Editorial

We all have to make decisions every day. These range from the mundane (what to wear or what to eat) to the more profound (how to discipline a child, how to interact with a spouse, how to comfort those in pain).

Decisions. Decisions. And more decisions. They confront us everywhere. Stem-cell research, cloning, war, pornography, the death penalty, abortion, assisted suicide - these are issues being talked about in our legislatures and debated in coffee shops.

Sometimes we may drift along, not really making conscious choices. Everybody seems to be traveling in a certain direction, so we follow along with the crowd. We may not even be aware of where we're going.

We need guidepoints along the way to help us make good choices. Our faith provides that kind of guidance, found in prayer, Scripture, and the teachings of the church. But sometimes we don't know where to look for the help we need.

Catholic publications. One way to learn more about our faith - and to receive the guidance we need to make decisions in our lives - is by reading Catholic publications. There are more than 600 Catholic newspapers, magazines, and newsletters available in the United States and Canada. They are part of the Catholic Press Association (CPA).

During February, the CPA promotes the observance of Catholic Press Month. This year's theme is "Choose the Right Path: Let the Catholic Press Lead You." This is such a timely theme. These days we are bombarded by information coming from radio, television, movies, the Internet, and secular publications. But how many of these media sources provide faith-based information? Very few (Catholic radio and television stations are the exception).

Guidance from the Catholic Herald. I hope Catholics will turn to the Catholic press for guidance in making decisions. In the Diocese of Madison, our own Catholic Herald newspaper tries to help by providing news, features, and commentaries on important issues of the day.

Here are some ways the Catholic Herald tries to help you choose the right path:

• "Under the Gospel Book," the column by Bishop Robert C. Morlino, provides strong, clear teaching on issues of concern to Catholics today.

• Columns by Fr. Tad Pacholczyk on bioethics, John Huebscher on state legislative issues, and George Weigel on current church and state issues all provide insightful, well-reasoned arguments.

• "Living the Scriptures" by people affiliated with St. Paul's University Catholic Center offer reflections on the Sunday Scriptures and how they impact our everyday lives.

• "Question Corner" by Fr. John Dietzen answers questions from readers about church teachings in practical, down-to-earth words.

• Information on current radio and television programs and movies helps readers make informed listening and viewing choices.

We hope our subscribers will read the paper "cover to cover" each week to get the guidance they need to choose the right path.

We also encourage parishes to follow Bishop Morlino's request to make sure all parish members receive the Catholic Herald. At a cost of $19.46 a year, we think the Catholic Herald provides a lot of information and guidance at a bargain price.

Happy Catholic Press Month to all our readers!

Mary C. Uhler