MONTELLO — St. John the Baptist Parish in Montello and Good Shepherd Parish in Westfield will present an evening of “Lessons and Carols” on Wednesday, Dec. 7, at 6:30 p.m. in St. John the Baptist Church in Montello.
The St. John the Baptist and Good Shepherd Choirs will unite to provide musical presentations. Students from the religious education program at both parishes will also participate.
BARABOO — St. Joseph Parish will present an Advent Festival of Lessons and Carols, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 304 East St. All are invited to take one hour to spend with the Lord.
Participants will pray the ancient O Antiphons, prophetic promises of salvation. These have been sung with the Canticle of Mary since the sixth century. Each antiphon highlights a title for the Messiah taken from the Hebrew Scriptures.
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| Msgr. Larry Bakke, right, continues as director of the newly named Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities. The Apostolate’s new associate director is Deacon Jim Hoegemeier, left, and the new administrative assistant is Kellie Raddell. (Catholic Herald photo/Pam Payne) |
MADISON — The newly named Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities in the Diocese of Madison builds on the vision of its first director while expanding its outreach to include more fully persons with disabilities in the life of the Church in the diocese.
Msgr. Larry Bakke, the current director, announced the new name and two new staff members on the weekly television Mass broadcast on Sunday, Nov. 12, on WISC-TV.
He noted that the former Apostolate to the Handicapped and the TV Mass began in 1967 under the direction of the late Msgr. Thomas Campion, who died six years ago in November of 2010.
“We remember him with great love,” said Monsignor Bakke, saying Monsignor Campion emphasized that “all of you matter; we are all God’s children.”
Monsignor Bakke was appointed director of the Apostolate in 2011, while also serving as pastor of St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Monroe and Brodhead, a parish with a school and large staff.
While Monsignor Bakke will remain in Monroe, the office of the Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities has been moved to the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center at Holy Name Heights in Madison. A full-time associate director and administrative assistant have been hired to work in the Madison office.
MIDDLETON — For the past 70 years, Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Madison has put faith in action through its many programs.
At the annual Catholic Charities Faith in Action Celebration held on November 9, President/CEO Jackson Fonder emphasized that it is people who make those programs possible, including staff, clients, and volunteers.
MADISON — Sunday, Nov. 13, dawned warm and clear — a perfect day to welcome over 130 pilgrims who came to celebrate the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy at the Schoenstatt Heights Retreat Center.
The retreat center is located on Madison’s east side overlooking the State Capitol. As the time approached for Mass in the Family Room, pilgrims were streaming in to take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
MADISON — Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC) Executive Director Kim Wadas has announced the appointment of Larry Haas of Waunakee as associate director for education and health care policy. He began his duties October 1.
Haas earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from St. Norbert College in De Pere and his Master’s Degree in Business Management from Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee.MADISON — On an August afternoon this past summer, I had the opportunity to talk with “Jack,” a military veteran who had once been homeless but has been off the streets for a number of years.
Jack had been raised on a Wisconsin dairy farm with 11 siblings and served in the Korean War. As we talked, I learned how the Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital program for helping homeless vets recover helped Jack take charge of his life.
We met at Jack’s apartment with Matt Heldman, VA peer specialist at the William S. Middleton VA Memorial Hospital in Madison, himself a homeless vet who experienced a successful recovery.
BELOIT — In honor of Thanksgiving Day, to share blessings, and to show gratitude, Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) parishioners are serving a traditional Thanksgiving feast to the public.
Parishioners extend an invitation to anyone alone on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 24, to come and enjoy dinner at no cost, along with caring fellowship, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in Assumption Hall, 2222 Shopiere Rd.
There is an elevator to the lower level hall that guests can use. Reservations for the dinner are appreciated. Rides are offered to anyone needing transportation. For a reservation or a ride, call either DeeDee Spahos, 608-365-7900, or Rita Bonds, 608-362-6011.
Seizing the opportunity to express their thanks and gratitude on this day, a core group has planned the event down to every last detail. Turkey and the traditional accompaniments will be served, along with dessert.
At Assumption Hall, greeters will welcome people and assist with seating. Tables will be decorated with pumpkins made by first and fourth graders from OLA Grade School.
DeeDee Spahos said, “It’s the mission of our church to help others; we want to make a difference by offering dinner and fellowship to anyone in our area. We not only invite those who have no place to go for Thanksgiving dinner, and those who are alone, but also a couple or group of people who would like to share the meal with us.”
Rita Bonds said the idea for the event came from the Parish Social Justice committee. “We then discussed it in our Small Christian Community group, then it quickly took on a life of its own,” she explained. “Support from our Pastor Fr. Mike Resop and the parish was overwhelming.”
MADISON — It started with Chef Bishop Robert C. Morlino at the grill.
On the feast of St. Ambrose in December of 2007, Madison’s startup Catholic classical school, St. Ambrose Academy, welcomed 200 guests to the cozy social hall of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish for its first benefit dinner.
The red-aproned bishop led the student kitchen crew in cooking his very own recipes for roasted asparagus, garlic-and-rosemary potatoes, and chicken saltimbocca over a snowy grill in honor of the Italian bishop, St. Ambrose of Milan.
MIDDLETON — St. Bernard Parish in Middleton will hold its “Surge of the Heart” parish mission Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, Nov. 27, 28, and 29, from 7 to 8:15 p.m.
Jon Leonetti, international Catholic speaker, radio host, and best-selling author of two books, will lead the mission in the church located at 2015 Parmenter St.
