Later this week, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference will issue “A Letter to Catholics in Wisconsin on Faithful Citizenship” — in plenty of time for the Sept. 14 primary. If you’d like to refresh your memory on where the U.S. bishops as a whole stand when it comes to the issues, check out www.usccb.org/faithfulcitizenship/FCStatement.pdf. Expect the bishops to write another one a little more than a year from now in anticipation of Election Day 2012.

Walking the ‘Vinny’ 5K:
Looking for some exercise or do you just want to support practitioners of the Corporal Works of Mercy? Councils of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Milwaukee and Kenosha counties are sponsoring the Friends of the Poor Walk on Saturday, Sept. 25. You can get the Milwaukee registration form at www.svdpmilw.org and register for Kenosha by calling (262) 657-6366.

Light of the world … but not of the Empire State Building: As hard as he tried, Bill Donahue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, couldn’t get Anthony Malkin to illuminate the upper floors of that landmark in blue and white lights on Aug. 26 — what would have been Blessed Mother Teresa’s 100th birthday. But he did get 1,000 people to come to the site to protest that slight of the founder of the Missionaries of Charity.
The building is illuminated for significant events. While Blessed Mother Teresa’s birthday wasn’t considered significant by Malkin, the DVD release of “The Simpsons Movie” did get special lighting. I wonder if it will be lit tonight in honor of National Toasted Marshmallow Day? Maybe there’ll be s’more to that story.

Speaking of significant people, I want to welcome the newest and youngest Banterite — my first grandchild, Ryan, born on the feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. If he has trouble falling asleep, his parents can read him grandpa’s blog entries. Glad to be of service.

Catholic quote of the week: Since I’m writing about babies, sleep and St. Bernard, consider these words from that doctor of the church: “We find rest in those we love, and we provide a resting place for those who love us.” Amen.