as secretary at St. Rose of Lima School, Cuba City, Wis., for eight years and as support staff at the Motherhouse for eight years. She served in the District of Columbia, Illinois, Minnesota, Wyoming, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
Reflections on 9/11 and life in NYC
Editor’s note: Sr. M. Marcia Vinje, a Schoenstatt Sister of Mary, recently moved from Madison to work at Our Lady of Pity Parish in Staten Island, N.Y. Following are her reflections on the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and other experiences.
The 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, are very much in the awareness of everyone in New York.
Everyone has a story about who they knew that died that day, or why their relative should have been at the World Trade Center but for various reasons they were not there that day or came later. The stories of God’s providence are phenomenal.
Bishop recognizes couples celebrating 50th anniversaries
Each year, Bishop Robert C. Morlino celebrates a Mass of Thanksgiving for all married couples in the Diocese of Madison who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
Bringing Christ to the clinic
A Catholic physician once related to me a powerful story about one of his patients, who had just received a diagnosis of advanced, metastatic cancer and had a relatively short time left to live.