Navigating the in-between Matt and Rachel Sheils were happily serving the Lord as pastors in Canada for what they thought was their lifetime career. Matt was the seventh-generation pastor in his family for the Salvation Army. Rachel left the Catholic Church as a teenager after a Protestant friend asked her difficult questions that she couldn’t answer. Yet today, as self-proclaimed unlikely converts, they are faithful Catholics at St. Ladislaus Parish in Bevent (Hatley), a tiny, tight-knit community located between Wausau, Stevens Point and Green Bay, where Rachel’s father grew up. What led the ..read more

“Holy Spirit, come into my heart, and in your power draw it to you.” (St. Catherine of Siena) Amid a culture and period of history that feels particularly bleak, people still long to live joyfully. They are drawn to the image of a life saturated with meaning. As Catholics, we know that the ultimate source of life is found in Jesus Christ and His Church. In the community of Chippewa Falls, an increasing number of men, women and children are coming to that same conclusion thanks to the efforts of the city’s Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) program. RCIA isn’t a 10-step progr ..read more

I am always honored to go out and speak to groups of people, and lately, I have had the opportunity to talk to many confirmation students. One of the questions I ask them is, “What is your goal in life?” Inevitably, someone raises their hand and regurgitates the standard Confraternity of Christian Doctrine (CCD) answer, “To get to heaven.” I always respond by saying, “That is a great answer. But your answer begs another question. If the goal in life is to get to heaven, why do people want to spend eternity with God when they can barely spend one hour at Mass?” Immediately, a wave of blank sta ..read more

Lauren is honored to work with women along their fertility journey “The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral—the dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby’s body. The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God’s creative miracle to bring new saints to heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act o ..read more

Maggie and Kaleb Frawley live natural family planning Like most tween and teen girls growing up in Oshkosh, Maggie had a lot of experience babysitting—enough experience to convince her that she never wanted kids of her own. She and her family were Catholic, attending Mass every weekend. Her dad, who is Lutheran, would join them occasionally, most often on Christmas and Easter. In college, Maggie went to Mass on and off. Her animosity toward a family life remained fueled and continued into her professional career. She had a few relationships here and there, but for her, love was subjective and ..read more

Through the devastation of their dairy farm, Marty and Kathy experienced God’s love through their extended family. Jesus said, “For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.” (Mt 12:50) Lord, make me an instrument of your peace … Marty Nigon, the 6th of 10 children, loved living on a dairy farm near Rochester, Minn. The strongly Catholic Nigon family attended Mass at The Church of St. Francis of Assisi Parish and sent their children to its Catholic school. Marty was fortunate enough to go through the second grade there before having to switch to a smal ..read more

What was your favorite book growing up? Mine, at least in the mid-1970s through the early 1980s, was the November edition of the Sears catalog. Opening the catalog up to the toy section was like opening the door to a world of possibilities. I would go through and put a check beside all of the toys I hoped to receive at Christmas. On Christmas morning, there was always the anticipation, excitement and even a little anxiety about which toys I might receive. As I grew older, I found more excitement in watching people open my gifts to them. Fast forward to present day, and all I truly want is tim ..read more

Brian and Alisa find God’s love in their children Brian and Alisa Weiss, along with their seven children, are a joyful family in their parish, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Richland Center. Having a large family turns heads when they are out together. “People say, ‘You’re either Catholic or Amish, and I saw you drive up in a car, so…,’” Brian says. “I love taking our kids to church. We often get compliments on the size of our family,” says Alisa. “In the secular world you might get a head nod.” The couple, married for 21 years, are now at ease with having seven children. Natural Fam ..read more

The McNally Family’s story of Faith Matthew and Therese McNally and their family live a quiet yet busy life in their hometown of Necedah. While Necedah is their home base, on any given weekday most of the family is dispersed around west-central Wisconsin and beyond, carrying on the responsibilities of their vocations. From Dr. Matthew to the youngest girls, each works hard to use their day in service to God. A glimpse into the McNally’s family life reveals a clear and beautiful balance of their priorities of Faith, family and the work they do outside the home. Matthew McNally is a doctor of c ..read more

Adoption –  Then and Now The year was 1868. The Civil War had ended three years earlier, and the State of Wisconsin was 20 years old. It was a year that saw the creation of two new dioceses in Wisconsin: Green Bay and La Crosse. Rev. Michael Heiss was appointed as the first bishop of La Crosse. It was also a time when there was a great influx of Catholics into western Wisconsin. One of Bishop Heiss’s pressing concerns was the care of children who lost their parents and had no one to care for them. Before 1868, orphans were sent to Catholic institutions in Milwaukee. But now, caring for o ..read more