Author: Kevin Wondrash

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Kevin Wondrash

Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration begins January 1 in Sauk City

SAUK CITY — “Spending time before the Blessed Sacrament is the gift we can give to God this Christmas,” according to Fr. John Blewett, pastor of Divine Mercy Parish in Sauk City.

The parish has been working since May to expand its current, two-day a week Eucharistic Adoration Program held at St. Aloysius Church to a Perpetual Adoration program slated to begin January 1.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino is scheduled to dedicate the new chapel, called the “Mary, Mother of God Chapel,” fittingly on the feast of the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, January 1.

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Kevin Wondrash

Events at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish

MADISON — St. Thomas Aquinas parish has two upcoming events open to all interested persons.

• Saturday, Jan. 10: “Six Dates for Catholic Couples” — Consider making a New Year’s resolution to spend more quality time with your spouse. All married couples are invited to participate in “Six Dates for Catholic Couples,” an opportunity to invest in your loving, happy marriage.

These once-a-month evenings begin with an opportunity to attend 4:30 p.m. Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas (602 Everglade Dr., Madison). Immediately after Mass, come to the social hall for a brief social and presentation. By 6:15, couples leave for a date night with a marriage-enriching topic for conversation. This is the first of the “Six Dates.”

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Kevin Wondrash

A God-haunted film

The great British physicist Stephen Hawking has emerged in recent years as a poster boy for atheism, and his heroic struggles against the ravages of Lou Gehrig’s disease have made him something of a secular saint.

The new bio-pic A Theory of Everything does indeed engage in a fair amount of Hawking-hagiography, but it is also, curiously, a God-haunted movie.

Religion for atheists

In an opening scene, the young Hawking meets Jane, his future wife, in a bar and tells her that he is a cosmologist. “What’s cosmology?” she asks, and he responds, “Religion for intelligent atheists.”

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Kevin Wondrash

Lessons and Carols in Beloit

BELOIT — Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) Parish will celebrate Lessons and Carols on Saturday, Jan. 3, beginning at 7 p.m. in the church, 2222 Shopiere Rd.

The 30-voice OLA Parish Choir, under the direction of Randy Gracyalny, will be joined by instrumentalists from the parish and area to provide an uplifting prayer and musical experience.

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Kevin Wondrash

Rorate Mass: an Advent tradition

PINE BLUFF — “I should get up when and drive where for what? For Mass?!? But it’s a Saturday!”

There is a centuries long tradition during Advent called the “Rorate Mass.” These Masses are generally offered during Advent on Saturdays, the customary day to honor the Blessed Virgin.

Mass begins in the darkness before dawn. Remember, Advent is a penitential season after all.

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Kevin Wondrash

Believing and trusting in God’s plan for us

This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

Dear Friends,

The timing of this column falls into one of those awkward periods that comes with the schedule of our weekly publication.

As I write, we are still at the height of preparation for Christmas, yet this will likely be the edition of the Catholic Herald that is in your homes on Christmas Day. As such, I’m going to look forward joyfully and reflect upon the goodness that is “already, but not yet.”

I suppose it’s appropriate to be stuck in this place of anticipation, as it does speak to our lives each and every day, and it’s made especially clear at Christmas.

Rejoice at Jesus’ coming

At Christmas we celebrate and rejoice in the reality of eternal life made possible for us by God’s coming into the world.

We celebrate that everything is now changed for humanity. We celebrate God with us, a light in the darkness, the Word made flesh, God’s Kingdom at hand.

And yet, we remain in a period of waiting and of laboring. The world is not right. We may be redeemed, with hope for forgiveness, but we still fail, and falter, and sin.

When Jesus came into the world, it meant redemption from sin and the hope of an eternity of joy, but it did not mean mankind would be unable to choose otherwise, it did not mean everything would be peachy for us at all times.

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Kevin Wondrash

Scouting awards given to adult leaders

MADISON — Each year, Catholic committees on scouting, including those on the diocesan level, take time to honor and recognize adult leaders and committee members who give large amounts of time, effort, and faith to promote scouting for boys and girls.

On November 9, two leaders in the Diocese of Madison were given special recognition for their work with Boy Scouts in the diocese.

Richard Ley, member of St. Dennis Parish in Madison, and Gregory Bergenske, member of St. Patrick Parish in Janesville, were honored at the annual Diocese of Madison Catholic Committee on Scouting (DMCCS) 2014 Annual Adult Recognition Dinner at St. Dennis Church in Madison.

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