Category: News

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Julie Zenz, Principal, St. Mary School, Bloomington

Bloomington school exchanges teachers with Chinese school

Bloomington Teacher with Chinese Students
Miss Margie Duwe, a teacher at St. Mary School in Bloomington, is pictured with some of the students she taught at Shijiazhuang No. 40 Middle School in China as part of an exchange program. (Contributed photo)

BLOOMINGTON — People might forget many things about you, but they rarely forget how you make them feel.

St. Mary School in Bloomington — located in Grant County in the Diocese of Madison — has completed our first teaching exchange with Shijiazhuang No. 40 Middle School in China.

Exchange program

St. Mary’s teacher Miss Margie Duwe spent four weeks in China teaching science to almost 1,000 students a week, and Mr. Mark Ma, Mr. Peter Cao, and Miss Susan Wang taught science and reading at St. Mary’s.

The experience has had a profound effect on both teachers and students, who embraced culture beyond the classrooms.

Since 2012, St. Mary’s and Shijiazhuang No. 40 Middle School have been strengthened by an exchange program in which students and teachers live with host families.

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Laura Green, For the Catholic Herald

Culinary Creations Catering expands

MADISON — “Used to be I couldn’t boil water, but now I’m a lot better at cooking. Plus I’m the best dishwasher in the United States,” said Larry with a laugh, explaining what he likes about his job.

Larry is a member of the Culinary Creations Catering crew, a social enterprise of the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC).

From homeless to working

Before becoming involved with Culinary Creations Catering, Larry was homeless and struggling to find a job where he could make a living.

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Kevin Wondrash

Students help a friend through Works of Mercy

JEFFERSON — Inspired by the Year of Mercy declared by Pope Francis, Margarete Schels’ eighth grade class at St. John the Baptist (SJB) Catholic School organized a “Basketball FUNday” in honor of Kena Eighmy, a fifth grade student battling leukemia.

Extended care teacher Katie Warpinski, whose own husband, Josh, is fighting cancer, suggested that the students do something for Kena.

With the guidance of their teacher and school principal, Susan Loof, they planned the all-morning event that offered a variety of activities.

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Kevin Wondrash

Come out and help, get to know Camp Gray

REEDSBURG — Camp Gray, the Diocese of Madison’s summer camp and year-round retreat center, is nestled into 225 acres of land between Reedsburg, Baraboo, and Wisconsin Dells.

It’s located at E10213 Shady Lane Rd., Reedsburg.

Camp Gray invites people of all ages to encounter Jesus Christ in all creation, experience a fun and vibrant Catholic community, and be challenged to ever more deeply know, love, and serve God and neighbor.

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Kevin Wondrash

St. John Catholic School holds 16th annual Golf Benefit

MONTELLO — St. John Catholic School in Princeton will host hits 16th annual Golf Benefit on Sunday, May 15, at White Lake Country Club, Montello. The price is $75 per person, which includes 18 holes of golf, cart, and dinner.

The first place team will receive $300, second place $200, and third place $100. In addition, hole prizes, raffles, ball toss, betting holes, mulligans, and a skins game will be available. Shotgun start is at 12:30 p.m.

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Cathy Lins, Catholic Herald Correspondent

Pentecost Vigil to be held at Boscobel church

BOSCOBEL — A Pentecost Candlelight Vigil will be held on Saturday, May 14, at 7 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Church in Boscobel.

This local vigil is being held in conjunction with the worldwide Pentecost Vigil, titled the Wild Goose Project, established by Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR, in collaboration with Dumb Ox Ministries and The Vigil Project.

Wild Goose Project

The Wild Goose Project is an attempt to invite Catholic Christians into a more profound life-giving relationship with the Holy Spirit. This is a relationship marked by the love of God which breathes life into our daily existence.

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Cathy Lins, Catholic Herald Correspondent

A Gathering on Mental Health: Calling the community together

Durward’s Glen Retreat & Educational Center in Baraboo will host “A Gathering on Mental Health” for the Sauk and Columbia County communities on Friday, May 13, and Saturday, May 14.

This weekend conference is bringing in Deacon Tom Lambert, a national advocate on mental health from the Archdiocese of Chicago, and other local speakers and resources on mental health for panel discussions and breakout sessions.

Conference program

The program will help participants better understand the mental health continuum, work to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems, and share pertinent information on getting help in time of crisis.

Topics that will be covered include understanding therapy, suicide prevention, navigating the health care and social service system, understanding trauma, creating a supportive church community, information on community services, and taking care of yourself.

Participants will come away with new ideas for services and encouragement. There will also be time to reflect on the beautiful grounds of Durward’s Glen.

The event is open to all community members — including people living with mental health challenges, their families and friends, church or agency leaders, and the general public.

Cost is $50 for registration. Limited scholarships are available. Continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday are included in the registration fee.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Christian culture is collapsing, warns Dr. Ralph Martin

ralph martin
Dr. Ralph Martin gives a talk on “Mercy and Mission: Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times” on April 20 at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center in Madison — part of the semi-annual St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

MADISON — “Seventeen hundred years of Christian culture is collapsing before our eyes,” Dr. Ralph Martin warned in his talk, “Mercy and Mission: Living as a Catholic in Challenging Times.”

Dr. Martin was the guest speaker for the semi-annual St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture at the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center in Madison on April 20.

He is president of Renewal Ministries and an associate professor of theology and director of Graduate Programs in the New Evangelization at Sacred Heart Seminary in Detroit.

He is the author of a number of books, the most recent of which are The Urgency of the New Evangelization: Answering the Call; The Fulfillment of All Desire: A Guidebook for the Journey to God Based on the Wisdom of the Saints; and ed? What Vatican II Actually Teaches Will Many Be Saved? What Vatican II Actually Teaches and Its Implications for the New Evangelization.

Living with challenges

“We’re living in something like a big apostasy, whether it’s the [Great] apostasy or not, I don’t know,” he added. He cited the decreasing numbers in Mass attendance, vocations to the priesthood and Religious Life, and Baptisms and other sacramental practices.

The “Great Apostasy” Dr. Martin referenced is one of the events St. Paul said has to happen before Christ comes again — a “a turning away of the faith on the part of those who once had faith.”

Another event is a time of unrestrained evil and lawlessness.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Madison Diocesan Choir presents Spring Concert

MADISON — “Built on a Rock” is the theme of the Madison Diocesan Choir’s Spring Concert to be presented on Friday, May 6, at 7 p.m. in the chapel of the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Center, 702 S. High Point Rd.

Choir Director Dr. Patrick Gorman said the theme points to Christ as our rock and the cornerstone of our faith as we look forward to our heavenly home. “We’ve taken the theme, ‘Built on a Rock,’ and selected Scripture readings and songs based on the theme,” he said.

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