Spiritual Poverty

January 5, 2015 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, A few years ago in one of Milwaukee’s suburbs a freeway off-ramp was under construction. The authorities closed the ramp as the entire roadbed was receiving new concrete. Someone with a new Mercedes decided the closed ramp was for other people. He…

» Read More

A New Year Resolution

December 29, 2014 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, As we anticipate the coming of 2015, it is natural to assess 2014 and to establish goals for 2015. Like millions of Americans I plan to lose weight in 2015. This is usually done by watching the foods I eat and renewed…

» Read More

Christmas Glory

December 22, 2014 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, Advent is now giving way to Christmas. Churches throughout the Diocese are getting decorated. Christmas trees that were only green are receiving lights and ornaments. Creches are on display. Most of the world knows about Christmas as the season for the birth…

» Read More

Correction of December 15 Writing

December 17, 2014 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, In my last writing I wrote about the book and film, Unbroken. I had assumed that Angelina Jolie imposed her lack of faith on Louis Zamperini’s story. The piece of Zamperini’s conversion at a Billy Graham Crusade is supposedly missing from the…

» Read More

Unbroken

December 15, 2014 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, In 2010 Laura Hillenbrand (the author of Seabiscuit) wrote Unbroken. It is the story of Louie Zamperini who started as a juvenile delinquent. He turned his energy to track and went to the University of Southern California. Zamperini was a long distance…

» Read More

Advent: Light and Hope

December 8, 2014 Dear Friends and Family of the Diocese of Eau Claire, Advent and Lent are penitential seasons. They both call for introspection and prayer. Each season progresses but in opposite directions. Lent descends downward. It is a time in when I ponder what the world would be like without God. The natural conclusion…

» Read More