Good Shepherd Parish in Westfield will celebrate its 50th anniversary on Sunday, Aug. 21.
Category: News
Bishop designates local CCHD grants
MADISON — Each year, parishes take up a special collection, in November, for the Catholic Campaign Human Development (CCHD). CCHD is the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Catholic bishops.
Fr. Larry Bakke to take on new challenges
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| Fr. Larry Bakke |
MONROE — Fr. Larry Bakke says he is “always excited about new possibilities.”
He definitely has much to be excited about in taking on his new roles as director of the Apostolate to the Handicapped of the Diocese of Madison along with serving as pastor of the newly named St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Monroe.
“I’ve done many new ministries in my 36 years as a priest,” he said in an interview. “This is what God wants to do now.”
Stepping into big shoes
When Bishop Robert C. Morlino asked him to take on the position held for 44 years by Msgr. Thomas Campion, Father Bakke saw it as a “new adventure” in his life as a priest.
He will be stepping into big shoes as director of the apostolate, founded by the late Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell in 1967.
At that time, Bishop O’Donnell asked then Father Campion to direct the new diocesan outreach program for the disabled and elderly. He held the position until his death in 2010.
Shrine linked with Rome; gain plenary indulgences
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, founder of the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, announced on July 31 that Pope Benedict XVI has affiliated the shrine in La Crosse to his Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Speaker calls Catholics to be witnesses of God’s love
MADISON — John Rick Miller will be bringing his worldwide mission to the Madison area, calling upon Catholics to become examples and witnesses of God and His love through their daily lives. He has devoted himself to working for the spread and renewal of the Catholic faith throughout the world.
Potosi parish marks 175 years
Parishioners and visitors packed the tiny rural church of St. Thomas in Potosi July 17 to celebrate 175 years of worship in this place.
WYD pilgrims prepare for Spain
MADISON — In 1987, for the first international World Youth Day held in Argentina, an estimated 900,000 youth came from around the world to come together as Catholics and celebrate their faith.
Catholic women focus on making a difference
GREEN LAKE— Approximately 150 people attended the 57th annual Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) convention held at the Green lake Conference Center, June 28 and 29.
Bishop Donald J. Hying pledges service, leadership
MILWAUKEE — Bishop Donald J. Hying couldn’t help but compare the 100-degree temperatures on the day of his ordination as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Wednesday, July 20, to the “40 below 0” (more accurately single digit) temperatures in Milwaukee on the day of Archbishop Jerome E. Listecki’s installation as archbishop of Milwaukee.
Perhaps, he reasoned in remarks after he was presented as the newly ordained bishop, “Archbishop Listecki is really cool” or maybe, “God wants me to sweat from the very beginning.”
The day was warm, acknowledged Archbishop Listecki in closing remarks at the nearly two hour and 15 minute afternoon Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, but it was “wonderfully warm, both in terms of temperatures, but also warm in terms of the heart.”
Archbishop Listecki, principal ordaining bishop, was joined by assisting ordaining bishops, Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York, and Milwaukee auxiliary Bishop Richard J. Sklba in ordaining Bishop Hying, 47, the seventh auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.
Bishop Donald Hying called a special priest
MILWAUKEE — She made regular visits home to Menomonee Falls from her convent once every six months, but there’s one visit that Sister of St. Benedict Center Margaret Mary Baravella will never forget.
“This young priest hustled down the aisle one day . . . and said, ‘Hi, I’m Fr. Don. Who are you and where are you from?’” said Sr. Margaret Mary, who attended the Wednesday afternoon ordination Mass with Sister of St. Benedict Center Cecilia Cannon and their mutual friend Hester Lewis. “We became fast friends at that moment.”
After that encounter at St. Anthony Parish, Sr. Margaret Mary said she continued to pray for him.
“I prayed for him for all the time that he was away at the missions and really kept my ear to the ground to when he would return,” Sr. Margaret Mary said. “He was surprised. I said to him, ‘I prayed for you always,’ and he said, ‘I can’t believe you remembered me.’ I said, ‘I would not forget you, Father. You are special.’”

