The Apostolate for Persons with Disabilities-Diocese of Madison is hosting virtual Advent and Christmas celebrations for persons with disabilities, older adults, and their family/caregivers.
Category: News
CDMF continues to grow
The Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation, Inc. (CDMF) is pleased to announce two new additions to its board of directors: Fr. Tim Renz and Zak Koga.
Celebrating faith in action: an online event
The 2020 Catholic Charities of Madison Faith in Action Celebration will look different than it has for the past 25 years, but the goal of the event remains the same — to celebrate the Corporal Works of Mercy across the Diocese of Madison and raise vital funds for Catholic Charities’ social services programs.
National Vocation Awareness Week, November 1-7
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| Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison speaks to diocesan seminarians during this year’s Seminarian Gathering held at Camp Gray in Reedsburg. (Contributed photo) |
WASHINGTON — The Catholic Church in the United States will celebrate National Vocation Awareness Week on November 1-7.
This annual weeklong celebration is an opportunity for dioceses and parishes in the United States to uphold and promote vocations to the priesthood, diaconate, and Consecrated Life and encourage the faithful to renew their prayerful support for those currently discerning one of these calls.
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unforeseen challenges in the lives of many throughout the country.
Bishop James F. Checchio of Metuchen, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life, and Vocations, offered that these current challenges provide an opportunity for genuine discernment fully rooted and dependent upon Christ.
“These unusual and difficult times have brought much uncertainty and fear into our lives, but we know in faith that Christ’s powerful hand extends over all of us in mercy. I invite those discerning a vocation to use this time to prayerfully renew your love for Christ and recognize your complete dependence upon Him who loves and calls you uniquely,” he said.St. Ambrose Academy to host extraordinary virtual benefit dinner
MADISON — On Saturday, Dec. 12, St. Ambrose Academy (SAA) is bringing the party to you.
We’re taking our annual gala virtual with the See the Joy Benefit Dinner @ Home Edition. And we invite you to host a watch party and join the fun!
Not just a Zoom conference
This is not just some Zoom conference though.
Instead of coming to a downtown Madison venue, you and your guests will gather at your home (or someone else’s!) to enjoy an interactive experience that will bring in a taste of the joyful, social atmosphere that is a hallmark of each SAA Benefit Dinner, which annually welcomes 600 or more friends and supporters.
40 Days for Life closing prayer vigil on November 1
MADISON — “As 40 peaceful days of prayer, fasting, vigil, and outreach draw to a conclusion, we will meet at Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison, on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m. to rejoice in the victories that God has accomplished,” said Gwen Finnegan, who is coordinating the 40 Days for Life campaign in Madison.
Some of the highlights of the current campaign include:
• More than 40 churches working together
• 500-plus volunteers contributing 1,920 hours of service to the communityRural Life Listening Sessions to be held
NOTE: The first Rural Life Listening Session scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 12, in Highland has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No decisions have been made yet on other scheduled sessions in November. A session in Iowa County will be rescheduled sometime after January 1.
The Diocese of Madison Rural Life Ministry is coordinating listening sessions in all 11 counties, so that Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison and diocesan leaders can better understand the blessings and challenges of our rural communities.
We watch with great concern the crises our farmers face, especially the loss of family farms, financial failure, plunging dairy and meat prices, and increasing costs of production, all the while being more productive than ever-before.
Cookie making adapts to current situation
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| Good Shepherd parishioners J.P. Fedele and Eileen Alt, above, work the new machine that is being used this year for producing pfeffernuesse cookies. (Photo by Jane Lepeska Grinde) |
MADISON — Rather than a St. James Church basement full of “holy rollers” this fall, only six people are working each of the three weekly shifts to produce the traditional pfeffernuesse cookies sold at the annual fall festival.
For the first time in the 44 years of producing pfeffernuesse, the cookies are being “spit” out of a machine onto the large cookie sheets.
No hand rolling this year
“No hand rolling this year,” said the bulletin announcement to the disappointment of many of the regulars who enjoyed the time for socializing.
The machine, ordered online and previously used by a bakery, took some getting used to, said Paul Scott who oversees the cooking operation.
The machine temporarily replaces one that is a specially rigged sausage maker that produces ropes of dough that are then pushed through a special wire grating for rolling into nicely shaped balls.State Knights congratulate grant recipients
MADISON — The Wisconsin Knights of Columbus thanks all the Madison area recipients of the grants, distributed on October 7, the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, for applying for the 2020 State Culture of Life Grant Fund.
The Knights consider it an honor to participate in this way in the life-affirming work of the worthy recipients.
Working together, the Wisconsin Knights of Columbus raised more than $105,000 to provide grants to numerous pro-life agencies throughout the state to help fulfill our shared mission — cultivating a culture of life.