Category: Around the Diocese

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

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Safe openings for students and teachers

FORT ATKINSON — While headlines and social media chatter make many mentions of the Dane County order limiting most public and private education to virtual learning, along with the lawsuits in-progress to attempt to get that order overturned, many schools in the Diocese of Madison have opened their doors for in-person instruction this school year and have done so safely.

Working together

One example is St. Joseph School in Fort Atkinson, in Jefferson County, east of Dane County.

Its first day of school was on August 24.

Since June, the reopening committee met each week to follow the CDC and Jefferson County Health Department recommendations to make sure the school could open safely for students and staff.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

New addition to Catholic school celebrated

SUN PRAIRIE — On a hot late August day, in the midst of a pandemic, dozens of masked people gathered outside the new entrance of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary School in Sun Prairie to celebrate a great accomplishment in the midst of hardship.

“I think we are a community that is beyond blessed today with all that has happened in our world, the challenges we are all facing,” said Principal Kimberlee Frederick while standing before the small crowd as they tried to stay cool in the shade of awnings. “To be able to be here, to be able to be celebrating this beautiful building, celebrating Catholic education, celebrating the tradition that is Sacred Heart, is beyond a great gift to us.”

Beside her were Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison and priests Msgr. Duane Moellenberndt, the recently retired pastor of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish; Fr. Thomas Kelley, the new pastor; Fr. Lawrence Oparaji, parochial vicar; and Msgr. Donn Heiar, pastor of St. Albert the Great Parish in Sun Prairie.

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Brent King, Director of Communications, Diocese of Madison

St. Ambrose Academy to seek legal action after Dane County school order

MADISON — As you likely know, Dane County officials announced late on Friday, Aug. 21, that our Dane County Catholic classrooms could not open for in-person instruction for students in the third grade and above.

This was only 60 hours before many of our schools were slated to open.

As we have since March, the diocese and her schools have not wanted to defy state or county orders.

Accordingly, we have chosen to delay the first day of school for most Dane County Catholic schools until after Labor Day.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

Schools make plans for a safe opening

MADISON — Barring local county health departments issuing an order for closure, Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison will return to in-person instruction this fall, but how that looks from school to school will vary.

“All of our schools are very different,” said Michael Lancaster, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Madison.

“We all have the same mission and academic standards, but we are in very different communities. There is no way we can do a one size fits all.”

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Paul Merline, For the Catholic Herald

Preserving prayer and history in Roxbury

ROXBURY — What started as just another leak in a beautiful old church quickly became a mission of love for the faithful at St. Norbert Parish in Roxbury.

Recognized as the oldest parish in Dane County, with a continuous history dating to 1846, the current church saw its cornerstone laid in 1856.

The effects of time and a patchwork of repairs done over many decades were taking their toll.

Wind had caused the damage that led to the leak, and an inspection revealed the church needed a new roof.

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Brent King, For the Catholic Herald

Follow Bishop Hying on social media

MADISON — In late June, Bishop Hying waded back into the Twitterverse, and started tweeting brief personal messages and reflections for the first time since coming to Madison last year.

His messages are clearly designed to inspire and invite us all into closer relationship with Christ, and therefore with one another.

So, here in print, and online, is your invitation to “follow” Bishop Hying on social media (@bishophying on both Twitter and Facebook) and invite your friends, children, and grandchildren to do the same.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Rosary Rally at the State Capitol on August 15

The following information is from www.UniteWisconsin.com

We are all living in perilous times facing EPIDEMICS and THREATS TO OUR FREEDOMS. Our cities are disintegrating into anarchy with RIOTS damaging the property and taking the lives of innocent people. More than ever, we are being called to pray together – to UNITE Wisconsin against all evil.

God said “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

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