Year in review
Fr. John Hardon, ora pro nobis!
Father John Hardon died peacefully at Columbiere, with the Jesuits, on December 30, 2000 at 3:23 p.m., the hour of Divine Mercy.
Packers coach talks pre-game prayer
What’s something you always tell your team before they go out on the field?Packers.com
I’ve used a new routine over the last year and a half, having a player be the last person to speak to the team before a game. That’s been interesting. It was unusual at first, but there are good reasons why I did that. The last thing I say to the team is a prayer that highlights scripture from the Bible that’s representative of our theme for the week. After the Bible verse, we say the Lord’s prayer, and then I call one of the three captains up to speak to the team before we take the field. My last message to the team is actually Saturday night. That’s when I go through all the reminders, expectations for the game, and my thoughts on where we are and what we need to do.
Photo
HT Greg( 2 for 2!)
From what other men run away
I've wondered what it would be like if, instead of growing up on earth and becoming a father naturally, fathers were recruited from a batch of men in Limbo. An angel might appear to them, tell them that there was a job needed on earth, and ask men for volunteers. The angel might then explain the job in the following way:Renew America
"You will be responsible for little boys and girls. In the first few years, they will not be able to do much of anything for themselves. You will need to feed them and clothe them and protect them. You will need to nurture them. When they suffer, you will feel their pain more than they do. You will need to teach them about God, while many others on earth will lie to them and tell them that God does not exist. You must pray very hard for them, because they will be tempted to turn away from everything you love and believe most. They will be tempted to turn away from you, and believe that they no longer need you. They will be tempted to think that you don't understand them, even though you may understand more than anyone else. They will be tempted to think you don't love them as much as others, even though you love them more than anyone else. In the end, if you're called to do so, you must be willing to lay down your life for them."
When asked, a man might say: "Why would I want that?"
Then the angel might respond: "Because God loves you.
"Because the first time you feel the baby kick in your wife's belly, you will love what you cannot yet see.
"Because God wants you to understand more fully what love is.
"Because God believes in you.
"Because God is willing to entrust you with His most precious gift.
"Because there may be no better way for you to love God than to love as a father."
Fatherhood is a tremendous responsibility. The modern world understands that, which is why few want the responsibility, and even fewer see it through. What is less understood is that fatherhood is a blessing of incomprehensible magnitude. While other men run away from responsibility, we Catholic fathers need to embrace it.
Photo
HT Greg
Four Milwaukee priests and SNAP take out full page MJS ad urging victims to come forward
Calling it a historic chapter in the history of the clergy sexual abuse scandal in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, a group of victims and priests has banded together to call for more transparency from church officials and to urge other victims to come forward and file for restitution in federal bankruptcy court before a Feb. 1 deadline.continue at MJS
The priests and victims have been meeting quietly for roughly a year since Peter Isely, the Midwest director for the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, approached Father James Connell after a news conference.
At a news conference Tuesday at Plymouth Church in Milwaukee, Isely said the idea for the alliance between priests and victims was inspired by the Gospel.
"In the Christian story, which I believe in and have faith in, the truth may seem buried and dead, but there's always a way the truth will come back to life," he said. "I've always had a deep conviction that survivors and priests of integrity can turn the corner on the sexual abuse crisis. It's not going to be the bishops who do it."
Connell said that as the priests and victims listened to one another what emerged was "a sense of hope. . . . This hope is something to be kept alive."
The four priests involved forged the union with the survivors group independent of the archdiocese.
"It's a good thing that this group of priests is stepping forward to reach out to victims of clergy sexual abuse," said Julie Wolf, communications director for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. "But it's also important to note that priests throughout the archdiocese have been doing this for a very long time through their own ministries and their own parishes."
Wolf added that Archbishop Jerome Listecki "has been very visible in reaching out to victims." She said the archdiocese is starting the second round of a national advertising campaign aimed at reminding people who have been abused by clergy in the archdiocese to come forward before the Feb. 1 deadline. The campaign includes print advertisements that ran a few months ago in national publications such as the New York Times and USA Today.
The independent group of priests and victims took out a full-page ad in Tuesday's Journal Sentinel, urging further abuse victims to come forward by the deadline in bankruptcy court.
It is important to remember that MJS endorses a bill to allow for dioceses to be sued for dead priests and bishops. This is another push by SNAP to get this rammed through. They've campaigned for it before. To me, MJS and SNAP just has a common enemy. Any group that believes that contraception is a grave evil needs to be eliminated by any means necessary.
Some footage from Fr. Dan Farley
 |
| Fr. Dan Farley |
The Wisconsin Rapids Tribune has some footage from Fr. Farley's funeral Mass.
Also, the Catholic Times has posted an obituary.
HT Cheryl
Hundreds of people packed St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church on Thursday, some laughing, some sobbing, to pay respects and share memories of the Rev. Dan Farley, a former Assumption High School chaplain and instructor.continue at Wis Rap Trib
Farley, the well-known pastor at St. Maximilian Kolbe, died suddenly Sunday at the age of 54, after dealing with multiple health problems during his life.
Members of Farley's many families -- relatives, fellow priests, congregation members, fellow military chaplains -- packed the church, filling the pews and spilling out into hallways to watch the service on video screens.
TPE: Ten o'clock Midnight Mass averts tragedy
News of my parish: Overnight fire damages St. Alphonsus Church in Greendale reports Bill Glauber at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.The Provincial Emails
"The fire broke out about 12:25 a.m. Sunday inside the church, 5960 W. Loomis Road, according to the Greendale Fire Department.From the newspaper account, the fire was confined to the sacristy, but there was extensive smoke and water damage.
"The state fire marshal's office was at the scene Sunday morning investigating the cause of the fire. The church held a Mass at 10 p.m. Saturday, and that would have been the last event inside the church until Sunday morning."
Chilled free speech in Milwaukee
From Pro-Life Wisconsin:This past week, Pro-Life Wisconsin held Empty Manger Christmas Caroling events at abortion facilities across Wisconsin.
On Friday, December 23 in Milwaukee, pro-lifers' constitutionally protected rights to free speech and freedom to assemble were violated by the Milwaukee Police Department. Read more about that here.
We chalked Friday's incident up to new officers and contemplated what to do next. Saturday's Empty Manger Christmas Caroling effort went off without any police show of force, but Affiliated was closed on Saturday (so Affiliated staff could not call and complain to the police that we were out there).
Last night, sidewalk counselors were present at Affiliated and were hustled off the street by the Milwaukee Police Department.
A firsthand account of last night's incident from Dan Miller of 40 Days for Life:
Tonight, at approximately 6:40pm, I, along with 4 other pro-lifers, were told by Officer Patkovich, of the MPD, to either leave immediately, or be cited and arrested for loitering in front of Affiliated Medical Services. There were four officers present, but I was only able to get the names of three -- Patkovich, Lucach and Kline. I mentioned to officer Patkovich that I had been on the sidewalks today since 1:30pm exercising my constitutionally protected right to free speech – sidewalk counseling peacefully as I have done for the last two years. Officer Patkovich reiterated his mandate, “Either you leave right now, or we will arrest you and cite you for loitering – and then you can work it out in court with the DA.” I asked Patkovich to show me the ordinance I was violating, but he simply said, “Look, it’s cold out – I see you over at the gas station all the time getting coffee – so I know you are here a lot. We’ve given you some leeway in the past. When we arrest you and take you downtown, I can show you the ordinance.” Before I did leave, I surveyed their name badges one more time, speaking their names out loud so I could remember them. As I left for my car, Patkovich said, “That’s right, it’s Patkovich – and you’re not welcome.” The police did not “escort” me home.Is this payback for the MPD being exposed on Mark Belling’s popular radio show? Pro-lifers’ relationship with the MPD is somewhat precarious, given the arrest of James Marcou earlier this year and the ongoing federal lawsuit against the MPD.
Make no mistake about it - our constitutionally protected rights to free speech and freedom of the press are being chilled by the Milwaukee Police Department. We have the right to assemble in peaceful protest of the horrors of abortion – attesting publicly to the havoc it wrenches out on our state, cities, fellow citizens and most assuredly, the aborted babies. Sidewalk counselors are the last line of defense for these babies. We cannot and will not let this happen.
Today, on the Feast of the Holy Innocents, please keep women in crisis pregnancies, their unborn babies, sidewalk counselors and especially police officers in your prayers.
Spain Report
Matt demanded a full report of how my Spain trip was... and it seems the happenings of my social life are part of what makes the BC tick [an unrelated, upcoming post: HOW is it possible for people to be at the top of their game professionally and fail at personal relationships, I ask you?]. So here goes nothing.
Compared to last year -- when a massive snowstorm across Europe delayed our flight home for 3 days, and we missed Christmas -- this year's trip went off without a hitch. We spent 3 days in Madrid; 2 days in Seville (love!); one day driving along the Costa del Sol, where we wound up in Gibraltar; drove some more the next day to Granada, where we spent 3 days; and we booked it back to Madrid the last day.
We rented a car, which was neat as far as not having to stick to a pre-determined schedule... but it did make things interesting in Granada. The streets in Granada (and Seville, too, but we didn't have to worry about it there) were constructed hundreds of years ago, pre-car; our GPS took us down streets that were so narrow we had to pull the car's mirrors in to drive.
I've written in the past about Europe's Catholic decline, and what it will mean for the generations to come. When we were at Mass, none of the Spaniards were under 60, which was very sad. Churches have truly become museums. I do have a picture of the Madrid cathedral, a victim of wreckovation... one of the post-Vatican II stained glass windows had a picture of a bird (the Holy Spirit, perhaps?), which actually resembled something from Angry Birds as opposed to a dove.
Gibraltar was really neat -- Gibraltar is still a British territory, and to get there, you drive across the airport landing strip really fast and skid into customs. No joke. In Gibraltar, we took a cable car up to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, where there are monkeys and caves and abandoned military buildings. In Gibraltar, we found a British soccer pub and took in the Packer game, with soccer hooligans screaming in our ear.
Without further ado, pictures below. I will do another post with more pictures later in the week.
Granada cathedral... love.
Of course I'm going to include a picture of myself!:) At the Alhambra in Granada.
Windows of the Alhambra. The Alhambra was originally constructed by the Moors and was overtaken by the Catholics, and much of the original Mulsim architecture remains.
View of Granada from the Alhambra.
This was taken in Cadiz, Spain. That is Morocco across the Mediterranean.
Compared to last year -- when a massive snowstorm across Europe delayed our flight home for 3 days, and we missed Christmas -- this year's trip went off without a hitch. We spent 3 days in Madrid; 2 days in Seville (love!); one day driving along the Costa del Sol, where we wound up in Gibraltar; drove some more the next day to Granada, where we spent 3 days; and we booked it back to Madrid the last day.
We rented a car, which was neat as far as not having to stick to a pre-determined schedule... but it did make things interesting in Granada. The streets in Granada (and Seville, too, but we didn't have to worry about it there) were constructed hundreds of years ago, pre-car; our GPS took us down streets that were so narrow we had to pull the car's mirrors in to drive.
I've written in the past about Europe's Catholic decline, and what it will mean for the generations to come. When we were at Mass, none of the Spaniards were under 60, which was very sad. Churches have truly become museums. I do have a picture of the Madrid cathedral, a victim of wreckovation... one of the post-Vatican II stained glass windows had a picture of a bird (the Holy Spirit, perhaps?), which actually resembled something from Angry Birds as opposed to a dove.
Gibraltar was really neat -- Gibraltar is still a British territory, and to get there, you drive across the airport landing strip really fast and skid into customs. No joke. In Gibraltar, we took a cable car up to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar, where there are monkeys and caves and abandoned military buildings. In Gibraltar, we found a British soccer pub and took in the Packer game, with soccer hooligans screaming in our ear.
Without further ado, pictures below. I will do another post with more pictures later in the week.
Granada cathedral... love.
Of course I'm going to include a picture of myself!:) At the Alhambra in Granada.
Windows of the Alhambra. The Alhambra was originally constructed by the Moors and was overtaken by the Catholics, and much of the original Mulsim architecture remains.
View of Granada from the Alhambra.
This was taken in Cadiz, Spain. That is Morocco across the Mediterranean.
Wisconsin Personhood Amendment in today's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Today's MJS:
Equal rights for unborn proposed
By Annysa JohnsonA freshman lawmaker is proposing to change Wisconsin's Constitution to grant equal rights to the unborn as part of a national push to reframe the abortion debate, a strategy that has failed in at least two states and has divided abortion opponents in Wisconsin and elsewhere.State Rep. Andre Jacque (R-Bellevue) introduced the so-called personhood amendment in November. He says it's needed to protect the state's decades-old abortion ban still on the books - one of just a few around the country - in the event of legal challenges if Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision nullifying such statutes, is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court.The measure is supported so far by a handful of Republican lawmakers and the Catholic-based anti-abortion group Pro-Life Wisconsin, which helped to draft it.But critics are lining up in opposition, including physicians, social workers and Pro-Life Wisconsin's larger ally in the anti-abortion movement, Wisconsin Right to Life.Critics say such bills would have wide-ranging legal and societal repercussions;outlawing certain types of birth control; in vitro fertilization; embryonic stem cell research and abortion in all cases, including when the mother's life is in danger, an exception that exists in the current statute.Jacque, who is Catholic and was endorsed by both anti-abortion groups, said he introduced the measure in part because of his religious beliefs. But the state's Catholic bishops are not rushing to back him up.Bishops around the country have rejected or stood neutral on similar measures, and John Huebscher of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference said it has not yet made a decision on whether it will weigh in.Said Huebscher: "We're still assessing the bill and the arguments."
Read the article in its entirety here.
The House of Christmas - G.K. Chesterton
Out of an inn to roam;
In the place where she was homeless
All men are at home.
The crazy stable close at hand,
With shaking timber and shifting sand,
Grew a stronger thing to abide and stand
Than the square stones of Rome.
For men are homesick in their homes,
And strangers under the sun,
And they lay on their heads in a foreign land
Whenever the day is done.
Here we have battle and blazing eyes,
And chance and honour and high surprise,
But our homes are under miraculous skies
Where the yule tale was begun.
A Child in a foul stable,
Where the beasts feed and foam;
Only where He was homeless
Are you and I at home;
We have hands that fashion and heads that know,
But our hearts we lost - how long ago!
In a place no chart nor ship can show
Under the sky's dome.
This world is wild as an old wives' tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough
and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far
as the fire-drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
Where clashed and thundered unthinkable wings
Round an incredible star.
To an open house in the evening
Home shall men come,
To an older place than Eden
And a taller town than Rome.
To the end of the way of the wandering star,
To the things that cannot be and that are,
To the place where God was homeless
And all men are at home.
--G.K. Chesterton
Thanks to :
Saint Louis Catholic: The House of Christmas
Yes, Virginia
This editorial is a favorite of mine for the obvious reason. Even though I was named after the Virgin Mary (my given name is Virginia Marie), most people assume my name is a nod to the movie or the line, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus."Yesterday, I was at an event and a gentleman dressed up as Santa. A little boy spotted Santa as he walked in the room, and the pure joy on the child's face as he screamed "Santa!" made me think about Christmas as a child, and how quickly Advent and the Christmas season passes now.
Merry Christmas, all!
Without further ado:
MJS:
Editor's note: The following editorial, among the most famous ever written, appeared in The New York Sun in 1897 and remains appropriate today. Merry Christmas, everyone!We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:Dear Editor,I am 8 years old.Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth: Is there a Santa Claus?Virginia O'Hanlon115 W. 95th St***Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except (what) they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Image.
Christmas messages from the bishops
Archbishop Listecki (video)
Bishop Morlino
Bishop Ricken
Bishop Callahan (video)
Bishop Christensen .. I couldn't find one.
The King's Singers: Noël Nouvelet
Noel nouvelet, Noel chantons ici,
Devotes gens, crions a Dieu merci!
Chantons Noel pour le Roi nouvelet, Noel!
Chantons Noel pour le Roi nouvelet,
Noel nouvelet, Noel chantons ici!
L'ange disait! pasteurs partez d'ici!
En Bethleem trouverez l'angelet. Refrain
En Bethleem, etant tous reunis,
Trouverent l'enfant, Joseph, Marie aussi. Refrain
Bientot, les Rois, par l'etoile eclaircis,
A Bethleem vinrent un matinee. Refrain
L'un partait l'or; l'autre l'encens bem;
L'etable alors au Paradis semblait. Refrain
Translated Version:
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
Glory to God! Now let your praises swell!
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King, Noel!
Sing we Noel for Christ, the newborn King.
Christmas comes anew, O let us sing Noel!
Angels did say, "O shepherds come and see,
Born in Bethlehem, a blessed Lamb for thee." Refrain
In the manger bed, the shepherds found the Child;
Joseph was there, and Mother Mary mild. Refrain
Soon came the kings from following the star,
Bearing costly gifts from Eastern lands afar. Refrain
Brought to Him gold and incense of great price,
Then the stable bare resembled Paradise. Refrain
Merry Christmas from The Badger Catholic
A blessed and peace filled Christmas from my family to all you readers(even the ones who don't like me, LOL) and your families. Light posting until next year.
Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!
Virginia made it back from Spain!
Just in time for Christmas! Apparently there are monkeys in Gibraltar, who knew? This picture is awesome!
Charges against priest dropped in La Crosse groping case
Prosecutors Wednesday dropped a sexual assault charge filed against a Wisconsin priest accused of groping a 15-year-old girl when he was in La Crosse earlier this year.
The Rev. David Szatkowski, 38, of Franklin, Wis., had maintained his innocence since the charge was filed in August, his attorney Keith Belzer said.
“Unfortunately, members of the community often rush to judgment in cases such as these. Sometimes that judgment is made in error,” Belzer said. “In this case, an exhaustive investigation was conducted. At the conclusion of that investigation the charges were finally and appropriately dismissed.”
Prosecutors in September reduced a charge of sexual assault of a child under 16 years of age filed against Szatkowski to fourth-degree sexual assault and disorderly conduct.
For some reason in none of the articles did they ever mention he was a Jesuit, just his "religious order." Maybe they don't know what Jesuits are. [UPDATE: The PDF linked is for a group called "Priests of the Sacred Heart"] But it's a really weird story. Apparently we are to assume the girls made the whole thing up I guess, or that the contact was accidental or something.
Also on the Trib blog they share this:
PhotosIt's a welcomed relief to his provincial superior the Rev. Tom Cassidy at Priests of the Sacred Heart in Hales Corners, Wis.
"Obviously this is wonderful news, especially for Fr. David, who has done everything asked of him during the difficult investigative process," Cassidy writes in a letter.
Szatkowski's religious order will complete an independent investigation before deciding whether to return him to public ministry. You can read more about that process in Cassidy's letter here.
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha to become first Native American saint
 |
| St. Kateri statue, Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, La Crosse WI |
The Holy Father, yesterday signed decrees acknowledging miracles attributed to the intervention of seven blesseds (three men and four women) who will shortly be canonised. One of the new saints is Kateri Tekakwitha, the first native North American to be raised to the glory of the altars. -Vatican Information Servicecontinue at AirMaria
Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha lived in a society where publicly and literally people ate other men, offered sacrifices to demons, and every human act was done in view of others, I mean EVERYTHING. In the mist of all this she remained a pure virgin, even before she was a Christian, but after baptism in the True Faith under the One True God, she rocketed into great holiness. – A Friar With Great Devotion to her
Daughter of a Christian Algonquin woman captured by Iroquois and married to a non-Christian Mohawk chief. Orphaned during a smallpox epidemic, which left her with a scarred face and impaired eyesight. Converted and baptized in 1676 by Father Jacques de Lamberville, a Jesuit missionary. Shunned and abused by relatives for her faith. Escaped through 200 miles of wilderness to the Christian Native American village of Sault-Sainte-Marie.
MJS: Wisconsin's population grows by 0.4%
Wisconsin's population grew by 24,781 people between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2011, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Wednesday.MJS
The state's estimated population stood at 5,711,767.
Wisconsin's population grew at a rate of 0.4%, which was lower than the nation rate of 0.92%. It was the lowest national growth rate since the 1940s, according to the census bureau.
"The nation's overall growth rate is now at its lowest point since before the baby boom," census bureau director Robert Groves said in a statement.
Overall, the U.S. population increased by 2.8 million to 311.6 million.
The big overall gainers in population were Texas (529,000), California (438,000), Florida (256,000), Georgia (128,000) and North Carolina (121,000), But the fastest growth rate was actually recorded by Washington, D.C. (2.7%).
With 37.7 million people, California remained the most populous state followed by Texas (25.7 million), New York (19.5 million), Florida (19.1 million) and Illinois (12.9 million).
Former professor of liturgy at St. Francis Seminary rips corrected translation
FDL ReporterAs a former professor of liturgy at St. Francis Seminary who trained many of the priests of Milwaukee Archdiocese, I deplore the English translation of the Roman Missal that has been foisted upon American Catholics. [That is important to remember. Terrible professors taught so many priests about the liturgy. They were never exposed to the beauty and transcendence that any Catholic let alone a priest should be taught.]
By a very slavish translation of Latin, these texts have brought us as close as possible to the way Romans prayed between 500 and 1000 A.D., together with the social and cultural baggage of that time. [Like God and sin and judgement?] The spiritual universe of those Roman times is there, along with an almost groveling approach to God and an overriding preoccupation with getting to heaven[ROFL, you just can't make this stuff up!], rather than the Gospel emphasis upon discipleship, loving our neighbor and service. [I guess the Gospel cafeteria is open.]
Only antiquarians and Latin scholars (the people who made these changes) could love this turn of events. [I do not know Latin and I like the changes. I have heard a lot of people who like the changes and one person who didn't like consubstantial with the Father. And I do know plenty of non-traditionalists.] I would advise Catholic people to turn for spiritual nourishment to the hymns we sing, where they shall find the scriptures and contemporary spirituality more readily available. [He must be talking about this one.]
The new texts are cumbersome, wordy and difficult to pray publicly. [Don't worry, you can just use the Latin instead.] They shall not wear well, but look increasingly archaic with time[The Trinity is a pretty archaic as well], fostering the search for alternate prayers. [why did my foot just start tapping. and with your spirrrrr ... Kum bay yaaaaaaaa....] Unfortunately, the silk purse of our expensive new Roman Missal contains, when opened up, alas, a sow's ear.
Father Kenneth Smits, Capuchin
Fond du Lac
Check out Opinionated Catholic for more commentary.
I am re-reading Why Catholic Can't Sing right now and it is amazing how these folks fit the part exactly. "Waste Not" The book is a must read for any Catholic.
Lee Enterprises, owner of many area newspapers, files for bankruptcy
Lee is the third-largest newspaper publisher to file for bankruptcy, behind the MediaNews Group in 2010 and the Tribune Company in 2008, as readership and advertising revenue continue to dwindle across the industry.New York Times
Lee was founded in 1890 in Ottumwa, Iowa, by A.W. Lee. Most of the company’s newspapers trace their beginnings to the mid-1800s. The luminaries who have worked for the company’s papers include Mark Twain, Willa Cather and Thornton Wilder.
The company plans to repay its creditors in full and will use the bankruptcy to essentially extend the maturity of about $1 billion in debt that was coming due in April.
Under its plan, the company will push out that repayment to 2015 and 2017, although with higher interest rates, according to court documents.
The company’s creditors already have voted to back the plan. Lee expects to emerge from bankruptcy in the coming months.
The company’s shareholders will not be wiped out, as is typical in bankruptcy. However, Lee will issue new shares to creditors that will dilute the stock value held by current shareholders by around 13 percent.
Lee employs 6,200 people, according to Dirks, Van Essen & Murray, a firm that assists in the sales of daily newspapers. The company’s papers have a daily readership of 1.3 million, according to court documents.
In 2005, Lee acquired the Pulitzer newspaper publisher in a deal financed primarily through debt.
I've heard many long time reporters in this area have taken retirement or moved elsewhere. You might find the blog "Lee Enterprises Sucks" to your interest. A billion dollars in debt is, well, a lot.
Newspapers should be locally owned and operated.
Christmas angels
Every Christmas season this story of my sister Jean Delores Mathews is remembered in our family.
When Jean young she was hospitalized at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse for a severe kidney infection (nephritis). Her mother or father would stay overnight with her to comfort her. Early Christmas morning, between 3:00 and 4:00 am, Jean woke her mother by excitedly calling out.
“Mother! Mother! Can you hear them? Can you see them?”
“What is it that you hear and see dear Jeanie?”
“The room is full of angels and they are singing the most beautiful music. They have come to take me to Heaven.”
Jean died a few hours later on Christmas morning 1941. She was 9 years old.
Mother said that the hospital was very quiet and she could neither hear nor see what Jean witnessed, but she knew in her heart that Jean really experienced the Divine a few hours before she would meet Him in person.
KDM: Vince Lombardi and The Superior Ideal
Among the ways we have just let Coach Vince Lombardi inspire us, I want to focus on the most important one: He went to Mass and received Communion everyday of his life. Pope John Paul II said the Holy Eucharist “contains the Church’s entire spiritual wealth: Christ himself” (Ecclesia de Eucharistia).continue at Knights Divine Mercy
Precisely during a time when our culture was becoming disconnected from their True Source – Vince Lombardi remained firmly and wholly connected to his. No matter what Lombardi dedicated himself to, he never abandoned his true self as a child of God and devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. More than anything, he understood the necessity of receiving God’s Divine Life, as he brought himself, daily, to the altar of our Lord to receive Him – body, blood, soul, and divinity – as the real source of power in his life. This was where his energy, his very life came from.
Lombardi understood that all things converge in Christ – He is the way, the truth and the life. Archbishop Timothy Dolan wrote: “To know Jesus, to hear Jesus, to love Jesus, to obey Jesus, to share His life in the deepest fiber of our being, and then to serve Him – this is our goal” (Called to be Holy). There is no other authentic way to strive for perfection. Lombardi recognized this as the superior ideal that must never be abandoned, but interwoven into all of our pursuits, whether it is a businessman or parent or professor or coach.
Althouse: The atheist creche in the Wisconsin Capitol rotunda...
Althouse
... the Winter Solstice is a religious holiday...
I really need to create a liturgical calendar for these guys.
Ah, Althouse also posted 10 things wrong with the atheist nativity scene.
MJS: Planned Parenthood contract's fate uncertain
MJSGov. Scott Walker's administration is considering whether to end a soon-to-expire contract with Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin in which the group has helped women get cancer screenings.
Through the $138,000 contract, the state has paid for two caseworkers with Planned Parenthood to work in Winnebago, Fond du Lac, Outagamie and Sheboygan counties. Planned Parenthood doesn't perform the tests but instead helps low-income women sign up for and receive them.
State Health Services spokeswoman Beth Kaplan said no final decision has been made on whether to renew the Planned Parenthood contract, which ends Dec. 31. Kaplan said the state is committed to continuing the service regardless of who receives the contract.
But in a statement, Planned Parenthood said it was told Dec. 1 that the contract with the group would not be renewed and has not had any follow-up response from the state since. In a letter to Walker, Teri Huyck, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said the state needs to make clear how the service will be provided going forward, or the "health and lives of women in these counties" could be at risk.
Republicans have been critical of Planned Parenthood, and in some cases stopped public funding for the group because its work includes providing abortions and contraceptive services.
Planned Parenthood does not do the sign-up work for cancer screenings in other counties outside the four involved in the contract in question. In most counties, including Milwaukee County, it is handled by public health departments.
HT Joel at The Practicing Catholic
St. Stanislaus Parish in Winona, MN elevated to Minor Basilica status
details at Stella BorealisThrough the faculties granted by the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has declared that Saint Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Winona, Minn., has assumed the status of Minor Basilica,emphasizing the special bond that the parish has with the Pope and with the whole Catholic Church. This Decree was made on November 10, 2011 and announced to the congregation this past weekend.
In May, His Excellency, Bishop John M. Quinn of the Diocese of Winona sent a petition to the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, an office of the Vatican, so that Saint Stanislaus Kostka Parish, Winona, might take on the status of Minor Basilica. In November, the Congregation replied in favor of the petition, conferring this title of Minor Basilica on the parish. The decree is intended to strengthen the relation of this important church with the Chair of Peter [NB:] and to make it an ideal center of special liturgical and pastoral ministry in the diocese, Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia, OP, the secretary to the Vatican congregation wrote to Bishop Quinn.
St. Stans, as those of us from Winona fondly call her, is a stunning building of beauty. It was built by the Polish immigrants in that city, literally by donation of dimes and nickels from the poor wage earners of the time. It has been remarkably preserved and restored.
One unspoken yet key person in all of this has been Deacon Justin Green who, with Janice Market and others, put in a tremendous amount of time and effort to gather and present all the materials and necessary paperwork for this to be forwarded to the Holy See.
Congratulations to all involved! To the rest of you, come to Winona and see St. Stans for yourselves!
Well-known Wisconsin priest Rev. Dan Farley dies
The Rev. Daniel Farley died this morning in Eau Claire.SP Journal
Farley had been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 2009.
He was the priest of St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in the town of Buena Vista and had served as a U.S. Army chaplain in Afghanistan in 2009.
In May, Farley went to Lourdes for the third time as a chaplain for wounded soldiers and veterans seeking healing from God.
"Many of our soldiers come with post-traumatic stress disorder or some other kind of wound. My work is to spend quality time with them, to process with them their experience and try to help them find a path to inner peace," he said in late April. "When they know that I'm there with a terminal illness, that too just opens another door."
The chief of chaplains at the U.S. Pentagon recommended Farley serve as a chaplain for this pilgrimage after Farley was medically evacuated from Afghanistan in 2009.Arrangements are pending with A.J. Holly and Sons Funeral Home in Waupaca.
The arrangements are here.
More problems with my stupid theme
I keep breaking this website. Virginia told me she was having the same problem but I chalked it up to her breaking everything she touches. Well now I have the same problem. So if you are seeing this, you are not alone. Maybe I'll have some time to fix it next week when I'm off of work.
It's weird, I firebugged this thing and everything looks right.
Still brainstorming on the BC 2.0. I don't know what I would put for a header. I got this guy on top for like $2 on some stock photo website.
It's weird, I firebugged this thing and everything looks right.
Still brainstorming on the BC 2.0. I don't know what I would put for a header. I got this guy on top for like $2 on some stock photo website.
Leader of Buchanan Abbey not what he claims, investigation shows
INDEPENDENCE --- Newspapers across the Midwest, including The Courier, published articles in recent weeks about the Buchanan Abbey and its leader, the Most Rev. and Lord Abbot Ryan St. Anne Scott.Read More: http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/leader-of-buchanan-abbey-not-what-he-claims-investigation-shows/article_e9f87f9d-f726-506a-b32b-9ef65bfd350e.html#ixzz1h0buk9si
He and his new organization, officially known as the Congregatio Ordnis Sancti Benedicti, took over the former Buchanan County home in April. He later moved his llama herd to the property. Scott agreed to pay Buchanan County $125,000 for the property.
But evidence shows Scott is not what he claims to be, neither an ordained Roman Catholic priest nor a Benedictine monk.
Scott is, according to those aware of his long history, a con man pursuing a familiar course that winds through several states. Scott, a convicted felon, has made multiple false claims related to his alleged religious training and job history.
Only the llamas in his care are real.
"Why no one does anything about this guy is dumbfounding, really," said Scott's estranged son, Jonathon Brady of Florence, Ala.
Brady, given up for adoption at age 5, admits being bitter. But he said his real concern is for others who cross Scott's path.
Scott over the years has written rebuttals of many of the claims leveled against him. He asserts the Roman Catholic Church is persecuting him because of his refusal to acknowledge reforms implemented under Vatican II in the 1960s.
A native of Wisconsin, Scott's real name is Randell Dean Stocks, and Roman Catholic officials firmly assert his religious identity developed over many years is bogus.
He has used a number of aliases and at least five Social Security numbers, one assigned to a California woman who died in 1985, according to a report generated by the Vernon County Sheriff's Office in Wisconsin.
Several Roman Catholic dioceses, most recently the Archdiocese of Dubuque in September, have warned congregants Scott has no affiliation with the church.
Pro-abort Catholic Gov. of Illinios meets with Illinios bishops... hmmm
Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/matthew-archbold/gov.-quinn-vs.-the-bishops/#ixzz1gzLAU1GfThings were a little weird when Governor Pat Quinn, a Catholic, decided to present a pro-choice award for a pro-abortion rights PAC.
The bishops responded strongly by saying, “This approach is irreconcilable with any honest profession of the Catholic faith. While we deeply regret and oppose his actions, we continue to pray for his conversion and the protection of unborn human life.”
Things got a little stranger when the bishops publicly balked and arranged a meeting with the Governor to discuss Quinn’s “personal approval of laws permitting the killing of unborn children.”
But this weekend, things got downright bizarre.
Governor Pat Quinn of Illinois met with a group of bishops on Friday to discuss the Catholic Governor’s public stances on gay marriage and abortion.
After the meeting, Quinn emerged from the meeting and pretty much told the media that the bishops didn’t lay a glove on him. He held a press conference of sorts saying that the meeting wasn’t really about his support of abortion and gay marriage at all. In fact, according to the Sun Times, Quinn said,
“A lot of the discussion was how we could work together to fight poverty, help the people who are less fortunate and need a helping hand,” Quinn told the Sun-Times as he left a Christmas toy give-away on the Far South Side. “Getting people jobs, helping people who don’t have enough food to eat — that’s what the church’s social mission is all about.”But what happened next is likely the most surprising turn of events in the entire affair.
Arch Minn/St. Paul: Communion host turned blood-red due to fungus, not miracle
A fungus - not a miracle - caused a Communion host to turn red this summer at a South St. Paul church, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis said Wednesday.
The archdiocese began an "exhaustive biological analysis" of the consecrated host after it was found on the floor of St. Augustine Church after Holy Communion.
The Rev. John Echert reported to archdiocese officials that it turned "blood red" after being placed in a cup filled with water. In addition, it did not fully dissolve over several weeks.
"It appeared to be like the blood red of tissue," Echert told the Pioneer Press in July. "If I had not known what it was, I would have thought that there was maybe a small, bloody piece of tissue. It was striking enough that there was no way I could have disposed of the remains of the host at that time with good conscience."
The wafer caused Catholics to speculate on Internet blogs and led the archdiocese to turn it over to an independent scientific laboratory for examination.
"This incident was the result of natural biological causes and should not be considered in any other way," the archdiocese said in a statement Wednesday.
The decision to examine the host was made by Vicar General Rev. Peter Laird with the consent of Archbishop Rev. John C. Nienstedt, according to spokesman Dennis McGrath.
continue at Pioneer Press
Back story
HT Abbey Roads
PS> The Diocese of Winona is also investigating a Eucharistic Miracle but I do not know the details.
GB Holy Name Retreat Center hosts pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage ELCA pastor
I had to share what I found in the Diocese of Green Bay:
Holy Name Retreat Center Retreat Schedule. The item of note is August 21-22…Pastor(?!) Lori Swenson. It turns out she’s an ELCA “pastor.” Yes the same ELCA that’s pro-abortion and pro gay marriage. And she wears a collar! In addition to the diocesan website, the GB Diocese Compass Newspaper also printed an ad for this. Her church supports the Alinsky community organization efforts as seen by page five of this newsletter.Is it ok for the diocese to openly lead its parishioners to heresy? Maybe if you call it ecumenism?
St. Mary's Janesville Hospital to open
JANESVILLE -- SSM Health Care of Wisconsin and Dean Clinic are turning the page and starting a new chapter of healthcare in Janesville.continue at Madison Catholic Herald
St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital and Dean Clinic – Janesville East will open their doors to exceptional care beginning on January 9, 2012. But area residents won’t have to wait that long to see what all the buzz is about. Public open houses are slated for Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, from 1 to 4 p.m., with the dedication of the buildings scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3, at 1:30 p.m. The closing of the time capsule will be at 2 p.m. that day.
“Everywhere I go in Janesville people are asking when they’ll get to see inside our new hospital and I’m proud to say we’re just a few days away,” said Kerry Swanson, president of St. Mary’s Janesville Hospital. “The building has turned out more amazing than I’d hoped! And personally, the real joy for me will be watching people’s faces light up as they walk into the new Town Square and hear all about what we have to offer.”
Occupy Christmas - Eucharistic Flash Mob Event
HT CathCon
I'm not exactly sure how I feel about Eucharistic Flash Mobs. I like the flash mobs like this one below from Minnesota. There's something about the staged spontaneity that makes it exciting, and you know that whole restoring a Christian culture thing. But the US has never been a Catholic country, so the idea of hitting people over the head with the monstrance just doesn't have that same affect I think. Would these same people have a Eucharistic Flash Mob in front of an abortion mill? It's not that I don't like them, I just haven't figured out how I feel.
Women "priests" in the Milwaukee Catholic Herald?
Church should have other prioritiesI will first admit that women "priests" is an incredibly boring topic to me. But I suppose there are some who could be scandalized by this. Did the Herald explain why the Church (not will not but) cannot ordain women? It doesn't sound like it. For a nice explanation check out this article from the Star Tribune. Are everyday faithful Catholics expected to defend the faith not only in secular newspapers but now their own diocesan papers as well?
It occurred to me that the years spent by the international committees in Rome on the new translation of the Roman Missal might have been better spent addressing addressing the systemic problems facing the Catholic Church. What comes to mind is the expansion of the clergy by women and married priests, the decline in church attendance worldwide, bringing the youth and young families back into the fold, and the debilitating sex scandal in the church. These are real problems and issues facing the church today.
Universal terminology at Mass seems such a wast of time in light of these pressing issues.
-Bernadyne J. Langer
Elm Grove
A few thoughts on this letter itself. Why aren't women religious addressing the fact that their own vocation numbers have been obliterated? Why haven't they taken corrective action? There are now no sister teachers, no sister nurses, too few sisters who still worship Jesus, and apparently we should funnel the few women religious we still have out of that life. I would also not recommend casting stones in the sex abuse scandal. As we have seen with the horrible Penn State scandal, the Church is not alone. In fact, we know that the Leadership Council of Women Religious has actively engaged in covering up sexual abuse of children by nuns. And finally, having a beautiful liturgy should be an obvious strategy to bring people back to practice their faith. To some it would seem apparent that forcing the liturgy into a small banal box might actually be unattractive. Bringing back beauty is a necessity to bringing back folks to a life as a practicing Catholic.
Back to the Herald. They need to do a better job. A 2008 letter to the editor from a pro-abortion nun claimed “God is pro-choice”; most recently, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, a pro-abortion Catholic endorsed by both NARAL and Planned Parenthood, was given a forum in the Milwaukee Catholic Herald in which he discussed violence and the right to self-defense (omitting his views on dismembering those in the womb). I think the point is that people should be allowed to express their opinions, but then the Herald needs to help us grow in the faith at the same time. Not addressing such obvious errors gives the impression that they can be valid positions held by Catholics.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)