Category: News

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Brent King Director of Communications, Diocese of Madison

Becket Fund assists 40 Dane County Catholic sites to open at 25 percent capacity

MADISON — For three months now, the Diocese of Madison has followed the best of state and local guidelines with regard to all reasonable protocols concerning COVID-19, its transmission, and how to protect the public, especially those most vulnerable.

At the same time, and never dismissively, the Church has looked to how best to provide for the spiritual, and especially the sacramental, nourishment of the faithful. This has been a particular weight on the heart of Bishop Donald J. Hying since suspending public Masses in mid-March.

After the Wisconsin State Supreme Court reversed state-wide orders and restrictions, the diocese quickly began planning for its own very-measured reopening.

On Thursday, May 21, the Diocese of Madison shared its guidelines for parish reopening at 25 percent occupancy across the 11-county diocese. These guidelines take everything into account from social distancing, personal sanitation, omission of singing, removal of furniture and hymnals, training of ushers, and so much more.

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Patrick Gorman Director, Office of Worship, Diocese of Madison

How can we keep from singing?

There is a lot of excitement among many people regarding re-opening our Catholic churches for Mass in our diocese. Unfortunately, it will be quieter than usual.

Using the best scientific, medical, musical, and liturgical advice, choirs and congregations will not sing until further notice in the Diocese of Madison (and in most dioceses across the USA).

I have to say, that’s a sentence I never thought I’d write! I have been a singer, choir director, and church musician for my entire adult life. I’ve given many workshops and written numerous articles on the importance of music in the Mass.

Risk of passing on the virus

Even so, research is showing that singing raises the risk of passing on the coronavirus and for that reason, it’s the proper response of the Church at this time.

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Kevin Wondrash

Resurrection Cemetery will get Memorial Statue

MADISON — Madison Diocese Director of Cemeteries Damian Lenshek announced that, through the generosity of anonymous donors, Resurrection Cemetery will receive a remarkable sculpture in the fall of this year.

The sculpture, Memorial to the Unborn Child II by Slovakian sculptor Martin Hudácek, portrays a grieving mother and father in the presence of a four-year-old child, on a cruciform base.

The mother and father are in stone, while the child is made of a translucent material. Hudácek’s sculptures have been installed in Slovakia, Poland, Chile, and California. In 2015, Hudácek presented a copy of one of his sculptures to Pope Francis.

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Kevin Wondrash

UPDATE: Officials modify public health orders allowing more people to attend Masses

Madison Coat of Arms

The following is a statement from Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison regarding today’s (June 5) decision by officials to modify public health orders.

“We are pleased that the County and the City have ended the unequal 50-person cap on religious gatherings. As bishop, it is my duty to ensure that Sunday Mass be available as widely as possible to the Catholic faithful, while following best practices when it comes to public health. Indeed, in a time of deep division, it is more important than ever for the Church to provide solace and comfort to all, in the great tradition of American religious freedom. We look forward to working together with the County and City to continue the reopening process in a safe, cooperative, and responsible manner.”

Click HERE to read the joint release from Public Health Madison & Dane County, City of Madison, and Dane County.

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Kevin Wondrash

Catholic Bishops of Wisconsin issue statement on unjust killings and recent protests

The following statement has been issued by the Roman Catholic bishops of Wisconsin:

Dearly Beloved,

In this traumatic time, we join with our brother bishops and committee chairmen of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in expressing our anger and tremendous sorrow over the recent brutal death of George Floyd and the violence that people of color have suffered at the hands of vigilantes and unprincipled public authorities across our nation. These unjust acts have unfortunately plagued our state and nation for centuries. All of us must respond with prayer, solidarity, and solace for the victims and their families, but this continuing brutality calls for even greater effort and action.

We encourage everyone to examine any attitudes of racism within themselves or others that contribute to a culture of disrespect of the dignity and rights of every human person. As noted in the USCCB statement “People of good conscience must never turn a blind eye when citizens are being deprived of their human dignity and even their lives. Indifference is not an option. ‘As bishops, we unequivocally state that racism is a life issue.'”

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John Joy, For the Catholic Herald

Diocese launches ‘Go Make Disciples’

MADISON — The Diocese of Madison, under the leadership of Bishop Donald J. Hying, is launching a bold new initiative called “Go Make Disciples” in order to renew our commitment to the mission of evangelization.

One part of this initiative includes the addition of two new regular pages in the Catholic Herald, one dedicated to evangelization and another to catechesis (see Pages 10 and 11).

Go make disciples

The last words Jesus spoke to his apostles before leaving this earth to ascend into heaven were to go out into the whole world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20).

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