News Briefs: Catholic Daughters' centennial MADISON -- Catholic Daughters of the Americas (CDA), Court Madison 1164, will be having a double celebration on Sunday, Oct. 19, when members attend the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Raphael Cathedral. Court Madison will be celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CDA on the same day as the annual National CDA Sunday, formerly CDA Appreciation Day. The celebration will also include a dinner in the undercroft of the building and will include a talk on the CDA history by long-time member and former regent, Ruth Tormey. The Catholic Daughters of the Americas is the oldest and largest Catholic women's organization in the U.S.A. and the world. It has 1,384 courts with a membership of 103,137 in 45 states, Puerto Rico, Panama Canal Zone, Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. The CDA, Court Madison, holds its meetings on the third Thursday of the month at various Madison churches beginning at 11:15 a.m. It includes the rosary, Mass, catered luncheon, program, and business meeting. The court is an affiliate of the Wisconsin Council of Catholic Women. For additional information call Court Madison regent, Charlotte Carey, at 608-257-2795. Morning of reflection Nov. 8 MADISON -- The Diocese of Madison's Office of Worship is hosting a morning of reflection for all extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon. A gathering and continental breakfast will be held at 9 a.m. with morning prayer at 9:30. Sr. Denise Herrmann will give a presentation at 10 a.m., followed by reflection until 12 noon. Participants will receive a copy of Victoria Tufano's guide for ministers of Holy Communion. Registration is $9 per person ($7 for four or more from same parish.) There is an early bird discount by registering before Oct. 24. All registrations must be received by Nov. 3. To register, call 608-821-3080 or e-mail kendres@straphael.org Jefferson Deanery fall meeting JEFFERSON -- St. Lawrence Parish here will host the fall meeting of the Jefferson Deanery Council of Catholic Women Tuesday, Oct. 21. Theme is "A Place at the Table for All." Registration is at 4:45 p.m. followed by recitation of the rosary at 5:10. A concelebrated Mass will be offered at 5:30 with Msgr. Duane Moellenberndt, Sun Prairie, diocesan moderator, as homilist. Dinner will be served in St. Coletta's Cabin. Speaker at 7 p.m. will be Steve Loudon, a registered nurse who volunteers at a Haiti medical mission. A special collection will be taken for the mission. Reservations are due Oct. 16, to Karen Villwock, 148A Pheasant Run, Johnson Creek, WI 53038. The cost is $8. Peer support groups meet MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship meet at two Madison parishes. Friends on a Journey will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call 608-821-3170. New Directions will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For information, call 608-821-3170. Ambassador to speak at college MADISON -- As part of Edgewood College's Visiting Ambassador program, the Bangladesh ambassador to the U.S., Syed Hasan Ahmad, will meet with Edgewood students on Friday, Oct. 17, and give a public presentation on "Democracy, Development, and Bangladesh" at 2 p.m. in Edgewood's Anderson Auditorium. "Through the Visiting Ambassador program, these special guests break away from their busy schedules in Washington to share their insights with Edgewood students and the Madison public," said Larry Laffrey, director of the International Student Office and interim director of the Office of Study Abroad.

Protecting children: Diocese of Madison implements sex abuse prevention

MADISON -- The Diocese of Madison is responding to the child sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church and is implementing the Protecting God's Children™ program and other elements of the VIRTUS^® programs.

According to Msgr. Paul J. Swain, vicar general of the diocese, "In the last year and a half, the Church has been dealing with the terrible revelation of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. As a result, the Bishops of the United States have adopted the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, which has been approved by the Holy See.

"Integral to the Charter is an education program for all diocesan and parish employees, as well as volunteers dealing directly with children," explained Monsignor Swain. "For this education component, the Diocese of Madison has contracted for Protecting God's Children™ Program. Bishop Morlino has strongly endorsed this commitment."

These programs were developed over the last five years by The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. (National Catholic), a not-for-profit organization that provides risk control services to approximately one-third of the Catholic dioceses across the country. In 1998, the National Catholic board appointed an ad hoc committee to work with child sexual abuse experts to develop prevention and response programs.

Appropriate training

The Diocese of Madison will train local program facilitators, clergy, and staff, and then will broaden the program to include others throughout the faith community. The diocese expects to provide appropriate training to everyone who has access to children in the local, Catholic faith community.

The Protecting God's Children™ Program teaches diocesan and parish staff, volunteers, and parents to better understand and to recognize the warning signs of child sexual abuse and how to respond appropriately.

Michael Bemi, president and CEO of National Catholic, said the company is working with many dioceses and religious communities across the country to help resolve the child sexual abuse crisis - beginning at the grassroots level. "Our awareness and training programs are based on an approach that calls on every adult in our communities to become a protector of children," Bemi said. "Our goal is to help every parish, school, and community fulfill its potential as a safe haven for children."

Continuous improvement

The programs utilize a "continuous improvement" model. The Diocese of Madison will monitor the progress and track the ongoing training of its clergy, staff, and volunteers. The purpose of the continuous improvement model is to ensure that dioceses and other organizations track their progress as they implement the programs; then information from the implementation is used as guidance to identify and further address areas that are less than satisfactory.

Continuous improvement is combined with the "best practice" standard as the foundation of all the VIRTUS and Protecting God's Children programs.

Upcoming session

Facilitator candidates in the Diocese of Madison will be attending a special one-day training session on Thursday, Oct. 16, in Milwaukee. It is being held in conjunction with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and Diocese of Green Bay.

For more information about the program in the Diocese of Madison, contact Kate Wiskus, VIRTUS coordinator, at 608-821-3083.

Lecture: Bishop to address 'Theology of the Body'

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino, fourth bishop of the Diocese of Madison, will deliver the next address in the St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series on Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison.

Bishop Morlino was installed as the fourth bishop of Madison on Aug. 1, 2003 at St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison. His education includes a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Fordham University, a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Divinity degree from Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Mass., and a doctorate in moral theology from the Gregorian University in Rome with a specialization in moral theology and bioethics.

His address will focus on "The Theology of the Body" of Pope John Paul II.

The evening will begin at 7 p.m. with Vespers. Following Vespers, Bishop Morlino will deliver his address, with time for questions and answers afterward. A reception will follow.

Admission to the lecture is by ticket only. To request a free ticket, contact: Office of Pastoral Services, phone 608-821-3083; fax 608-821-3090; or e-mail pastoral@straphael.org

Divine Savior Healthcare:
Opens new hospital building

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

PORTAGE -- Divine Savior Healthcare opened a new hospital building here Oct. 11.

Residents, staff members, volunteers, and community leaders gathered Oct. 2 for the dedication of the new hospital, at which Auxiliary Bishop George O. Wirz presided.

New facility's design

The $33 million facility, which is 143,000 square feet, attaches to Divine Savior Healthcare's existing medical center in Portage.

The new facility includes more outpatient services such as specialized care for heart disease, cancer, and digestive illness, and new technologies such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and dialysis.

Design throughout the facility focuses on making the atmosphere comfortable and homelike for the patients. For example, natural light filters through waiting rooms, patients' rooms face the outdoors or an indoor healing garden, and equipment is hidden by headboards or pictures on the walls.

Sisters' mission at core

The mission of the Sisters of the Divine Savior has been at the core of the design of the new building, said Michael Decker, president and CEO of Divine Savior Healthcare, noting that the sisters founded Divine Savior Healthcare in 1917.

"Their ministry has inspired people in Portage, which led to this," he said. During the dedication ceremony, he thanked the predecessors and everyone who contributed in some way to the new building.

"Now we stand at the threshold of a new era of Divine Savior Healthcare," said Sr. Beverly Heitke, sponsorship coordinator, Sisters of the Divine Savior.

Special blessing

"By the grace of your Holy Spirit make this place a house of blessing and a center of love, where physicians practice the art of healing wisely, where nurses and aides serve the sick with care, where the faithful come to visit Christ in the person of their brothers and sisters," Bishop Wirz prayed in his blessing.

In his reflection, Bishop Wirz said that both scientists and church leaders are realizing that we must minister to the whole person: body, soul, mind, and spirit. A physician once told him, "There is only one physician: the divine physician. All that we can do is bring about conditions for God to heal."

For more information on the new hospital, call 608-745-5165 or visit www.dshealthcare.com