Thirty-eighth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison.
Bishop Donald J. Hying started out his time as shepherd of the Diocese of Madison energetically with visits to parishes, diocesan schools, …
Thirty-eighth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison.
Bishop Donald J. Hying started out his time as shepherd of the Diocese of Madison energetically with visits to parishes, diocesan schools, …
Eighth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison
Bishop William P. O’Connor traveled to Rome several times after becoming the first bishop of the Diocese of Madison.
Bishop O’Connor made three ad limina visits to the Vatican. These visits are called ad limina apostolorum (“to the threshold of the Apostles”) because they are traditionally pilgrimages made by bishops to the tombs of the Apostles Peter and Paul. The bishops in the United States are required to make visits to Rome personally or through authorized delegates about every five years to present a report on the state of the diocese.
Bishop Donald J. Hying has returned from what he described as a “whirlwind” week in Rome for his “ad limina” visit.
Our communion with the saints is a reality we too often forget. Throughout the history of the Church, the intercession and example of the saints have strengthened and inspired all the faithful, while their relics have been both objects of veneration and sources of miraculous graces.
October 1 is International Day of Older Persons as declared by the United Nations.
It is appropriate to celebrate this day during the fall of the year in order to focus upon the elderly’s autumn blessings and needs. An elderly Italian couple reminded me of this recently.
On August 9, 2016, in Rome, Italy, four policemen visited the home of Michele, a 94-year-old man and Jole, his 89-year-old wife.
After 70 years of marriage, they still loved each other, but they were suffering from the cross of loneliness, partially because their neighbors were vacationing and also because of upsetting TV reports about terrorists’ attacks and abused children.
At this time each year, the Office of Catholic Schools collects data detailing the state of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison.
When looking at data from the past few years, we have seen some exciting trends, such as the addition of grades six to eight at three different schools, the addition of three-year-old pre-school programs at several schools, and marked enrollment increases at several Catholic schools in Dane County.
These positive signs indicate growing enrollment and a focus on continuous improvement and development. While growth comes with certain challenges, it is a reason for great hope for the future of Catholic schools.
While this growth is exciting and encouraging, many Catholic schools, especially those in rural communities, are facing a different set of challenges: how to remain vital and vibrant in communities where the general population is shrinking, leaving an ever smaller pool of students from which to draw.
Q. My mother made the decision to move to an assisted living facility.
The challenges of keeping up her home while attending to her own health have caused far too much stress for her.
She made the decision on her own and shared this with the family at a recent gathering.
Although we (siblings) are saddened to see mom move out of our family home, we are simultaneously relieved that hopefully life will be easier for her. We have started touring various facilities and find them to be very different.
Pope Francis arrives to lead an audience at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) |
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said he would attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September of 2015, making it the first confirmed stop on what is expected to be a more extensive papal visit to North America.
The pope made the announcement November 17, in a speech opening an interreligious conference on traditional marriage.
“I would like to confirm that, God willing, in September 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the eighth World Meeting of Families,” the pope said.
The announcement had been widely expected, since Pope Benedict XVI had said before his retirement that he hoped to attend the Philadelphia event. Popes typically fulfill their predecessors’ publicly known travel plans, as Pope Francis did in July 2013, when he attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, who was in Rome for the families meeting, told Catholic News Service the announcement was “a surprise in the sense that it was announced so early; you know usually they don’t make these announcements — four months out is the typical and here we are 10 months away, and the Holy Father said he is coming to Philadelphia.”
MADISON — Archbishop Jerome Listecki, archbishop of Milwaukee, paid a visit to the Bishop O’Connor Center in Madison recently in order to become better acquainted with Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s diocesan staff and collaborators.