Tag: parish

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St. John Vianney Parish, Janesville

Advent event transformed online

SJV Online Advent
In a video created for the online Lighting the Way event, St. John Vianney in Janesville parishioner Brenda Riley provides tips on how to make Advent wreaths using items from around the house.(Contibuted photo)

JANESVILLE — At the start of each Advent, St. John Vianney Parish in Janesville hosts an Advent-by-candlelight event called Lighting the Way for Women.

The event is designed to help women, who are typically very busy during the holidays, start their Advent off right by enjoying a peaceful evening of prayer, reflection, and fellowship.

Growing event

Each year, attendance for Lighting the Way has grown.

In 2019, more than 220 women gathered at St. John Vianney for the event.

As fall 2020 progressed, it became clear that increasing COVID concerns and limitations on gatherings would make it impossible to hold the popular event in person.

Kris Kranenburg, coordinator of adult faith formation at St. John Vianney and one of the event organizers, started to hear from women who were saddened that the gathering couldn’t take place.

“Women were sharing beautiful stories of how Lighting the Way helped them to regroup spiritually and keep their focus on the season of Advent,” said Kranenburg.

“We didn’t want to lose that, especially in 2020 when it felt like so many other things had been taken away.”

Recognizing that people were tired of tuning in for virtual events on platforms like Zoom, the decision was made to create a website that would offer a variety of content.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

Two parishes host Drive-Thru Taprooms to provide food and support local businesses

MADISON/WAUNAKEE — Two parishes — St. Maria Goretti in Madison and St. John the Baptist in Waunakee — supported local businesses by hosting Drive-Thru Taprooms providing food and beverages.

Those attending the event also had the option of offering a free will donation to the parish with their order.

Promoting businesses, helping parishioners

“This all came together quickly, and we didn’t have much of a playbook to follow,” said Mark Shapleigh, business manager at St. Maria Goretti parish. “The central event coordinator was Karben4 Brewing company.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

Overflowing generosity at drive-thru food drive

QOP Food Drive
Volunteers at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison take donations for the Catholic Multicultural Center in Madison out of the back of a vehicle. (Contributed photo)

MADISON — Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish (QP) saw an overflow of generosity at its first Drive-Thru Food Drive to benefit the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) on the morning of Sunday, April 19.

“Many of you are asking for ways to help as COVID-19 continues to affect our community on a daily basis, so QP’s Social Action and Community Enrichment Board teamed up with the St. Vincent de Paul conference to find a creative way to help our neighbors in need!” read the Facebook event page that was posted just six days before the event.

“We need your help to feed the hundreds of families that are continuing to suffer by filling the Catholic Multicultural Center’s food pantry!”

High turnout

Thirty-eight individuals expressed interest on Facebook before the event, but the turnout was “more than we were anticipating,” said Annette Fox, director of the parish’s Social Action and Community Enrichment board. “It was awesome. Filled the van plus some!”

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Catholic Herald Staff

Parishes offer livestream Masses and other services

Following is information on some of the livestreaming Masses and Rosaries offered by parishes in the Diocese of Madison.

Cathedral Parish, Madison: The Cathedral Parish invites people to join them in prayer online. Each weekday, Monday through Friday, Msgr. Kevin Holmes, rector, leads the Rosary in a livestream from the rectory at 12:15 p.m. Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. is also livestreamed from the Cathedral Parish at St. Raphael Church. Visit the cathedral Facebook page to join in these moments of prayer (@CathedralParishMadison). Note people can view the public posts on the page even if they don’t have a Facebook account.

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Julie Allington, For the Catholic Herald

Tanzanian Night at McFarland parish to support St. Benedict Parish in Illungu, Tanzania

Tanzanian Chicken
Christ the King Parish in McFarland has a sister parish relationship with St. Benedict Parish in Tanzania in East Africa. Pictured above, a St. Benedict parishioner gives Julie Allington of Christ the King a live chicken on a 2019 trip to Tanzania. (Contributed photo)

MCFARLAND — Christ the King (CTK) Parish, McFarland is planning a fun and lively “Tanzanian Night” on Saturday, Jan. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. to support its Sister Parish in Illungu, Tanzania, in East Africa.

All are welcome to come and enjoy authentic Tanzanian foods, a silent auction of Tanzanian items such as baskets and cloths, 50/50 raffles, informational booths, games, videos, songs by CTK children, and much more. Learn about another culture, while you help a mission and truly make a difference in people’s lives.

Helping parishioners in Tanzania

This fundraiser is to help the parishioners of St. Benedict Parish, who live in abject poverty in the remote and mountainous region of Ilungu.

The primary occupation is subsistence farming of maize, beans, and potatoes on small plots of land. Although most of the parishioners are not starving, they are poorly nourished, and there is little or no income for basic necessities.

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