Each Saturday, just a few blocks away from the classic Madison tradition of the farmer’s market, groups of people are coming to pray at the former site of St. Raphael Cathedral.
Author: Kevin Wondrash
Catholic Campaign for Human Development grants
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino has announced the distribution of three local grants from the diocesan portion of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) collection.
CCHD works to break the cycle of poverty by helping low-income people participate in decisions that affect their lives, families, and communities.
Pastor’s family pitches in to raise funds for Clinton church
CLINTON — When the need arose for a new heating and air conditioning system in the 41-year-old St. Stephen Church in Clinton, Fr. Bill Connell, pastor, enlisted his large family to help raise the money.
Four generations will be present at a Labor Day weekend fundraiser, but not all will be working since the youngest is only six months old.
On Saturday, Aug. 31, about 40 of Father Connell’s siblings, nieces, and nephews are going to prepare and serve a public chicken and ham dinner. This will be preceded by a “polka Mass” with Beloit big band leader Jack Farina providing the music.
Pastoral ministers support each other through association
MADISON — Pastoral ministers who are part of a parish staff may have any number and variety of responsibilities.
Many of us coordinate outreach to the homebound, visits to people in care facilities, and ministry to the bereaved.
Others are deacons, liturgists, pastoral musicians, social justice coordinators, directors of communications, or have adult faith formation responsibilities.
Theology on Tap for young adults
MADISON — Theology […]
Knights sponsor golf tournament
MIDDLETON — The […]
Madison Catholic Woman’s Club to present benefit style show
MADISON — The Madison Catholic Woman’s Club invites all the women of the diocese to a benefit dessert and fashion show.
Christopher & Banks and CJ Banks at Greenway Station in Middleton will present the “Color Me Autumn” Style Show at the St. Peter Church Social Center, 5001 N. Sherman Ave. in Madison, on Monday, Sept. 9. Dessert will be served at 12 noon with the fashion show beginning at 12:30 p.m.
‘Faith & Fun’ program in Belmont
BELMONT — This year, the focus of the “Faith & Fun” summer program for children at St. Philomena Parish in Belmont was the Year of Faith as proclaimed by our former Pope, Benedict XVI.
Children participating in the program were given a mustard seed and focused on the biblical text: “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you could move a mountain.”
Heart’s desire is loving and being loved by God
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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,
This past Sunday, Our Holy Father addressed the precise topic on which I’ve been meditating over the past week, the topic of how our encounter with Jesus Christ affects our lives.
As you’ll recall, my previous column had reference to our Diocesan Mission, which is: “We serve to ensure that all individuals throughout the 11-county diocese are graciously invited every day to meet Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, face to face and be changed by Him.”
Pope Francis, in his remarks at the Sunday Angelus, began by asking all of us to consider where it is that our treasure can be found, “what is the most important reality for me, the reality that attracts my heart like a magnet?”
It should be, the Holy Father said, our love of God. He emphasized the reality that where our treasure is, there our heart is found, but that in order to receive true treasure, we need to actually have a heart that desires. “It’s the really poor man, who has no desires,” he said. We have to have hearts that are driven by desire, not ones that are dead or “anesthetized,” by all that we’ve filled our lives with. So, do you desire? And are you ready to seek that which will truly fulfill your desires?
Morality and the Natural Law: The importance of being guided by a moral compass
People sometimes use the phrase “moral compass” to describe the innate sense of right and wrong that human beings have.
President Obama, for example, recently mentioned in one of his speeches how we need to, “keep our own moral compass pointed in a true direction.” Although he didn’t spell out what that true direction might be, his remark nevertheless highlighted something that all can agree upon, namely, the importance of being guided by a moral compass.