WATERTOWN — Watertown Catholics celebrated the grand reopening of St. Bernard Church on September 17.
Boasting an iconic 193-foot steeple since 1873, and celebrated as the tallest structure in Watertown, St. Bernard has been one of the city’s most identifiable treasures.
PALMYRA — Sr. Carol Haanen, a member of A New Genesis Community, will speak on “Trafficking, It Is Real” at the fall Jefferson Vicariate meeting at St. Mary Church here Thursday, Oct. 19.
The meeting starts at 11 a.m. with registration, followed by recitation of the Rosary at 11:45, the celebration of Mass at 12 noon, lunch at 1 p.m., and the program at 2 p.m.
 |
|
| A resident from St. Coletta of Wisconsin in Jefferson is helped into St. John the Baptist Church in Jefferson before a recent Mass. People in wheelchairs and with other disabilities can now enter the church and school building on the new ramp pictured above. (Contributed photo) |
JEFFERSON — “It’s like heaven now taking my mother to church.”
A bold statement, but fully expressive of the joy some parishioners are feeling in Jefferson.
The above quote was feedback heard at St. John the Baptist Church, part of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.
It came near the close of a yearlong project to make the church more accessible to people with disabilities or other physical challenges to walk or enter buildings.
Now, there is added accessibility to the church and school.
Steve Donley, member of the parish Building and Grounds Committee, said there had been growing instances of “people having trouble getting into church.”
These included people tripping on concrete walkways and wheelchairs not getting in easily.
More than a year ago, the committee began to look into the costs and practicalities of a project to increase accessibility.
The attitude was, “We have to get this fixed, and we have to make this better for people to get in,” said Harold Dehnert, also from the committee whose members put in many hours, sometimes 10 to 12 a day, to make the project happen, and keeping the project costs low.
Another concern was increasing the accessibility to the school bathrooms, the only ones on the grounds, and only accessible via a small staircase between the church and school.
 |
|
First in a series.
It’s that time of year again when the air starts to cool, leaves reveal their true colors, and children board buses back to school. All of us have experienced the end of summer vacation and the start of school.
Generation after generation, the cycle repeats. It is a rite of passage, part of the fabric of our modern society. It is so common that most of us take it for granted, rarely pausing to reflect on the purpose of school, or an education.
The purpose of education and the means by which to achieve it have been the discussion of much national debate over the last decade.
WATERLOO — The Island Church Foundation invites the public to visit the historic St. Wenceslaus Church, commonly known as the Island Church, for the annual St. Wenceslaus Day celebration on Sunday, Sept. 24.
The celebration will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will include a Mass in the church at 2:30 p.m.
Featured events include a historic tractor display presented by neighbors, and local historian Edward Langer will be on hand to share ancestral history from his recent trip to Lanskroun.LA VALLE — Holy Family Parish in La Valle will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the erection of its church with a special Mass on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 12 noon, with Bishop Robert C. Morlino presiding.
The church is located at 310 Bluff St. in La Valle. Fr. Sanctus K. Ibe is the pastor.
Holy Family Catholic Parish of La Valle originated in 1915 under the leadership of Father Kriel. The first services were held in a vacant shoe store.
MADISON — The Madison Catholic Woman’s Club will host its annual Benefit Dessert Party and Fashion Show by Talbot’s with the theme, “Autumn’s Palette,” on Monday, Sept. 11. This is the club’s major fundraiser with proceeds going to charitable projects.
All women of the diocese and their guests are invited to join the club for dessert, fashions, raffle, and prizes at St. Peter Catholic Church Social Center, 5001 Sherman Ave., Madison. Doors open at 11 a.m. for raffle and seating; dessert will be served at 11:30.
MONONA — On Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 6 p.m., at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Monona, His Excellency Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at the Throne for the traditional Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
The Mass will be in the Roman Rite’s older, traditional form, sometimes called the “Extraordinary Form.” The music will be in Gregorian chant and Renaissance polyphony, with motets and hymns, including:
WATERLOO — The Island Church Foundation invites the public to visit the historic St. Wenceslaus (Island) Church on Sunday, July 16, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Featured events include a historic tractor display presented by neighbors and local historian Edward Langer presenting his research on the emigration from Landskron to Waterloo and other places in Wisconsin at 12:30 p.m. in the multi-purpose building next to the church.
ROXBURY — St. Norbert Parish in Roxbury will honor Mary, the Mother of all children, under her title of Our Lady of Fatima, on Sunday, May 14.
At 11 a.m., there will be an outdoor procession (weather-permitting) with a statue of Our Lady of Fatima to a recently restored Fatima grotto on the church grounds.
