News from around the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison.
DEFOREST — There will be an adult night of Advent reflection Monday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. at St. Olaf Church, 623 Jefferson St., DeForest.
The Parish and Community Life Commission has planned a quiet evening of reflection to begin the Advent season. All parishioners and their guests are invited to “prepare the way.”
Marie Lins from the Diocese of Madison Office of Evangelization and Catechesis will be the guest speaker.
MIDDLETON — For the past five years, teens from the Diocese of Madison have won scholarship awards celebrating their “faith in action.”
For the 2014 winners and the presenters, this year took on a special significance.
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| Pope Francis arrives to lead an audience at the Vatican recently. (CNS photo/Paul Haring) |
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Pope Francis said he would attend the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in September of 2015, making it the first confirmed stop on what is expected to be a more extensive papal visit to North America.
The pope made the announcement November 17, in a speech opening an interreligious conference on traditional marriage.
“I would like to confirm that, God willing, in September 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the eighth World Meeting of Families,” the pope said.
The announcement had been widely expected, since Pope Benedict XVI had said before his retirement that he hoped to attend the Philadelphia event. Popes typically fulfill their predecessors’ publicly known travel plans, as Pope Francis did in July 2013, when he attended World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro.
Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, who was in Rome for the families meeting, told Catholic News Service the announcement was “a surprise in the sense that it was announced so early; you know usually they don’t make these announcements — four months out is the typical and here we are 10 months away, and the Holy Father said he is coming to Philadelphia.”
MADISON — After 10 years of mission and values-driven service, Dr. Frank Byrne announced recently that he plans to retire from his position as president of St. Mary’s Hospital on January 30, 2015. However, he will remain a member of the board of directors of St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation.
Under Byrne’s leadership, St. Mary’s nearly doubled in size with the 2008 completion of its expansion project. St. Mary’s and Dean began their journey toward HIMSS Stage 7 status with the transition to Epic’s electronic health record system.
MADISON — The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) invites you to a “Solar Energy Open House” on Monday, Nov. 24, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the CMC, 1862 Beld St. This bilingual event is FREE and includes dinner.
Through interactive displays, energy activities, and presentations, this fun for all ages event will allow you to learn about the CMC solar panel project, find resources for installing solar energy at your home or business, and help you learn how to save money by conserving energy.
MADISON — Catholic Charities’ Post Adoption Resource Center will be sponsoring a birth parent support group for parents who have voluntarily placed their child up for adoption. The adoption did not have to occur through Catholic Charities in order to attend.
The support group will take place on Mondays from Dec. 1 through Dec. 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 1810 S Park St. Suite 200 in Madison. The support group is free, safe, and confidential.
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| Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison leads people in prayer at the 40 Days for Life closing vigil on Sunday, Nov. 2. For the eighth straight year, the vigil was held outside the Planned Parenthood clinic in Madison’s east side. Reportedly, two babies were saved during this year’s vigil in Madison with 528 lives saved across the country. (Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak) |
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino was on hand to celebrate efforts to respect life as prayer warriors came out to help conclude this year’s 40 Days for Life vigil.
40 Days for Life is an internationally-coordinated 40-day peaceful pro-life campaign to end abortion.
Locally, the Madison vigil — in its eighth straight year — ran from September 24 to November 2 and consisted of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil, and community outreach.
For 24 hours a day, volunteers prayed outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Madison’s east side for an end to abortion.
About 50 people gathered at that site for the closing celebration on Sunday, Nov. 2.
Bishop Morlino thanked the pro-life community in Madison for its “perseverance” in praying and working toward an end to abortion.
The bishop also spoke about how everyone must continue to bring the truth on marriage to life.
After the closing prayer vigil, some of the group went to St. Albert Church in Sun Prairie for food and fellowship.
MADISON — It’s become a tradition. Each Advent season, St. Ambrose Academy in Madison welcomes apostolates, organizations, and friends from every corner of the Diocese of Madison for a fun, festive Benefit Dinner in support of Catholic education.
This year’s Benefit Dinner is Saturday, Dec. 13, at the Alliant Energy Center Exhibition Hall in Madison. The cocktail hour begins at 5:30 p.m., and the dinner itself begins at 7 p.m.
STOUGHTON — You are invited and encouraged to attend a powerful witnessing of faith where John Gray and Meg Veek, parishioners at St. Ann Parish, Stoughton, will share their love for Christ and how important he is to their daily life. The event will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m. in Healy Hall at St. Ann Church, Stoughton.
BELOIT — Imagine 200 veterans from World War II (WWII) and the Korean War era along with “Rosie-the-Riveters” being honored by VetsRoll as they travel along with 100 volunteer assistants in 10 luxury buses to visit war memorials and other sites in the Washington, D. C., area.
Included on the itinerary are the WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial, National Marine Corps Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery, and also the Dayton, Ohio, Wright Patterson AFB Air Museum.
VetsRoll provides a four-day all expenses paid trip, safe ground transportation, and an enjoyable experience. According to the founders of VetsRoll, brothers Mark and John Finnegan, traveling in the luxury buses provides the flexibility of socializing, watching videos, restrooms, camaraderie, and most importantly, closure.
