Those of us who love the Faith in its incarnate form, Christendom, see the pre-history of the Church not just in Israel but also in Greece and Rome. We teach the works and ways of our forefathers in Reason as lovingly as we do those of our Jewish ancestors in Faith. Together, they form a picture of the embryonic Church that we treasure like the first ultrasound of one's firstborn baby.InsideCatholic
Join Father Francis “Rocky” Hoffman of Relevant Radio for an all-day Marian Day of Reflection and the Transitus of Saint Francis at the beautiful Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. The day will begin with Confessions at 11:00 a.m., followed by Mass. Later, pilgrims may participate in the recitation of the Rosary, the Life Chain, and the commemoration of the passing of St. Francis with Vespers, readings and veneration of a Franciscan relic. There is no admission charge, and pre-registration is not necessary. Participants are advised to make reservations at the Shrine restaurant in advance, as many pilgrims are expected. For more information, contact Relevant Radio (877-291-0123) or the Shrine (www.shrineofourlady.com or 608-782-5440). 
This is the commercial that the Irish Government feels you should not see, at least not if you are a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. What are they afraid of? That's right: the truth. They can't handle the truth. So, thankfully, YouTube and other internet outlets can be the conduits.Patrick Madrid
DE PERE — U.S. Senate candidate Ron Johnson has tried to comply with an advocacy group's request by urging the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay to be open in its investigation of alleged pedophile priests, but members of the group say that isn't enough.GB Gazette
The Republican asked the diocese on Wednesday to be transparent regarding decades-old allegations of child abuse among priests and particularly the Rev. John Patrick Feeney, who was sentenced to prison in 2004 for molesting two brothers in Freedom.
Johnson used to serve on the diocese's financial council and in January testified in Madison against the Child Victims Act — a Wisconsin bill aimed at making it easier for childhood sex abuse victims to sue their attackers — on behalf of the diocese, among other groups. Johnson's statements focused on the financial impact of the bill on nonprofits that serve minors.
Johnson's remarks Wednesday were in response to a news conference in De Pere organized by SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
While SNAP leaders said they were encouraged by Johnson's call for transparency, they are hoping he will also use his connections within the diocese to stop officials from attempting to block the release of the names of other clergy from the diocese known to have assaulted children.
The diocese's legal counsel filed a motion Sept. 15 as part of Feeney's ongoing case in Nevada to block a request to release the names in part because it was from outside the state and it could bring to light the names of other sex offender victims who have chosen to remain anonymous.
"We think (Johnson is) in a really unique position. He's put himself out there on this issue already. So now we're asking him to put himself out there on this issue in a way that we can all agree will bring upon a common result that we are looking for," said Peter Isely, Midwest director for SNAP.
Johnson is running against three-term incumbent U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Middleton, in the Nov. 2 election.
While the diocese said it would not comment on issues relating to a political candidate, a statement from Diocesan director of administration Deacon Tim Reilly said "we have worked diligently over several decades to implement strong policies and procedures that maintain safe environments for children.
"Of all the allegations we have received over the years, the most recent alleged incident of clergy sexual abuse is from 18 years ago. We think this demonstrates the effectiveness of our commitment and work."
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| Annunciation - Lucinda Naylo |
Archbishop Nienstedt is serious about opposing this non-sense and explaining the Catholic Faith. There's not much more to the story than what is cited below, but it is interesting that the "artist" who's been adorning the downtown Basilica with her creations for years has compared herself to Galileo.From The Eponymous Flower
[Minneapolis, Star Tribune] Lucinda Naylor, a Minneapolis artist and part-time church employee, was suspended from her job over a protest sculpture using antigay marriage DVDs distributed by the Catholic church.Read further at Minneapolis Star and Tribune...
The Catholic church began to mail the DVDs to 400,000 Catholics in Minnesota last week. They argue for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage in the state.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the Rev. John Bauer, pastor of the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis, made the decision to suspend Naylor, a 15-year employee
Local News Article from KMSP and Video:[KMSP] Archbishop John Nienstedt announced Monday that every Catholic in the state will be mailed a DVD defending marriage as between one man and one woman, as he hopes to "rally the troops" around the Church's position on the divisive issue just six weeks before Election Day.With special thanks to the Knights of Columbus who helped make this all possible... although they were earlier justifiably accused of sending mixed messages this year by failing to oust Pro-Abortion and Pro-Homosexual politicians. Will this make it more difficult for such men to associate themselves with the Knights of Columbus? We hope so.
Nienstedt appears at the beginning of the eight-minute video, which was prepared by the Knights of Columbus, and will be mailed to the state's Catholics on Wednesday, paid for by a large donation, the archbishop told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Monday evening. The archdiocesan website lists the state's Catholic population at "approximately 800,000."
"Our target is basically our Catholic people," Archbishop Nienstedt said in an interview. "To remind them of what we believe and why we believe it and why it's so important that they believe it."
Course, goes without saying that this place has a booth at a "Gay Pride" event.
Rev. Pablo Straub, left, and Winona Bishop John Quinn speak before Sunday's church service at Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Winona. Straub was here with seven nuns, who are from Mexico, Guatemala and Texas. Jake Rajewsky/Winona Daily News
They come out of holy obedience, their love of God and a desire to serve God's people in a strange land.
At Sunday Mass at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, Winona Bishop John Quinn welcomed seven sisters of the order of Mission Helpers of the Holy Savior to the Diocese of Winona and to the service of the Hispanic community within the diocese.
The sisters, from Mexico, Guatemala and Texas, will take up residence in a refurbished convent in Worthington, in far western Minnesota, but will work with Spanish-speaking people across the entire diocese.
Preaching on the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, Quinn drew a parallel between the attitude of the rich man to Lazarus begging at his door. Hispanic people tend to be invisible among us, he said, making them and their difficulties easy for us to ignore. The presence of the sisters will help all to see how we are being called to "care for the Lazarus in our midst."
The bishop presented the sisters with a processional crucifix to carry with them on their mission. "It is our gift, as God's people, to you," he said. "Wherever you go, bring Christ's love."
In turn, the sisters presented the bishop with a portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of Mexico.
The Mission Helpers of the Holy Savior were founded in 1984 by the Rev. Pablo Straub, a Redemptorist priest, as an order of contemplative and missionary nuns. The order now numbers 64 sisters, and an order for men, founded 10 years later, has 22 vowed members.
Straub, who accompanied the sisters to Minnesota, said Bishop Quinn contacted him last August, asking him to send members of the order to work in the diocese. Straub accepted, he said, but it took a full year for visas for the six Mexican and Guatemalan sisters to be processed. The seventh, he said, was from "the Republic of Texas," so needed no visa.
Mother Marcelina de Jesus said she came because she "knew there were Spanish-speaking people here who are abandoned and in need of the Gospel.
"I exist to give people the living Gospel, so I want to go," she said.
Nineteen-year-old novice Sister Ana Rosa said she knew it was the "will of God" for her to come. "I am very happy to be here, not that I love the place, but that I obey the voice of God," she said.
A missionary, and for that matter every Christian, may be guided by this thought, Straub said: "Be what you are supposed to be. Do what you are supposed to do. Everything else will be taken care of by God."
The mission sisters traveled Sunday afternoon to Worthington and were welcomed there with a Spanish language Mass in the evening.
WINONA — Guest speaker Brother Paul Joslin, FSC — a colleague and friend of Brother James Miller — will present "Witnessing to Nonviolence" on Oct. 7 at Saint Mary's University.Star Tribune
This year marked the 28th anniversary of the death of Brother James, a member of the De La Salle Christian Brothers and a 1966 graduate of Saint Mary's. Brother James was taking education, faith and hope to marginalized Guatemalans when he was shot and killed in 1982 by four masked gunmen while mending a wall outside the De La Salle Casa Indigena where he worked.
The La Crosse Diocese has presented cause for his canonization, and the Catholic Church is investigating cause for his sainthood. He has been named a Servant of God.
Brother Paul, also a De La Salle Christian Brother, teaches at St. Raymond High School in the Bronx of New York.
The event, part of SMU's Lasallian Week of Peace, will run from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Salvi Lecture Hall, located on the third floor of Saint Mary's Hall.
For more information, contact Dennis M. Gallagher, SMU's dean of Campus Ministry, at (507) 457-6936 or e-mail dgallagh@smumn.edu.
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| Liberal Madison students studying |
President Obama campaign found plenty of enthusiasm among students in the 2008 presidential race, but 2010 is another year -- and with seats to fill at a Tuesday rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Obama team took the step of sending an e-mail message to supporters in search of an audience.Fox News
The president is headed to Madison as part of a series of rallies in swing states leading up to the election. But where he drew a crowd of 17,000 at the University of Wisconsin in 2008 during the presidential race, crowds are expected to be significantly smaller this time around -- so much so that the president's campaign team, Organizing for America, is sending out RSVP requests for Tuesday's rally, featuring musician Ben Harper.
The Blessed Virgin Mary just did a Lambeau Leap." 'In God’s name, who are you and what do you want of me?’ asked Adele, as she had been directed.More on the Apparitions ... Apparently Our Lady has not studied modern theology....
“ ‘I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. You received Holy Communion this morning, and that is well. But you must do more. Make a general confession, and offer Communion for the conversion of sinners. If they do not convert and do penance, my Son will be obliged to punish them’
ALLOUEZ — Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken will be the spiritual director for a pilgrimage to Austria and Germany in September and October 2010. The highlight of the pilgrimage, sponsored by The Compass, will be attending a performance of the world famous Passion play in Oberammergau, Germany, on Oct. 2.Full itinerary at The Compass
According to Compass advertising and marketing manager Amy Kawula, only 48 spots are available on this trip. Reservations are on a first-come, first served basis.
Pilgrims will depart for Austria on Saturday, Sept. 25, and arrive in Vienna on Sept. 26. Upon arrival they will check into their hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner.
GREEN BAY, Wis. (CNS) -- The role priests play in counseling people touched by abortion is critical, yet they often do not know what to say or do, Green Bay Bishop David L. Ricken said at a workshop for priests to help them learn about post-abortion healing.CNS
He recalled an event that put the abortion topic in a new and disquieting light.
At a recent diocesan youth retreat, a 15-year-old girl was found crying before a crucifix. "One of the youth ministers went up to her and said, 'Can I help you?' and what came out was that this 15-year-old girl has already had three abortions," said Bishop Ricken.
"So brothers, this is getting to be a very serious societal problem among Catholics," he said. "I would say we are (needed) now more than we've ever been as far as our catechesis, our pastoral preaching and reaching out because there are so many broken families."
He made the comments in an opening talk at the recent in-service session, sponsored by the diocesan Respect Life Office. The event, which drew some 65 priests, focused on the ministry of Project Rachel, a post-abortion ministry founded in Milwaukee in 1984.
Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel and executive director of the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing, was on hand to help the priests recognize some of the signs that accompany post-abortion trauma and discuss how to help grieving people.
"I don't know about you, but when I've heard confessions and it involves abortion," Bishop Ricken told the priests, "sometimes I feel helpless, not knowing what to do, what to say," he said.
Thorn told the priests that "from the beginning priests were at the core of this ministry. What you do, what you say, your presence is so important to the walking wounded that you encounter -- and they are everywhere."
She said that while some 50 million abortions take place each year in the United States, it is difficult to know exactly how many people have been touched by them.
"Why do I say we don't know? Because abortion didn't start with Roe v. Wade," Thorn said about the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion virtually on demand. "It's been forever a human problem. So we need to know there are old women in our congregations and in our nursing homes who have had abortions."
Thorn then offered the priests practical advice.
"If you get a call from the nursing home or the hospital that Mrs. So-and-So should have died yesterday but she's so agitated, get your stole and get to the hospital and say to her there's nothing that God can't forgive. And then name a couple of the favorite sins of your parish and put abortion in there. You'll see her eyes fill with tears," she said.
Older women did not have counseling or support after abortions, Thorn continued. "They went to confession many times, but in death there's a series of questions they need answered and you can be the person" to answer them.
Thorn reminded the priests that abortion touches everyone and she shared personal experiences of friends and relatives who had abortions.
She talked extensively about the impact of abortion on women's health, including an increased risk of being diagnosed with cancer.
"We live in a society that says (having an abortion is) just like an appendectomy or having your tonsils out," she said. "No it's not, because you're forever carrying this biological memory in your body. Furthermore, you started a pregnancy and you didn't finish it. That has implications.
"Our first pregnancy as women is very important to changes in our body," she said. "It's critical. So there are lots of things that happen here in terms of this abortion loss."
Thorn also cited research by a cancer specialist in Seattle who discovered that girls under 18 who have abortions, and who have a history of breast cancer in their immediate families, increased their risk of breast cancer by 100 percent.
Thorn told the priests that she understood the challenges they face talking about abortion.
"I know that when it comes to pro-life stuff, you can't do anything right," she said. "Because whatever you say, someone's going to be unhappy with you. It's either too much or not enough."
She called abortion a "heart debate (because) people are so impassioned" about the issue.
Thorn told the priests that when an angry parishioner confronts them at church, "don't argue with them because nobody's ever been argued into the pro-life movement. Simply say to them, 'Why don't you share with me why you feel so strongly about this. I'd like to understand.'
"Shut up and just let them talk," she continued. "When they are done, thank them. If you can, lay your hand on their arm. Gentlemen, 20 seconds of touch is powerful healing in people. It sets off that chemistry of connection."
By following these steps, she told the priests, "You broke a stereotype because they were convinced you were going to yell at them and argue with them. You listened to them; you heard them, which is different than just listening. Now all of that toxicity that was sitting in their gut is gone. And pretty soon you might find them in your office."
Pro-Life WisconsinThe state of Wisconsin Department of Health Services released its annual report on induced abortions in Wisconsin. The total number of abortions in Wisconsin in 2009 was 8,542, up from 8,229 in 2008. [That's 24 kids per day!]
This is the first increase in the number of abortions since 2003.
Statistics show the use of RU-486 has risen while surgical abortions have declined. Both chemical and surgical abortions are reported to the state of Wisconsin and are covered by the statistics. The use of the drug regimen RU-486 results in a chemical abortion.
Of the 8,542 reported abortions in 2009, 72 percent were surgical, 27 percent were chemically induced, and 0.6 percent were surgical procedures following a failed or incomplete chemically induced termination of pregnancy. In 2008, these proportions were 80 percent, 19 percent, and 0.4 percent, respectively.
According to a LifeSiteNews article, one out of four babies aborted early in the United States is killed by the abortion pill rather than a surgical procedure.
The chemical abortion method consists of first administering mifepristone, also known as RU-486, which kills the child before misoprostol is given two days later, a drug that induces the mother to expel the dead baby’s corpse.
These numbers of chemical abortions do not include the use of the morning after pill and other hormonal contraceptives, which can cause a pre-implantation abortion. The morning after pill is sold over the counter in drugstores nationwide.
Click here to read the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services report on 2009 abortions in Wisconsin.
An explosives threat near a school, church, and Family Services on Green Bay's east side was averted Thursday afternoon.WBAY
According to police, a woman called just before 2 P.M. and said she found explosives in their garage, put them in the trunk of her car, and was bringing them to the police station.
She stopped to meet a friend near the 600-block of South Irwin Street, the car was close to St. Thomas More Catholic School, St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, and Family Services.
In a discussion with the friend, she decided not to drive any farther and called police again.
Officers determined the explosives are railroad-type, pressure-sensitive blasting caps. They were wired, and it wasn't known how stable they are, but police believed if there was an explosion the threat would be a 50- to 70-foot radius.
They evacuated the Family Services offices, and parents were instructed to pick up students in the back of St. Thomas More school. There were no activities at the church.
The bomb squad safely removed the blasting caps and will properly dispose of them, police say.
ARCADIA, Wis - Down the street at Detox Bar & Grill, owner Don Sylla served drinks to a small crowd of locals. Water levels on Main Street were already climbing when he closed the bar the night before, so he spent the night in his business.La Crosse Tribune
"I'm here. Might as well serve some drinks," he said.
Meanwhile, agencies from across the state descended on Arcadia to aid in the response. About 50 evacuees initially went to Holy Family Church before the Western Wisconsin chapter of the American Red Cross set up a shelter at the National Guard Armory. Catholic Charities in La Crosse has sent crews to assist people affected by the flood, and the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs sent 20,000 sandbags and a sandbagging machine to Arcadia.
The rain continued to fall Thursday afternoon as the fire department used an airboat to pull another family from a home. Officials verified that the levies had not suffered any damage and provided police escorts to residents looking to re-enter downtown to visit their business or retrieve medications. More than 20 residents were not allowed to return to their homes Thursday night and slept in the shelter, said Heidi Jury of the Red Cross.
But even among the bustle, officials kept an eye on the sky - and on the swelling Trempealeau River. As of 8 p.m., it remained just feet from spilling onto city streets.
ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) -- Authorities are recommending evacuations in southwest Rochester.
This notice affects all residents and businesses in the Zumbro River area around Bamber Valley Road.
Thursday night and into Friday morning, Rochester fire and police were contacting homeowners and businesses. Flood waters are predicted to rise and potentially flood homes in this area.
Homeowners are encouraged to pack only belongings that can fit in a personal vehicle.
BLACK RIVER FALLS, Wis. - The Black River is rising this morning in Black River Falls, but as of 8 a.m. the levees were holding, according to Fire Chief Steve Schreiber.
The water is very near the top of the levee, and inmates from the Black River Correctional Camp are helping with sandbagging operations, Schreiber said.
PINE ISLAND, Minn. (KTTC-DT) -- The city of Pine Island has been put the city on lockdown and no county travel is advised in the area.KTTC
Due to the high levels of water and the road closures all around the area, the Olmsted county Sheriff's office will only let in the people who have proof of residence in the area.
They are saying it's very dangerous to travel around the city and anybody wondering on flooded property could be arrested.
Instead of cool and crisp weather, summer rains have come back. And in the span of nearly 12 hours, a downpour on Pine Island brought close to 10 inches of rain.
WABASHA, Minn. (KTTC) The Zumbro River continues to rise in Zumbro Falls and is expected to crest Friday afternoon. The National Weather Service observed the river at 30.26 feet at 7 a.m. Friday. Anything over 18 feet or more is considered flood stage.26 feet is considered major flood stage.
GREEN BAY (WFRV) - Green Bay police are on the scene of a vehicle containing explosives on the near east side.WFRV
The vehicle was parked in front of St. Mary of the Angels church, 645 South Irwin.
The Vehicle was believed to contain blasting caps in the trunk.
A one block radius has been blocked off and the Brown Outagamie Bomb Squad has dispatched to the scene.
Today marks exactly 40 days before Election Day. Organized prayer campaigns have sprouted up across the country using the biblical 40 days as a time to fast and pray – to pray that God will guide the conscience and hearts of voters this November.CatholicVote.org
Of course prayer is always necessary, election season or not. We need God every day. But Catholics have often marked historic events with special prayers and devotions. And pilgrimages!
So we are headed to LaCrosse, WI for Respect Life Sunday, October 3rd.
Why LaCrosse? The Wisconsin city is the home to a glorious new shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe – the Patroness of the Americas, and the Patroness of the Unborn.
CatholicVote.org has teamed up with the Catholic Relevant Radio network to encourage anyone that can make it to join us. We hope to promote an annual pilgrimage to this beautiful new shrine, every year, on Respect Life Sunday.
Bring a blanket, bring a bagged lunch – come as you are. The purpose of this pilgrimage is not political, but religious. In fact, the pilgrimage is about one thing – to call upon the protection of the Mother of God, and ask her to lead us closer to her Son, Jesus Christ. There are no organized events or speakers. Just prayer.
Confessions begin at 11 AM, Mass at 1 PM, Rosary at 3 PM, and the traditional celebration of Transitus (Latin for passing into Eternal Life) of St. Francis at 4PM.
If you are up for a trip, start making your plans by visiting Relevant Radio’s website for directions and information.
If you can’t make it, you can join us in prayer not only on October 3rd, but starting today for the next 40 days.
ARCADIA, Wis. - A 50-foot section of North Oak Street has washed away in Arcadia, where flooding caused by heavy rains has led officials to declare a state of emergency. Rushing water is moving through town and the washout on Oak Street has left a sinkhole about 5 feet deep. Pipes are exposed, and crews are checking to see whether there's a gas leak.Fr. Klos is stationed at Holy Family Parish there. He's a solid priest and also reads this blog from time to time. Let's pray for all those involved.
Authorities evacuated dozens of people overnight and are continuing to urge people to leave town. Civil defense sirens sounded, and the fire department was helping lead residents from their homes by about 4 a.m.
Currently 50 people are being sheltered at the Holy Family Church. Responders are rescuing flood victims with boats. The National Guard has deployed three 5-ton trucks at the request of local authorities to assist the incident commander with evacuations as needed.
Click here to email registration and mail check to the Office of Worship | PO Box 44983 | Madison, WI 53744-4983.
Friday and Saturday (including dinner, refreshments & materials)
$35 per person (1-3 from the same parish)
$30 per person (4 or more from the same parish)
Contact us no later than September 22 if you need an overnight room (additional charge will apply).
Friday Session Only (including dinner, refreshments & materials)
$25 per person (1-3 from the same parish)
$20 per person (4 or more from the same parish)
Saturday Session Only (including refreshments & materials)
$15 per person (1-3 from the same parish)
$10 per person (4 or more from the same parish)
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| Couldn't find a picture of Feeney so here's a photo of St. Mary's in the Mountains Church in Nevada |
CARSON CITY – The Nevada Supreme Court has refused to dismiss a suit filed by a Las Vegas man who says he was sexually abused as a teenager by a Catholic priest from Wisconsin.Las Vegas Sun
The man filed suit in 2008 alleging that Catholic priest John P. Feeney sexually molested him twice as a 13-year old boy while he was a student at St. Francis de Sales parish in Las Vegas.
His civil suit names the Roman Catholic Bishop of Las Vegas and its successors, the Diocese of Reno-Las Vegas, the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay Wisconsin and Feeney. The suit claims Feeney was an agent of the Wisconsin church.
The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay sought a pre-trial dismissal of the case on grounds there was no jurisdiction in Nevada over the church in Wisconsin and the statute of limitations had expired because the suit wasn't filed until 24 years after the alleged incident.
District Judge Valorie Vega refused to grant dismissal of the case against the diocese in Wisconsin. The Supreme Court agreed and said there are still factual issues to be litigated.
Feeney served as a priest in Green Bay from 1952 to 1983, when he was discharged from his duties after sexual abuse allegations arose.
Feeney went to California, then came to Las Vegas, where he was appointed associate pastor of St. Francis de Sales in 1984.
Feeney was convicted of four counts of sexually abusing minors in Wisconsin in 2004 and sentenced to 10 years in prison in that state.
The Catholic Diocese of Wisconsin maintains Nevada doesn't have jurisdiction over it since it discharged Feeney, who then moved west.
The suit in Las Vegas says Feeney put his hand on the thigh of the boy and kept it there during an impromptu confession. The second alleged incident occurred in 1985, when the priest allegedly put his arm around the boy and slid his hand up the boy's thigh under his shorts and touched his genitals, according to the suit.
Feeney was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2004 for sexually assaulting the Merryfields in 1978 when he was assigned to St. Nicholas Parish in Freedom.Sooo, I'm not sure I understand this. The first article states Green Bay dismissed Feeney in 1983 and the incidents took place in Las Vegas in 1984 and 1985 when Feeney was no longer a member of the diocese or in the same state.....
Marshfield Clinic Cancer Care is proud to offer Yoga Classes! A Level 1 Certified Yoga Fit Instructor, who is also an Oncology Certified Nurse will be leading this class.Sacred Heart Eau Claire
The class will be concentrating on the Hatha Yoga. This type of Yoga focuses on postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. The first class will start July 7th and go to August 11th.
The Center for Healthy Living’s MBSR course is based on the Stress Reduction Program founded in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. The course includes elements of mindfulness meditation and yoga, mixed with group discussions and weekly assignments, to help you learn to see more clearly and relate more directly to the challenges in your life.
Yoga, a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises, is a popular means of stress reduction. The goal of yoga is to reach complete peacefulness in your body and mind.
The quiet, precise movements focus your mind less on your busy day and more on the moment as you move your body through poses that require balance and concentration. Yoga is a good means for stress reduction and relaxation.
Since Reiki therapy is not compatible with either Christian teaching or scientific evidence, it would be inappropriate for Catholic institutions, such as Catholic health care facilities and retreat centers, or persons representing the Church, such as Catholic chaplains, to promote or to provide support for Reiki therapy.-USCCB Guidelines on Reiki (pdf)
The service was originally started by Campaign Life Coalition (CLC), a Canadian national pro-life organization headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Campaign Life Coalition, founded in 1978, was one of the first pro-life organizations to emphasize the international dimension of attacks on life and family. Along with a few other groups it pioneered pro-life lobbying at United Nations conferences. CLC president, Jim Hughes, is currently also vice-president of the International Right to Life Federation.
CLC's international dimension spurred the development of LifeSiteNews as an international news service. LifeSiteNews.com U.S. and Canada are now separate incorporated non-profit organizations, are not involved in direct political action and do not support or oppose political candidates or parties. LifeSiteNews is strictly a news and information service.
The 1997 founding staff of LifeSiteNews are current Managing Director Steve Jalsevac and News Editor John-Henry Westen. LifeSiteNews management and staff writers/researchers are located in various cities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Italy and Chile.
US citizens have become our largest readership. Canadians are next, followed by smaller numbers of readers in many of the nations of the world. LifeSiteNews.com networks regularly with leaders and other organizations around the world.
Formerly the Pro-Life Infonet, LifeNews.com has been harnessing the power of the Internet since 1992 to bring pro-life news to the pro-life community. We've developed a reputation for fairness, accuracy and timeliness in our fifteen years of service.
As the founder and Editor of LifeNews.com, Steven Ertelt has provided the pro-life community with news via the Internet since 1993. He also serves on the board of Colorado Citizens for Life, the statewide pro-life group. A former radio announcer who has been interviewed on dozens of radio and television programs, Mr. Ertelt holds a bachelor's degree in Politics from Hendrix College.
Walker is above 50 percent for the first time in this campaign, and any gains it looked like Democrat Tom Barrett had made in the Aug. 24 poll seem to have evaporated. Walker's campaign is portraying this as a big win, as they should, things look good for the Republican.
After a decisive win in Tuesday’s Republican Primary, businessman Ron Johnson now holds a seven-point lead over incumbent Democrat Russ Feingold in Wisconsin’s U.S. Senate race.Rasmussen
Five breweries in Wisconsin took home awards at the Great American Beer Festival that concluded over the weekend in Denver.Wis State Journal
Capital Brewery in Middleton took bronze in the German-style wheat ale category for its Weizen Doppelbock, while New Glarus Brewing in New Glarus took bronze in the fruit beer category with its Raspberry Tart beer.
Gold medals went to Stevens Point Brewery in the American-style wheat beer with yeast category for its Point Horizon Wheat and Titletown Brewing in Green Bay in the Bohemian-style pilsner for its Boathouse Pilsner.
In the American-style lager or light lager category, Miller Brewing in Milwaukee took gold with its Miller Lite and bronze with its Miller Genuine Draft. The brewery also took a gold in the American-style specialty lager or cream ale category with its Hamm’s beer.[weeeeelll actually although based in Milwaukee, WI, Miller is owned by SABMiller (South African Breweries) based out of London. And do we really qualify Miller Lite as "beer" or perhaps "Tainted Water"]
The competition drew 3,523 beers vying for medals in 79 categories.
For a complete list of winners go to www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com.
SNAP called on Milwaukee Auxiliary Bishop Richard Sklba on Thursday to turn over to authorities any records he has involving pedophile priests before he retires as early as this year.JSOnline
SNAP accuses Sklba, who submitted a mandatory letter of retirement after turning 75 on Sept. 11, of working closely with then-Archbishop Rembert Weakland to conceal the sexual abuse histories of at least 10 pedophile priests who went on to molest other children in Wisconsin and across the country.
It came as yet another lawsuit against the archdiocese for its handling of sexual abuse cases was filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Thursday - this one involving the now-defrocked Franklyn Becker, who was accused of molesting 10 teenage boys beginning in the 1960s.
"Archbishop Weakland has testified under oath that Bishop Sklba was his go-to guy for all sex abuse cases," said John Pilmaier, co-director of the Midwest chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, which issued a public appeal to Sklba on Thursday.
"We'd like him to explain how it is he became so involved. Was he ordered by Weakland or did he come up with this on his own?" Pilmaier said. "This is a chance for Bishop Sklba, in the twilight of his life, to come clean."
Sklba was out of town and unavailable for comment Thursday. Bishops are required by church law to submit their letters seeking retirement when they turn 75. But the decision is made by the pope, and bishops can remain in their posts for years.
The archdiocese issued a statement Thursday saying Becker's offenses had been well-documented; that he appears as "laicized" on the archdiocese's list of abusive priests; and that there are no priests with credible allegations of abuse against them now working in the archdiocese.
The latest lawsuit is the 14th case involving 18 victims now pending against the archdiocese, including one in U.S. District Court that names the Vatican as a defendant. The new lawsuit specifically mentions Weakland but not Sklba, who was named auxiliary bishop in 1979.
The lawsuit alleges that Becker, now 73, sexually assaulted the plaintiff, identified as John Doe 17, in 1979 at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Milwaukee when he was 7 or 8 years old. It says the archdiocese defrauded the victim by not alerting his parents and other parishioners to Becker's sexual history. Becker did not return a telephone call seeking comment.
According to a letter released as part of an earlier lawsuit, Weakland knew of Becker's homosexual orientation and attraction to teenage boys as early as 1980. He testified in a 2008 deposition that Sklba would have been involved in all of the sexual abuse cases he handled.
Victims accuse Sklba of playing a role in numerous cases, including Becker's and that of Father Lawrence Murphy, who was accused of molesting as many as 200 boys at St. John's School for the Deaf in St. Francis.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee said Thursday that it will cut off financial subsidies beginning Oct. 1 to nine priests found to have credible allegations of sexual abuse against them, a move expected to save the archdiocese at least $90,000 a year.JSOnline
Archbishop Jerome Listecki said Thursday that the subsidies for basic living expenses, in place for at least one priest since 2002, were never meant to be permanent.
"My reading of canon law is that these were meant to cover a period of transition, it didn't mean the rest of their lives," he said.
Victims advocates voiced outrage that the church was continuing to support abuser priests.
"These nine would have been immediately fired in any other job once their employer had determined they had raped and assaulted children," said John Pilmaier, co-director of the Midwest chapter of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests.
The archdiocese is not naming the priests, who were notified by letter in recent weeks.
It said all of the nine are in the process of being laicized, which can take years in the Vatican legal system, or have been ordered to spend the rest of their lives in prayer and penance, a punishment usually reserved for older or infirm clergy.
At least four men are above retirement age and eligible for Medicare and Social Security benefits, according to Jerry Topczewski, chief of staff for Listecki. The remainder either have found or should have found secular employment by now, he said.
Topczewski said the archdiocese had been considering ending the subsidies for several years.
"Considering the challenges the archdiocese is facing, this is another way to eliminate costs," he said.
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| St Michael, Redemption Grotto, West Bend, Iowa |
Check out the full Faithful Citizenship Iowa
ASK THESE QUESTIONS OF CANDIDATES IN IOWA
An affirmative answer would be consistent with the positions of the Iowa Catholic Conference. Do you support:
• Protecting the dignity of human life from conception until natural death?
• Placing restrictions on abortion funding and mandates?
• Ensuring alternatives to abortion by funding organizations that assist women in crisis pregnancies?
• Requiring a 24-hour reflection period before an abortion?
• Restoring Iowa’s ban on all human cloning and prohibiting embryonic stem cell research?
• Maintaining Iowa’s status as a “no death penalty” state?
• Passing legislation that helps all immigrants provide for their families and become participating members of their communities?
• Enacting a fair and just tax system, a just living wage, and fair and reasonable labor practices by employers?
• Passing legislation to outlaw unfair lending practices?
• Establishing community-based corrections for prisoners who are not a threat to the community?
• Passing measures to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the air, water and land?
• Increasing tax credits to individual and corporate contributors to a “school tuition organization” for scholarships to low-income children so they may attend a nonpublic school?
• Increasing funding for textbooks, transportation and technology for children in public and nonpublic schools?
• Amending Iowa’s Constitution to recognize marriage only as a union of one man and one woman?
The way to do this is by convening a constitutional convention. Every 10 years, including this year, Iowa voters have the opportunity to call for a constitutional convention. A “yes” vote on this measure will allow Catholics and others to work for a marriage amendment to the Iowa Constitution. This amendment would affirm the traditional understanding that marriage is a union of one man and one woman.
40 Days for Life begins this Wednesday, Sept. 22 and runs through Oct. 31.
40 Days for Life will be observed in the Wisconsin area in Appleton, Green Bay, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Wausau and Rockford, Ill. For more information on locations and who to contact, go to the 40 Days for Life website.
We encourage you to join us in the 40 Days for Life opening ceremony nearest you:
— 40 Days for Life - Appleton: Kickoff on Tuesday, Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Meet at Community Church (3701 N. Gillett St. Appleton, right before the abortion mill.) PLW's Steve Karlen will speak. Join us for prayer, music, and inspiration;
— 40 Days for Life - Milwaukee: Kickoff on Wednesday, Sept. 22 from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Affiliated Medical Services, 1428 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee;
— 40 Days for Life - Madison: Kick-off is Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. at the building across the street from Planned Parenthood (3711 Orin Rd., Madison). Our special guest will be Shawn Carney, National Director of 40 Days for Life. The evening will include food and fellowship, a presentation from Shawn and prayers at Planned Parenthood offered by Fr. Brian Dulli of Sun Prairie. Plan on attending with your family and friends!
In addition, Shawn Carney, National Director of 40 Days for Life, will be present at the following Wisconsin 40 Days for Life locations this week:
— 40 Days for Life - Green Bay: Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 12:30 p.m. at OB-GYN Associates of Green Bay, Medical Arts Building, 704 S. Webster Ave., Green Bay;
— 40 Days for Life - Appleton: Wednesday, September 22 at 3 p.m. at Planned Parenthood, 3800 N. Gillett St., Grand Chute;
— 40 Days for Life - Milwaukee: Thursday, Sept. 23 at 9 a.m. at Affiliated Medical Services, 1428 N. Farwell Ave., Milwaukee.
The following narrative illustrates something we encounter all too frequently outside abortion facilities – teenage girls brought in by their mothers. This situation happened during last spring’s 40 Days for Life. We ask you to join us in observing 40 Days for Life this fall, to pray for an end to abortion – so no 15-year-old girl, or anyone, will ever be forced into abortion again.
She had somewhere to go. On her way, Teresa thought she would stop by the abortion clinic on Farwell Ave. in Milwaukee and pray for an hour as part of the 40 Days for Life campaign. It was Friday and she was praying at the clinic when a young girl of 15 walked up to the clinic, obviously pregnant.
I’ll call her Doris (not her real first name). She was there with her boyfriend. She told Teresa she was 21 weeks pregnant and did not want to have an abortion. Her mother wanted her to have an abortion. Her mom was threatening to sue her boyfriend if she did not kill her child. The boyfriend did not want her to abort their child. Teresa and a sidewalk counselor tried to offer her help and other options. She went in the clinic anyway, but on her way in she turned to Teresa and said, “Are you going to be here when I come out?” Teresa replied yes, not knowing when Doris would come out. Teresa would be late to her next stop.
When Doris came out of the clinic, she would only tell Teresa that she had made an appointment for the abortion the next day at 8:30 am. The abortion clinic had closed the deal. Teresa and others promised to pray for Doris and her child. Teresa would return to the clinic the next morning after many hours of prayer and after asking an army of people to pray for Doris and her child. It was hoped that she would not return to the clinic but when Doris did return, she was extremely sad and said, “I can’t back out now, my mother has paid $2,000 to the clinic.”
Teresa describes Doris as “well off” in her appearance, not poor. However Doris is truly the poorest of the poor when her own mother forces her to abort her large, kicking unborn child. Doris’ mother does not realize that Doris will at least resent and probably hate her for a very long time. Teresa was afraid her mother wouldn’t care. If that is so, how poor is that?
“Are you going to be here when I come out?” Even though Doris felt she had to give in to the extreme coercion that she was under, she still wanted to know, “Are you going to be here when I come out?” Is this not the cry of the poor? Was she not begging for someone to come after her with love? Are we not all wanting God to “come after us” when we sin? Are we not all called to be the hands and feet of Christ to the women coming to the abortion clinic who are so poor that they are not just hungry; they are so poor that they feel trapped into having their babies stolen from them by a curette or a suction machine at our abortion clinic… right here in Milwaukee? Can we not find an hour or two to pray for these women, to be there for them, to offer them love and hope?
