Minnesota Homeschooling Conference - will we homeschool?

Last year we attended the Minnesota Catholic Homeschooling Conference in the Twin Cities and really enjoyed it.  We learned alot about homeschooling curriculum and different aspects of teaching children(like temperaments for example).  This year(May 28-29) the keynote speaker is Dr. Ray Guarendi who we saw in Holmen, WI a few years ago.  This year is shaping up to be a great conference.  I would recommend this conference even to non homeschoolers as it gives parents some great information on how children learn and how to help your children succeed in school.  Since parents are primary educators of their children, even if parents choose to outsource some or most of the education work, they still are solely responsible for their children's education. 

My wife and I have not had to decide yet, but we might homeschool our children once they are old enough.  We have been shopping around and weighing the pros/cons but still we are undecided.  Right now we have four options(in about the order we feel right now):

1. Local private Catholic school (Providence Academy) - Local private Catholic school with classical curriculum I might add.  Originally blessed by then Bp. Burke and modeled after Trinity Academy in Milwaukee, it has struggled to retain teachers after removing the outstanding headmaster Mr. Omar Gutierrez(who Bp. Burke brought in).  We are hoping the school succeeds but the academy is relatively new and its future is uncertain.  I think if we lived near Trinity Academy there would be no question and we'd be shopping for school uniforms.
2. Homeschool - we like the classical curriculum but neither of us have any background in Latin or Greek.  Possibly Seton also.  Both of us attended public schooling so we would be new to the homeschooling lifestyle. 
3. Diocesan Catholic School (Aquinas) - It has gotten better, but we're steering away.  The religious and priest that teach there are very solid but I do not know about the laity teaching there.  And another major downfall is the modern curriculum. The question I ask myself is if I can get essentially the same quality of education minus the religion class in a public school, why pay all that money. 
4. Public Schools (Central) - Not out of the question, La Crosse actually has some solid public schools as public schools go.  Honestly if I thought the local Catholic schooling was not up to snuff, I would have no problem sending my kids to public school and teaching religious and moral studies at home.  Unfortunately too many Catholics forget that last part and send their kids off to public schools assuming they can become good people(not to mention good Catholics) with no intervention.  Sorry, not gonna happen.

Another issue being pondered; my family has always been involved in sports and I want my children in sports.  Each state handles homeschooling and sports differently and I'm not sure how Wisconsin handles this.  I would be happy if we could homeschool and also participate in sports in the public schools.  One big downfall with Providence is they have no sports program and any state allowances for homeschooling would not apply.  Aquinas has a great sports program but the only way to play sports there is to attend school there also.  If anybody knows the Wisconsin homeschooling laws in regard to sports participation, I'd love to hear about it.

At any rate, we have a few years before making a decision.  Obviously we would to prefer to pick one for all kids for their entire schooling but it just might not happen that way.

I welcome comments on your experience or the experience of others you know!

The Raw Milk debate - MMmmmm

I've posted before that my family drinks raw milk.

Now it appears the Wisconsin legislature will take up this issue.  In Wisconsin, raw milk cannot be sold, but you can consume raw milk if you own your own cow.  Some farmers have gotten around this is to sell shares of cows so that the thirsty can drink and the state can feel good about themselves.  Again, as I posted last time, we can smoke as many cigarettes as we want but we cannot drink milk from a cow?  Does this seem a bit odd?


The Assembly Public Hearing for the Raw Dairy Bill has been set.

Tuesday, March 16th
Capital Building, Madison
Room 417 North
10:00 am

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UPDATE:
The previously discussed hearing on the raw milk bill in Madison on the 16th has been cancelled.

There is now just one hearing for both the Senate and the Assembly, which will take place in Eau Claire on March 10th at 10am. This will be the only hearing, and the only opportunity for you to make your voice heard and defend your right to choose your own diet.

Please make every possible effort to attend - take a day off work, cancel your dentist appointment.

If you want to take a bus please RSVP to Vince Hundt by Sunday March 7th at: vince@rotochopper.com.

---

If you are in the area or can make it I encourage you to attend.  More details here.

Wisconsin is the dairy state.  I could drive to Walmart and buy milk which is made in China for all I know or I could keep my money local and buy from a farmer just down the road from me.  Although newspapers publish supposed accusations that some illness was caused by raw milk, after further review(which newspapers seldom like) the accusation were incorrect and contaminates came from some other species.

University of Wisconsin documents reveal taxpayer funding of abortion

Sad but true

University of Wisconsin documents reveal taxpayer funding of abortion, in potential violation of state law

Pro Life Wisconsin just issued a press release today

An open records request by Pro-Life Wisconsin and the Alliance Defense Fund reveals the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) has been funding medical students’ rotations at Planned Parenthood, training medical students in abortion procedures. State law prohibits taxpayer funding of elective abortions.

I guess this doesn't really come as a big surprise to be quite honest.  But I hope legal action can be taken.  Or maybe I will just stop paying my taxes....... 

Hypothetical seminary for Institute of Christ the King - La Crosse WI

Digging through cyberspace archives, I came across an amazing but unfortunatly hypothetical proposal by Matthew Alderman(Shrine of the Holy Whapping) of a new American seminary for the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest which he locates in La Crosse, WI!

All Your Church Are Belong to Us

An outstanding article from InsideCatholic.com's John Zmirak.  A traditionalist Catholic responds to a conservative Catholic.

Make sure to watch the video he references when you get toward the end of the article!

John Zmirak is the same John Zmirak who co-wrote the Bad Catholic Guides.  I highly recommend for anyone who likes to laugh.  It looks like Mr. Zmirak is also writing a new book entitled The Bad Catholic's Guide to the Seven Deadly Sins.

Reflections on Father Hardon, SJ

He was quite short, Father Hardon was.  He was about 5’5”. When he was preparing for his trip to Russia and Poland, he asked if anyone had some boots he could borrow. We were surprised when he said he needed a size 12 or 13. Mike, my husband, brought in some boots that he had for hiking. They were waterproof, size 12.  Father Hardon held them and said, “They are too heavy, but thank you.” The mental giant was of small stature physically. In fact, his doctor told him in the 1970’s that he should stop speaking because his heart could not last. He taught for nearly twenty-five more years. So perhaps you can understand now how frail he seemed, but that never stopped him. 

As you probably remember, Father Hardon went to Confession every day. At Domino’s farms, he would be seen sitting over in a corner with Father Downey as they heard each other’s Confessions.  Well, when Father Hardon went to Poland, there was a blizzard that made the roads and walkways nearly impassable. Daniel Peper, who recorded many hours of Father Hardon’s lectures in Detroit and around the world, went with him on this particular trip to Europe. Father Hardon needed to find a priest to hear his Confession. Unfortunately, Father Hardon could not speak or understand Polish. However, he finally found a priest who could speak Latin, so he decided to go to him. The only problem was that there was nearly a foot or more of snow outside; it was still falling, it was still blowing. Since Father was in his 80’s by now, he had difficulty tolerating the cold and walking. So he enlisted the assistance of 6’5” Daniel.  (You can see a picture of Daniel Peper with Father Hardon and Mother Teresa at www.hardonsj.org. Go to the biography page[pictured left]).  Father Hardon walked behind Daniel so that Daniel would break the wind and give assistance in making a path through the snow.  They bundled up with boots, gloves, and hats, preparing to brave the elements. Out they went. They began to walk, and walk. . . . . Quite some time later, they arrived at the entrance of the priest’s residence.  What is truly amazing about this whole story is that it was at least one or two miles to the place where the priest lived.  Then they had to walk back as well.  Father Hardon was a determined, strong-willed man who loved the Church and the sacraments.  What an example he has set for us on the importance of Confession, on the determination we, too, should have to have our Confessions heard regularly.  

La Crosse Diocese amends its sex abuse policies for minors

Dad29 alerted me to this Journal Sentinel article from yesterday that stated

the La Crosse Diocese on Monday amended its sex abuse policies to recommend victims notify civil authorities, in addition to the diocese, in cases involving minors - a move that brings it more in line with Milwaukee's policies.

This was news to me.  I blogged earlier stating I was under the impression that the Diocese of La Crosse already had the policy that minor abuse was always reported to the authorities, but this is not the case.   Here is where I got that impression

Authorities by law must immediately be notified if the sexual abuse report to the bishop involves a child, La Crosse diocesan attorney Jim Birnbaum said. But the diocese has no such obligation in complaints by adults — nor does any other organization or employer, Birnbaum said.

So perhaps Birnbaum is saying that current law requires it so it need not be in diocesan policy.  I think it needs to be in diocesan policy. 

Here is the policy update.

Individuals are also encouraged to take their reports directly to civil authorities.

I think it is a reasonable policy to but I don't see any situation where an administrator or bishop should feel like it is in the best interest of the diocese to not report abuse of a minor.  Right, but what if it turns out to be not true.  Even in that case the diocese takes a great risk.  Yes we need to protect priests good names but if there isn't a way to do this legally right now, the bishops of Wisconsin should try to work with legislators to see that these matters can be handled privately by law enforcement unless charges are filed.  Unfortunately the current Wisconsin policy makers are a mess full of liberals hoping to destroy not help the Catholic Church in Wisconsin. 

The Archdiocese of Milwaukee will lead the way here regardless of what is happening in La Crosse.

See you in the desert

The Reluctant Traditionalist has more

The Holy Father on Vatican II

"Not every valid council in the history of the Church has been a fruitful one; in the last analysis, may of them have been a waste of time.  Despite all the good to be found in the texts it produced, the last word about the historical value of Vatican Council II has yet to be spoken."

Ratzinger, Joseph. Principles of Catholic Theology: building Stones for a Fundamental Theology. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1987, p. 378.

H/T Fr Z

Lent at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe

To assist the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe who is in dire need of a new website, here is a list of upcoming events for the Lent/Easter seasons. 

 ....... *sigh* and I cannot copy and paste from the pdf because it was encoded in some weird way.  

Well you can take a look for yourself(hopefully).  

The most interesting note is that there will be an Easter Traditional Latin Mass at the Shrine this year!  

Understanding Vatican II(correctly) classes

If you are in the La Crosse WI area and would like to deepen your understanding of what the Catholic Church (actually) teaches, I recently heard about the following:

Understanding Vatican II will be presented by Chancellor Benedict Nguyen(Diocese of La Crosse) beginning Monday, March 1, at 6:30 pm, in the rectory basement library of St. James the Less Catholic Church (1032 Caledonia St.).  For more information or to sign-up for the three week class, please call Donna at 782-1022 or by e-mail at donnaccd@charter.net.  These classes are free of charge.

Just found out...

.... that I work for the Diocese of La Crosse, LOL!
http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=1417057581&searchSource=basic_ssb&singleSearchBox=matt+korger&personName=matt+korger

For the record, I work for a software company called SAP.  I also do web programming on the side.  

http://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewkorger

Listecki "cannot conclusively determine what happened"

Fr. Donkor-Baine of the Diocese of La Crosse was charged Feb 11th with sexual assault on a yet unnamed 47 year old woman.

The La Crosse Tribune reported on it today

The woman reported the incident to diocese administrator Monsignor Richard Gilles in September and met with diocesan attorney Jim Birnbaum, according to the report. It’s unclear why she met with Gilles instead of then-Bishop Jerome Listecki, now archbishop of the Milwaukee diocese.[Probably the same reason I don't meet with Gov Doyle when I have an issue with a local policeman]

“He (Gilles) told me that Bishop Listecki takes these things very seriously and that he would file a report and give it to him,” the woman testified in January before a state Senate committee in Madison. “Now, if I were the bishop[Anglican?], I would have had me sitting in a chair the next day.”

The diocese did investigate the report, Birnbaum said. Donkor-Baine, a Ghana resident[originally the Trib reported he was from Guyana, South America, not Ghana, Africa] who came to the U.S. for medical care, denied the offense[so I think this means he plead not guilty at the trial].

“Sufficient evidence did not exist to confirm the woman’s story,” Birnbaum said. “There were no other like or similar allegations ever made.”

A Dec. 22 letter from Listecki to the woman stated he “cannot conclusively determine what happened.”

Still, Donkor-Baine was ordered not to have contact with the woman or St. James parish, where he led Mass. Listecki also recommended she avoid Franciscan Skemp Healthcare and Viterbo University, where Donkor-Baine provided ministry services and occasionally led Mass.

“Basically, it was Bishop Listecki’s blow-off letter to me,[....Interesting way to phrase it]” the woman testified at the Madison hearing, which Listecki attended.

Journal Sentinel also picked up but did not quote the Listecki letter which I thought was odd.

Well if this is going to trial the Tribune didn't report when.  The La Crosse Tribune also ran a story today that SNAP feels the Diocese of La Crosse needs to change their policies.  The woman did approach SNAP who told her to report it to the DA in La Crosse, which sounds like good advice to me.

There does need to be a distinction made, any abuse reported involving a minor IS reported directly to police.  If the matter is between two adults the diocese tries to determine what actually happened first.  In this case, nobody's saying it but the diocese feels she's making it up.  So it's a he said she said match, no other witnesses.

As to the policy of not reporting adult abuse reports, I don't see a problem with the diocese policy.  What if she confesses later that she made the whole thing up?  What if she was asking the diocese for hush money or told Donkor-Baine he had to pay up or else she'd make something up?  A 47 year old woman sounds like she knows enough to report it to police herself.  Why did she not approach the police first?  I would be open to change my mind if I heard a good reason why this policy doesn't work.  But this case could end up being a good reason the diocese does have this policy.  Priest are targets of many groups out there, and even if found not guilty the damage has already been done to Fr. Donkor-Baine.

Update: Here is an update to this story

Our Lady of Lourdes, ora pro nobis!

If you are looking for some nice desktop wallpaper of the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, check out this website.    
http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php?goto_centre=ar&contexte=en&id=867&name=Wallpapers#






Between February 11th and July 16th 1858, St. Bernadette experienced eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary at the Grotto of Massabielle.

1st Apparition
Thursday February 11th 1858 : The Meeting
Accompanied by her sister and a friend, Bernadette went to Massabielle on the banks of the Gave to collect bones and dead wood. Removing her socks in order to cross the stream, she heard a noise like a gust of wind, she looked up towards the Grotto : "I SAW A LADY DRESSED IN WHITE, SHE WORE A WHITE DRESS, AN EQUALLY WHITE VEIL, A BLUE BELT AND A YELLOW ROSE ON EACH FOOT." Bernadette made the Sign of the Cross and said the Rosary with the lady. When the prayer ended the Lady suddenly vanished.

On Thursday 25th February 1857, Bernadette explained; "Aquéro" ("that thing there" the word in local dialect that Bernadette used for the Lady) told me "go drink at the spring and wash yourself there." Not seeing any water nearby, I went to the Cave. But she made a sign to me, with her finger, to go underneath the rock. There I found a little muddy water, so little that I had difficulty in getting it into the hollow of my hand. Three times I threw it away because it was so dirty. I was only able to draw it up the fourth time."

Dominican Sisters of Mary on Oprah Show

Gotta watch it! Dominican Sisters appeared on the Oprah show. 


Celldoor Miscellany has the full interview

USCCB ..... Isn't someone starting to look into this?

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has some surprising associations. For example, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights (LCCHR), founded in 1950, lobbies the Congress and White House on behalf of its 200 coalition members, which includes the USCCB.  

Members of the LCCHR must pay annual dues depending on the size of the group ($1,000 minimum) and "must share LCCHR's principles and purposes." These criteria were confirmed by Lisa Haywood, membership services director:

Equal rights, equal opportunities and equal justice with regard to race, religion, ethnic origin, gender, disability, age, or sexual orientation; and in which every group is accorded an equal opportunity to enter fully into the general life of the society with mutual acceptance and regard for difference.

Read the whole scoop on Inside Catholic


H/T Dad29

Pray for a priest

Fr. Edmund Donkor-Baine from the diocese has his court date tomorrow.  Please say a prayer for him.  He is being charged for sexual assault on a yet unnamed 47 year old woman. 

The next bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse?

I've heard a name thrown around in the mix.  Honestly I hadn't heard of him until just recently so I dont have too many details.  And nobody "in the know" has said anything to me either, it is all speculation at this point.  Buuuuut, he sounds like exactly the kind of man that Pope BXVI and Arch Burke would be interested in.  

Msgr. Charles M. Mangan is a priest of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. A prolific writer, he served as a member of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. Monsignor has a S.T.L. in Canon Law and now works within his diocese on various apostolic works, including The Mary Project.

Msgr. Mangan will be speaking at the 2010 IRL National Meeting where Arch. Burke will be delivering the keynote address and Burke is the 2010 Pro Fidelitate et Virtute Award Recipient.  

I found these additonional tidbits

• He has an S.T.L. in Canon Law and is currently completing a doctorate in Mariology(Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is in La Crosse).
•  47 years old, named monsignor in 2004
• He is involved with the House of Mary Shrine in Yankton, SD(again Guadalupe Shrine)

Now, another man who apparently is being groomed(almost exclusively worked at the diocesan level) and I think will make a great bishop someday is Msgr. Richard Gilles. Currently he serves as Diocesan Administrator for the diocese of La Crosse and also served other diocesan rolls(Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia).  I think he told me he was in his late 40s if I remember correctly.  If I had to speculate(which I do even in my sleep), I'd say Msgr. Gilles will end up as an auxiliary bishop in Minneapolis/St. Paul or Milwaukee after the retirement of one of the auxiliaries there.  He has primarily served in administrative rolls.  Buuuuut, like Arch. Burke, Msgr. Gilles could be a home grown bishop so it is possible that he could also have his come-up-ins in the same manner.   Buuuuuut, then again, Arch. Burke had the approval of the saintly Fr. John Hardon, SJ who met with Pope JP2 regularly(I think they knew each other while Burke was still a monsignor but I could be mistaken). 

There are a few priest in the diocese that I think would make great bishops also but I'd truely be guessing to name any.  Again, I'm just checking out the landscape here, I haven't heard any actual names passed around at this point.

Stories of Father Hardon and the Sacrament of Confession

There was a long line, as usual, in front of the confessional.  Although two other priests were also hearing confessions, all the lines were long.  The woman waiting in line was next.  She had been trying for three weeks to get to confession but without success.  It seemed every time she would be thwarted by time running out and the priest being called to say Mass or some other pastoral responsibility.  How could she keep her biweekly confessional commitment if she could not find a priest with the time to hear it?

Yet again, it seemed that time was running out and she would miss her chance. But wait, now she was the very next person in line.  As she waited, a gentleman walked into the church and waited right outside the door of the confessional where she was waiting.  Disheartened, she realized that this time would be no different.  Sure enough, as soon as the penitent left the confessional, the man knocked on the door and the priest opened to see what was wanted.  “Father, it is time for your meeting in the lounge.”  Sadly, the woman waited to hear the priest's response.  The priest turned and looked to see how many persons were waiting in line.  He looked into the eyes of the woman with a gentleness hard to explain.  There must have been at least five or more people waiting.

After a brief pause, he turned to the man and said, "Please, ask them to be so kind as to wait a little longer." He then turned and entered the confessional to hear more confessions.  The woman entered the confessional and began to thank him for staying, trying to control her tears of thankfulness.  It was Father Hardon, as you probably guessed long ago.

---

Father believed so strongly in the fruits of a good confession that he would go every day. When he was teaching the classes at Domino’s Farms in Ann Arbor, he urged the students that every time they saw a priest, to go and ask him to hear their confession.  "It is good for them.  It helps them grow in holiness."

He would hear confessions anywhere.  In fact, Marlene Elwell, traveled with Father to meet Mother Teresa in Washington, D.C.  Mother Teresa was going to appear at the national prayer breakfast. Marlene explained that she and Father Hardon had a connecting flight back to Detroit.  As they were waiting to board the plane, Father Hardon said he would be right back, that he was going to the bathroom.  As time passed, no Father Hardon.  As time came to board the plane, still no Father Hardon.  Where was he?  He missed his flight.  She was frantic.

Once in Detroit she waited for the next flight and sure enough here comes Father Hardon.

"Father, what happened? I was so worried.  I could not find you anywhere."

"Oh," he said.  "There was a man in the bathroom who wanted me to hear his confession.  It took some time.  He hadn't been in forty years."

Priests charged in La Crosse Diocese

The top story in the La Crosse Tribune today is breaking the story that a woman is pressing charges against Rev. Edmund Donkor-Baine for sexual assault.  Fr. Edmund served for some time at Blessed Sacrament Parish here in La Crosse WI.  The article appears to indicate that Fr. Edmund will be pleading not guilty.  The woman is not named yet but the court date is next Thursday(Feb 11) so more will be known at that point.

Only two days earlier we found out that another priest of the diocese was charged with embezzlement.  Rev. Robert Chukwu served at Gays Mills and Soldiers Grove in the diocese of La Crosse and is charged with taking $200,000 in parish funds.

I feel sorry for poor Monsignor Gilles who was elected the diocesan administrator!  Bishop Listecki has not been gone a month and already he's got these whoppers to deal with.

In this Year of the Priest we must remember to pray for priest!  Not just this year, but always.  Without priest we have no sacraments.  And it is certain that the devil hates priest and he would do anything in his power to destroy any one of them.  Please say a prayer for both these priest and for the woman who was assaulted(if this truly happened). 

Monday!

For a smile on a Monday :)

Catholic Campaign for Human Development back in the news

This time it looks even worse.  If you will recall back in November there was unearthed some rather unpleasant  findings(which I posted about here) that the USCCB sub committee the now infamous CCHD had been funding groups that promoted abortion and sodomy. 

Now Catholics are asking how it is possible that an executive like John Carr could possibly be employed by the USCCB.  From LifeSite

Top USCCB executive John Carr held simultaneous leadership roles, creating a conflict of interest, with the USCCB and the radical Center for Community Change.

Center for Community Change push abortion & sodomy like far to many of the CCHD funded groups, so much so that CCHD has become a tainted moniker.

John Carr's relationship with the Center for Community Change goes back at least to 1983, serving in leadership roles from 1999 to 2006 - including as chairman of the board

Read the brief on LifeSite or check out Reform CCHD Now which partners with solid groups like American Life League, Human Life International and Bellarmine Veritas Ministry.

The big question is "Who knew?"  If the bishops aren't calling the shot, then who is?  Praise God that these horrible abuses are being brought to light that they may be corrected.

The last time abuses came to light within the USCCB, let us call to mind these comments:

The chairman of the U.S. bishops’ subcommittee which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has defended the program against what he called “outrageous” allegations and claims. He reiterated that the campaign is pro-life and has “zero tolerance” for funding any group that violates Catholic teaching.

Bishop of Biloxi, Mississippi Roger Morin on Tuesday addressed the fall assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) on the topic of the CCHD.

CNA Nov 19

St. Brigid of Kildare, ora pro nobis!

St. Bride- John Duncan

HT: The Lion and the Cardinal

St John Bosco, ora pro nobis!

 

 The Two Pillars Dream by Matthew Brook

More about the Dream of the Storm that St. John Bosco had described.