Category: Around the Diocese

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

On
Chris Lee

Pope Francis calls for day of prayer and fasting on September 7

pope francis waves
Pope Francis waves as he leads the Angelus in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican September 1. (CNS photo/Tony Gentile, Reuters)

MADISON — At his Angelus address on Sunday, Sept. 1, Pope Francis called upon the faithful worldwide to join in a day of prayer and fasting on Saturday, Sept. 7, for peace, particularly in Syria, but also in the Middle East and throughout the world.

The pope also announced that the day of prayer and fasting will conclude with a vigil in St. Peter’s Square in Rome from 7 p.m. until midnight, local time. He asked local dioceses to arrange similar gatherings. The pope also called on fellow Christians, followers of other religions, and all men of good will to participate in whatever way they can in this initiative.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino has asked clergy in the Diocese of Madison to arrange for parish Holy Hours of Eucharistic Adoration for the particular intention of the Holy Father for this coming Saturday, Sept. 7, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., concluding appropriately a half hour before the typical anticipatory Mass at 5 p.m. (with applicable time modifications based on local parish Mass and Confession schedules).

“You are welcome to do additional items in conjunction with the Holy Father’s request, but this coordinated effort throughout parishes in the diocese at the direction of Bishop Morlino will show our solidarity with Pope Francis during the same time of the pope’s vigil prayer in Rome,” said Msgr. James Bartylla, vicar general of the Diocese of Madison, in notifying priests of the diocese about the day of prayer and fasting.

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Dennis Chaptman, For the Catholic Herald

Camp Gray 60 years ago was built on faith, fun, and dynamite

BARABOO — Parishioners at St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo helped Fr. Francis Xavier Gray — later Monsignor Gray — buy the land for a Reedsburg youth camp on Shady Lane in the early 1950s.

Not long after, they used dynamite to clear stumps from the athletic field and built cabins from wood they salvaged from crates of ordnance produced at the nearby Badger Army Ammunition Plant just outside of Baraboo.

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Kevin Wondrash

Adult faith formation Bible studies offered at Blessed Sacrament

MADISON — Pope Francis has captivated the attention of many people around the globe with his simplicity, humility, directness, and outreach to the marginalized.

He calls us to be in dialogue with the world reaching out to build a culture of “solidarity” or “encounter” in which a society shares and includes. This desire to love flows from the love we have received from Christ.

To help us better experience God’s love in the Scriptures and thus grow in loving, the Blessed Sacrament Parish Adult Faith Formation Committee will be offering various Bible studies this year:

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Women’s Care Center-Madison helps families choose life

MADISON — Since it opened in January of 2012, the Women’s Care Center-Madison (WCCM) has affected the lives of over 435 families, including at least 50 who had a change of heart and chose life for their baby.

WCCM is located at 3711 Orin Rd. on Madison’s east side, right across the street from the Planned Parenthood abortion facility. A dedicated group of volunteers purchased the property for the WCCM, hoping to provide an alternative for those seeking an abortion.

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Kevin Wondrash

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.

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Sr. Ruth Battaglia, CSA, and Ed Emmenegger, For the Catholic Herald

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.

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