Pope Benedict XVI, in his graciousness and upon the request of Bishop Robert C. Morlino, recently bestowed awards upon a number of the faithful in the Diocese of Madison for their meritorious service to the Church.
The honors listed below were the maximum honors allowed for a diocese in one year and thus honor more broadly the entire diocesan Church and implicitly recognize, in this Year of Faith, the ongoing service of so many local people in parishes and Catholic institutions. Besides the members of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem who are nominated annually, this is the first request by Bishop Morlino for the bestowal of such awards in the Diocese of Madison, and he hopes to petition for others in the future.
The bishop plans to bestow most of these awards during a brief ceremony in the course of the annual Lessons and Carols Concert, Sunday, Dec. 16, 3:30 p.m., at the Bishop O’Connor Pastoral Center in Madison.
Benemerenti Medal
- Maureen Arcand: St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
- Pat Born: chancery staff; St. Bernard Parish, Middleton
- Grant Emmel: chancery staff; St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison
- Lorraine Kerndt: St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish, Portage
- Brent King: chancery staff; St. Maria Goretti Parish, Madison
- Thomas Kenney: St. Mary Parish, Fennimore
- Michael Lancaster: chancery staff; St. Bernadette Parish, Barneveld
- Daun Maier: chancery staff; St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee
- Cheryl Splinter: chancery staff; St. Maria Goretti Parish, Madison
- Susan Stack: chancery staff, Holy Mother of Consolation Parish, Oregon
Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice
- Todd Argall: Blessed Sacrament Parish, Madison
- Thomas Delaney: St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
- Nan Delaney: St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
- Ronald Faust: St. Francis Xavier Parish, Cross Plains
- Dcn. Jack Fernan: St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
- Mark Landgraf: Blessed Sacrament Parish, Madison
- John Philipp: chancery staff; St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
- Mother Marie Julie Saegaert, SCMC: former local superior, Sisters of Charity of Our Lady Mother of the Church, Janesville
- Sr. Jacqueline Tierney, OBT: St. Maria Goretti Parish, Madison
- Joseph Tisserand: St. Bernard Parish, Middleton
Knight of the Order of Pope St. Sylvester
- Brian Cain: retiring president of Catholic Charities, St. Albert the Great Parish, Sun Prairie
- Cpt. Kevin Kelly, USNR: Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish, Sun Prairie
Knight of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
- Eric Schiedermayer: vice chancellor; St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, Madison
Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great
- Kevin Phelan: chancellor; St. Bernard Parish, Middleton