January 16 saw St. Christopher Parish in Verona host the first of a new series: “Revealing the Mystery”.
Tag: St. John Paul II
Close encounters with St. John Paul II
As we mark the 100th anniversary of the birth of St. John Paul II this week, it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the pontificate of this remarkable Holy Father.
Teaching on death penalty has evolved
As we observe October as Respect Life Month, we often think of protecting innocent human life, such as the unborn, the sick, the disabled, and the elderly. But I think it is more challenging to consider protecting the lives of those who have been convicted of crimes. Obviously, they are not innocent.
However, as Catholics we are called to protect ALL human life. In 2018, Pope Francis revised the Catechism of the Catholic Church’s section on the death penalty to teach that the death penalty is “inadmissible” and to say that the Church “works with determination for its abolition worldwide.” In a rescript, or decree, the Holy Father replaced the previous version of n. 2267 of the Catechism to read:
Let’s pray for and welcome Bishop Hying
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As Madison’s new bishop, Bishop Donald J. Hying says he feels “very much at home here.”
In fact, he noted that about half of his relatives live in the Diocese of Madison, most of them in the southwestern Counties of Grant and Iowa.
“It’s great to come home to the state,” he repeated in a press conference, at a meeting with diocesan staff, at a 12 noon Mass, and in an interview with this writer and Tim Hein of Relevant Radio.
Bishop blesses statue of St. John Paul II
Bishop Robert C. […]
Bishop blesses statue of St. John Paul II
Bishop Robert C. […]
Continue to oppose the death penalty
During October, which is observed as Respect Life Month in the U.S. Catholic Church, we publish a number of articles in the Catholic Herald about issues dealing with respect for life at all stages.
Perhaps one of the most difficult issues to discuss is the death penalty. If we admit it, I think many of us subscribe to the Old Testament belief in “an eye for an eye” when it comes to punishing those who harm others.
If someone murders another person, we may feel the death penalty is justified. After all, the murderer took someone’s life, so his life must be taken, too.
What’s wrong with this point of view? Quite a bit, if we start to look at it carefully.
Honoring Mary during May has special significance this year
For many centuries, Catholics have devoted the month of May to Mary. Both in our churches and in our homes, we offer special prayers to Our Lady and honor her as our spiritual mother.
This year, this month takes on special significance. On May 13, we will mark the 100th anniversary of the appearance of Our Lady to three shepherd children in 1917 in Fatima, Portugal.
Vote to uphold sanctity of all human life
To the editor:
For 40 years, the grim reality of abortion has hidden in the shadows of euphemisms and double-speak. As such, we can walk into the voting booth and forget the horrible damage caused by abortion: damage, first and foremost to the baby, but also damage to the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of the mom.
How important is the sanctity of each human life? St. John Paul II tells us, “truly great must be the value of human life if the Son of God has taken it up and made it the instrument of the salvation of all humanity!” (from The Gospel of Life)
How saintly popes modeled virtue
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On April 27, Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (Pope John XXIII) and Karol Jozef Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II) were recognized as saints of the Catholic Church, and may God be praised for it!
No one with the slightest amount of historical sensibility would doubt that these men were figures of enormous significance and truly global impact.
But being a world historical personage is not the same as being a saint; otherwise neither Thérèse of Lisieux, nor John Vianney, nor Benedict Joseph Labré would be saints.
What is a saint?
So what is it that made these two men worthy particularly of canonization? Happily, the Church provides rather clear and objective criteria for answering this question. A saint is someone who lived a life of “heroic virtue” on earth and who is now living the fullness of God’s life in heaven.