MADISON — On a recent visit to the Catholic Charities Adults Day Center in Madison, I noticed that plenty of windows let in lots of light. People were busy doing art projects, working at the computer, talking together, or listening to a speaker.
The Adult Day Center, located at 2917 International Lane near the Dane County Airport in Madison, offers purpose and meaning to the many lives it touches, observed Cricket Hesselberg, the center’s program director. She has worked there for 14 years.
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| Coordinators discuss the “rules of the road” for the Madison 40 Days for Life vigil at the kick-off celebration in Pine Bluff on September 26. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) |
PINE BLUFF — On September 26 in cities across the globe, people began to pray earnestly for an end to abortion. This prayer, along with fasting and community outreach, will be constant for the next 40 days.
At 316 locations in 49 states and the District of Columbia, in seven Canadian provinces, and in four countries including Uganda, people will hold vigil for the 40 Days for Life through November 4. Forty-six of these campaigns are being held for the first time.
Here in the Diocese of Madison, a kickoff celebration was held at St. Mary Church in Pine Bluff, nine hours after the campaign officially began at the Planned Parenthood location on Madison’s east side.
The local campaign, organized by Madison Vigil for Life, has been ongoing since 2005. This year is the first in the leadership role for volunteer president Bette Weisshaar, but she said that though there have been worries and concerns, volunteers are coming forward, more parishes are getting involved, and hours are getting filled, even if they are filled sometimes last-minute.
This year’s Rural Life Day on September 18 was, unlike much of the harvest season that has preceded it, a day of perfect weather: pleasant temperatures, just a touch of rain that passed over the area, and otherwise blue skies.
As the 2012 school year begins anew, the Diocese of Madison recognizes its seminarians and transitional deacons in preparation for ordination to the priesthood.
People in the Diocese of Madison have a reason to rejoice: our diocese is now blessed with 32 seminarians — men who will, God willing, become future priests to serve the Church in our diocese.
Just nine years ago, only six men were studying in seminaries for our diocese. Bishop Robert C. Morlino set a personal goal for the diocese to reach 30 seminarians by his 10th year as Bishop of Madison in 2013. That goal has been met a year earlier — and has been surpassed by two.
The bishop himself has made promoting vocations a top priority. He speaks about the need for priests as he travels throughout the diocese, especially when he addresses young people at Confirmations and other events.
He also appointed a full-time diocesan vocation director, the position currently filled by Fr. Paul Ugo Arinze. Father Arinze’s enthusiasm and rapport with young people have been assets to our diocesan vocation program.
The Office of Vocations and the Serra Clubs of the diocese have also encouraged prayer for vocations in our parishes through the Traveling Chalice Program and through Adoration for vocations at the Bishop O’Connor Center and other locations.
In May 2012, the St. Paul University Catholic Center at the University of Wisconsin–Madison was granted approval by the City of Madison to build a new chapel and student center at 723 State St.
The Office of Evangelization and Catechesis has welcomed Jeffrey Karls to the staff as coordinator of Marriage Preparation for the Diocese of Madison.
When you’re a kid, summer means camp — and camp means being outdoors, swimming, playing games, making new friends and seeing old ones, eating new foods, and just plain having fun.
Rev. Msgr. James Bartylla, Vicar General, announces the following appointments made by Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, effective Saturday-Sunday, July 28-29, 2012, and announced at weekend Masses of Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10, 2012:
MADISON — As promised in last week’s Catholic Herald, here is a more complete timeline for the upcoming “Fortnight for Freedom” being observed throughout our nation from June 21 to July 4. This will serve as a time of prayer, education, and action in support of, and witness to, religious freedom.
