Jan 30, 2011 (The Leader-Telegram - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- No Catholic schools will be shutting their doors in Eau Claire or Altoona -- at least not in the immediate future, the Roman Catholic Diocese of La Crosse has announced.Leader Telegram
A letter from La Crosse Bishop William Callahan to local priests and Catholic families addresses recent speculation that one of two Catholic elementary schools -- St. James School on Eau Claire's west side or St. Mary's School in Altoona -- could close soon. The letter was dated Friday.
"All of the Regis Catholic Schools will remain in operation," at least for the time being, Callahan wrote.
"I am convening an Episcopal Commission to further study the Regis Catholic Schools," Callahan said in his letter.
He said the commission would meet by the end of March and would make a recommendation -- presumably about the future of local Catholic schools -- by the end of the year.
A local priest, who wished to remain anonymous because he didn't have authority to speak about the matter, said Callahan has said all Catholic schools in Eau Claire would remain open through the end of next school year, regardless of the commission's recommendation.
Regis Catholic Schools officials made a recommendation about closing one of the two elementary schools before Christmas, the priest said. He declined to specify what that recommendation was.
Last year, Regis officials proposed closing St. James or St. Mary's because of budget issues. Closing one of those schools was projected to save $300,000 a year.
Some parents of Regis students have been critical of the perceived lack of transparency in the recommendation process and questioned whether there were other ways to save money besides closing a school.
Parents also had expressed concerns that closing St. James or St. Mary's, which feed into Regis middle and high schools, could curb enrollment and threaten the private school system's future.
Hundreds of people contacted Callahan's office late last year, requesting he allow more time to discuss alternatives to closing one of the schools. Parents filled out surveys seeking direction on which school to shut down.
"I have reviewed a number of various kinds of communication sent to me over the last few months from parishioners and students," Callahan wrote in his letter. "I write, now, to inform you that some issues and information still remain unclear and unanswered." Callahan didn't specify what information still needed clearing up but noted that "the gravity of the decisions that are expected" demand information be "as clear and transparent as possible." The bishop added that he has asked the diocese's director of Catholic schools, Diana Roberts, "to make whatever changes or modifications are necessary in the budget in order to keep the schools open during this time." Bennett can be reached at 715-830-5832, 800-236-7077 or mclean.bennett@ecpc.com.
La Crosse Diocese: All Catholic schools to stay open for now
"Do Not Lose Courage!" An Iowa Exorcism Story, 1928
Read the rest at Dr Pat McNamaraEmma Schmidt was 40 years old in 1928. An Iowa native, from childhood she was a practicing Catholic, but for twenty-six years she had experienced almost continual psychological and spiritual unrest. She heard voices sexually tempting her. Obsessive thoughts nearly drove her to suicide. Over time she developed an indefinable anger toward religious objects. When a priest blessed her, she flew into a rage and attacked him. She also found herself able to understand languages she never studied, like Latin and German.
Doctors could find nothing physically wrong with her, so Emma looked to religion for help. But Church authorities are slow to acknowledge possession before extensive investigation. After carefully examining her case, Bishop Thomas Drumm of Des Moines gave the approval for Emma's exorcism. He then called Father Theophilus Riesinger (1868-1941), one of the few American priests known to have any experience in this controversial area.
Born in Germany, at age 20 Riesinger joined the Capuchins, a branch of the Franciscan order, and was sent to America. Ordained in 1899, he was assigned to Manhattan. How his exorcism ministry began is unclear, but over time Church leaders called on him when addressing this sensitive issue. From 1912 until his death, he served in the Midwest. Preaching was his main work; exorcism was an occasional task assumed at a bishop's request. By 1928, he had performed nineteen of them.
Father Carl Vogl, who interviewed everyone involved in Emma's case, published the story (with Church approval) in 1936. Begone, Satan! became the first American book to cover an official Catholic exorcism. Riesinger's friend, Father Joseph Steiger, pastor of a church in Earling, offered the use of a local Franciscan convent, where the exorcism occurred over three weeks during December 1928.
As Emma stepped off the train, she felt an overwhelming urge to attack the Sisters waiting there. At the convent, she was offered food that had been secretly blessed, but she refused, purring like a cat for hours. The next morning, Father Theophilus began the exorcism. Emma was placed on a bed, with a group of Sisters nearby. As the prayers began, Vogl writes, "a hair-raising scene occurred":
With lightning speed the possessed dislodged herself from her bed and from the hands of her guards; and her body, carried through the air, landed high above the door of the room and clung to the wall with a tenacious grip. All present were struck with a trembling fear. Father Theophilus alone kept his peace.Later "a loud shrill voice rent the air . . . as though it were far off, somewhere in a desert." Everyone, Vogl records, was "struck with a terrible fear that penetrated the very marrow of their bones."
At times the work was unendurable. An unnatural stench filled the room, and though Emma ate little, she vomited dozens of times daily. She screamed and moaned for hours in unearthly voices "that no human could reproduce." Witnesses noticed that her "face became so distorted that no one could recognize her."
Riesinger identified four main spirits operating in Emma. One called itself Beelzebub, another Judas Iscariot. Two were spirits of deceased relatives. One was Emma's father Jacob, an alcoholic who sexually abused her and placed a curse on her. The other was her aunt Mina, Jacob's mistress, a child murderer who practiced witchcraft. When Emma was 14, Mina put a spell on her food. Father Theophilus asked the demon's intent. It answered: "To bring her to despair so that she will . . . hang herself! She must get the rope, she must go to hell!"
At one point, the possessed woman threatened Father Steiger: "Just wait until . . . Friday comes." A few days later, on his way to a sick call, he was involved in an automobile accident, but emerged uninjured. It was Friday. When he returned to the convent, he heard a roaring, bitter laughter: "It served you right!"
During the exorcism process it was noted that Father Theophilus seemed to age twenty years. Father Steiger was reaching his own endurance limit, and the Sisters approached collective breakdown. But they became hopeful after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, known as the "Little Flower," appeared to Emma, saying: "Do not lose courage! The end is soon at hand." On the ceiling they saw roses, traditionally understood as evidence of Thérèse's intervention.
Riesinger identified four main spirits operating in Emma. One called itself Beelzebub, another Judas Iscariot. Two were spirits of deceased relatives. One was Emma's father Jacob, an alcoholic who sexually abused her and placed a curse on her. The other was her aunt Mina, Jacob's mistress, a child murderer who practiced witchcraft. When Emma was 14, Mina put a spell on her food. Father Theophilus asked the demon's intent. It answered: "To bring her to despair so that she will . . . hang herself! She must get the rope, she must go to hell!"
At one point, the possessed woman threatened Father Steiger: "Just wait until . . . Friday comes." A few days later, on his way to a sick call, he was involved in an automobile accident, but emerged uninjured. It was Friday. When he returned to the convent, he heard a roaring, bitter laughter: "It served you right!"
During the exorcism process it was noted that Father Theophilus seemed to age twenty years. Father Steiger was reaching his own endurance limit, and the Sisters approached collective breakdown. But they became hopeful after St. Thérèse of Lisieux, known as the "Little Flower," appeared to Emma, saying: "Do not lose courage! The end is soon at hand." On the ceiling they saw roses, traditionally understood as evidence of Thérèse's intervention.
On December 23rd, Emma broke her grips and stood up. Father Theophilus blessed her, shouting: "Depart, ye fiends of Hell! Begone, Satan, the Lion of Judah reigns!" Voices responded: "Beelzebub . . . Judas . . . Jacob . . . Mina . . . Hell . . . Hell . . . Hell!" As they faded, Emma opened her eyes. Her first words were, "Praised be Jesus Christ!" The entire company of priests and nuns broke down in tears.
HT: The Anchoress
St John Bosco, ora pro nobis!
In the midst of this endless sea, two solid columns, a short distance apart, soar high into the sky. One is surmounted by a statue of the Immaculate Virgin, at whose feet a large inscription reads Auxilium Christianorum (Help of Christians). The other, far loftier and sturdier, supports a Host of proportionate size, and bears beneath it the inscription Salus credentium (Salvation of believers).Catholic Garden
The flagship commander -- the Roman Pontiff -- standing at the helm, strains every muscle to steer his ship between the two columns, from whose summits hang many anchors and strong hooks linked to chains. The entire enemy fleet closes in to intercept and sink the flagship at all costs. They bombard it with everything they have: books and pamphlets, incendiary bombs, firearms, cannons. The battle rages ever more furious. Beaked prows ram the flagship again and again, but to no avail, as unscathed and undaunted, it keeps on its course. At times, a formidable ram splinters a gaping hole in its hull, but immediately, a breeze from the two columns instantly seals the gash.
Meanwhile, enemy cannons blow up; firearms and beaks fall to pieces; ships crack up and sink to the bottom. In blind fury, the enemy takes to hand-to-hand combat, cursing and blaspheming. Suddenly the Pope falls, seriously wounded. He is instantly helped up, but struck a second time, dies. A shout of victory rises from the enemy, and wild rejoicing sweeps their ships. But no sooner is the Pope dead than another takes his place. The captains of the auxiliary ships elected him so quickly that the news of the Pope's death coincides with that of his successor's election. The enemy's self-assurance wanes.
Breaking through all resistance, the new Pope steers his ship safely between the two columns; first, to the one surmounted by the Host, and then the other, topped by the statue of the Virgin. At this point, something unexpected happens. The enemy ships panic and disperse, colliding with and scuttling each other.
Some auxiliary ships, which had gallantly fought alongside their flagship, are the first to tie up at the two columns. Many others, which had fearfully kept far away from the fight, stand still, cautiously waiting until; the wrecked enemy ships vanish under the waves. Then they too head for the two columns, tie up at the swinging hooks and ride safe and tranquil beside their flagship. A great calm now covers the sea.
(Source: The Catholic Dispatch. Found at: Prophecy of St. John Bosco.)
Packers' Ryan Pickett supports anti-porn group
Packers defensive end Ryan Pickett had hoped to attend National Porn Sunday, a Feb. 6 religious service whose anti-pornography message will be broadcast to 300 churches across the country on Super Bowl Sunday.
But, it turns out, he has a conflict.
Pickett will be suiting up with hopes of taking down the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium, about 30 miles from the service in nearby Addison, Texas.
"I would love to have been with you guys today. But fortunately, I'm a little busy," Pickett tells viewers in a video that will be played in the churches as part of the national outreach. Then he adds, grinning: "Go Packers."
Pickett and his wife, Jennifer, who also appears on the video, sit on the board of directors of xxxchurch.com, a Las Vegas-based Internet site that bills itself as the largest online resource for people struggling with pornography addiction and workers in the sex trade.
"We just hope the day is a blessing to you as much as the ministry has been a blessing to us," he says.
Pickett said in an interview Friday in Green Bay that he personally hasn't struggled with pornography but is troubled by its prevalence.
"It's just everywhere. I just felt like it was a good thing to jump on board with," he said of the ministry.
The video includes personal stories of other current and former NFL players, including quarterbacks Matt Hasselbeck of the Seattle Seahawks and Jon Kitna of the Dallas Cowboys. They're seen touting the ministry and its software, which tracks a user's Internet movements, sending a weekly list of sites visited to the user's "accountability partners" - say, friends or a spouse.
Hasselbeck says it's strengthened his marriage and gives his wife "a lot of security."
Josh McCown, who spent seven years in the NFL before signing on with the United Football League, tells viewers he began to deal with his porn problem because he feared it was "taking me someplace I didn't want to go."
"It's a whole lot easier to tell your wife you're struggling with it than to have her walk in on you," he says in the video.
Craig Gross, the founder of Triple X Church, as they call it, won't say whether any of the featured players struggled personally with pornography, though the video suggests some have.
"Not everybody's addicted," said Gross, who presided over the Packers' chapel service on the eve of this month's rout of the Falcons. "And the guys who are really struggling are probably not the guys we could get to be in the video."
Gross will say, though, that NFL players may be more at risk than the average Joe.
"NFL athletes are some of the most disciplined in the world . . . but this stuff is being thrown at them more than most people, so they have to work that much harder.
"The bigger issue," Gross says, "is that these guys have money and time, and they're away from their families."
The rest at JSOnline(also the video message is also available here)
The article goes on to say "Faith communities almost universally condemn pornography. But it's rarely a subject for the pulpit." Sad but true. In fact, I don't know that I've ever heard porn talked about from the pulpit during Mass. What a tragic observation.
HT Dad29 (who has some good comments)
Warning: expect topics of this blog to be a bit Green this week
Actually I have a hard time keeping my post under 5 or 6 a day already on just the Catholic stuff.
Sub Tuum: Liturgical progress, give it a try!
You don't really notice how much things are changing when it has all been part of the progression of your every day life, but as I was sorting photos today, the differences between the older and newer feast day pictures struck me.
Our worship at Spring Bank was always reverent and remains simple and identifiably Cistercian, contested and vague though that term may be, but these two photos, one from the Canon of the Mass on St. Bernard's Day 2008 and one from the Canon of the Mass at this morning's Conventual Mass for the Feast of the Founders, brought home that we have been fairly busy over the past two-and-a-half years:
St. Bernard's Day, August 2008. |
| The Feast of the Founders, January 2011. |
On January 1, 2009, we moved to ad orientem celebration of all Masses. Last month, we finished the first phase of renovations to our oratory. In between there have been many less dramatic steps, from more frequent choir rehearsals to returning to more traditional vestments to numerous tiny clean-ups to the customary. We are a small house and are far from being a model of the liturgical renewal, but I think what we have done is a testament to the fact that no matter the circumstances in which you find yourself, there are always concrete ways to move forward. It took our priests about two weeks to be comfortable saying Mass ad orientem. We made major improvements in our chapel for very little money by doing the work ourselves and being creative about materials. We sing better because we practiced, which is free.Sub Tuum
I think that too many people who would like to do things better fixate on the places with incredible resources and ample personnel and become discouraged. It is far less daunting to look no further than where you are and to begin to think about what could be different that is within your reach. Spring Bank will, most likely, never approach the liturgical and musical heights of our brothers in Austria, but by taking things one step at a time and making changes in manageable chunks, we have made considerable progress in renewing our liturgical life in just over two years. Give it a try.
Amen Brother! Amen!
WRTL endorses Justice David Prosser for re-election
A statewide pro-life group in Wisconsin says voters should re-elect David Prosser to his current position on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. With high court races not usually occupying the attention of voters, having the support of the pro-life community could make the difference in the election.LifeSite
There are three candidates vying to replace Justice David Prosser, who was appointed to the court in 1998. JoAnne Kloppenburg, an assistant attorney general, Marla Stephens, head of the appellate division in the state Public Defenders office, and Joel Winnig, a Madison attorney, are seeking to replace him.
But the Wisconsin Right to Life Political Action Committee says Prosser deserves to be re-elected.
“Our organization is proud to endorse Justice David Prosser for re-election to our state’s highest court,” WRTL legislative director Susan Armacost told LifeNews.com on Thursday.
“Justice Prosser is a highly respected jurist whose judicial philosophy focuses on interpreting the Constitution, not making law. David Prosser has served the State Supreme Court with great distinction and richly deserves to be re-elected,” she said.
Prosser has described himself as a judicial conservative and an impartial judge while the candidates seeking to replace him have not sided themselves with those who favor the rule of law as opposed to legislative from the bench — the key problem in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in roe v. Wade that allowed virtually unlimited abortions and 53 million abortions since 1973.
Prosser has also touted his time as the former GOP Assembly speaker and said he is looking forward to preserving the common-sense majority on the current court — something that Kloppenburg and Stephens have condemned.
The primary election for the Wisconsin Supreme Court will take place on February 15 and the race is important because the elected justice will hold that position for 10 years. Prosser has a great deal of experience and has participated in more than 900 published Supreme Court decisions.
Bishop celebrates Catholic Holy Hour at Camp Randall in Madison
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| July 20, 1947 |
Four priests and Bishop William P. O'Connor at the Catholic Holy Hour, at Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. To the left of Bishop O'Connor is The Reverend Leonard Barney, Cuba City, and to his right is The Reverend Joseph Gabriels, Holy Redeemer Church, Madison. In the foreground are: The Reverend F.L. McDonnell, Mineral Point, Sub-Deacon, shown on the left, and The Reverend E.J. Beck, Janesville, Deacon, shown on the right.Wisconsin Historical Society
Back when we had a civilization. Can you image the response today!?
Cardinal Karol Wojtyla in Stevens Point
While visiting the U.S., the Cardinal toured Stevens Point in part because it was a Polish-American city and in part because he had met Dreyfus in Poland a few years before. Lee Dreyfus had been in Poland to help clear up issues over an exchange program between the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Jagiellonian University in Krakow. He enlisted the Cardinal, also archbishop of Krakow, to help smooth over problems with the communist Polish government that arose when they found out that the dean of the program was Catholic. Dreyfus appears to be wearing the vest in the WHS MuseumWisconsin Historical Society
The photo was taken in 1976. Dreyfus went on to serve as governor of Wisconsin from 79-83.
Father Z's problems with Sparta's Laser Monks
A while ago I ordered some printer products from LaserMonks, Cistercian Monks who sell recycled and new stuff for computer printers as well as quite a few other things as well. A great idea right? They have been around for a while.Father Z
I used them once before. The cartridge I got for a laser printer was, I believe, the culprit which effectively deep-sixed that printer. I hadn’t used them since.
Just recently I saw they had a promotion going and decided to give them another shot, since I was in real need of cartridges for my color ink-jet printer.
I ordered stuff on 8 January – 20 days ago. I received my confirmation. Everything was paid for. I didn’t pay for the fastest shipping method, thanks be to God, but…
20 days later I still don’t have the things I bought from LaserMonks.
They should have arrived in just a few days.
I wrote two emails to them. No response. I called, twice. The first time, during business hours, I couldn’t get to a human being. The second time, I got someone who explained that they were having some problems filling orders, but that I would have my order by Wednesday (two days ago). Still nothing.
Today I received an email from LaserMonks explaining that their recent growth has created problems for orders and emails.
All I can say is, when it comes to LaserMonks, caveat emptor.
Other people will have, I am sure, positive experiences with LaserMonks. So far, I have not. I share this that you may be more aware of what you may be getting into.
If you have anything time sensitive going on, if your business depends on reliable delivery so you can do your own thing, know what you are getting into. I can’t speak about their own products… since I haven’t received them.
If they can correct their obvious problems, my tune may change…. if I can ever be convinced to try them again. If they can ever convince me to try them again.
If people want to post their positive experiences with LaserMonks, they should feel free to do so.
MilHerald: Real-life exorcist talks about his work
Between playing “cops and robbers,” a game of baseball, goofing around with friends, or in the silence of his bedroom, he felt it, or did he hear it? Like a quiet whisper, the voice of God drew the grade school boy near and seemed to ask, “Would you serve me?”Milwaukee Catholic Herald
For a while, he thought about becoming a priest, but as a high school kid in the middle 1960s, the many Vatican II changes, as well as issues with leadership in his home parish, led Fr. Gary Thomas to follow in his father’s footsteps, the mortuary business.
“Things were in such turmoil in the church, and while I never lost my faith or stopped going to church, I put thoughts of the priesthood on the back burner,” said Fr. Thomas, 57. “I attended the University of San Francisco, and then went to embalmers or mortuary school after that, and served as a mortician for a few years – though I had helped my dad in the business since I was 14.”
Later, when the tugging within his heart intensified, he entered the seminary at 25 and was ordained a Catholic priest for the Diocese of San Jose, Calif., when he was 30 years old. He has served the church for 27 years, the last five as an exorcist.
His chronicled real-life experiences as an exorcist-in-training was the subject of “The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist,” a book written by Matt Baglio in 2009. Starring Anthony Hopkins and Colin O’Donoghue, the movie based on Fr. Thomas’ experiences opens Jan. 28.
The film follows a somewhat skeptical seminary student Michael Kovak (O’Donoghue), sent to study exorcism at the Vatican. Anthony Hopkins plays the part of Fr. Lucas, an Italian priest and veteran exorcist who befriends Kovak and opens his eyes to demonic possession and the need for the rite.
Nothing in his seminary training prepared him for work in dispelling demons, and how he ended up in Rome, as an exorcist apprentice, was one of many of God’s surprises in his life.
“Our bishop was getting more calls back in 2005 by people who wanted to discern what was going on in their lives,” Fr. Thomas said in a phone interview with your Catholic Herald three days before the movie was scheduled to open. “So he asked another priest, who is a friend of mine, to study exorcism in Rome, but he declined. So I said I would do it and the bishop appointed me. I took a sabbatical and enrolled in classes at the Regina Apostolorum, sponsored by the Legionnaires of Christ. After just five sessions, I realized that I needed to apprentice under someone. There were only nine exorcists in Rome and it was not easy to find one as a pupil. But, finally, I found one and worked for three and a half months with him.”
After working together for a short time, Fr. Thomas realized that his understanding of Italian was better than the priest’s ability in English, so each week they found someone to translate all the technical aspects so he would be equipped to bring the knowledge home.
As in the movie, Fr. Thomas was skeptical about demonic possession and often chalked it up to phony manifestations or mental disorders, until he stuck around for a while, and realized that demonic possession is not only dangerous, but on the rise.
“I wasn’t scared, but once I knew that what we were dealing with was very real, I became quite interested in helping people,” he said. “The movie’s depiction of exorcism is very real to what I experienced.”
While he has participated in 40 exorcisms as a Vatican-certified exorcist in the past five years, all have been with just five people.
“Most of the time, it takes repeated treatments to fully rid the evil,” he said. “I am currently working with just one person, and it is our hope that with repeated sessions, it will stop.
Possessions are not as graphic as what is depicted in movies like “The Exorcist,” said Fr. Thomas, adding the priest never goes at it alone. A deliverance team accompanies him, including a physician, a clinical psychiatrist, and a psychologist who are all Roman Catholics that believe in demonic possession.
“I also try to have two priests with me for all of these cases. This system helps me to discern when a person is truly in the realm of the satanic or whether there are certain mental issues that need to be addressed,” he said “One of the greatest areas of concern that I see are charismatic groups who think a member of their group is possessed and will try to exorcise the person. These groups can do a lot of damage to others, especially since most of them are suffering with other problems in their lives, including mental issues.”
Since the book’s release and now with the movie, Fr. Thomas has received more than 300 requests to assess those who think they may have possession issues.
“I try to refer most of the people back to their diocese to find an exorcist in their area,” he said. “But I have probably talked to a hundred people about their situations and referred them for evaluation through mental health organizations first. While most cases involve mental health issues, overall, demonic possession is on the rise and as Catholics, there is much we can do to keep that door closed in our lives.”
The attention has been a strange phenomenon for Fr. Thomas, who is unaccustomed to the fame that came from the book and the movie.
“I tell you, being a celebrity is not what you think it is,” he said, laughing. “But I truly enjoyed my week in Budapest working with Anthony Hopkins and Colin – in fact both came to me prior to the movie and were concerned that they would become demonically attacked, but we talked it out and I told them what I do when it happens to me.”
And nearly every time Fr. Thomas performs an exorcism, he said he is taunted and emotionally attacked by the devil. And each time, he prays the same prayer.
“It isn’t as often as it was in the beginning, but I am attacked – not physically, but in other ways; it is kind of random,” he said, adding, “I always pray, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave me alone,’ and it works every time.”
Fr. Thomas said the strength of faith and prayer life of Catholics has dwindled over the years and those in their 20s, 30s and younger often have miniscule faith. He encourages parents to be strong, faith-filled examples to their children and serve as a good example of what it means to be Roman Catholic.
“We have allowed in paganism and opened the door to the occult in our lives,” he said, “But I am hoping that this movie will draw more people back to the faith. The movie is excellent and the topic is emotionally charged and controversial. While I have received lots of support in my home parish in San Jose, Calif., there has been some negativity, too, but it is a small minority. I think that as we have expunged God out of the marketplace, there is a spiritual longing in all of us. We live in a pop culture where institutional religion is smothered by the wares and cares of the days and there seems to be no opportunity or time for prayer. We are so distracted by the world.”
Sr Helena says the movie is not as sensational as the previews present it. I'm going to go see it.
Abp Listecki's TV program to discuss exorcism April 16th
Living Our Faith(Milwaukee's archdiocesan TV program with Archbishop Listecki) devotes part of one program this season to exorcism. The program airs on Saturday, April 16th on WISN (Ch 12) here in Milwaukee. (Will know the time later this month.) The segment on exorcism includes an interview by Archbishop Listecki with Fr. Jeff Grob, exorcist for the Archdiocese of Chicago, and Margarett Schlientz, a nationally-recognized expert in exorcism and deliverance from the Milwaukee area. Fr. Grob performs exorcisms in the Milwaukee Archdiocese when called upon; Margarett Schlientz speaks/trains frequently about exorcism and assists/supports priests during exorcisms.I'll pass on what time the program will air when I hear. Very interesting!After the program is broadcast, it will be available online on the Living Our Faith website (http://www.livingourfaith.
net/home.htm) and on Time Warner Cable’s Wisconsin on Demand Channel 411.
Robinsonville Shrine Mass, press conference approving apparitions airs Feb. 5 on EWTN
The CompassIRONDALE, Ala. — EWTN Global Catholic Network will broadcast a special presentation of the historic December Mass and press conference in which Green Bay Bishop David Ricken announced that he had officially approved the Marian apparitions at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help at Champion.
Bishop David Ricken is pictured at a Dec. 8 news
conference at the Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help.
(Sam Lucero | The Compass)
The Mass and press conference at the shrine, the first and only U.S. site with an approved Marian apparition, are scheduled to air on EWTN at 2:30 p.m. CT, Sat., Feb. 5. (Locally, EWTN is available on Time Warner Cable Channel 11, AT&T U-verse TV Channel 562 and CenturyLink, Casco, Channel 2.)
One of Bishop Ricken's first official acts after going to Diocese of Green Bay was to open a formal church investigation into the apparitions that occurred on this site. A commission of three Marian experts began their work in January 2009.
At the Dec. 8 press conference, Bishop Ricken stated, "I declare with moral certainty and in accord with the norms of the church that the events, apparitions and locutions given to Adele Brise in October of 1859 do exhibit the substance of supernatural character, and I do hereby approve these apparitions as worthy of belief (although not obligatory) by the Christian faithful."
More information about the apparitions can be found on the shrine's Web site at www.shrineofourladyofgoodhelp.com.
ESPN: Mike McCarthy's Irish Catholic roots in Pittsburgh
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| McCathy at St Norbert's |
He grew up in a neighborhood of winding hills and practical homes where people never leave, never think of it, because it's home. His mother and father were born here, in a blue-collar neighborhood called Greenfield, and that's where they've stayed for nearly seven decades. His Sundays were all about ritual: church, chores and a mass scramble to finish everything by 1 o'clock because that's when the Steelers played.The whole thing is a great read on ESPN.com
If you want to know why Mike McCarthy pulled overnighters back in his days as an NFL assistant in Kansas City, why he offered to work for free in his first coaching job, the answers are found with [his father] Joe. He's a no-nonsense Irish Catholic man who taught his five kids to be independent. To make their own way.
St. Rosalia, which is located, of course, on Greenfield Avenue, resembles a time capsule sealed off in 1973. There is green tile on the walls and a whiff of old books in the air. Children file out of school in uniforms, obediently and in order, just like their parents did.
McCarthy's high school, Bishop Boyle, shuttered in 1987. So this is the coach's one true remaining alma mater in Pittsburgh. He comes back occasionally and can be seen at church with his parents. When the Packers made him their head coach in 2006, he didn't forget St. Rosalia. He had an annual donation to the school drafted into his contract, with an agreement that the Packers would match his pledge.
The gift has helped the school, which has seen enrollment numbers plummet from 600 students during McCarthy's days to 175, stay afloat. For Dara Pegher, it's helped her family. Pegher graduated from St. Rosalia and says the coach's donation made her daughter's tuition bill more affordable. That's what most of McCarthy's gift went to, helping parents send their kids to the school he loves.
On Monday, Pegher, the parent-teachers guild president, stood in the entrance of St. Rosalia, near a picture of McCarthy. She was approached by a priest who joked and asked what color she'd be wearing to mass on Sunday: green or black?
Green, Pegher said.
"You know what? When that game started," Pegher said, "I had tears in my eyes. Because he has worked so hard. And what he's done for this school is a gift unlike any other gift.
"Prayers were answered."
McCarthy is a daily Mass goer, like Vince Lombardi was. The Compass is planning on having some Packer coverage for their Feb 4th issue. I'll be interested to see what they have in store.
Did you hear how many ninjas were at March for Life?
I laughed pretty hard reading this on Twitter.
evil0live85 Lauren E
Wow, the March for Life must have been made up of 300,000 ninjas -- they all slipped past the attention of the media. Amazing! #marchforlife
LifeSiteNews is reporting 400,000.
ProLife Wis: Boycott Copps Food Stores and other abortion supporting Wis. companies
Pro-Life WisPro-lifers, we need your help again! This summer, Kohl’s was put on a boycott list due to its support of Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties [PPOSBC]. Due to the outcry from pro-lifers, Kohl’s stated, in early January of this year, that no support of Planned Parenthood will occur from any level of the company.
Unfortunately, we have discovered another Wisconsin-based company financially supporting the abortion industry. And we need your help in contacting this company! As we saw with Kohl’s, companies do respond to their customers. And remember, pro-lifers are in the majority now:)
Copps Food Stores is a sponsor of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin’s annual Roe v. Wade “celebration.” Copps is owned by Milwaukee-based Roundy’s Supermarkets, Inc.; Roundy’s “owns and operates more than 155 retail grocery stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois under the Pick ‘n Save®, Copps Food Center, Rainbow Foods, and Metro Market banners.”
There are plenty of grocery stores in Wisconsin for pro-lifers to shop at that do not support the killing of innocent children [see list below]. NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin, for the record, supports clandestine abortions for teenagers, aborting disabled babies, and laughably states that abortion is “much safer than childbirth.”
If you decide to stop shopping at Copps or any of the Roundy’s stores, LET THEM KNOW. Boycotts work when customers withhold their money, but companies have to be told why their customers are displeased. You can contact Copps through their online comment form here or you can call Copps Customer Service at 1-800-353-4357.
Message to send to Copps [please be civil but firm]:
It has been brought to my attention that Copps is a sponsor for NARAL Wisconsin in their annual Roe v. Wade celebration. Just in case you weren’t aware, NARAL is an acronym for National Abortion Rights Action League, founded by Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a once staunch abortion advocate who now dedicates his life to the pro-life cause. I take pride in shopping at a Wisconsin-based company, and I am saddened and disappointed by Copps’ decision to fund NARAL. As long as Copps continues to bankroll abortion, I will not be shopping at Copps.If you feel comfortable sharing how much money, on average, you spend at Copps, do so. Money talks, especially when it will be spent elsewhere!
The following grocery stores (which can be found in Wisconsin, although not in all areas) do NOT support Planned Parenthood or NARAL, that we know of:
- Trader Joe’s
- Sendik’s
- Piggly Wiggly
- Sentry
Five with abuse claims appointed to committee in archdiocese bankruptcy
Five people with abuse claims against Catholic clergy were appointed Monday to a committee that will represent the interests of unsecured creditors in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee bankruptcy reorganization.JSOnline
In a court filing, the U.S. Trustee for northern Illinois and Wisconsin, who appointed the five, described them as among those who hold the largest unsecured claims against the archdiocese and are willing to serve on the committee. No one else was appointed.
Attorney Mike Finnegan confirmed that all five committee members have abuse claims against Catholic clergy. Finnegan is a lawyer with Jeff Anderson & Associates, a St. Paul, Minn., firm that represents abuse victims.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Trustee program did not respond to an inquiry late Monday. The U.S. Trustee helps administer and oversee bankruptcy cases.
ProLife Wis: Madison area businesses that financially support abortion
NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin has been furiously sending “reminder” emails about its upcoming Roe v. Wade celebration, to be held February 11 in Madison [see former blog post here].ProLifeWis
NARAL’s website lists the names of Madison-area businesses who donated items for the event. Some of them aren’t a surprise, such as the Room of One’s Own bookstore and the Rainbow Bookstore, which market themselves to the gay/lesbian community.
Others are a reminder of where not to shop, whether you live in Madison or visit a couple times a year for Badger games. Put Copp’s grocery stores, Espresso Royale Cafe, Cardinal Bar, the Great Dane and the Glass Nickel Pizza Co. on THAT list.
Here is the full listing of businesses who financially supported NARAL, from NARAL’s website:A Room of One’s Own
Ale Asylum
Arbor Inn
Art Gecko
Avol’s
Body Harmony
Browsers Bookstore
Candinas
Cardinal Bar
Cargo Coffee
Cha Cha
Charley’s Chocolates
Community Pharmacy
Copp’s
Eight Seasons Grille
Espresso Royale
Fair Trade
Flavors of WI
Food Fight Inc
Four Star Video Heaven
Gail Ambrosius
Gazelle
Genna’s
Glass Nickel
Great Dane
Harmony Bar and Grill
Katy’s American Indian Arts
Lazy Jane’s Café
Little Luxuries
Majestic
Manna Café
Michelangelo’s
Mother Fool’s
Olbrich Gardens
Old Fashioned
Plan B
Michael Quieto
Soap Opera
Sunshine Daydream
Sunroom Café
Rainbow Bookstore
The Ultimate Salon
Vetro Winery
Wild Child
Women’s Fitness Center
NARAL also lists the names of individuals who contributed financially to sponsor the event. And again, some of the names aren’t a surprise, such as Nicole Safar, who is a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. Also included are politicians who support NARAL’s agenda, such as current Madison mayor Dave Cieslewicz and former Madison mayor Paul Soglin.
Cardinal Newman miracle after watching EWTN
Cardinal Newman SocietyDeacon Jack Sullivan of Massachusetts—who suffered from a crippling spinal disorder—watched my EWTN series and prayed the prayer card, asking Newman to intercede for him. Sullivan was miraculously cured.
A Vatican team of scientists has since found no worldly explanation for the cure, and we joyfully celebrate Newman's recent beatification by Pope Benedict XVI.
That means that The Cardinal Newman Society has a very powerful ally to help us.
I am certain our prayers to him for intercession will work miracles for the renewal of Catholic higher education around the world.
It's going to take a miracle to get a Catholic university in Wisconsin. Maybe we should start praying for one.
March for Life photos
Many more from St. Blogustine
HT: Cheryl
If you were there and want to share any pictures, pass them on and I'll post.
It's not all bad news at Marquette
MarquetteGesu hosting coffee and dessert reception following "Respect Life" Mass
The Church of the Gesu Sanctity of Life Working Group will host a coffee and dessert reception in the lower church gathering space following the 5:30 p.m. Mass tomorrow, Jan. 21. Mass will be celebrated with a special intention for “Respect Life.” Immediately following the reception, the archdiocesan-wide “Holy Hour for Life” prayer vigil will be celebrated from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.
I have a feeling sometimes I give that impression.
... although if I had a scale I'm not sure which side is falling.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee pension plans underfunded
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee said Friday that its employees' pension plans are underfunded, confirming one of the fears expressed by Catholic Church employees since the archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 4.MilJournalSentinel
The revelation came at a meeting Friday of the archdiocese and creditors - including clergy sex abuse victims and pension representatives - with Assistant U.S. Trustee David Asbach.
Archdiocese spokesman Jerry Topczewski said he could not estimate the extent of the shortfall, but that it affects only archdiocese employees and retirees - not those of schools, parishes or other participating employers. He attributed the shortfall to poor investment performance.
"It's not because we haven't made payments. They're made on time and based on actuarial projections," said Topczewski, one of nearly 5,800 people covered in a pension plan for lay employees throughout the diocese.
"You could call all kinds of pension funds around town and find a lot are underfunded," he said. "All investment stocks took a hit in 2008, and we're still trying to recover from that."
The archdiocese filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection earlier this month, saying it is the best way to equitably compensate victims of clergy sex abuse and maintain the essential ministries of the church.
Attorney Daryl Diesing said at the meeting Friday that the archdiocese participates in four retiree plans: three pension funds for lay workers, priests and union workers; and a retired priest's health plan.
Topczewski said the plans are held in trusts and as such are not assets available to fund a settlement - although that could be challenged by attorneys for the creditors.
Victims' attorneys did not return telephone calls and e-mails seeking comment.
Who's reading the Badger Catholic
| Rank | City | Visits |
| 1 | Madison | 350 |
| 2 | Milwaukee | 315 |
| 3 | La Crosse | 305 |
| 4 | Elm Grove | 137 |
| 5 | Onalaska | 112 |
| 6 | Wisconsin Rapids | 101 |
| 7 | Middleton | 81 |
| 8 | Greendale | 80 |
| 9 | Platteville | 67 |
| 10 | Appleton | 66 |
I haven't quite figured out Google Analytics yet, but it's pretty interesting stuff. Thank you Kathryn for the tip!
Here's what it looks like if we include outside Wisconsin(last 30 days).
| Rank | City | Visits |
| 1 | Madison | 350 |
| 2 | Milwaukee | 315 |
| 3 | La Crosse | 305 |
| 4 | Elm Grove | 137 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | 132 |
| 6 | Onalaska | 112 |
| 7 | Wisconsin Rapids | 101 |
| 8 | Winona, MN | 100 |
| 9 | New York, NY | 86 |
| 10 | Middleton | 81 |
Drudge: Paul Ryan - A Star is Born
Rep. Paul Ryan represents Wis. 1st District, is a pro-life Catholic endorsed by Pro-Life Wisconsin, the only congressman with an actual plan for cutting the budget and ... future president of the USA.
Lutheran gives homily at Marquette with Abp Listecki's permission
The background. I contacted Marquette for clarification.
Me:
Me:
I am seeking clarification on "Rev. Jessica Short from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America will reflect on the Sunday scriptures at the 4 p.m. Mass at the Church of the Gesu on Sunday, Jan. 23."Marquette(my emphasis):
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal in article 66 states:
The Homily should ordinarily be given by the priest celebrant himself. He may entrust it to a concelebrating priest or occasionally, according to circumstances, to the deacon, but never to a lay person. In particular cases and for a just cause, the homily may even be given by a Bishop or a priest who is present at the celebration but cannot concelebrate.
Is Rev Short speaking after Mass perhaps? The news article seems to indicate she is speaking during the Roman ritual itself at the time of the homily.
Please find below a more detailed description concerning the pulpit exchange than what appeared in Thursday's News Brief.
Pulpit exchanges are a longstanding tradition within the Archdiocese of Milwaukee during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and are done with permission by Archbishop Listecki.
As part of this year’s celebration, Campus Ministry will host a pulpit exchange on Sunday, January 23rd. Rev. Fred Zagone, SJ, will preside and give the homily at the 4 p.m. mass at the Church of the Gesu. During the 4 p.m. mass, Rev. Jessica Short from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and Lutheran Campus Pastor will reflect on the Sunday scriptures. Rev. Frank Majka, SJ, will offer a reflection during the Lutheran Campus Ministry Sunday Worship Service at 6 p.m. in the Chapel of the Holy Family.
This pulpit exchange highlights Christianity’s emphasis on the importance of the Lord’s Day and being guided by the Word of God.
Charles Woodson takes issue with Pres. Obama
 |
| Charles Woodson CAPTION By David J. Philip, AP |
The Green Bay Packers took note when President Barack Obama picked them to lose in Sunday's NFC championship game.USA Today
Packers CB Charles Woodson turned Obama -- who picked his hometown Bears -- into a rallying cry for the Packers, who advanced to the Super Bowl with a 21-14 win in Chicago.
Obama said he would attend the Super Bowl if the Bears advanced. Woodson said the Packers paid attention to that.
"The president don't want to come watch us (at) the Super Bowl?" Woodson said in a locker room address to his teammates.
"Guess what? We're gonna see him."
Woodson's teammates erupted after his comment. (Teams that win the Super Bowl typically travel to the White House to visit with the president.)
The Packers broke their post-game locker room with a "White House" chant.
Here's the video
HT Father
And this follow up. I wouldn't vote for Kind but a funny jab:
LA CROSSE, Wisconsin (WXOW) - Rep. Ron Kind is going to the top to try to get tickets to the Packers/Steelers Super Bowl game.
Monday, Kind suggested that President Obama, a Chicago Bears fan, hand over his tickets to the big game. The President said he'd go to the game if the Bears won.
They didn't. Green Bay won 21-14.
Kind said in a release, "I know there are plenty of us Packer fans that would love to have a seat at the big game. I agree with our cornerback, Charles Woodson, if the President doesn't want to watch the game in person, we'll bring the players to the White House after they win."
Green Bay plays Pittsburgh on February 6th in Dallas.
"Blood Money" playing in Wisconsin Rapids Jan 27th
Blood Money is a documentary film narrated by Dr. Alveda King [Niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.], which exposes the truth behind the Abortion Industry from the Pro Life perspective.
The film examines the history of abortion in America. From the inception of Planned Parenthood and the profitability of abortion clinics, to Roe v. Wade, to the denial of when life begins, the fight to save the lives of innocent babies, and the devastating effects it has had on the women that have exercised this "choice".
After privately viewing this film, we realized that this film needs to be brought the to the public, so that they can see the truth about abortion. This film is NOT a gruesome portrayal of what an abortion is, but it deals mainly with a few key issues:
1. A scientific take on: Is a human embryo a human being?
2. The abortion industry as an industry and how it makes billions of dollars.
3. The effects abortion has on the women who have had them and how many are forced into an abortion or who suffer physically and mentally from an abortion.
It is a very powerful film, and has numerous testimonies from women who have had abortions and shows what motivated them and how it has affected them since.
Here are the details and the plan for the showing of this film: the film will have its first showing on Thursday, January 27th, 2011 in the SS Peter and Paul School Gym at 6:30 PM. This date was picked based on its proximity to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. The movie is approximately an hour and a half long, and we will have discussion afterwards.
Sts Peter & Paul, Wisconsin Rapids
March for Life coverage starts at 10am on EWTN
Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to pack the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to declare their commitment to the unborn at the 38th annual March for Life.Read more: http://ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/new.php?id=2483#ixzz1By4u1rgq
This year's march will be held Monday, Jan. 24. Nellie Gray, the March for Life's 85-year-old founder and organizer, is expecting 400,000 demonstrators to attend the event.
The march has occurred every January since 1974. It originated in October of 1973, among a group of citizens who were convinced that the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade – handed down on Jan. 22 of that year – was a grievous violation of both constitutional and moral principles.
That decision by the high court found that an implicit legal “right to privacy” prevented the states from outlawing abortion, although they had commonly done so throughout U.S. history. There have been, by many estimates, approximately 50 million abortions in the United States since the Roe decision.
Twenty thousand people marked the first anniversary of the verdict in 1974 with a public demonstration at the nation's Capitol. They began a tradition that organizers and participants – whose numbers over the years have reportedly increased by at least a factor of 10 – plan to continue as long as abortion remains legal.
Grief and outrage over the continuing death toll brought an estimated 400,000 demonstrators to the nation's capitol for last year's March for Life, and Gray expects comparable numbers this year.
EWTN will be providing live television coverage of the march, beginning at 11 a.m. EST on Monday, Jan. 24.
Funny that the only news outlet we can find out about a half million people marching on the mall is EWTN.
By the way, I'll be following this on Twitter today. I'll pick up on blogging again tomorrow.
Chanticleer to perform at Viterbo in La Crosse Feb 1
LA CROSSE, WIS. – The renowned Grammy Award-winning men’s ensemble Chanticleer will perform at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 in the Viterbo University Fine Arts Center Main Theatre.Viterbo University
Based in San Francisco, Chanticleer has been described as “an orchestra of voices.” They have made five annual appearances on NBC’s Today Show during the Christmas season and the group’s A Chanticleer Christmas concert was broadcast on 225 national public radio stations. Chanticleer performed more than 100 concerts in 21 states and 12 foreign countries last year.
As a Washington Post reviewer wrote, Chanticleer is “the reigning god of the men’s chorus world.” Chanticleer is known around the globe for their seamless blend of its 12 male voices and its original interpretations of vocal literature.
This Viterbo Bright Star Season performance is sponsored by Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Wisconsin Public Radio, and by the Performing Arts Fund, a program of Arts Midwest funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Wisconsin Arts Board, with funds from the State of Wisconsin, General Mills Foundation, and Land O’ Lakes Foundation.
Tickets are $34 for lower balcony and $29 for upper balcony seating. For more information, contact the Viterbo box office at 608-796-3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/fac. Contact Jen Roberdeau at 608-796-3738 or jaroberdeau@viterbo.edu
La Crosse native and Viterbo grad Matt Curtis is a member of Chanticleer. When he was in La Crosse he was also a regular cantor at the Cathedral in La Crosse.
Photo
Green Bay baby shower helps needy expectant mothers
The CompassGREEN BAY — Diocesan employees are holding a baby shower this month. Not just for one baby, but for several.
Christina Pallini, diocesan respect life director, said the collection of clothes, diapers, sheets and baby blankets will be distributed through Catholic Charities to mothers in need.
"We've done baby showers in many parishes," said Pallini, who credits diocesan receptionist Joan Kloster with the impetus for the collection.
"The bottom line is that we support mothers in keeping their babies (in the womb) and also support them afterwards, when the baby is born," Pallini added.
Three playpens in the lobbies of the diocesan office buildings are slowly filling with the goods for babies and toddlers. Even outside donations have been arriving, including hats and mittens from Shopko.
Pallini said that the donations are "just one more way of protecting and defending life."
Chicago Bears played La Crosse Lagers in 1934 exhibition game
It was 1934, and the Heileman's Old Style Lagers were coming off a 9-2-1 season against regional semi-pro teams. Skemp's father, attorney Tom Skemp, had launched the Lagers five years earlier after many years coaching at Saint Mary's College in Winona, Minn.More great photos at La Crosse Tribune
The players were locals, guys Skemp recruited from area colleges and found jobs for at the brewery. They earned about $10 a game.
Coach Skemp contacted George Halas, owner-coach of the NFL champion Bears and convinced him to play the Lagers in a preseason exhibition game, guaranteeing them a reported $1,500. Because it was a night game and La Crosse's field had no lights, the game was played on the Winona Teacher's College field in front of an estimated 3,500 fans.
Bob Skemp was only 7 at the time, too young to attend the game but old enough to be jealous of his older brother.
"It was a big deal in La Crosse, let me tell you," the 83-year-old attorney said this week from Arizona. "You're talking about Red Grange, Bronko Nagurski, Bill Hewitt, all those old stars."
They weren't just big names. They were big. Every Bear on the line weighed more than 200 pounds. Nagurski, a "human battering ram" at fullback, was listed at 230.
The Lagers had only one player, tackle Corwin Halbert, over 200 pounds - and just barely.
Still, Skemp promised an offensive game, saying "the team will not go into a shell and hope for the best."
"We feared no one," he told a Tribune reporter in 1976.
That didn't mean the players weren't a little intimidated. Earl "Sparky" Lowe, the last known surviving member of the Lagers - he died in 2009 at age 99 - recalled the game in a 1997 interview.
"We wondered how we were ever going to stop Nagurski. They were champions," he said. "We played 60 minutes both offense and defense. That was the rule then."
The Bears scored three quick touchdowns before the Lagers dug in. The locals never crossed the goal line that day, but they held the "Monsters of the Midway" to only one more touchdown and a single extra point.
Lager's backfielder Norbert "Steamy" Huennekens, who went on to be their all-time leading scorer, was the standout of the game, punting nine times for an average 43 yards.
Lambert "Pie" Duresky played middle linebacker. He stood just a little over 6 feet and somewhere south of 200 pounds, but he could hit.
Ed Lynch, who played end, recalled in 1986 how Duresky hit Nagurski so hard that the Bears legend got up and shook his hand.
This was smash-mouth football, played in leather helmets without facemasks.
"They were a bunch of rough, tough guys," Neil Duresky said of his father's team. "Dad's last trip to the hospital, they tried to put a tube down his nose and couldn't because it had been broken too many times."
The Bears won the game 25-0, which the La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press reported was due to the Lagers' "first quarter stage fright."
"The Chicagoans used about everything they had, and there is little doubt about that," the game story read. "They worked practically every imaginable sort of pass, hit the line from all angles, and must have been surprised when they bumped into a stubborn La Crosse defense in the last three quarters."
The Lagers slumped later in the 1934 season, attributed to the strain of working regular jobs at the brewery, but went 9-2 the following year, losing only to two NFL teams, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Cardinals.
Skemp stepped down as coach after the 1936 season to focus on his law practice. The Lagers played one more year, finishing second in the Northwest League, before the brewery withdrew support.
"Dad had a pretty heavy hand. He ran the show," Bob Skemp said. "They needed that."
MadisonHerald: Initiative, Stations of the Cross create powerful witness at clinic
Vigil for Life and Pro-Life Wisconsin Dane County are spearheading an initiative called 365 for Life this year to provide a consistent presence of prayer at the clinic during the periods for abortion services. The initiative seeks to build on the momentum generated by the five successful 40 Days for Life campaigns and the recent derailment of late-term abortion plans at the Madison Surgery Center.The rest at Mad Cath Herald
“Because of 40 Days for Life, we had a large part of the Catholic community that has been to the sidewalk, has been part of the initiative, and wanted it to continue,” said Karlen.
Focusing on Madison’s only abortion clinic, the Planned Parenthood Clinic on Orin Rd., the initiative will ensure that every woman who comes to Madison for an abortion has a chance of being offered hope by prayer warriors and sidewalk counselors on the sidewalk outside.
Volunteers have already filled the hours for three weeks since the initiative began. Each volunteer is asked to sign up for a two-hour time slot (or one hour each if you have a friend who can fill the other hour) during the weekday. At least two volunteers will be present at the time. Many, including groups that have a rotating list of volunteers, have committed to fill monthly or even weekly slots.
During the cold days of winter, the rainy days of spring and fall, and the hot days of summer, the time will be one of obvious sacrifice. But prayer and sacrifice for the recognition of the sanctity of human life is a part of the Catholic tradition
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