When a Wisconsin public school handle controversy with class

A couple weeks ago, my Effective Speech class was given the assignment of delivering a persuasive speech. The objective of this speech was to persuade someone to change their look on subject or to make them see two sides to a story. Some chose to give speeches on why school year round is bad, or why one sports team is simply better than another.

Surprisingly some students chose controversial topics to speak about such as stances on pro-abortion and gay marriage. Because of this I decided to also speak on a controversial topic, wanting to show my insight and my stance on these topics. My initial intention was to speak out against abortion, but when someone else chose that topic, I decided to choose another.

The topic I chose to speak about was Anti-Gay Marriage. This was a something that many Christians have fought against ever since five of our fifty states passed laws that allowed two persons of the same-sex to get married. I felt that I should speak out about my stance on it because many of my classmates are in favor of gay marriage. I feel that as Christians and as Catholics in particular, we should be able to teach others about our faith not just by our words but also by our actions. Please feel free to read my speech below

continue at Writings of a Boy....   

This young man is also discerning a call to the priesthood.  Deo gratias! 

A comment from Anne @ Discerning

Maybe you'll be inspired by this speech my son gave at his public high school last month. One student swore at him and he was sent to the principal's office. The rest of the class gave him a standing ovation and the girl who was debating him told him that if they were in a real debate she would surely lose. He received an A+ on the speech.

The main point here is that there are always two sides to an issue and when you have immature faculty or administration, you train students to be the same way.  Maturity is required to hear both sides of an argument and come to a reasonable conclusion(without kicking and screaming on the floor).  The Shawano episode is a prime example of how in bad schools the state no longer teach students how to think, it just dictates their own creed to young minds.  Debate is nothing new, but the immaturity of faculty to be big boys and girls - maintain a respectful and fair venue - and handle it like adults, is an embarrassment to public education.  So it is important to remember that not all public school systems have this problem; many allow for fair debate on controversial issues(and don't punish students they disagree with). 

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).

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.)

Catholic Garden

And a Wisconsin connection

Confirmed: All Wisconsin bishops have spoken out on HHS persecution

Well I checked and it looks like AmP has his list updated with all the Sconnies as well.

Archbishop Listecki of Milwaukee,
Bishop Ricken of Green Bay (Bishop Ricken read his letter to the faithful at Mass, receiving a standing ovation.)
Bishop Morlino of Madison
Bishop Callahan of La Crosse
Bishop Christenson of Superior

It is my understanding that all of the bishops required the letter read at each parish last Sunday. 

Photo

The Roe effect manifested

From Pro-Life Wisconsin:
A picture is worth a thousand words... first we have this photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin's Facebook page. It is a photo of a celebration of Roe v. Wade that PPWI held in Madison:

Notice the audience... old white-haired women who look rather sad, actually.

There is a theory called the Roe Effect. Put simply, this theory holds that:

• Those who favor legal abortion are much more likely to get one than those who oppose it.
• Children usually follow their parents' political leanings.
• Therefore, pro-choice parents will have more abortions and, hence, fewer children.
• Therefore, the pro-choice population gradually shrinks in proportion to the pro-life population.
• Therefore, support for legal abortions will decline over time.

In comparison to the throngs of young, vibrant, enthusiastic pro-lifers who crowded the streets of Washington, D.C. for the March for Life. See also our related post on "about" 65 people attending a PPWI event in Milwaukee.

Ithaca, NY wants to recall Gov. Walker

Vicki McKenna

Shawano Wis HS Superintendent chastises student for supporting natural mother-father adoption

School officials at Shawano High School in Wisconsin have censored and punished Brandon Wegner, a 15-year-old, for writing an op-ed article explaining the Biblical view of homosexuality and supporting natural mother-father adoption, according to Liberty Counsel.

After Brandon wrote this article [PDF] he was pulled into hours of meetings with school administrators and staff, without his parents’ knowledge.

Superintendent Todd Carlson told him that the column “went against the bullying policy,” and asked him if he “regretted” writing it. According to Liberty Counsel, when Mr. Wegner stated that he did not regret writing it, and that he stood behind his beliefs, Superintendent Carlson told him that he had “to be one of the most ignorant kids to try to argue with him about this topic,” that “we have the power to suspend you if we want to” and that the column had “personally offended me, so I know you offended other people!”

Brandon’s opinion was a part of an editorial page which presented viewpoints both for and against homosexual adoption, each articulated by a student. After the school newspaper was published in the local town paper, a homosexual in the community complained to the school. School officials then censored Brandon’s article, forcing him and his classmates to pull the page out of the newspaper before distribution at the school.

 Moonbattery

Wisconsin Bishops and the HHS persecution - we've been here before

Catholic Vote has the list of bishops who are publicly opposing the HHS mandate to force Catholic institutions to distribute contraception and abortion pills.  Archbishop Listecki of Milwaukee, Bishop Ricken of Green Bay and Bishop Morlino of Madison have spoken out against this HHS persecution.

Bishop Ricken read his letter to the faithful at Mass yesterday, receiving a standing ovation.

I was at Mass on Sunday and the priest did read this letter from Bishop Callahan, but I'm not sure if it was mandated that priest read it or not.  Also I wasn't at the Cathedral so I don't know if he address the issue in person.  Maybe someone who was there could chime in.

The Superior Catholic Herald did have coverage of the March for Life but nothing on this latest development. 

So with all that said (not that I want to jinx such an excellent first response from the bishops) but this has already happened in Wisconsin. 

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.

In addition, we know that Wisconsin Catholic Hospitals already make millions of dollars prescribing contraception and abortion inducing drugs. 

So not to go all negative, but shouldn't we have an equally strong response to our own Catholic institutions within the state??  Was the 2007 decision to remain neutral the wrong decision?  I think it was, but are we really going to do something about this problem or just wave pom-poms for the people?  The Obama administration already knows that bishops do not enforce Catholic teachings in their own institutions within their dioceses.  Isn't his mandate just a formality?

Photo

Bp. Ricken gets standing ovation for standing up to HHS, Planned Parenthood

Catholics across the country are taking a stand against a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate.

The Catholic Church says it's a violation of its religious beliefs to offer coverage of contraceptives and other reproductive health services.

After communion at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay Sunday, Bishop David Ricken addressed the faithful about what he says is an affront to the First Amendment rights of Catholics. [Bishop Ricken took the time to address the issue personally, not just a strongly worded statement.]

"It's a joint effort in solidarity with all the churches in the U.S.A. to bring awareness to the health and human services decision," said Ricken.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said starting next year all employers, even religious organizations, which provide health plans to their employees would be required to include preventative reproductive health services. [Including abortion pills]

It's a decision Planned Parenthood has championed.

"They employ a lot of men and women who don't necessarily practice the Catholic faith. So it seems unfair to penalize a woman who works for an employer whose faith she doesn't practice to get basic fair health insurance," said Nicole Safar, Director of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Wisconsin. [It's called the First Amendment, read it sometime, what is this China??  (oh yeah, she probably agrees with their one child policy as well)]

The bishop says while he realizes that many Catholics out in the world may take advantage of those services, he says the Catholic church shouldn't be footing the bill.

"If we pay for those services for people who work for us, we are in effect saying don't do it, but then giving the money to pay for it," said Ricken.

The bishop's statement gained him a standing ovation in church.

"I wholeheartedly agree with what he said. I don't believe that we should have to provide abortifacients and contraceptives and abortions for people," said Carlene Martens.

Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin says Catholic bishops are simply preaching to the choir.

“They are in the very small minority[and by her lunatic logic, clearly minorities should be ignored and persecuted] who believe this is a bad policy, and the majority of men and women think they should have access to birth control through their health coverage,” said Safar.

Some Catholics in church on Sunday say their voting power is roughly 70 million strong across the nation, and they're not afraid to let their voices be heard in an election year.

You can read the letter by Bishop Ricken in its entirety.

On Jan. 11, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision in which it sided with an Evangelical Lutheran school which had brought suit against the EEOC in regards to this health care coverage decision.

Fox 11

Hasn't this issue come up in Wisconsin before.......... hmmmmmm....

Is it wrong to already be looking ahead to Lent?

Feast Day of St. Francis de Sales

Photo: Raymond Cardinal Burke meditates before the relic of the heart of St. Francis de Sales, during the Institute pilgrimage to Treviso, Italy, on January 29, 2011.

Today, January 29, is the feast day of St. Francis de Sales. St. Francis is one of the patron saints of the Institute of Christ the King.

The ICKSP has done great things in Milwaukee at St. Stanislaus Church, my parish. (And in parishes across the world, as well.)

Pray to the angels of the people with whom you live, and especially to your own, who present your petitions to God. - St. Francis de Sales h/t ICKSP on Facebook

Bp Jenky of Peoria, Ill. instates St. Michael Prayer in response to HHS persecution

Bishop Daniel Jenky of Peoria, Ill. has asked parishes, schools, hospitals and religious houses to insert the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel into the intercessions at Sunday Mass to pray for Catholics’ freedom.

The move comes in response to a new federal requirement that will force many Catholic organizations to provide insurance coverage for sterilizations and contraceptives.

“It is God’s invincible Archangel who commands the heavenly host, and it is the enemies of God who will ultimately be defeated,” the bishop said in a Jan. 24 letter to the Catholics of his diocese.

The prayer should take place in the general intercessions before the concluding prayer, Bishop Jenky said. He asked that the intention of the prayer be announced as “for the freedom of the Catholic Church in America.”

The St. Michael prayer was authored by Pope Leo XIII, and was once commonly said in U.S. Catholic parishes as part of a petition for the freedom of Soviet Russia.

He said it is his duty to summon the local Church into “spiritual and temporal combat in defense of Catholic Christianity.”

“If these regulations are put into effect, they could close down every Catholic school, hospital and the other public ministries of our Church, which is perhaps their underlying intention,” Bishop Jenky said. “What is perfectly clear is that this is a bigoted and blanket attack on the First Amendment rights of every Catholic believer.”

Read more: http://www.ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=4749#ixzz1kgMqNLdx

Photo

“Living Our Faith with Archbishop Listecki” Returns Feb. 4 at Old St. Mary's

"Living Our Faith with Archbishop Listecki" returns Saturday, February 4, 2012 at noon. Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and presented by Catholic Financial Life, this 30-minute program will air on WISN TV, Channel 12.

Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki will host the show with Bob Dolan. New this year, each program will be taped on location at a different site throughout the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Also new this year is a faith and culture segment where the archbishop will share his thoughts on things like sports, movies, television and more. Each episode will include a closing reflection given by Archbishop Listecki.

Taped on location at Old St. Mary, Milwaukee, where the most Catholic marriage ceremonies took place during 2010-2011, the Feb. 4th episode will look at the topic of marriage – how the Catholic Church defines it, and national and local Catholic initiatives that support marriage.

Arch Mil

Scott Hahn on the mend and back to work

 Got this email forwarded to me but can't find it online anywhere.  It is an update from Scott Hahn.

"The mercy of God and the fruit of many prayers... Finished up my 2nd class still standing. Ok, so I did go 5 minutes over, what can I say, it was on the Eucharist in the NT. (For some, teaching is a job, for others a high calling, for me it's also a legal drug.) AMDG"

Haha, we get all the best converts.

MN Atheists copy Pro-Life Advertising campaigns

details at Pioneer Press

HT Ray @ Stella

Former GB Bishop Zubik(Pittsburg) on Obama to Catholic Church: “To Hell with You.”

Kathleen Sebelius and through her, the Obama administration, have said “To Hell with You” to the Catholic faithful of the United States.

To Hell with your religious beliefs,
To Hell with your religious liberty,
To Hell with your freedom of conscience.

We’ll give you a year, they are saying, and then you have to knuckle under. As Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops responded, “in effect, the president is saying that we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences.” 

continue at Diocese of Pittsburg

The bishops are really stepping up!  It was very odd when the Wisconsin Catholic Conference was neutral when the state did the same thing to Wisconsin Catholics. 

HT Fr Z, Stella

Photo

Judge throws out abuse case against Diocese of La Crosse

A La Crosse County judge has dismissed fraud charges brought against the Diocese of La Crosse that accused them of covering up a priest who allegedly had a history of child abuse.

In a civil case that began in 2008, Brenda Varga said she was assaulted by Father Raymond Bornbach in 1971, and that the Diocese knew Bornbach had a history of abuse, but did nothing about it.

Bornbach was removed from the ministry in 2004, and died in 2006.

Judge Scott Horne dismissed two counts of fraud, saying there was no evidence of a prior sexual assault.

In a statement, Diocese attorney James Birnbaum says "We are grateful that the court ruled what we have maintained from the start: that the Diocese of La Crosse engaged in no fraud toward Brenda Varga in her 41-year-old claims against the Diocese."

"We wish, however, to affirm that child sexual abuse is a despicable crime no matter where it occurs," the statement continues. "The protection and safety of children remains our highest priority."

 video at news8000 ....

Hmm, I see Channel 8 in La Crosse has a new website.  Nicer on the eyes, but has the same limitations of cookie cutter approaches. 

Bishop Ricken approves new association for diocesan priests

St. Francis Xavier Cathedral, GB

The goal of the new association is to dispel the "euthanasia mentality" in modern society, which has led to a devaluation of the lives of those who are sick and/or aged.

Association members also make simple promises beyond those of their ordinations. These include:

• praying the Divine Office each day;
• receiving regular spiritual direction;
• receiving the sacrament of reconciliation regularly;
• preparing homilies using scriptural meditation, such as the lectio divina;
• offering a daily eucharistic holy hour of prayer;
• recitation of the mysteries of the rosary daily;
• and an annual retreat with the other members of the association.

Association members will also wear a Marian scapular and consecrate themselves to Mary.

The association is open to any priest with the approval of Bishop Ricken.

details at The Compass

I know, I know, you are thinking that priests should be doing all these thing anyway, but these priestly associations are a fantastic idea.  Getting good priest in one spot growing together can only lead to good things.

Update: also a recent article by Bp. Ricken on the priesthood shortage.

Reedsburg WI CCD teacher during class: "Governor Walker's move was to keep blacks, Hispanics, the elderly from voting"

I have received an undercover audio recording of a Catholic religion instructor in Reedsburg, WI talking to his students about "social justice" during CCD, or religion class.  Remember, these classes are required to receive the sacrament of Confirmation in the Church.  It cuts in where it appears he's discussing the new voter id law.  I tried to quick transcribe it, but if you notice anything that doesn't match the audio, let me know.  

Update 1/26 - 9:21AM: The instructor is Jim Wieczorek, who is apparently on the school board.

Instructor: Do all of your parents have a drivers license?  Okay, so they don't look like your parents. Who do these people look like?  40 percent of black people, African Americans, 40 percent of African Americans from the age of 18 to 24 who are voting eligible have no ID.  They don't have a drivers license.  You look at Milwaukee and you don't need a drivers license.  You 'ave public transportation.  Where would you keep your car?  On the street?  Oh, haha, yeah.  For a short time.  So they don't get drivers licenses when they turn 16 or 18.  So, Governor Walker's move was to keep blacks from voting, to keep Hispanics from voting and to keep the elderly from voting.  That's a social injustice.  So you are right Drew, when you talk about Governor Walker.


Instructor: What are some other social injustices that we are aware of?

<student speaking>

Instructor: He does not want them to vote.  How do they vote?  Generally speaking, ya' got a Democrat party and a Republican party.  Blacks, Hispanics, and elderly people; how do they vote?

<student speaking>

Instructor:  Democratic.  They vote Democratic!  They are poor people!   Of course they would vote Democratic!   So if he(Walker) can eliminate 300,000 people from voting in the democratic election - super!  You see, he(Walker) passed a law, Michigan governor - Republicans passed a law, Ohio, Ohio passed a law like that.  Florida passed a law like that.

Instructor: Social injustice, what are some other examples of social injustice?

<student speaking>

Instructor: That's criminal injustice. That's not a social thing.  Half of the world is not, whatever her name is .......

<student speaking>

Instructor: We gotta look at the whole world.  What's social injustice in the whole world?  Creating a war against a smoldered nation, where we kill 100,000 of their people.  Passing laws that discriminate against blacks and Hispanics and the poor.  Taking all the money in the world and .... oh, here, I gotta tell you this one.

Instructor: What percentage of your parents income do you think they pay in taxes?  Roughly?  Alright an estimate, okay. Not... I don't want specifics.  You don't  .....  But, statistics show that middle income people, what most of your parents are, middle to lower, what percentage of their income, their wages, do they pay in taxes?  Where did you guess?  Johnny.

Johnny: 45.

Instructor: Okay, that's a good guess, yes.

<student speaking>

Instructor: 15?  15 is a good number.  Yes?

<student speaking>

Instructor: Yes, 10 percent?  Drew?

Drew: 50?

Instructor: 50 percent? Half of the money they made goes to taxes?  'kay.  Yes....30 .....17 ... .....  yes, after you guess all the number eventually we're gonna get em right?

Instructor: About 30 to 35 percent of the money they make, that your parents make, goes for taxes.  30 to 35 percent!  Nobody likes to pay taxes.  But it's really hard when someone that has $300,000,000 in their pockets and pays less than your parents do.  ... 15 percent.  Romney, running for the Republican presidential nomination....  15 percent or less.  15%!  Your parents are paying twice that!  He pays less taxes than his secretary does.

<student speaking>

Instructor: Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.

<student speaking>

Instructor: That's an interesting point that you bring up there.  Because you are absolutely right! We have nothing.  Everything we own is really God's, isn't it?  Your property is God's, this whole world is God's, your(belong to) God's.  He can do what he wants with ya. 

If you ever wonder why half of Catholic consistently vote pro-abortion politicians in, here's why.  There's some valid discussion that could go on here, but claiming that Governor Walker intends to disenfranchise 300,000 people by passing this law is ludicrous.  He is passing this law to help ensure fair and legal elections.  Naysayers have provided no alternatives.  But all of this is really beyond the point.  The teacher lies about the Governor to help promote his political party and philosophy in the name of Catholic doctrine.  And guess what; it happens everywhere.  And I'll give you one guess how much time he spends talking about abortion and sexuality.

No Eau Claire Catholic schools to close

All Regis Catholic Schools will remain open. That announcement came from the Diocese of La Crosse Wednesday afternoon.

In 2010 the school system proposed closing either St. Mary School in Altoona or St. James School in Eau Claire to save money. Bishop Callahan was reluctant to close a grade school without taking a closer look at the entire school system, so a commission was created. That commission sent three recommendations to the bishop. Bishop Callahan selected the first option, the only one that did not recommend closing a school.

The Regis Catholic School System will operate as is during the 2012 and 2013 school year. The following year will begin a reorganization aimed at saving money.

Some of the more notable changes include moving sixth grade classes from Regis Middle School to Immaculate Conception School. Classes in the elementary schools will also be restructured. The Regis Central Offices will move to currently empty facilities at St. Olaf Parish to save on rental costs.

Overall, the changes will require approximately six fewer teaching positions and are expected to save $250,000 dollars annually. If the diocese would have gone forward with plans to close an elementary school they had expected to save $300,000 dollars.

press release at WQOW18

Taking trophies home

LOTH sometimes is too awesome not to share.  This reminds me of St. Francis too.

From a homily by Saint John Chrysostom, bishop
(Hom. 2 de laudibus sancti Pauli: PG 50 477-480)

For love of Christ, Paul bore every burden.

Paul, more than anyone else, has shown us what man really is, and in what our nobility consists, and of what virtue this particular animal is capable. Each day he aimed ever higher; each day he rose up with greater ardor and faced with new eagerness the dangers that threatened him. He summed up his attitude in the words: I forget what is behind me and push on to what lies ahead. When he saw death imminent, he bade others share his joy: Rejoice and be glad with me! And when danger, injustice and abuse threatened, he said: I am content with weakness, mistreatment and persecution. These he called the weapons of righteousness, thus telling us that he derived immense profit from them.

Thus, amid the traps set for him by his enemies, with exultant heart he turned their every attack into a victory for himself; constantly beaten, abused and cursed, he boasted of it as though he were celebrating a triumphal procession and taking trophies home, and offered thanks to God for it all: Thanks be to God who is always victorious in us! This is why he was far more eager for the shameful abuse that his zeal in preaching brought upon him than we are for the most pleasing honors, more eager for death than we are for life, for poverty than we are for wealth; he yearned for toil far more than others yearn for rest after toil. The one thing he feared, indeed dreaded, was to offend God; nothing else could sway him. Therefore, the only thing he really wanted was always to please God.

The most important thing of all to him, however, was that he knew himself to be loved by Christ. Enjoying this love, he considered himself happier than anyone else; were he without it, it would be no satisfaction to be the friend of principalities and powers. He preferred to be thus loved and be the least of all, or even to be among the damned, than to be without that love and be among the great and honored.

To be separated from that love was, in his eyes, the greatest and most extraordinary of torments; the pain of that loss would alone have been hell, and endless, unbearable torture.

So too, in being loved by Christ he thought of himself as possessing life, the world, the angels, present and future, the kingdom, the promise and countless blessings. Apart from that love nothing saddened or delighted him; for nothing earthly did he regard as bitter or sweet.

Paul set no store by the things that fill our visible world, any more than a man sets value on the withered grass of the field. As for tyrannical rulers or the people enraged against him, he paid them no more heed than gnats. Death itself and pain and whatever torments might come were but child’s play to him, provided that thereby he might bear some burden for the sake of Christ.

 iBreviary - get the app

Abp. Dolan in Wall St. Journal: How about some respect for Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease?

Religious freedom is the lifeblood of the American people, the cornerstone of American government. When the Founding Fathers determined that the innate rights of men and women should be enshrined in our Constitution, they so esteemed religious liberty that they made it the first freedom in the Bill of Rights.

In particular, the Founding Fathers fiercely defended the right of conscience. George Washington himself declared: "The conscientious scruples of all men should be treated with great delicacy and tenderness; and it is my wish and desire, that the laws may always be extensively accommodated to them." James Madison, a key defender of religious freedom and author of the First Amendment, said: "Conscience is the most sacred of all property."

Scarcely two weeks ago, in its Hosanna-Tabor decision upholding the right of churches to make ministerial hiring decisions, the Supreme Court unanimously and enthusiastically reaffirmed these longstanding and foundational principles of religious freedom. The court made clear that they include the right of religious institutions to control their internal affairs.

Yet the Obama administration has veered in the opposite direction.

continue at WSJ

March for Life Wrap-Up Report

From Pro-Life Wisconsin:

Thank you to everyone who joined us in DC, along with those who prayed for an end to abortion in their home towns. Every year, the March for Life gets bigger and bigger. And Wisconsin continues to be well-represented!

Close to 20 buses from around Wisconsin traveled to Washington, DC for the March. Many carloads of people drove separately, and dozens of individuals and groups of students from several Wisconsin colleges and high schools flew out. Bishop Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay attended the March with the Diocese’s group.

Read an article about the Vigil for Life Mass, held the night before the March, here.

After the rally, Rep. Sean Duffy held a pro-life reception for people from Wisconsin at his Capitol Hill office. Hundreds of people turned out to visit Duffy’s office. Other than Rep. Duffy, speakers at the reception included Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, Sen. Ron Johnson, Rep. Reid Ribble, Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Paul Ryan, Raymond Arroyo of EWTN and National Review columnist Kathryn Jean Lopez.

To get an idea of just how big the March is, watch a minute-long time lapse video of last year’s March for Life here.

View the rest of our photos here.

Marquette's "On the Issues" to feature Tommy Thompson Feb 2nd

 He was elected Governor of Wisconsin an unprecedented four times. He was Health and Human Services Secretary in the administration of President George W. Bush. Now, after a stint in the private sector, Tommy Thompson is running for public office again. What’s driving his decision, and what does he think about the current political climate in Washington and Wisconsin? Find out when the former Governor and current candidate joins us at the Law School. Marquette Law School, Eckstein Hall, 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

Marquette Law

Thompson plans to run for US Senate in 2012.

HT Marquette Warrior

Prince Fielder heads back to where it all started

via MJS:

Though Fielder remains estranged from his father, Cecil, he will be following in his footsteps by going to the Tigers. As a young teenager, Prince used to sock HRs in batting practice at Tiger Stadium, serving notice of what would come years later when he got to the big leagues.

JRR Tolkien manuscripts located at Marquette University

The collection of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien (1892-1973), professor of Old and Middle English language and literature at Oxford University, 1925-1959, contains the original manuscripts and multiple working drafts for three of the author's most celebrated books, The Hobbit (1937), Farmer Giles of Ham (1949), and The Lord of the Rings (1954-1955), as well as the original copy of the children's book Mr. Bliss (published in facsimile form in 1982). The collection includes books by and about Tolkien, periodicals produced by Tolkien enthusiasts, audio and video recordings, and a host of published and unpublished materials relating to Tolkien's life and fantasy writings.

Tolkien manuscripts reside at Marquette because of the vision of William B. Ready (1914-1981), director of libraries from 1956 to 1963. Ready was appointed with the understanding that he would aggressively collect material for the newly-constructed Memorial Library. He recognized The Lord of the Rings as a masterpiece soon after its publication, long before the work and its author gained enormous popularity. With administrative approval, Ready approached Tolkien in 1956 through Bertram Rota, a well-known rare book dealer in London. At the time, no other institution had expressed an interest in Tolkien's literary manuscripts. After a relatively brief period of negotiation, an agreement was reached whereby Marquette purchased the manuscripts for 1,500 pounds (or less than $5,000). The first shipment of material arrived in 1957; The Lord of the Rings manuscripts arrived the next year. Tolkien accepted offers to visit and speak at Marquette in both 1957 and 1959, but on each occasion he canceled the anticipated visit due to family concerns. Tolkien's personal and academic papers, as well as his other literary manuscripts (e.g. The Silmarillion and Leaf by Niggle), are at the Bodleian Library of Oxford University.

details at Marquette University

How did Marquette end up the outhouse it is today?  It seemed to be thriving at least at some point in time, with the Joan of Arc chapel to the Mother Teresa visit - was there a specific event that lead to to her demise? 

This is just amazing though.  I have actually had a few people ask me if I am writing a book on Catholicism in Wisconsin.  Finds like these make me think I should take the plunge.  

Photo

St. Francis de Sales, ora pro nobis!

Source

Make friends with the angels, who though invisible are always with you. Often invoke them, constantly praise them, and make good use of their help and assistance in all your temporal and spiritual affairs.
- Saint Francis de Sales

Milwaukee youth rally features pro-life speakers

To recap yesterday, we attended the energetic youth rally IGNITE in Milwaukee with Archbishop Listecki. We participated in Mass and then had some time of Eucharistic Adoration with a few speakers giving inspiring talks before adoration started. Vicki Thorn gave a stunning testimony that helped encourage the youth to be active in the Pro-Life cause. She reaffirmed that this generation of youth is the most Pro-Life generation since Roe v. Wade. There were over 300 hundred youth from across Wisconsin in attendance. The Diocese of La Crosse had the largest representation of young people. Here are a few pictures of the events:

more at Sts Peter & Paul

Marquette Univ. paper: "GOP-controlled sex bad for men and women alike"

Bridget Gamble

On Jan. 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court expanded the list of constitutional rights to include the right to have an abortion. [interesting admission]

Thirty nine years later, every Republican presidential candidate is working to reverse the outcome of Roe v. Wade.

Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul have all signed a Personhood USA pledge declaring that life begins at conception and, therefore, that abortion is wrong even in cases of rape or incest. Each candidate’s economic platform proposes to eliminate Title X family planning programs, like Planned Parenthood.

Furthermore, if elected, these men would block federal FDA approval for almost any new contraceptive, terminate insurance coverage for existing contraception and appoint Supreme Court justices who support the overturning of Roe v. Wade, among other things.

This year, the Republican-led House of Representatives passed several consequential bills restricting reproductive rights. If America’s next president is a Republican, these bills will likely become laws.

State legislatures are also taking action against reproductive rights, but they are doing so at a much more rapid pace.

According to Kate Sheppard, political staff reporter for Mother Jones’ Washington bureau, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is close to unraveling the state’s progressive and comprehensive sex education program, the Healthy Youth Act, which teaches students “‘the health benefits, side effects and proper use of contraceptives and barrier methods’ in discussion of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.” In place of the Healthy Youth Act, Walker hopes to institute an abstinence-only sex education program.

continue at Marquette Tribune(bring a barf bag)

I didn't see a corresponding article with the Catholic position - but hey, it's Marquette.   What would it take to start a Catholic college in this state?  Let's face it, there's no fixing these places. 

Gov. Walker issues Marriage Week Proclamation for WI

Wisconsin Family Council asked Gov. Walker to issue a proclamation for Marriage Week in WI (Feb. 7-14), and we are very pleased to report that he did! This is the second year that Gov. Walker has issued such a proclamation at WFC's request. Click here to see read this year's proclamation. National Marriage Week is sponsored by National Marriage Week USA. Last year, Gov. Walker was the only governor to sign such a proclamation at the state level; we hope he will be joined by more this year. Whether he stands alone or with many, we are very grateful for this governor who understands the importance of marriage to the overall health of our state. WFC's hope is that pastors and churches all across Wisconsin will take some time to give marriage special recognition during Marriage Week. If WFC can help you with Marriage Week, call us at 888-378-7395. Eric Skelton, Director of Marriage & Family Ministry, will be happy to talk with you.

>>Listen to WFC's president Julaine Appling and Director of Marriage and Family Ministry Eric Skelton discuss Marriage Week on this week's VCY America's Home Front program.

Badger Catholic mentioned on EWTN, buuuuuut....

Yes, I was just mentioned on EWTN's March for life coverage.   I posted this on Twitter:

Wow, the March for Life must have been made up of 250,000 ninjas -- they all slipped past the attention of the media. Amazing! #marchforlife
— Badger Catholic (@badgercatholic) January 23, 2012

But I stole it last year from 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
— Lauren E (@evil0live85) January 27, 2011

But hearing "Badger Catholic" mentioned... somewhat awkwardly ...  was a new experience. 

Would be cool if I knew how to get the video off of my DVR.  Okay, for those of you who were at the march, here it is.  Live events are difficult to cover so I will cut them some slack.  ... and for the record I think that ninjas existed before children's programming.

Sconnies at March for Life

via Sts Peter & Paul - Wisconsin Rapids - more there

I haven't seen any of the diocesan papers post pictures yet, but let me know if you see or have any others you want to share.

Update:
more from Pro-Life Wisconsin

Pro-Life Wisconsin at March for Life

Send me your March for Life pics Sconnies and I'll post them.

Overturn of bizarre liberal sex-ed bill advances in Wisconsin

On Wednesday, January 18, 2012, the Assembly Education Committee (Rep. Steve Kestell, Chair), met to "exec" on several bills. One of the bills was AB 337, the Strong Communities...Healthy Kids Act--a bill that revises and repeals the so-called "Healthy Youth Act" passed last session by Madison & Milwaukee liberal elites. The committee passed the bill on a 6-4 vote, which means it is now ready for a votein the full Assembly. Those representatives who opposed this bill, including Rep. Gordon Hintz (D-Oshkosh) were very vocal and very strong in the comments. Their comments evidenced a real disdain for the ability of people at the local level to make decisions in the best interest of the students in their schools. The senate companion bill (SB 237) passed last fall. Wisconsin Family Action anticipates that the Assembly will take up the Senate version when it actually votes on the bill. Once the Assembly takes its action, the bill will be sent to Governor Walker. We anticipate the governor will sign the bill.

>>Read WFA's testimony on this bill

Prayers for good weather

Praying for good weather for all you pilgrims out there. 

Photo

Happy Birthday

Even though I'm in DC for the March for Life, I had to schedule a post to wish Matt a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy birthday, Matt, and keep Mrs. Badger Catholic in your prayers as well, along with the kiddos.

Since Matt is a Chesterton fan...a couple quotes:

-- The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul;
-- Journalism largely consists of saying 'Lord Jones is Dead' to people who never knew that Lord Jones was alive;
-- Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about.

It were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea

Women my generation have seen abortion, and it will end

Today -- January 22 -- is the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Please pray for the unborn, and the mothers and fathers of the 55 million aborted in the US (estimates place the worldwide toll at close to a billion missing).

I did submit this an op-ed to the Milwaukee Journal and Wisconsin State Journal... but apparently the only thing note-worthy for today's news is gleefully pointing out how the recall elections are "democracy in action" (*headdesk*).

This is far from the most uplifting thing you will read from me (a friend in the Peace Corps in Eastern Europe emailed me recently to say, "Enough with the doom and gloom on the blog about Europe!")... but at least I still find myself interesting:)

I see the impact of abortion every day, and I implore to please pray for an end to legalized abortion in the United States.

January 22, 2012 marks 39 years of legalized abortion in the United States. It has been 39 years since the Supreme Court decided Roe v. Wade.

As a 2005 graduate of UW-Madison, women of my generation are all too familiar with “choice,” the pro-abortion euphemism for the option to legally kill your own unborn child. We have heard the mantra from the Baby Boomers that the world is ours, and an unwanted pregnancy will get in the way of breaking the glass ceiling.

Women of my generation know what choice is. It is neither compassionate nor caring. The face of choice is a friend who commits suicide after having an abortion, when the realization of what she has done sinks in. We have watched as choice wreaked havoc on our friends’ bodies and minds, as abortion took its physical and mental toll. We have watched as choice ended friends’ relationships, women no longer able to look at their partner, men emasculated with no say in the matter.

Choice takes advantage of a woman who is alone and in a desperate place. Nothing about abortion on demand liberates women. Why can’t we see we are killing the next generation of feminists?

Sadly, abortion is an everyday occurrence. Since 1973, nearly 55 million children have been killed through abortion. One-third of my generation is missing due to abortion; legally exterminated in this country we are so proud to call the best country in the world.

In the black community, the numbers are staggering. 3,000 abortions occur every day in the United States, but 1,000 of those are African American babies. Wisconsin is the eighth lowest state nationally in the number of abortions, but the racial disparity in its numbers far exceeds the national trends. In Wisconsin, 6.2% of the population is black, yet 24% of all state abortions are on African-Americans, which is four times the representation.

If “Every abortion is a tragedy,” as pro-abortion figures proclaim, why are we not doing more to encourage safe and healthy lifestyle choices? Women deserve more, and women deserve better.

We owe it to the next generation of women to offer love and compassion, rather than terminating a human life. We owe it to the next generation to give them a world where abortion is not the solution, masquerading as women’s health.

My generation does not want abortion as our legacy. My generation will be the one to end legalized abortion.

Old St. Mary's, Milwaukee, WI

Library of Congress

History - Built 1846-1847, rebuilt 1866, most important of several interior renovations in 1893.  Except for a small wooden chapel, this is the oldest church in Milwaukee.

Architectural character: Classically inspired composition with lofty bell-tower and details (heavy projecting pediments etc.) strongly suggestive of German inspiration.

Architect: The architect for the original building is unknown. However, Victor Schulte who v/as the architect for the 1866 rebuilding of the church may also have been the architect for the original building.

I could not find any current pictures to compare against, but they do have a parish website.  So why it is called "Old"?  Is there a new St. Marys?  Has any of the interior survived?

As beautiful as Gothic churches can be, I find a church like this (round = "classical"?) more appealing.

Badger Catholic, T-shirt edition

Bishop William P. O'Connor at the Catholic Holy Hour,
at Camp Randall Stadium at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison - 1947

I want to thank Carolyn with St. Paul's University Catholic Center at University of Wisconsin for sending me this killa Badger Catholic t-shirt(below).  I came across these shirts a while back and she graciously offered to send me one for free!  I guess that's a perk of blogging.

Please support St. Paul's with your prayers and contributions if you are able. If you've been following this blog, you have seen the great work they are doing. 

It also seemed that I would need to spruce up the facial hair for a few shots.  And then when I realize how ugly I look, it only made sense to bring in an adorable little baby Badger Catholic girl to balance everything.

She didn't mention where a person could order a shirt though - maybe someone can chime in if they know.

Side note; I totally forgot to get a picture of drinking from my "Save the Liturgy, Save the World" coffee mug with the 'stache.  My wife knocks me over the head with a frying pan and shaves it off before I try to leave the house with it.

Dioc. Superior: From elephants to dogsleds

HARRISON - Fr. Ron Serrao is one of seven priests from India assigned to parishes in the Superior Diocese. “There are plenty of priests in India,” he says, so with encouragement from a fellow Holy Cross Indian priest already serving in northern Wisconsin, he made the move three years ago.

For more than two years, Fr. Ron has been the parochial administrator for the parishes of St. Augustine in Harrison and St. John the Baptist in Bloomville, two rural communities. That in itself is a big change from his 12 years of being a pastor in India, where he explains that one priest never has more than one parish. Before coming to the United States, he also served as a provincial administrator for five years.

In spite of having to make some adjustments, Fr. Ron says he is happy to be here and has been warmly welcomed. Being in a rural area is not new to him because he grew up in a small community, where his mother still lives.

“One of the biggest challenges in coming to the Superior Diocese was getting used to the climate,” he says. “I came to Wisconsin in December in a snowstorm, and that was the first time I had ever seen snow.”

Since that introduction, however, he has ventured out to enjoy some winter activities, including dog sledding. “I fell two or three times last year,” he admits with a grin, “but I plan to try it again.”

continue at SupCatHerald

Why I Love Religion, And Love Jesus || Spoken Word

Scott Hahn has successful surgery, prayer request for full recovery

Scott Hahn's colon ruptured. Thankfully Fr. Ryland was able to get to the hospital and anoint him before they took him into surgery and then stayed with Kimberly. She told me that they removed 18 inches of his colon and that currently he's coping due to morphine but tomorrow will probably be a tough day as he will have to get up and move around and so she asked for prayer that the stitches hold and that no infection sets in. Thanks for your prayers.

via Steve Ray

HT Cheryl

The Catholic Thing reviews John Allen's book on Cdl. elect T. Dolan.

Cardinal-designate Timothy M. Dolan of New York is becoming the most visible Catholic churchman in the Western Hemisphere. He is also a down-to-earth pastor – a clavicle-crushing six-foot-three teddy bear of a man whom you meet for the first time and, ten minutes later, feel you’ve known for a decade. I’ve met other archbishops and cardinals, and not one has impressed me as so thoroughly in love with the People of God as is the tenth archbishop of New York.

And this is essentially the conclusion of A People of Hope, by the National Catholic Reporter’s John L. Allen, Jr. – a book-length interview with Archbishop Dolan. Mr. Allen writes that his literary model is The Ratzinger Report (1984), but Vittorio Messori’s interview with Cardinal Ratzinger, then head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was a broadside against the “hermeneutic of rupture” after Vatican II.

Allen acknowledges that his book is more anecdotal and less doctrinal: that A People of Hope intends to be upbeat – about “what Catholicism is for rather than what it’s against,” which seems a backhanded slap at the man who is currently pope – who’ll present the red hat to Dolan next month.

Tim Dolan, as Mr. Allen insists on calling him, is nobody’s typical archbishop.

continue at The Catholic Thing

HT Dad29