Author: Kevin Wondrash

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Kevin Wondrash

What does ‘normal’ mean now?

‘[Assistant] Editor’s View’
Kevin Wondrash

First off, I want to thank Catholic Herald Editor Mary C. Uhler for letting me borrow the Editorial page this week.

As many of you saw in last week’s edition, Mary was taken to the hospital after a serious medical episode.

You dear readers will be happy to know that she’s currently at home, resting and recovering.

I’m sure she’ll tell you more about what happened and what she went through in a future issue.

Know that she has greatly appreciated all of your prayers and thoughts.

Here, at our offices, the situation with Mary was just one of many things we have had to deal with over the last few weeks.

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Kevin Wondrash

CMC keeps programming running

MADISON — The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) is continuing to operate Dane County’s only daily free community meal program, its food pantry, and comprehensive low-cost immigration legal services program to safely serve the most vulnerable among us during this time of heightened need.

Ever since COVID-19 precautions became necessary, CMC staff have been preparing fresh, hot meals every weekday served as a grab-and-go meal distributed from the parking lot to encourage social distancing practices.

On weekends, a sandwich sack lunch is provided.

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Kevin Wondrash

Edgewood Spring Fling canceled

MADISON — As public health, state, and federal authorities have mandated, Edgewood High School has decided that in order to protect its supporters and the entire community, it will not be able to hold the Spring Fling event at Garver Feed Mill, scheduled for Friday, April 24.

In a statement, the school said, “Our prayers are with every member of our Edgewood community in this unprecedented and difficult time. Our blessings to you, your families, our sponsors, donors, and our entire Edgewood Community.

“We are grateful to our sponsors and all who support Edgewood Crusaders during these uncertain times.”

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Kevin Wondrash

Answering God’s invitation

Bishop Donald J. Hying's column

Needless to say, this global pandemic is unprecedented in our history, especially in terms of its impact on our daily lives. The consequences of our essential shutdown as a nation are far reaching and disturbing.

We are all praying for the victims worldwide — those who have died, those who are ill and suffering the effects of this corona virus. We pray for health care workers, first responders, and government leaders who must feel overwhelmed. I pray for our elderly and vulnerable populations, including the poor and the homeless. I pray for those who have lost income already and are economically struggling. We think of families who have their children home all the time. All of this equates to tremendous stress, anxiety, suffering, and fear.

God is inviting us

In the face of all of this, God is inviting us to a deeper, radical trust in Him. In some ways, with our normal routines disrupted and many of our securities stripped away, we are faced with a profound existential moment — do I truly believe in God and confide my life to His mercy or not?

Our whole life of faith and practice of our religion has prepared us for this trial. Now is the time for us to truly let our faith in the Lord shine forth for others to see and draw strength from our witness. In some ways, with the suspension of public Masses, this time reminds me of the Babylonian captivity in the Old Testament.

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Kevin Wondrash

The coronavirus and sitting quietly in a room alone

Blaise Pascal said, “All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”

The great 17th Century philosopher thought that most of us, most of the time, distract ourselves from what truly matters through a series of divertissements (diversions).

He was speaking from experience. Though one of the brightest men of his age and one of the pioneers of the modern physical sciences and of computer technology, Pascal frittered away a good deal of his time through gambling and other trivial pursuits.

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Kevin Wondrash

Apostolate gives retreat at St. Coletta

JEFFERSON — Earlier this month was a special time for 45 individuals served at St. Coletta of Wisconsin.

A Lenten retreat was planned and facilitated by the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities-Diocese of Madison (Msgr. Larry Bakke, Deacon Jim Hoegemeier, Kayla Schiesser, and Kellie O’Brien).

The theme of the retreat was “Jesus Comes to You,” and is part of our Lenten preparation looking forward to Easter.

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Kevin Wondrash

Staying connected in a time of ‘social distancing’

Sr. Constance Veit, LSP

Several years ago, a summer heat wave of historic proportions settled over Europe, leading to the death of over 14,000 people in France alone.

Many of the victims were elderly citizens who were left behind in major cities as their families and neighbors enjoyed their summer holidays far from the country’s urban areas.

The memory of this tragedy has been very present to me as we hunker down, close our doors and try our best to isolate our elderly residents from the coronavirus for as long as it takes to protect them from danger.

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Kevin Wondrash

Madison parish helps support Cambria mission

CAMBRIA — Over the last two years, St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison has taken an active role in supporting the Queen of Americas Mission in Cambria and its community members.

These members are seasonal employees at the food processing plants in Cambria and are the latest in a long line of seasonal employees for the agricultural industry in Wisconsin.

Prior to the onset of the Second World War, agricultural work was generally handled by the local population.

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Kevin Wondrash

Bishop Hying speaks on suspension of public Masses

Bishop Hying
Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison addresses the media on March 17 after his decision to suspend public celebration of Masses in response to guidelines to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MADISON — Speaking about his March 16 decision to suspend the celebration of public Masses in the Diocese of Madison, as a result of guidelines to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Bishop Donald J. Hying told the media, “As a Catholic bishop, that’s the hardest thing that I could possibly do, because for us as Catholics, Mass is everything.”

Bishop Hying addressed the media at a press conference on March 17 at Holy Name Heights in Madison.

The day before, in a letter to priests and faithful of the Diocese of Madison, the bishop suspended the Mass through Friday, April 3.

The suspension includes Sunday and weekday Masses at all parish churches, oratories, and chapels.

He asked priests to still celebrate Masses in their parishes, but privately, without an assembly.

The bishop said the decision was made “in tandem” with his fellow bishops in Wisconsin “in light of our concern and in light of the government’s regulations regarding public gatherings.”

Bishop Hying said following the lifting of the suspension on April 3, the Diocese of Madison will reassess the situation in the week before Holy Week.

“It’s hard to say what will come,” Bishop Hying said.

Profound solidarity

Bishop Hying reiterated many times that the diocese is in “solidarity” with all those who are suffering because of the coronavirus.

“We think of those who have already died. We think of those who are ill with the virus. We think of their family and friends. We think all of us who, in one way or another, have been profoundly affected by this pandemic,” he said.

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