Recently-obtained figures from the state of Wisconsin show that from 2007-2010, all of Wisconsin’s Catholic hospitals received taxpayer funds for distributing contraception under the so-called Family Planning Waiver program. Document, below, details the hospitals by name and by amount per year. It is entirely plausible the figures are actually higher, due to how the funding recipients are organized (as you can see, pharmacies are separated from physicians groups etc.)
Wisconsin Catholic Hospitals 2007-10
Sadly, Catholic hospitals dispensing contraception isn’t a surprise to some Wisconsin faithful.
In 2007, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference was neutral on a bill, now Wisconsin law, that forced ALL hospitals in the state to dispense emergency contraception to rape victims. During testimony about the bill, Kim Wades of the WCC said many Catholic hospitals are already dispensing the abortifacient drug, so the proposed law wouldn’t change much. Wisconsin Right to Life was neutral on the bill as well. Bishops Morlino and Listecki broke with the WCC to oppose the emergency contraception mandate.
Catholic hospitals are expected to abide by the Ethical and Religious Directives of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The ERD includes prohibitions against abortion, physician-assisted suicide, direct sterilization, the withholding of food and water from patients, and contraceptive procedures.
In the same time frame, 2007-2010, Planned Parenthood received $26 million from taxpayers for providing “family planning” services under the Medicaid Family Planning Waiver (FPW) Program. Pro-Life Wisconsin has more on that.
Planned Parenthood WI - Waiver 2007-10
The entire cost of the program to taxpayers? A cool $81.5+ million. And that’s just in Wisconsin.
The FPW program was initiated and signed into law under Tommy Thompson, our Catholic former Governor (now running for Herb Kohl’s open seat in the U.S. Senate). The Family Planning Waiver was originally sought by Wisconsin under the Thompson administration as part of a plan to reduce teen pregnancy. The Wisconsin State Legislature passed the original bill supporting the Waiver with strong bipartisan support. Then Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the bill, and in 2002 he signed the Waiver approval as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.
Something else I found interesting in that list of places reimbursed for FPW funds – Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. Where their patients are just children. Either they’re putting kids on birth control or giving them emergency contraception or? There really isn’t an alternative, since the program covers contraception only.
You can search the entire document here.
Wisconsin - Claims Paid - FPW - 2007-2010
Wisconsin, the Chesterton state
Here is a link to the list of all the local societies (and the contact person for each) that are affiliated with the American Chesterton Society.Do you know how many are in Minnesota - the location of the American Chesterton Society? One.
http://www.chesterton.org/wordpress/local-societies/
As you can see, your fair state of Wisconsin currently holds the title for most Chesterton Societies in a single state!
I also heard that Black River Falls(different from River Falls) is starting a chapter as well, and also that Madison may be resurrecting their local society.Milwaukee Chesterton Society | Meets at 7:00 p.m. first Wednesday of every month except August | Elm Grove Village Municipal Building, 13600 Juneau Blvd., Elm Grove WI | For more information, contact Rick and Mary Brittnacher at milchesterton@sbcglobal.net or call 414-421-3286
The La Crosse Chesterton Society | Meets at 7:00 PM the second Thursday of each month | Waterfront Restaurant, La Crosse WI | For more information, contact Rita at euchadora06@hotmail.com or call 608-386-5962
The Green Bay Chesterton Society | Meets from 10AM – 11AM on Saturday mornings at SS. Peter & Paul’s School Building, 710 N. Baird Street, Green Bay WI | For more information, contact Michael F. Lee at 920-360-8663. Group meets in the “Apple Room” on 1st Floor; use door from parking lot; “Mystic Monk Coffee” by the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming is served at all meetings
River Falls, WI Area Chesterton Society | Meets at 7:00PM first Wednesday of each Month | West Wind Supper Club, River Falls, WI | For more information, contact Pete Beurskens at pbeurskens@southeastmn.edu or call 715-273-4534
Wisconsin Personhood Amendment in the Wisconsin State Journal
Pro-Life WisconsinThe below article on Wisconsin's Personhood Amendment was on the front page of the Wisconsin State Journal on Wednesday, November 23. Among other news coverage including TV and radio, LifeSiteNews has covered personhood, as has UW-Madison's Badger Herald.
Anti-abortion lawmakers propose constitutional amendment to extend personhood to embryos
Many Wisconsin abortion foes are cheering the introduction of legislation that would amend the state constitution to extend personhood to the moment an egg is fertilized, although the state's two largest anti-abortion groups are at odds over the approach.
The legislation is patterned after a similar measure that Mississippi voters rejected earlier this month.
Critics say such measures would outlaw all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest, and ban all forms of hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs).
Wisconsin's "personhood" amendment, introduced last week by Rep. Andre Jacque, R-Bellevue, would define the terms "people" and "person" in the constitution to include "every human being at any stage of development."
Also, the phrase "all people are born equally free and independent" would be changed to "all people are equally free and independent." This would eliminate the need to be "born" to have certain inherent rights, such as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Matt Sande, lobbyist for Pro-Life Wisconsin, which backs the legislation and is working closely with Jacque, said the amendment "undoubtedly" would outlaw all forms of surgical and chemical abortion. On other issues, "we don't know exactly what it would mean, but our intent is to protect the preborn child at any stage of development from any violent attack, whether chemical, surgical or experimental," he said.
Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has concluded the proposed language would ban hormonal contraception, said Nicole Safar, public policy director. "This is way out of touch with Wisconsin values," she said.
Rep. Chris Taylor[and Planned Parenthood lobbyist], D-Madison, said the legislation is a continuation of the Republican Party's "extreme social agenda," adding it's also "anti-business and anti-jobs" because of its potential impact on Wisconsin's bio-medical and embryonic stem cell research sectors.
"This kind of punitive resolution causes researchers to go elsewhere," she said.
But Rep. Jeremy Thiesfeldt, R-Fond du Lac, one of six Assembly co-sponsors, said he and his colleagues are fulfilling "one of the basic roles of government, which is to protect those who can't protect themselves."
In a twist, Wisconsin Right to Life, the largest anti-abortion group in the state, has come out forcefully against the personhood amendment strategy, calling it "just plain wrong for Wisconsin."
Click here to read more.
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St. Felix Church, Wabasha, MN - before and after
From Mr. Kuhl:
CatholicTownMN; Catholic peasants of the area had erected a convent, school, and hospital.
By they way, you might have heard of Wabasha, MN as it's claim to fame is having Grumpy Old Men filmed in the city.
I was reading your comments about St. Felix in Wabasha and noticed in some recent interior pictures of the church how devoid of detail the walls are. Bare and boring.Well, I found an interior picture from 1913 that shows how great the church once looked. The picture is not the best but you can see the amount of beautiful detail it once had.
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| St. Felix Church, Wabasha, MN - 1913 |
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| St. Felix Church, Wabasha, MN, 2011 |
more details at RootswebAlso, see the history (from 1920) about the church below:St. Felix Parish of the Roman Catholic Church at Wabasha, with its various religious, educational and philanthropic activities, dates back to 1842, and is therefore one of the oldest church organizations in the Northwest.
In 1842 the Rev. Augustin Ravoux, of St. Paul, sent a log building from Mendota to this place to be used as a chapel for worship. It was placed upon a raft and floated down the river, and after reaching Wabasha it was put up on the ground of what was called "The Point," which is now the terminus of Main street, north. As there was no settled pastor of the flock, services were very irregular, and the building was finally used for secular purposes. The first printing press of the town was set up in it, and the first paper printed in the county issued therefrom. A school was also taught in it for a time, but finally the old church fell into decay, all traces of it having long since been obliterated.
The brick church erected in 1874, after an existence of nearly 20 years, was completely destroyed by fire, and in 1893 was rebuilt with improvements. Father Wurst also built the present rectory, enlarged and beautified St. Felix cemetery, and after strenuous efforts succeeded in having the State Sanitarium located in Wabasha ~ an act of public spirit appreciated by all the citizens irrespective of creed. For this work of development and upbuilding he was especially fitted by his thorough and extensive knowledge, both of civil and ecclesiastical law, and in a good cause he spared no efforts. His activities in building up the parish attracted wide attention and drew many settlers to Wabasha and the surrounding country.
CatholicTownMN; Catholic peasants of the area had erected a convent, school, and hospital.
By they way, you might have heard of Wabasha, MN as it's claim to fame is having Grumpy Old Men filmed in the city.
Green Bay seminarian needs prayers to make a difference in Chastity talk
via Abba's Little Girl
Immaculate Conception, ora pro nobis!
Perhaps you could offer a Novena to the Immaculate Conception.I received this note today from a seminarian who's asking for prayers. I post it here so that you'll be aware of his prayer request. — Patrick Madrid
Zach Weber
"My name is Zach Weber and I am a seminarian for The Diocese of Green Bay at Saint Meinrad Seminary. On December 14th in Sheboygan WI, I am scheduled to give a talk on Chastity, Purity, Modesty, and the Truth of the Church to over 350 8th-12th grade CCD students. I am very concerned about there souls due to the poor Catechism classes and there lack of substance. I realize that not all programs are poor, but with only 15% of people coming back to Mass after being confirmed I am hoping to make a huge impact on their lives. I have been offering up holy hours, rosaries, and Mass' for the students for a couple of Months.
If you could please forward this e-mail to anyone you know to pray for the souls of the students who will be attending I would greatly appreciate it.
God Bless and thanks for all you do for the Church,"
Zach Weber
Green Bay Diocese
1st Philosophy
Immaculate Conception, ora pro nobis!
Cardinal Burke on EWTN's Vaticano
Also, posted to Youtube: Pontifical High Mass by His Eminence Raymond Cardinal Burke in Knock Shrine, Ireland - 10:09:2011
HT LC
AirMaria: Novena to the Immaculate Conception, Day 1
Please join Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner of the Franciscans of the Immaculate and Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in praying the Franciscan Novena to the Immaculate Conception at www.airmaria.com . Throughout these 9 days (Nov. 29 – Dec. 7) you’ll hear beautiful meditations on Our Lady taken from the writings of St. Francis, St. Bernadine of Siena, St. Joseph of Cupertino, and more. A great way to prepare for the coming of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at Christmas!Photo
Day One: http://airmaria.com/?sn=180&vp=25072&prefx=shrtv&plyrnb=1&ttl=Variety
Sorry, I can't embed the video at this point. There is a prayer at the beginning followed by about 10 minutes of reflection, and then the novena prayer at the end with a moment of silence to make your request. Perhaps you have a little time this evening to pray and reflect during this Advent season.
Personhood needs prayers. She is waiting for our requests to intercede for her state.
AmP: Mil. gal refusing to "learn the damn prayers" says priests should focus on “Changing Water into Wine”
Maribeth Lynch, 51, a publisher from the Milwaukee suburb of Elm Grove, said she was “distraught” over the changes and would refuse to “learn the damn prayers.”continue at Catholic Vote
“It’s ridiculous. I’ve been a Catholic for 50 years, and why would they make such stupid changes? They’re word changes. They’re semantics,” she said. The priest “spent 40 minutes today on the changes instead of on the important stuff, like changing water into wine.”
WisSJ: "Peter Kreeft is a rock star"
To certain Catholics, Peter Kreeft is a rock star.
That was evident Nov. 18, when nearly 500 people filled an auditorium at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison to hear him talk.
....
During the Q&A, an audience member brought up the Kennedy political dynasty and how a group of leading theologians and Catholic college professors had met with Kennedy family members in the mid-1960s and came up with a way for Catholic politicians to support a pro-abortion rights platform with clear consciences.
Kreeft said these Catholic advisers "told the Kennedys how they could get away with murder." Kreeft then made one of his boldest comments of the evening, suggesting the theologians who first convinced Democratic politicians they could support abortion rights and remain Catholic did more damage to the Catholic Church than pedophile priests.
"These were wicked people. These were dishonest people. These were people who, frankly, loved power more than they loved God," Kreeft said. "Sorry, that's just the way it is. In fact, I'd say these were even worse than the child molesters — though the immediate damage they did was not as obvious — because they did it deliberately, it wasn't a sin of weakness. Sins of power are worse than sins of weakness. Cold, calculating sins — that's straight from the devil."
A few minutes later, the talk over, the crowd gave him a standing ovation.
PLW: Sidewalk counseling saves lives: One young mom who chose life speaks
We recently had the opportunity to catch up with a young mom who chose life due to the work of sidewalk counselors. Listen to what Mareza has to say in the video, below.
If you have ever prayed or sidewalk counseled at an abortion facility, prayed for an end to abortion, supported pro-life causes, or wondered if all our work is making a difference — this video is for you! Thank you to everyone who gives up free time on Saturdays, stands out in the freezing cold and blazing heat, to those who spend their birthdays sidewalk counseling to bring a message of joy and hope to others.Pro-Life Wisconsin
Thank you to Mareza for having the courage to share her story with the world.
As Thanksgiving Day is almost upon us, keep those who have less in your prayers. And give thanks for all the miracles God allows us to witness!
We would be remiss if we didn’t express our gratitude to Pro-Life Action League for all their work with us on sidewalk counseling.
Minnesota abortion clinic to close: first clinic closure in state in two decades
St. Paul, MN, November 28, 2011 (OperationRescue.org) – Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, has announced that it will close its abortion clinic, GYN Special Services Clinic, effective December 9, 2011. According to local pro-life activists, it is the first abortion clinic closure in Minnesota in two decades.continue at LifeSite
“I cannot express properly the waves of emotions of joy I am experiencing with this victory,” Brian Gibson of Pro-life Action Ministries told Operation Rescue.
Gibson and other local activists worked for years to convince Regions Hospital to close the abortion clinic, launching protests, petitions, and boycotts that Gibson says cost the hospital “millions of dollars in lost business.”
The abortion clinic steadily lost business over the years. Last year, the clinic did 545 abortions, down over 55% from their high of 1,200 abortions annually.
Alright, so how did it go with the new translation?
...By the way, if you are close enough, I would highly recommend this parish. They have a great new priest, Fr. Thomas Cook, and the building is beautiful. If it wasn't so far away we would think about joining.... We were happy to find a good parish near the in-laws home. In the past we would sometimes drive all the way home(an hour) for Mass.
To digress a bit more, we have been parish shopping. We love our Friars, but you may know that the Guadalupe Shrine is not a parish, so they do not do Baptisms, First Communion, etc. We are at the Cathedral in La Crosse currently. Our Cathedral has a great music program but I guess I was expecting this Cathedral to eventually develop into a parish like Madison's Cathedral parish. It just doesn't seem to be happening - and honestly, I'm only one dude. If there were a bunch of dudes all with the same vision and wanted to work toward it, that would be different. Well there's a lot of work for the 150th anniversary so we wouldn't move along until all of that had been completed. Would it be weird to join Madison while living in La Crosse? LOL! I am hoping to post on this some more, maybe with some of your input we can create a description of an ideal parish - but I've got some projects I'm working on that need my attention.
Well so back to the translation. I think the hardest part is the "And with your spirit." It's everywhere, right? But I think it's safe to say that it is much improved. I was curious what the folks who were not as familiar with all the details thought. Still, I think the overuse of English even with the new translation is still a negative. I want it both ways, accessible and traditional. I had to serve this morning for daily Mass and let me tell you that was interesting. 6:30 a.m. and I have to use my brain already!
I would recommend Jimmy Akin's post The Four Liturgists of the Apocalypse. Haha, very good stuff. And it would seem one Milwaukee woman is refusing to "learn the damn prayers."
Anywho, so how did it go out there in Sconnieland and beyond? Did you hear grumblings? Praises?
Retry of Trial Lawyer Stimulus Bill in Wisconsin
MJS Faith WatchWisconsin lawmakers and advocates for victims of sex abuse are using this weekend’s Badger game against Penn State as the backdrop for re-introducing legislation that would make it easier for victims to sue their perpetrators in civil court.
State Sen. Julie Lassa (D-Stevens Point) and Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) are announcing today that they will re-introduce the so-called Child Victims Act that has failed at least twice in recent years.
The measure would eliminate the statute of limitations in future cases involving the sexual assault of a child by an adult. And it would open a two-year window to refile cases in which victims were previously barred by earlier statutes of limitations. [Yes, that means we can dig up dead bishops and priests and make us Catholics pay for it. Not extending the limitation, but removing it completely. Wisconsin was made a state in 1848.]
Members of SNAP, the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests, which has lobbied unsuccessfully for similar bills over the last two legislative sessions, will join Lassa and Pasch at a news conference this afternoon at the capitol. [I have some old posts on SNAPs push for this if you are interested]
“The bills will bring crucial reforms to the state’s statute of limitations on civil suits in sexual assault cases involving children, and would help prevent the serial child abuse that happened at Penn State,” SNAP’s Milwaukee director, John Pilmaier, said in a statement. [... maybe I'm missing something but how does extending the limitation have any effect on what happens today. There are already laws in place for these kinds of abuses, right?]
The measure, which is modeled after legislation passed in other states, failed to make it to the floor in the last two legislative sessions. It was opposed by Wisconsin’s Catholic bishops, the Wisconsin Conference of Churches and others who said it could financially ruin religious institutions and their ability to minister to the poor and vulnerable. [Listen, I really am in favor of state intervention in these matters, but let's ask a question. Why aren't we extending the statue of limitations on criminal cases?? Why is it only the money maker that's getting extended? Remember what SNAP sees when they see your church. I can't imagine the pain that this kind of abuse caused families, but unfortunately those with an agenda against what the Catholic Church teaches want to use this as an opportunity to financially destroy as much of the Church as they can.]
It comes against the backdrop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee bankruptcy, in which nearly 100 people have filed claims alleged sexual abuse by clergy or employees when they were children. The archdiocese has suggested it will move to bar at least some of those claims because the civil statute of limitations has passed.
State law currently bars victims from suing after they reach age 35.
Just because one time Catholic Julie Lassa was reprimanded by her former bishop(who happens to now be Wisconsin's third cardinal) for supporting unlimited taxpayer funded abortion rights, she has made it her business to stick it to the Church in any way she can.
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Relics of Blessed Miguel Pro to be installed at Guadalupe Shrine next fall
Sorry, this announcement was from last Wednesday:
Here's a shot of the side altar, Bl. Miguel Pro is the middle one.
On this the Feast of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe is delighted to announce that on Sunday, September 23, 2012, two days before the twenty-fourth anniversary of his beatification, the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe will install a first-class relic of Blessed Miguel Agustín Pro in the side altar dedicated to him in the Shrine Church. Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for more details about this joyous event in the weeks and months ahead.Facebook - Guadalupe Shrine
Here's a shot of the side altar, Bl. Miguel Pro is the middle one.
Wisconsin Personhood Amendment: Front page news, along with Ryan Braun
Need I say more about the watershed moments of both Braun's achievement and the introduction of personhood legislation...
Today's Wisconsin State Journal:
Many Wisconsin abortion foes are cheering the introduction of legislation that would amend the state constitution to extend personhood to the moment an egg is fertilized, although the state's two largest anti-abortion groups are at odds over the approach.The legislation is patterned after a similar measure that Mississippi voters rejected earlier this month.Critics say such measures would outlaw all abortions, including in cases of rape and incest, and ban all forms of hormonal contraception, including birth control pills and intrauterine devices (IUDs).Wisconsin's "personhood" amendment, introduced last week by Rep. Andre Jacque, R-Bellevue, would define the terms "people" and "person" in the constitution to include "every human being at any stage of development."Matt Sande, lobbyist for Pro-Life Wisconsin, which backs the legislation and is working closely with Jacque, said the amendment "undoubtedly" would outlaw all forms of surgical and chemical abortion. On other issues, "we don't know exactly what it would mean, but our intent is to protect the preborn child at any stage of development from any violent attack, whether chemical, surgical or experimental," he said.Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin has concluded the proposed language would ban hormonal contraception, said Nicole Safar, public policy director. "This is way out of touch with Wisconsin values," she said.In a twist, Wisconsin Right to Life, the largest anti-abortion group in the state, has come out forcefully against the personhood amendment strategy, calling it "just plain wrong for Wisconsin."
Read the rest here.
Telling how PPWI acknowledges the abortion-causing effect of hormonal contraceptives, no? And yet certain pro-lifers refuse to address the issue. Cardinal Burke has something to say about that.
Telling how PPWI acknowledges the abortion-causing effect of hormonal contraceptives, no? And yet certain pro-lifers refuse to address the issue. Cardinal Burke has something to say about that.
Geron bails on embryonic stem cell research
Reposting this from Jill Stanek's blog because of the implications and ties to UW-Madison, the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, etc.
Out of nowhere Geron Corporation announced last week it was not only halting the first clinical trial of embryonic stem cell treatment on humans but getting out of the embryonic stem cell business altogether.To understand how big a blow to the embryonic stem cell industry this was, you first must know it was Geron that funded the University of Wisconsin Madison’s original research back in 1995, which resulted in the first cultures of embryonic stem cells. It was Geron that started this whole mess.Geron went on to comprise one-third of the triune that controlled which company or university got access to embryonic stem cell lines, along with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.
Read the rest here.
STL Catholic: This Year, Why Not Celebrate Tradsgiving?
It's that time of year again, as we approach that unique mix of secular and religious occasions that are amorphously called the Holiday Season. First we have Thanksgiving, the closest that a secular holiday gets to decent religion. We are informed that this holiday was first celebrated by the pilgrims (though the Spanish claim it was celebrated earlier in St. Augustine, FL; trot out this little gem at Thanksgiving and you will deservedly be ridiculed for the Cliff Clavin that you are), but it was officially installed as a national holiday on a set date by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, who saw fit to mandate thankfulness for the Northern victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. FDR, another wallflower reluctant to impose national solutions, later changed the date to the fourth Thursday in November.continue at Saint Louis Catholic
Next, we have the annual mass-worship of the god Retail, known by its remarkably descriptive name of Black Friday. The portents of this holy day are scanned, analyzed and reverently feared, as the blessings or curses of Retail are made known. It is a most amusing mix of Baal worship, Aztec heart surgery, and Groundhog Day-- only six more shopping weeks untilChristmasHanukkah, Kwanzaa or some other nondescript Winter celebratory event!
A must read.
Photo: Canterbury Tales
PLW: School children surprise Bp. Hying with collection for pregnancy centers
About two months ago, we received a phone call from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Hales Corners. Bishop Hying was going to be saying Mass for the school at the parish, and the school children wanted to surprise Bishop Hying with a gift to thank him.continue at Pro-Life Wisconsin
Bishop Hying’s pro-life convictions are well-known in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. When he was still rector of the St. Francis de Sales Seminary, Bishop Hying and several seminarians could often be found praying at Affiliated Medical Services on Saturdays. One Saturday at AMS inspired Bishop Hying to write this.
Arch. Milwaukee to begin $300k victim therapy fund if judge approves
As part of the Plan of Reorganization, we will ask the bankruptcy judge to allow us to establish a fund dedicated to providing therapy and counseling to abuse victims of diocesan clergy. Currently, the archdiocese spends approximately $70,000 each year for therapy and counseling for abuse survivors who come forward for this assistance. This fund will be launched with an initial contribution of $300,000. The therapy fund will be “evergreen,” meaning that it will be established in a way that allows it to be replenished, so that payments for therapy will continue for as long as abuse victims come forward for such assistance. We are establishing it, not because we are required to, but because our commitment in faith calls us to do so. Let me explain.-Abp. Listecki
As you know, the bankruptcy process is a financial proceeding designed to compensate those making claims. I have stated previously, and want to emphasize again, that beyond financial settlements, outreach and assistance to abuse survivors is an ongoing and permanent ministry of the Church. The most important thing we as a Church can and must do, is to continue to provide therapy assistance to those who have been harmed, even if their claims are not recognized under civil law, which may be the case for certain of the claims filed against the archdiocese in the Chapter 11 proceeding.
In order to prepare the Plan of Reorganization, it is important to know how many claims will qualify for compensation and which claims cannot be honored. Soon, attorneys for the archdiocese will be filing motions to ask the judge to decide which claims against the archdiocese will be allowed under bankruptcy law. If the court is not going to allow a particular type of claim (for example, a claim that is past the statute of limitations; a claim brought by an individual who previously reached a legal settlement with the archdiocese; or a claim against a person who was never an employee of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee), then people need to know this so they have a realistic expectation as they proceed with the claims
Sorry, couldn't find the online version of the newsletter online.
St. Peter's Church, Ashton, WI - celebrates 150th anniversary
continue at MadCatHeraldSt. Peter Parish is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year and held a Mass and dinner November 5 to mark the occasion.
Bishop Robert C. Morlino came to the parish, located in rural Dane County about 10 miles outside Madison, to celebrate Mass. Concelebrants included Fr. Brian Dulli, pastor of the parish, Fr. Laverne Meier, Fr. John Meinholz, and Fr. Henry Kalscheuer.
The parish has grown considerably since it was founded by 20 families as a mission church of Cross Plains and Martinsville. It currently has over 300 registered families.
“Many other people have been positively impacted by the Holy Spirit’s generous outpouring in Ashton,” said Father Dulli in his homily during the Saturday evening Mass which packed the church’s pews.
more photos at madisoncatholicherald.smugmug.com
St. Cecilia, ora pro nobis!
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| Stefano Moderno, "Saint Cecilia," 1599, church of St. Cecilia, Trastevere, Rome |
Cecilia, in the meantime, continued to make many conversions, and prepared to have her home preserved as a church at her death.more at saintcecilia.us
Finally, she too was arrested and brought before the prefect. He ruled that she should die by suffocation in the baths. Saint Cecilia was locked into the bathhouse and the fires vigorously stoked. She remained there for a day and a night but was still alive when the soldiers opened the doors. She was then ordered beheaded, but the executioner, after striking three times without severing St Cecilia's head, ran away, leaving her badly wounded.
St. Cecilia hung onto life for three days after the mortal blows, preaching all the while. She made many more conversions and people came to soak up her flowing blood with sponges and cloths. There exists in Rome a church in St. Cecilia's honor that dates from about the fifth century. Her relics were believed to have been found by Pope Paschal I in 821 A.D., in the cemetery of St. Celestas. These remains were exhumed in 1599, when Cardinal Paul Emilius Sfondrati rebuilt the church of St. Cecilia, and said to be incorrupt.
I believe she was the first recorded case of the phenomenon of incorruptibility. The above statue is said to be what she looked like when the grave was exhumed some 1,200 years after her death. I couldn't find the quote, but I read somewhere those exhuming the body said she looked alive like a young girl sleeping.
Avett Brothers: Where did all the hairy men go
This past Friday, I went to my very first-ever Avett Brothers concert, at the Pabst Riverside Theatre in Milwaukee. The Riverside is an amazing place for a concert; it is definitely not a generic sports auditorium, and the atmosphere really adds to the experience.
The Avett Brothers played a show on Friday night and Saturday night; both shows sold out. The Avett Brothers describe themselves as a "folk rock band." I heard the Avett Brothers were one of the best live bands around, and I wasn't disappointed! I highly recommend seeing them live if you have the opportunity.
But I have to say... what is it with hairy men at indie concerts like this? It was like every single guy took "No Shave November" to an extreme.
Considering Matt's post last week on charismatics and how our sins affect more than just our relationship with God, I found this reflection from the Avett Brothers to be particularly insightful, as we are all searching for purpose:
The Avett Brothers played a show on Friday night and Saturday night; both shows sold out. The Avett Brothers describe themselves as a "folk rock band." I heard the Avett Brothers were one of the best live bands around, and I wasn't disappointed! I highly recommend seeing them live if you have the opportunity.
But I have to say... what is it with hairy men at indie concerts like this? It was like every single guy took "No Shave November" to an extreme.
Considering Matt's post last week on charismatics and how our sins affect more than just our relationship with God, I found this reflection from the Avett Brothers to be particularly insightful, as we are all searching for purpose:
The Avett brothers' grandfather, Clegg Avett (1917–1976), was a Methodist minister. After reading his grandfather's sermons, Scott Avett says that he began to think seriously about matters of faith and spirituality. “Our hands and minds, legs and mouths, eyes and ears, arms and feet were all made with purpose, and though you may never find that exact purpose, it is your obligation to yourself and God to search for it ...”
Upcoming events at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Please join Fr. Peter Damian Fehlner of the Franciscans of the Immaculate and Rector of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in a virtual Novena in honor of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary at www.airmaria.com . Each day, from the 29th of November up to the 7th of December, Fr. Peter gives a short meditation on the Immaculate Conception followed by a prayer. Perhaps you can suggest some intentions (for family, for loved ones, for end to abortion, contraception, etc.).The Cardinal will be comin' town. .... great now I have Christmas carols stuck in my head. No! Waaaait for it....
December 3 - Saint Nicholas of Myra: A Celebration for Children – starting at 1:30 p.m.
Meet and take pictures with St. Nicholas and hear the story of Christmas and the life of this beloved saint and wonderworker. Afterwards enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, coloring and a movie about his life. Children of all ages are welcome.
December 9 - Feast of St. Juan Diego – Celebrate with His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
The Feast of Saint Juan Diego begins will Holy Mass at 12:15 p.m. celebrated by His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke. After Mass there will be an induction ceremony for the Saint Juan Diego Guild for Children followed by a reception with refreshments and dessert in the crypt.
December 12 – Patronal Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Celebrate with the Founder of the Shrine, His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
Celebrate the patronal feast of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe with His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke. The Shrine opens at 8:00 a.m. Mañanitas, or traditional Mexican songs sung in the morning on special days, begin at 8:45 a.m. Sweet breads and refreshments will follow in the crypt. Cardinal Burke will be the main celebrant at Holy Mass at 11:00 a.m.
December 8 – Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – feast day gourmet dinner at the Culina Mariana!
Please join Shrine’s own Executive Chef Douglas and his staff for the first feast day celebration at the Culina Mariana! A three-course gourmet dinner is served on December 8th from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. in honor or Our Lady’s feast. Reservations Only. Call 788-8400 to make your reservations now. $35 for dinner + $12 for wine flight. This is a feast you will not want to miss.
FSSP Superior General to offer Mass at St. Augustine Church in St. Paul
Father John Echert, Pastor of Holy Trinity and St. Augustine churches in So. St. Paul, has invited The Superior General of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), the Very Rev. John Berg to offer the 11:30 Traditional Latin Mass at the Church of St. Augustine (408 3rd St. N. in So. St. Paul) on the 27th of November. The Fraternity of St. Peter is an international priestly fraternity established by Pope John Paul II to provide the traditional Mass and Sacraments to Catholics around the world under the provisions established by the motu proprio Ecclesia Dei.St Augustine also is the place where that potential Eucharistic miracle occurred a while back.
There will be a reception for Father Berg in the church hall immediately after Mass, at which time he will also offer a brief presentation on the general mission of the Fraternity of St. Peter. So please--tell your friends and family members, forward this email to your Catholic contacts, pray for the success of this event, and mark your calendars for the 27th of November.
HT Verso
Wisconsin Personhood Amendment introduced
Legislation that would amend the Wisconsin Constitution to apply personhood rights to preborn children at all stages of development was introduced on Thursday. Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 77, authored by Representative Andre Jacque (R-Green Bay), extends the inalienable right to life found in the Wisconsin Constitution to all preborn children from the beginning of their lives. Senator Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) is the lead author in the State Senate. An amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution requires passage in two successive legislatures followed by a simple majority vote of the people. Click here to read the amendment language, and click here to view PLW's legislative memo. Click here for a national story on the opposition’s reaction.Pro-Life Wisconsin
From a pro-life perspective, the Wisconsin Constitution contains a glaring error at its outset. In specifying the beneficiaries of its human rights, our state constitution leaves out the preborn. It applies rights to only those people who are "born." Representative Jacque is proposing a minimal but absolutely essential correction, a personhood amendment, to make the Wisconsin Constitution cover all people, every person, at any stage of development.
Assembly Joint Resolution 77 tracks the original constitutional language as closely as grammatically possible, only substituting the inclusive personhood definition for the word "born." That definition is as follows: As applied to the right to life, the terms "people" and "person” shall apply to every human being at any stage of development. Such a definition is indispensable to spreading the protective cover of Wisconsin’s constitution over all its citizens.
The amendment language reads as follows:
Article 1. Declaration of Rights. Equality; inherent rights. SECTION 1. All people are equally free and independet, and have certain inherent rights; among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; to secure these rights, governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. As applied to the right to life, the terms "people" and "person" shall apply to every human being at any stage of development.
Should Roe v. Wade be overturned someday and the abortion issue remanded to the states, an activist Wisconsin Supreme Court could (and very likely would) use the word “born” in our current state constitution to deny the right to life of the preborn by interpreting an independent right to abortion in that document. In so doing, the court could nullify any present or future pro-life laws in our state. The changing makeup of the Wisconsin Legislature could also jeopardize any pro-life laws in our state. Every two years our state election process determines the majority party in Madison. Legal protection of the preborn should not (and must not) be contingent upon which party controls the state legislature. The right to life should not be subject to the whims of a politicized supreme court or an ever-changing legislature. Only by enshrining the right to life in our state constitution will preborn children be afforded full and lasting legal protection.
The introduction of the Wisconsin Personhood Amendment is a watershed moment in the history of the pro-life movement in our state. It seeks to end abortion in Wisconsin, not to regulate or restrict it. It seeks to end all violence toward preborn children in Wisconsin – surgical, chemical, experimental, etc. – at all stages of development. We have been working toward the introduction of such an amendment for the last five years, and we thank Representative Jacque for demonstrating the courage of his convictions in finally making it a reality.
We also thank the co-sponsors of the bill for their principled stand in supporting the amendment: Senator Grothman and Representatives Dan LeMahieu, Don Pridemore, David Craig, Jeremy Thiesfeldt, Evan Wynn, and Tom Larson.
The Wisconsin Personhood Amendment is not intended, or worded, as a challenge to Roe, or as an attempt to define personhood under the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution. It seeks only to bring into the Wisconsin Constitution a true definition of human life as endorsed by Wisconsin citizens speaking through the amendment process, thus making the highest law in our state cover all people, every person, at any stage of development. We recognize that its protections cannot be fully effective as long as Roe remains law, but we believe a proper definition of personhood should be in place should Wisconsin be freed from the effects of that noxious decision.
The Wisconsin Personhood Amendment has been endorsed by Wisconsin Family Action, Personhood USA, Pastor Walter Hoye of the Issues4Life Foundation, American Life League, and Charles E. Rice, Professor Emeritus of Law, University of Notre Dame. For more information on the Wisconsin Personhood Amendment, check out www.personhoodwisconsin.com.
Take Action!
Please CALL or EMAIL your state representative and state senator now and urge him or her to support AJR 77, the “Wisconsin Personhood Amendment.”
Tell your legislators to extend the inalienable right to life found in the Wisconsin Constitution to all preborn children at all stages of development.
If your legislator is a co-sponsor of AJR 77, please thank him!
To find out who your state legislators are, click here for PLW's website and scroll over the Legislative Affairs menu item at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Click on the Speak Up icon and then scroll down the page and click on Who Are My Wisconsin Lawmakers? Type in your street address, city and zip code. The names and contact information of your state senator and state representative will appear.
Once you know who your state legislators are, go back to the Speak Up page and use the links listed under Email Your Government Officials to send your email to your state senator and state representative. That way PLW will receive a copy of your email which will enable us to monitor the activity of our grassroots advocacy campaigns.
If you prefer to leave a telephone message with your state legislator, call the toll-free State Legislative Hotline at (800) 362-9472. Or call the legislator’s office directly. Thank you!
Texting God
The Ironic Catholic"The only text sent in this class would be to God, alerting him you'll be meeting him soon."
--Br. Stephen at my little Catholic university
Check out Abbey Roads to see the old fashioned way to text God.
MJS: How are Wisconsin faith communities confronting the issue of pornography?
I am writing a story on how Wisconsin faith communities are confronting the issue of pornography. If you wish to contribute, please contact me at anjohnson@jrn.com. Please leave a daytime telephone number.MJS Faith Watch
Remember, you can follow the Journal Sentinel's FaithWatch feature at:
www.twitter.com/jsfaithwatch
www.facebook.com/jsfaithwatch
Great question! I don't know of any effort of Catholics in Wisconsin. Anyone know of one?
You might remember Green Bay Packer defensive end Ryan Pickett supported the cause leading up to last year's Super Bowl victory.
Fanatic Fridays
I decree that Polka Fridays will hitherto be known as Fanatic Fridays, so let it be written.
I ran out of polka music... Don't fret, I'll still bring you the best that the internet has to offer.
I ran out of polka music... Don't fret, I'll still bring you the best that the internet has to offer.
Old School Bucky
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| Bill Sagal '51 tries on his mascot head with designer Connie Conrad and Homecoming chair Bill Sachse '50. Photo Courtesy UW-Madison Archives |
Reminder, it's not too late to sponsor “Mary’s Ultrasound” billboards
Kissling even referred to Pro-Life Wisconsin as the “grinches that stole Christmas!”
But in order to touch hearts across Wisconsin – and the United States, even! – we need your help.
True to Life funds are dangerously low, and without your help, we won’t be able to undertake the “Mary’s Ultrasound” billboard effort this year.
A $500 donation will pay for a billboard in La Crosse. A $500 donation will pay for a billboard in Milwaukee.
Please help us today! Click here to donate online, or call our office at (262) 796-1111 ext. 10.
Healing of the family tree
continue at Spirit DailyEvery family and ancestry – save for Jesus, Mary, and Joseph -- has tendencies that were or are negative and need to be purged. It could be a family inclination to selfishness, division, pride, or argumentation. It could be occultism. It could be a preoccupation with materialism. It could be lying. These characteristics need to be cast out as “spirits” – blotches of darkness -- or they will repeat themselves like a broken record in our lives and then in the lives of those who come after us. “Loving families lay the foundation for our eternal progress,” writes another who had a near-death episode.
“They help us build strengths, identify and overcome weaknesses, and bring challenges of their own for us to overcome. They significantly influence us in our earthly missions and affect how we influence others in their missions. Every family bond – with spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, in-laws, uncles, cousins, etcetera – can play a crucial role in teaching us how to love and be loved.”
When the sin is intense, claims Father John Hampsch, who wrote a seminal book called Healing the Family Tree, the effects may go beyond the three or four generations so commonly mentioned. The greater the sin, the more darkness we attract. We also may draw demonic spirits of a higher level. As the Bible tells us, there are powers and principalities. They mimic the hierarchy of angels (seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels).
There are also earthbound or departed “familial” spirits – those who have not “gone on.” These are spirits that have attached themselves to a person, family, things, or locations. If someone commits a murder, this is a strong force that attracts the demonic. If there is a spirit that was addicted to sex, drugs, or alcohol, it may seek to draw from or enter a living person who is indulging in excessive alcohol or illicit sex (in order to re-experience it). An involvement in the occult is a transgression known to greatly enhance spiritual infestation.
I've read other articles on this topic and have found it to be very insightful. I think it comes from a the charismatic movement, but I know I have a prayer to Divine Mercy for healing of a family tree. I can't find anything on it now, maybe some of you have also prayed this prayer? If so, please share where we can find it. For some time I was very interested in the charismatic movement, as I had never heard a priest talk about evil spirits or any spiritual realities of this world. I do not think it is a fascination; in fact, knowing we can help bring my family to faith is something that continues to motivate me to keep fighting; and particularly that my personal sin affects more than just my relationship with God.
From Orthodoxy - GK Chesterton
PhotoCertain new theologians dispute original sin which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved.
Some followers of the Reverend R. J. Campbell, in their almost too fastidious spirituality, admit divine sinlessness, which they cannot see even in their dreams. But they essentially deny human sin, which they can see in the street. The strongest saints and the strongest skeptics alike took positive evil as the starting-point of their argument. If it be true (as it certainly is) that a man can feel exquisite happiness in skinning a cat then the religious philosopher can only draw one of two deductions.
He must either deny the existence of God, as all atheists do; or he must deny the present union between God and man as all Christians do. The new theologians seem to think it a highly rationalistic solution to deny the cat.
HT JB
A few Cistercian items stay in the state
I was glad to hear that some private donors stepped forward to purchase some of the Cisterican vestments during the auction and keep them in the area.
Madison Diocese offer Youth 2000 retreat for young Catholics
The Youth 2000 retreat, held for the third time in the Diocese of Madison, drew a smaller group of youth and young adults than previous years, but the reaction to the weekend of Eucharistic Adoration, Mass, Reconciliation, and talks on the faith remained high.continue at MadCatHerald
Previous retreats had brought in several hundred youth, and the numbers this time only hit 75 youth and about 50 adults, but Lindsay Becher, coordinator of youth and young adult ministry for the Diocese of Madison Office of Evangelization and Catechesis, said that it didn’t seem to affect the personal experience of the youth.
“I heard from some of the kids that the smaller numbers made the experience different,” she acknowledged. But overall, she said, the reactions were positive and on Sunday during the closing of the retreat many of the youth stood up to share the fact that they had been to a retreat before and still had a deepening of their faith during this retreat.
photos courtesy of Kat Wagner at Smugmug
Infamous John Feeney released from prison
continue at Appleton Post CrescentA former Roman Catholic priest convicted of four counts of sexually assaulting children has been released from prison after serving fewer than eight years of a 15-year sentence.
John Patrick Feeney
John Patrick Feeney's legal issues, however, will continue to surface in Outagamie County court well into 2012.
Feeney, 84, reached his mandatory prison release date on Nov. 1 and is living in an Appleton halfway house, according to the state Department of Corrections. He was sentenced on April 30, 2004.
Peter Isely, Midwest director of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, said Feeney won't be able to again harm children because he's so well-known to the public and will be under Department of Corrections supervision.
Feeney's widely publicized 2004 convictions in Outagamie County stemmed from the assaults of brothers Troy and Todd Merryfield when Feeney was parish priest at St. Nicholas Catholic Church in Freedom in 1978.
A civil lawsuit filed in 2008 by the brothers against the Diocese of Green Bay following Feeney's convictions remains unresolved. John Peterson, an attorney for the Merryfields, said the lawsuit has been difficult for the men.
"They think it's necessary and the right thing for them to do, but it is a burden on their recovery from this," he said.
The Merryfields were 12 and 14 at the time of the assaults.
Isely said the Merryfields represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the lives damaged by Feeney. The damage extends to many communities and likely to many people who've remained silent about what happened to them.
"That impact is going to last forever," Isely said.
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