Category: Around the Diocese

News from around the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison.

On
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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Fr. John Zuhlsdorf, For the Catholic Herald

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

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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Dick Jones, For the Catholic Herald

Diocesan Choir at O’Connor Center for Festival of Lessons and Carols

MADISON — Preserving a long-standing tradition recently in doubt, the Madison Diocesan Choir returns to the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center Sunday, Dec. 21, for a Festival of Lessons and Carols, a joyful celebration featuring wind instruments and reaffirming the choir’s music ministry in service to the diocese.

Months ago, the choir and its director, Dr. Patrick Gorman, were in search of a new home, a daunting challenge. With plans to convert the former seminary into a housing development, the choir required not only a place to store its music, but one large enough for weekly rehearsals. The choir has more than 70 active members from parishes throughout the diocese.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Biking to Mary: a ‘good cause’

JEFFERSON — For the average UW-Madison student in his or her 20s, a bike ride from College Library to his or her apartment just off University Ave. is a little more than one mile. Getting from that Point A to Point B can seem like a long ride.

Multiply that ride by about 200. That’s what one man, along with friends and family, did this past summer as a way to get closer to the Blessed Mother.

Chris Pundzak is a 27-year-old volunteer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse. For the second year in a row, he biked from The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians at Holy Hill in Hubertus, near Milwaukee, to the shrine in La Crosse.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

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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Kevin Wondrash

St. Peter Catholic School plans Christmas program

MIDDLETON — St. Peter Catholic School’s Christmas Program will take place on Monday, Dec. 15, at 6:30 pm.

This year’s program will feature the musical Miracle at Midnight performed by pre-K to fifth grade students. The moving story includes Bethlehem’s mayor preparing for a decree by Caesar Augustus, angels in heaven anticipating an important announcement, and a young couple from Nazareth getting ready for the birth of their first child.

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