by Fr. Justin Fulton
Vicar General
Christ Speaks: “My mother sees me whipped. She sees me kicked and driven like a beast. She counts my every wound. But though her soul cries out in agony, no protest or complaint escapes her lips or even enters her thoughts. She shares my martyrdom. And I share hers. We hide no pain, no sorrow, from each other’s eyes. This is my Father’s will.”
by Sr. Regina Marie,
School Sisters of Christ the King
“Is there anything we can help you with?” This is a question I am often asked by my fifth-grade students. Recently, my class had an indoor recess and two girls came over asking this question.
What I really needed done was to have 75 new pencils sharpened! Honestly, I thought the girls might take back their offer when they heard of this potential job, but instead the girls took the bucket of pencils, asked if they could get another pencil sharpener from another classroom, and set about sharpening every one of those pencils during their recess time.
by Marion Miner
Associate Director of Pro-Life & Family Policy
On March 23, the Nebraska Legislature voted to advance Senator Kathleen Kauth’s LB574, the “Let Them Grow” Act, to the second round of debate. LB574 would prohibit subjecting children (anyone under 19) to puberty blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, and mutilating surgeries for the purpose of attempting to change the child’s sex.
by Katie Patrick
Welcome to Nebraska! Since the early ‘90s, Catholic Social Services has welcomed refugee communities from all over the world as they make their home here in Nebraska.
Most recently, we have had the opportunity to welcome hundreds of Ukrainian refugees, though more accurately referred to as “humanitarian parolees.” This term has nothing to do with our justice system, but rather it indicates that an individual has been allowed or invited by the U.S. government to remain here temporarily, due to conflict or natural disaster in his or her home country.
Regardless of one’s specific immigration status, moving to a new country, whether temporarily or permanently, can be an overwhelming experience. During this time, our staff assists families with securing housing, setting up utilities, delivering donated furniture, enrolling children in school, and helping the adults find work.
by Rachael Tvrdy,
Director of the Office of Family Life and Discipleship
On October 13, 1917, the Blessed Mother made her final apparition to the three shepherd children of Fatima, Portugal. She appeared with the entire Holy Family: St. Joseph was holding the infant Jesus, who was blessing the world.
The Holy Family’s appearance was a proclamation in and of itself. It was a call and a reminder to the world of the holiness of the family. This monumental event has shaped so much of the work that I am engaged in today as the Director of Family Life and Discipleship. It informs all my work and I wish to share it with you all as I begin my mission here working with the families of our diocese.
by Ricardo Izquierdo,
Director of the Office of Hispanic Ministry
It does not benefit anyone to pretend that our diocesan schools are perfect. They are not, but they do not have to be.
The famous spiritual writer Father Jacques Philippe wrote in his book “Thirsting for Prayer” that bitterness and disappointment follow whenever we expect too much from anything that is not God. This is not an excuse for any failings in our schools, but we also need to realize that they are staffed, led, and attended by people who are not God. Hopefully, they are people who have strong desires to lead their pupils toward God, and who are open to His grace, but people are also subject to human limitations, concupiscence, and societal pressures.
by Tom Venzor
Before I begin, go and register for Catholics at the Capitol at www.NEcatholic.org.
We are officially beyond the halfway point of the legislative session. We are on the descent, but in a lot of ways we are just beginning the ascent. The Nebraska Legislature will soon begin full-day legislative debate. This will be accompanied by “late-night” sessions (possibly debating bills until midnight). All to say, the second half of the session is set to be a grueling, tense, and intense 45 days.
As we hit the midway point of the legislative session, this milestone brings with it the designation of “priority” bills. But what are priority bills? And what purpose do they serve?
“Calico Bush” by Rachel Field, illustrated by Allen Lewis
Macmillan Press, New York, 224 pages, 1966 (original publication 1931) Grades 4-6.
by Katie Patrick
A few days before the accident, Bob’s daughter adopted three young children.
To anyone who is familiar with the process of adoption, you know and understand how challenging that can be: the paperwork, the home visits, the references, the waiting. It was a joyous time indeed when the adoption was finalized for this family living in central Nebraska!
By Victoria Fassett
Campus Minister
UNL Newman Center
Throughout her life, Mother Teresa – now St. Teresa of Calcutta – would talk about the five-word gospel: “You did it to me.”
This is taken from the 25th chapter of Matthew’s Gospel. Talking about it, Mother Teresa would hold up one hand and count off each word on her fingers. For her, it was so clear and simple what the Lord was asking: “Teresa, will you feed me? Teresa, will you hold me? Teresa, will you clothe me? Teresa, will you bathe me? Teresa, will you see me?”
By Fr. Dominic Winter
Hispanic Ministry
Assistant Pastor, Cristo Rey in Lincoln
When people ask me where I’m assigned and I say, “Cristo Rey,” well over half of them respond “where’s that?” And it’s not because they’re new to town or don’t go to church! Unless you live in the neighborhood here, come to Food Net, have seen our famous nativity scene, or are Hispanic yourself, our church could seem pretty much invisible… hidden away a few blocks from St. Teresa Church in Lincoln. And really, I can’t blame you.
by Marion Miner
Associate Director of Pro Life and Family Policy
Before full legislative debate begins on LB626, the Nebraska Heartbeat Act, it would serve us well to recap what LB626 does and to respond head-on to the argument—made time and again by opponents—that this bill will prevent doctors from providing appropriate medical care to women. In fact, if it passes, LB626 will make Nebraska’s pro-life laws the most generous to doctors in the United States. We will examine that below.
by Katie Patrick
Last Saturday, Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska held its 35th Celebration of Hope banquet, formerly known as Celebration of Caring. We honored Shirley Lang with the Heart of Christ award and enjoyed a panel discussion on the Catholic response to the global refugee crisis.
by Bob Sullivan
If you are male and Catholic, you might wonder just what, exactly, is expected of you. If you look around your neighborhood, you will likely notice that most of the other men are less than active in a church. If you look around at the men in your social circle, you might find that some or many of the men seem to be more interested in hunting, work, spectator sports, or other things than they are in Jesus. If you look at your closest friends, you may even have close relationships with men who have no faith at all.
by Fr. Brian Kane
Rector, St. Gregory the Great
Seminary; Director of Seminarians
Periodically, seminarians at St. Gregory the Great Seminary in Seward gather to reflect on their weekly apostolate assignments, seeking what Jesus wants for them as they work with the poor, the homeless, refugees, the sick and elderly.
For most of the seminarians, the apostolate assignments—navigating the world of Catholic Social Services, Matt Talbott Kitchen, People’s City Mission and area nursing homes—are a new experience.
by Tom Venzor
The main event the last two weeks at the Nebraska Legislature has mostly consisted of legislative hearings. We have testified in support and opposition of numerous pieces of legislation on varying topics, which I would like to review with you. But before we jump into that, let me update you on a few other things.
by Katie Patrick
This is the fourth and final article that I will share with you regarding the three issues that John McDonald and I were invited to advocate for as part of our trip to Washington, D.C., for a Catholic conference in late January.
The first issue was the Child Tax Credit, and I shared the stories of Lila and Siena. The second issue that we advocated for was the Afghan Adjustment Act, and I shared the story of Safiullah. The third and final issue that we advocated for was an increase in international assistance or aid given from the United States government to developing countries.
By Fr. Brian Wirth
Director of Rural Life
Last month, I wrote that as “Director of Rural Life,” my mission is to enable our diocese to encounter God’s Face, the Face of Love and Mercy, within Lincoln and our rural parishes through faith and agriculture. I noted that this mission is similar to my vocation story, how God continually revealed His graces to me through faith and agriculture. What follows is a Nebraskan story, in that it is particular to me but one of many that could be told in our diocese.
By Mother Ann Marie Zierke, M.S.
The names Sister Marta and Sister Theresa were always spoken of with reverence when I was a young sister. When we are asked to give a brief history of the community, it is usually summed up to “they escaped communism in the Czech Republic during the 1950s.” But the longer l live in community and the more I learn about their lives, I realized it is a story of courage, trust, and providence.
“Trusting True North”
by Gina Linko,
Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2022, 364 pages, Grades 4-6.
by Katie Ostgren
Dr. Arthur C. Brooks is a social scientist, a professor at the Harvard Business School, a podcast host, and a bestselling author. He’s also a devout Roman Catholic. For decades, Brooks has studied the tangible structures, habits, and behaviors that influence whether or not humans attain what we all want most—happiness.
by Katie Patrick
It didn’t take long for my coffee to go cold as I’d forgotten about it while I recently sat across the table from Shirley Lang, listening to her talk about the early days of Nebraska Right to Life.
by Katie Patrick
In the past two publications (Feb. 10 and Feb. 17), I shared with you the positive impact that a child tax credit can have on the families we serve. It was one of three issues we were invited to advocate for as part of our trip to Washington, D.C., for a Catholic conference in late January. The second issue we advocated for was the Afghan Adjustment Act. This issue is particularly dear to us at Catholic Social Services because it affects many of the families we help in different ways every day.
by Tom Venzor
If I told you that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, in 1990, was responsible for watering down religious liberty protections under the U.S. Constitution’s 1st Amendment, and that then-Rep. Chuck Schumer and President Bill Clinton were responsible for later instituting a law that fortified religious liberty — undoing Justice Scalia’s folly — you might think I was reciting some lost manuscript of Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone.”
by Bob Sullivan
I try to avoid the urge to say someone is lying.
Instead of letting myself suspect someone is lying, I try to find a way to consider that he or she is simply mistaken. This approach can help respect the dignity of the other person. It may kick the can down the road a bit, but it helps me remember there is probably a cause for the misinformation one is using.
“Someplace to Call Home” by Sandra Dallas
Sleeping Bear Press, Ann Arbor, Mich., 2019, 222 pages, Grades 4-6.
By Katie Ostgren,
Director of Development & Stewardship, Diocese of Lincoln
Good Shepherd Scholarship
The Catechism of the Catholic Church gives loving guidance to parents in regard to educating their children in the Catholic faith: “Parents have the first responsibility for the education of their children. They bear witness to this responsibility first by creating a home where tenderness, forgiveness, respect, fidelity, and disinterested service are the rule.” (CCC 2221)
by Christine Cremer
FOCUS Team Director
UNL Newman Center
Two hundred students from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) traveled to St. Louis Jan. 2-6 for the annual FOCUS (the Fellowship of Catholic University Students) conference, SEEK.
They were alongside the missionary team at UNL: Victoria Fassett, director of campus ministry at the St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center; pastor Father Robert Matya and assistant pastor Father Alec Sasse, and many other parishioners, priests, seminarians, religious, and ministry leaders from around Lincoln.
by Fr. Evan Winter
Hispanic Ministry
Pastor, St. John in Minden and Holy Family in Heartwell
As a child, I was morbidly afraid of death and dying. Both of my grandmothers died when I was 10, and I didn’t go to either funeral because of that fear. And, while I dreaded my own death less as I grew, I didn’t lose my fear of corpses. After four years as a priest, I had done anointings and funerals, but I still had never touched a dead body.
Then COVID happened. Not just any COVID. Hispanic-Nebraskan COVID-19.
by Katie Patrick
I know that I promised three testimonies reflecting the three issues that CSS advocated for during our recent trip to Washington, D.C., but if I may, I would like to add another testimony in support of a child tax credit that reaches and serves the most vulnerable among us.
Lila is the mother of four children from western Nebraska. She grew up and lived in a small town, but recently had to get out because her husband was physically and verbally abusing her and the children. She sought support from a local Catholic parish, which connected her to Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska.
by Tom Venzor
The Nebraska Unicameral just completed Day 30 of the legislative session, meaning we are already one-third of the way done, and things are cranking up. Somewhere around half of the 821 legislative bills have received a legislative hearing, and after a couple of weeks of all-day committee hearings, the legislature has returned to morning floor debate and afternoon committee hearings.
“Before the Ever After” by Jacqueline Woodson,
Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House, New York, 2020
161 pages, Grades 5-8
by Fr. Brian Wirth,
Director of Rural Life
Greetings!
My name is Father Brian Wirth. I am the Director of Rural Life for the Diocese of Lincoln. As director, it brings me great joy to serve in this position on behalf of the Diocese and all of you.
From Rulo to Benkelman and Lincoln in between, our diocese is geographically vast and diverse in its gifts, which adds to the richness of our Church. As Nebraskans, regardless of where we live, agriculture is essential to our livelihood. This way of life is a wondrous manifestation of God’s handiwork in Creation and our cooperation with Him.
I grew up on a sixth-generation farm outside Nebraska City, which continues its operation today. My home is where the farm originated, then a small farmhouse, which today serves as the family kitchen.
by Jeremy Ekeler
Associate Director of Education Policy
Friends in Christ, Jeremy Ekeler here, live from the State Capitol, Room 1524. It’s the afternoon of February 3, 2023. The Revenue Committee is having a legislative hearing for LB753 – Opportunity Scholarships. I hope this real-time commentary on the legislative hearing of our premiere school choice bill provides a glimpse into the process.
by Katie Patrick
Last week, John McDonald, our regional director in Hastings, and I attended a Catholic conference in Washington, D.C., that focused on domestic and international issues of poverty and human development. We also had the opportunity to visit our elected officials and advocate on several important issues affecting the families and communities we serve. It’s my honor to share with you those testimonies, and I hope that you will be as inspired as I am by their tenacity.
“Race with the Devil: My Journey from Racial Hatred to Rational Love”
by Joseph Pearce, Scholastic St. Benedict’s Press, Charlotte, N.C., 248 pages, Grades 10 and Higher
By Sr. Mary Gabriel
On Jan. 10, the fifth-graders at St. Teresa School in Lincoln went on a pilgrimage. With sketch books in hands and pink erasers in pockets, the students excitedly turned right onto J Street.
by Fr. Justin Fulton
He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:21-22
Peace be with you. My name is Father Justin Fulton. I am currently the Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Catholic Diocese of Lincoln.
by Katie Patrick
On Tuesday morning, at the Together for Life breakfast, I listened to Karen Bowling, executive director of Nebraska Family Alliance, quote the late Billy Graham, saying, “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.”
“Wildfire”
by Rodman Philbrick,
Scholastic Inc., New York, 2019, 202 pages, Grades 4-7
by Tom Venzor
There’s an old saying about being “busy as a bee,” and it’s one that rings true for us at the Nebraska Catholic Conference.
This last week, the Nebraska Catholic Conference had three committee hearings on three NCC top tier legislative priorities: saving babies with heartbeats; ensuring low-income mothers who just gave birth have robust healthcare access; and providing educational scholarship opportunities for low-income students.
by Katie Patrick
Once a week, Amina, Fatimah, Nafisa, Miriam, and Samiah gather together at a local nonprofit with one of our CSS refugee team members to crochet and “talk about the weather.” This topic is rather fitting because these Sudanese women refer to their time together as “changing the weather.” It’s an expression in Arabic that doesn’t quite have an equivalent English translation, but it means something like leaving behind the stress to arrive at a peaceful place.
“Real Cowboys”
by Kate Hoefler, illustrated by Jonathan Bean.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2016, 32 pages, K-2
by Tom Venzor
Governor Jim Pillen recently announced he will make school choice a key priority of his administration. He has dedicated $25 million to school choice in his budget proposal to the Nebraska Legislature. On top of this commitment, Gov. Pillen asked legislative school choice champion, Senator Lou Ann Linehan, to introduce school choice legislation “at the request of the Governor.” Sen. Linehan, of course, obliged in this partnership and on Day 10 of the legislative session, accompanied by 30 of her colleagues, she introduced LB753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act.
by Fr. Lawrence Stoley,
Director, Education Office
Welcome to the Register’s new column featuring the Catholic schools of the Diocese of Lincoln. In this column, we hope to tell the story of the many wonderful Catholic schools in our Diocese. Before we get too far along, maybe a little bit of background for context would be helpful.
By Ricardo Izquierdo
Director, Office of Hispanic Ministry
I was born in Colombia, and I am now an American citizen. I am proud of both of those facts, but my primary identity does not come from either of these countries. It comes from my baptism, from my belonging to the family of God, “who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20)
It is through that lens that I look at the efforts of our diocese to spiritually minister to the immigrants in its territory. There are human issues of policies and laws that matter, and about which faithful Catholics can disagree, but we must agree on our call to evangelize non-believers and provide for the spiritual nourishment of believers. In our diocese, Hispanics make up the largest group of Catholic immigrants, followed by the Vietnamese and people from other nations.
by Marion Miner
We are now eight days and 400 bills into the 2023 Nebraska legislative session. Two notable proposals have been brought forward by pro-life champion Senator Joni Albrecht: the Nebraska Heartbeat Act and the Nebraska Pregnancy Help Act. This column will explore the Heartbeat Act specifically and how it fits into our broader vision to build a culture of life in Nebraska.
To do that, we must take a step back to recall our situation after the reversal of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer. Abortion is still legal in our state for any reason up to 20 weeks after conception.
“Best Stories of O. Henry: 38 Stories by America’s Greatest Short Story Writer,”
by Bennett Cerf and Van H. Cartmill.
Doubleday & Company, Inc.,
Garden City, New York, 349 pages, Grades 9 and higher.
by Katie Patrick
Happy New Year! After a couple of weeks of celebrating Christmas and New Year's followed by an unexpected third week of managing yet another round of colds and flu at home with the twins, it’s good to be back at CSS.
The Advent season leading up to Christmas is a time of great joy both for the good works we are able to accomplish together for our clients at CSS, and for the tremendous amounts of generosity we receive from people across the diocese. If you donated to CSS in 2022, either financially or by donating items to our thrift stores or warehouse, or if you prayed for our mission and the families we serve, from the bottom of our hearts – THANK YOU!
It’s a privilege to encounter the poor and vulnerable and love them the way Christ loves us. We, at CSS, know that it would not be possible without your support, which is why I want to invite you this year to share not only in our mission, but in our vision. Let me tell you how we found our vision.
by Bob Sullivan
If you are reading this, you have either picked it up because you read this type of stuff, or someone sent it to you because they know you are Catholic and you have children. Rest assured, reading this will not leave you feeling like a failure, nor will it discourage you or overwhelm you. In fact, it should give you a boost, because as guys, we like challenges (missions), and we also like a plan.
“Joseph and Chico: The Life of Pope Benedict XVI as Told by a Cat,”
by Jeanne Perego, illustrated by Donata Dal Molin Casagrande.
Ignatius Press, San Francisco, 2007, 32 pages, Grades 4-5.
by Tom Venzor
God willing, if I grow old, I can be one of those people who can say something like, “I’ve lived through 15 presidents, five queens of England, seven popes, etc.” But for I can say only that three popes have reigned during my lifetime. But each has profoundly affected my life as a Christian.
“The Holy Bible: The Infancy Narratives”
St. Matthew, Chapter One and Two. St. Luke, Chapter One and Two.
by Tom Venzor
This will be the last column you’ll get from me until Jan. 13 when the Southern Nebraska Register fires back up the press. Lots will take place between now and then. Christmas, for one. Then New Year’s. Just days after, the beginning of the 108th Nebraska Legislature. And probably some zero-temperature days sprinkled throughout.
by Katie Patrick
Jesus ministered in all kinds of ways, even when those he ministered to did not want to be ministered to at all – much like mothers ministering to their children.
Before you become a mom, you might dream of what it will be like. You spend time wondering what their hobbies will be and who their friends will be. You are convinced they will cherish all the wisdom and advice that you plan to share, and you pray fervently that they stay close to God. So imagine the surprise when your children become teenagers and have no intention of listening to you at all. That was me for most of junior high, high school, and early college.
By Fr. Justin Fulton
Vicar general, Diocese of Lincoln
Where would we be without women and motherhood? Where would we be?
I don’t know about you, but around this time of year I sure could take a nap. Especially during these times when life is difficult and confusing. This time of year is filled with stress. Bills. Planning. Online shopping. Due dates. Finals. Tests. We are stressed. We are stretched. We are tired. Many feel like crying. We could all use a nap.
“Letters From Father Christmas”
by J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Baillie Tolkien.
Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1999, 111 pages, Grades 2-4.
by Tom Venzor
Late last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 258-169 to pass the so-called Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA). Following a similar vote by the U.S. Senate, the RFMA then headed to President Joe Biden’s desk. President Biden signed the bill into law Tuesday, Dec. 13.
by Katie Patrick
Last week’s article was about how Albert Maribaga, our refugee employment specialist, ministers to others “as he goes on his way” like Jesus did. In this week’s article, I want to share a little bit about the Canossian Daughters of Charity, who I served with for one year in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Dear Readers: It is hard to believe that another year has flown by. This is a list of all the booktalks published from Dec. 17, 2021, through Nov. 23, 2022. I hope that the recommendations have been helpful to you and your family. As the famous English writer, Walter de la Mare said: “only the rarest kind of the best can be good enough for the young.” I have tried to reflect his wisdom in the books I have reviewed this year. It is an honor to write for the Southern Nebraska Register. Have a very Merry Christmas.
- Terrence Nollen
by Tom Venzor
Nebraska’s 108th Legislature will convene in less than one month. The opening days of session are both joyful and stressful. New Senators will be sworn in, while family and friends look on with excitement. Legislative leadership will be elected. And bill introductions will begin in full force.
By Katie Patrick
Advent is upon us and up until a week ago, all I could think about was how to stop being such a Martha. Then my mom recommended a book to me by Joanna Weaver, “Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.” Some of you, I’m sure, have heard of it, and have read it.
“Remember Pearl Harbor: American and Japanese Survivors Tell Their Stories”
by Thomas B. Allen.
National Geographic Society, Washington D.C., 2002, 56 pages, Grades 4-6.
By Bob Sullivan
While the title of this column isn’t quite as catchy as “Keep Christ in Christmas,” the goal is very similar, and maybe even more necessary.
First, Christmas is not about Santa Claus, it is about Christ. And Santa Claus actually comes from a devotion to St. Nicholas of Myra, a bishop in the 300s in what is now modern-day Turkey. Devotion to St. Nicholas is an indirect devotion to Christ, because St. Nicholas imitated Christ and brought the Gospel to many people. The Church celebrates his feast day Dec. 6 each year (a.k.a December Sixolas. I made the word “sixolas” up so it would kind of rhyme).
by Tom Venzor
We are now one month out from Election Day and one month away from Nebraska’s 108th Legislature, First Session. While one may reasonably think that this period between the elections and the beginning of the state legislative session is a calm and quiet time, this is actually far from the reality. So, what’s going on right now as the state prepares for another legislative session?
“Thanksgiving on Plymouth Plantation” by Diane Stanley, illustrated by Holly Berry.
Joanna Cotler Books, 2004, 48 pages, Grades 2-4.
by Katie Patrick
Several years ago, Father Fulton, then executive director of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, shared with us in his Messages of Hope article, “A Litany of Thanksgiving,” which he received from the Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters (Pink Sisters) in Lincoln.
“Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves’ Hidden Colors”
by Mia Posada.
Millbrook Press, Minneapolis, 2019, 32 pages, K-4
by Katie Patrick
At Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska we dream big – and one of those dreams is to maintain a community garden at our downtown Lincoln office.
by Bob Sullivan
A prominent Nebraska newspaper recently published an apologetics piece on Drag Queen Story Hours (DQSHs). These are events in which men dress in flamboyant women’s clothing and makeup, and read children’s books to a group of young children.
“All of a Kind Family: Hanukkah”
by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky.
Random House, New York, 2018, K-3.
by Tom Venzor
This is one of those columns that will be written before a significant event occurs, but that will be published after that event has occurred. That event is Election Day, as you might have guessed. And while I would love to give you my $.02 on how the elections went, God still has not given me the gift of fortune telling in the way He gave that gift to the prophets of old. So, my armchair post-election analysis will have to wait and, for now, I’ll stick with some other tips and tricks now that we are in a post-election world.
by Katie Patrick
It’s a common question we often find ourselves asking kids, especially recent high school graduates. As guests at a graduation party, we gravitate toward that youngster still wearing the cap and gown and ask, ‘So, what do you want to be when you grow up?’
Never do we hear a response predicting a life of poverty, abuse, or depression, but like in the case of Wendy, life sometimes has a way of not going as we plan.
“The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain” by Eugene Yelchin
Candlewick Press, Somerville, Massachusetts, 2021,
Reading Level: 5-6, Comprehension Level Grades 9 and higher
by Tom Venzor
Note: This column is the fourth of several columns that will run up through Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 8). No single column on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic can cover every important point that is required for voting with an informed conscience. The hope of these columns is to hit on some major themes Catholics should consider during an election cycle. I highly encourage you to read "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States." This relatively short, but incisive document covers significant ground on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic, and it is well worth your time.
When this column hits your mailbox, there will be only days left before General Election Day Nov. 8. While in-person voting at your local election commission or county clerk’s office will be available until Nov. 7, the last resort for voting will be showing up to the good ol’ fashioned ballot box. If you are not a regular voter, please do take this election seriously. In fact, take every election seriously. Our moral act of voting is critical to our democratic republic form of government. Through voting, we divest our power to elected officials to make decisions that should represent our values. The actions of elected officials are the foundation for the laws and governance that guide our society.
by Katie Patrick
What a joy it was to be at Bountiful Harvest in Hastings—in person! Last Sunday, we celebrated the good work of Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska with all of our donors and prayerful supporters from central Nebraska. Having hosted the past two events virtually, I can’t tell you how amazing it was to be with everyone.
“Stella” by McCall Hoyle.
Shadow Mountain, 2021, 168 pages, Grades 4-6.
by Tom Venzor
Note: This column is the third of several columns that will run up through Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 8). No single column on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic can cover every important point that is required for voting with an informed conscience. The hope of these columns is to hit on some major themes Catholics should consider during an election cycle. I highly encourage you to read "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States." This relatively short, but incisive document covers significant ground on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic, and it is well worth your time.
The Second Vatican Council document Gaudium et Spes lays out a beautiful presentation of conscience: “Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment…. For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God…. His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God, Whose voice echoes in his depths.”
This article was guest written by my husband, Ryan.
This time of year many of us enjoy the experience of a little intentional fear—we maybe watch a scary movie, or go to a spooky house, and the kids (and, let’s be honest, sometimes the adults) like to dress up and give each other a good fright.
The month of October is, for many, a time we can safely and comfortably add a little fear and fright to our lives. Studies show that many seek out fear as a form of excitement, and that a scary movie can release the same kind of endorphins as a roller coaster, and mostly for the same reason. We are able to artificially induce pleasure hormones as a response to temporary stress—we “lived” through the roller coaster, and we “lived” through the scary movie, so our body learns this is a safe and healthy way to approach fear and that we will safely arrive on the other side, no worse for wear.
“This Way Charlie”
by Caron Levis, illustrated by Charles Santoso.
Abrams Books for Young Readers, New York, 2020, 40 pages, K-3
by Tom Venzor
Note: This column is the second of several columns that will run up through Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 8). No single column on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic can cover every important point that is required for voting with an informed conscience. The hope of these columns is to hit on some major themes Catholics should consider during an election cycle. I highly encourage you to read "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility from the Catholic Bishops of the United States." This relatively short, but incisive document covers significant ground on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic, and it is well worth your time.
In my last column, we talked about how to handle “imperfect candidates” when they inevitably appear on your ballot. Toward the end of that column, I mentioned one important principle to keep in mind, which has been articulated by the U.S. Bishops. This principle is that “all issues do not carry the same moral weight.” As Catholics we have an “obligation to oppose policies promoting intrinsically evil acts” and this demand “has a special claim on our conscience and our actions” when it comes to voting for candidates.
by Katie Patrick
Maybe it's age, but it seems that the older I get, the more joy I experience when I see young people serving the poor. When young people are in our food markets or at our thrift stores or organizing coats to give to other children in need, I feel hopeful; hopeful that despite all the craziness in the world today, we are raising another generation of kids who desire to know and serve the poor. Working at Catholic Social Services, I’m pretty spoiled because I get to feel that way fairly frequently.
“Mysteries of the Holy Rosary: The Life of Jesus and Mary”
by Jane Morrone and Heather Lean, illustrated by Yorris Handoko.
With Love Above Books Inc., 59 pages, 2022, K-3 and Adults reading for family.
by Katie Patrick
In Lincoln, our staff at Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska has just one week left in our current location at 2241 O Street.
by Bob Sullivan
It is that time of year again, when all Christians are reminded that politics and religion are to be kept neatly in separate silos, never to mix, and one never to influence the other. Somehow, all Christians are expected to vote according to purely secular ideals, having wiped all notions of faith and morals from their memories before filling in the ovals on election day.
“If I Built a School,” by Chris Van Dusen
Dial Books for Young Readers, New York, 2019, 32 pages, K-2
by Katie Patrick
“There can be nothing more excruciatingly contradictory to a Christian than the death of a child. Nothing can be a more brutally cold reminder of the pain that resides in this world, and the beauty that sits beside it. We who are still here afterward are flooded with pain and grief at the loss of innocent life, while our faith tells us that those innocent lost would be confused by our tears as they dance and bathe in the beatific vision, holding the hands of Christ, never once having to wonder and worry through life if they would ever get there.
by Tom Venzor
Note: This column is the first of several columns that will run up through Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 8). No single column on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic can cover every important point that is required for voting with an informed conscience. The hope of these columns is to hit on some major themes Catholics should consider during an election cycle. I highly encourage you to read “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility” from the Catholic Bishops of the United States. This relatively short, but incisive document covers significant ground on the theme of voting as a faithful Catholic, and it is well worth your time.
Since time immemorial, it seems candidates for public office have been placed on a pedestal. Too often, on both sides of the political transaction, it is thought that the election of some aspiring politician will “fix all our problems.” Candidates on the campaign trail are often characterized—and even sometimes bill themselves—as having “the solution” to (insert the political problem of the day). Voters, on the other hand, are often looking for the silver bullet candidate who is going to fix (insert the political problem of the day).
“School’s First Day of School,”
by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson.
Roaring Book Press, New York, 2016, 40 pages, Grades K-1. First reviewed August 2018
by Tom Venzor
With great joy, I can say that this year’s pro-life banquet and conference was a success. One for the books, as the saying goes!
This year’s event brought together nearly 500 pro-lifers from all across the state of Nebraska. The crowd continues to grow year after year, new faces are added to the count, and fun is had by all.
And while much can be said about the weekend, I want to distill my experience into two points.
by Katie Patrick
Thank you, Jesus!
These are the words that always precede the sales update that I receive each Monday morning from Mark Main, our Thrift Store Manager in Lincoln. In fact, even before he gets to the numbers, after he gives thanks to God, he praises his thrift store staff, volunteers, donors, and customers. Only then will he go into the sales of the previous week breaking it down by item category.
"The Wanderings of Odysseus"
by Homer, retold by Rosemary Sutcliff, illustrated by Alan Lee.
Delacorte Press, 1995, 119 pages, Grades 5-8.
by Tom Venzor
Ready or not, here it is: Election Season!
Nov. 8 (Election Day) doesn’t sound like it’s right around the corner, but for many people—particularly, candidates running for public office—it is. Political candidates are feeling the pressures of time and resources, asking themselves how many doors can they knock on yet and how many flyers, mailers, and ads can they still squeeze in. They are counting down the days until ballots are cast and their fates—after countless hours of campaigning—are decided by family, friends, community members, and otherwise complete strangers.
by Katie Patrick
We are incredibly grateful for the efforts of Mike Hosek, co-sponsors BetterLife Lodge 426 and Knights of Columbus Council #13576 (from St. Patrick Church in Lincoln), and the many volunteers who helped with this year’s Walk to End Hunger event, held Sunday, Aug. 7 at Pius X High School in Lincoln.
"Hitty: Her First Hundred Years"
by Rachel Field, illustrated by Dorothy P. Lathrop.
Macmillan Publishing Company, New York, 1929, 207 pages.
by Katie Patrick
In collaboration with several community partners, including St. Patrick Church in Imperial, and Educational Service Unit 15 in Trenton, our staff in Imperial had the privilege of serving a family in desperate need of food and financial support.
With Dad injured and unable to work, and Mom battling cancer, the three children opened their front door to 13 boxes of food and a check that would help cover rent and several other utility bills. The family was incredibly grateful for the support!
by Bob Sullivan
St. John Nepomucene Church was the site of Father Kapaun’s baptism, his ordination and his first Mass, as well as his first assignment as assistant and then as the pastor. The parish was – and remains – predominately Czech, and many of the adults in the parish still spoke Czech as their primary language in 1940. Father Kapaun’s first language was English, but he also spoke Czech.
The church was recently restored, and its high altar and side altars are stunning. It is also a very large church for the small community of Pilsen, which currently has about 65 residents. We arrived on Pentecost, and the pilgrimage’s chaplain, Father Curtis Hecker, served as the main celebrant.
“Little Rat Rides” by Monika Bang-Campbell, illustrated by Molly Bang.
Harcourt, Inc., New York, 2004, 48 pages, Grades 2-3.
by Katie Patrick
There’s always been something comforting to me about the sound of a sewing machine, in part because of my efforts in the Congo, where I support an ever-growing group of women learning how to sew, but it’s also the memories that I have sewing with my mom and my grandma.
by Tom Venzor
The countdown is on for this year’s Bishops Pro-Life Banquet and Conference. We are just 14 days away from the state’s greatest pro-life dinner and educational conference. You know what this means: go to www.NEcatholic.org, and get yourself registered! If you would like to register by calling our office, please feel free to do so (402.477.7517).
This year’s banquet will take place Friday, Sept. 23, and the conference follows Saturday, Sept. 24. All of the activities will take place at the Embassy Suites in downtown Lincoln.
This year’s theme (“And the Word Was Made Flesh”) has us diving deep into effectively communicating the pro-life message in a post-Christian and an ever-changing digital era. We will do this by focusing on the model and life of Jesus Christ as the way forward for our pro-life efforts.
