News Briefs: Workshop offered for RCIA sponsors MADISON -- The Office of Worship is hosting a workshop for RCIA sponsors at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center on Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. The workshop is designed to assist sponsors in the understanding of their role as spiritual companions of those who will be initiated into the church. The workshop may also be of interest to pastors, RCIA directors, and others who work with the training and formation of sponsors. The evening will be led by Debby Del Ciello, director of the RCIA for the parishes of Janesville and a diocesan consultant on the RCIA. She will lead reflections on the sponsor's role and present practical tips for new and experienced sponsors. Each participant will receive a copy of Guidebook for Sponsors by Fr. Ron Lewinski, former director of the Office for Divine Worship, Archdiocese of Chicago. Registration is $9 per person, $8 per person for three or more from the same parish. Register by Oct. 22. Call the Office of Worship at 608-821-3080 for information or to register. More information is available at www.madisondiocese.org/worship Discussion on conflict MADISON -- Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish will present a discussion on "The Israeli Palestinian Conflict" on Thursday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. in the Parish Center Auditorium. This adult education program is an opportunity to view each side of this complicated issue. Speaker Shirin Ezekiel has degrees in communication, political science, and cultural studies and has held diplomatic positions. Faithful citizenship talk MADISON -- Fr. Pat Norris, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, will lead a discussion about "faithful citizenship" and responsibilities as Catholics in the voting process. The discussion will be held Sunday, Oct. 17, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Friary, 2131 Rowley Ave. The entrance to the church is handicap accessible. Mothers of Preschoolers STOUGHTON -- Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at Night will meet on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. in the gathering area of St. Ann Parish, 323 N. Van Buren St. The group's mentors will participate in a panel discussion on "Gifts From Your Garden: Harvesting Each Moment." Childcare is not provided; however babies birth through three months are welcome. There is a $2 fee per meeting and scholarships are available. For information, call Mona Beckham at 608-877-0017. Peer support MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a relationship are open to all ages/faiths. New Directions will meet 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For information, call 608-821-3170. Friends on a Journey will meet 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call Paul at 608-862-3613. Candidates debate MADISON -- On Thursday, Oct. 21, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., Progressive Dane, the Social Sciences Department of Edgewood College, and the Task Force on Money Education and Prisons (MEP) will host a debate between the two candidates for Dane County District Attorney, Sally Stix and incumbent Brian Blanchard. The debate will be held in the Washburn Heritage Room of Regina Hall at Edgewood College, 945 Edgewood College Dr. Audience members will have an opportunity to submit questions. Natural Family Planning MADISON -- Natural Family Planning classes are forming now for the Creighton Model Ovulation Method and Sympto-Thermal Method. Couples may visit www.madisonfaithandfamily.org/ family/nfp.htm or call the NFP Office at 608-273-2236 to learn more or to register for a class. Blood drive Oct. 20 SINSINAWA -- A Red Cross blood drive will be held from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20, at Sinsinawa Mound. The public, Sisters, and employees are encouraged to meet the goal of 40 pints. Appointments are not necessary and walk-ins are welcome. For more information, call 608-748-4411, ext. 869.
	Nominate someone for "Profiles from the pew" To nominate someone to be featured in "Profiles from the pew," download a nomination form (PDF file). "Profiles from the pew" runs in the Catholic Herald print edition NOTE: The nomination form is 269 KB in size and may take a long time to download on a dial-up Internet connection. It is a Portable Document Format file, also called a PDF, which can be viewed using the freely available Adobe® Reader® software. Many computers already have this software and will automatically open the document when you click the nomination form link, above. Adobe Reader is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Cistercian Sisters:
'Fulfilling the Mission; Meeting the Need'

(See also front page artist's rendering of proposed new monastery.)

PRAIRIE DU SAC -- A capital campaign is currently being conducted to raise $7 million to construct a monastery for the nuns of Valley of Our Lady Monastery, now located in Prairie du Sac, that will last for hundreds of years and accommodate many generations of Cistercian nuns in the Madison Diocese.

The new monastery will be built on farmland donated to the nuns by Harvey and Marcie Yero. The gift, worth in excess of $300,000, is located near Highland, Wis., in Iowa County.

It is in prayerful trust of the nuns that God will inspire Catholics in the Madison Diocese to come forward with gift offerings to make their campaign a success.

Substandard dwellings

The nuns have lived in substandard dwellings for nearly 50 years. They came from Frauenthal, Switzerland, in 1957 at the invitation of Bishop William P. O'Connor. He wanted contemplative cloistered nuns to pray for Catholics of the recently created Madison Diocese and for all humanity.

Related articles: June 24, 2004 edition: • New monastery 'kick off' meeting Feb. 26, 2004 edition: • Bishop's Letter: Raising funds for Cistercian sisters Dec. 25, 2003 edition: • Capital campaign: To build new monastery Oct. 17, 2002 print edition: • Highland couple: Donates land for Cistercian sisters' new monastery Jan. 17, 2002 print edition: • Cloistered order of Cistercian sisters: Is growing at the Valley of Our Lady Monastery

When they arrived the nuns were located on a 112-acre farm near Prairie du Sac that was to be a temporary location. The site consists of a stone building built in the 1850s and the summer home of Governor Emmanuel I. Phillip built in the early 1900s.

Two additions were added over the years: one to accommodate the nuns' growing numbers and the other for the baking of altar breads that support their basic needs. Both additions' fundraising programs fell short of the goals. The sisters, with hard work and a frugal lifestyle, paid the indebtedness 13 years later on the 1964 addition. The 1990s addition for altar breads was also not built as a quality structure, but again, the nuns satisfied the mortgage.

Mold in the walls, poor heating, and expensive upkeep on old buildings make this the time to provide a home for the nuns worthy of their service to God and Catholics of the diocese.

Volunteers at work

Volunteers are working throughout the diocese to make the campaign successful, but it can only be accomplished through the generous donations of the Catholics in the diocese.

Deanery (county) chairpersons are: Thomas Delaney and Greg Wagner, Dane County; Scott and Bethany Kisting, Iowa County; Barbara and Roy Krizizke, Lafayette County; Fr. Eric H. Nielsen, Grant County; and David Wager, Rock/Green Counties.

Volunteer chairpersons are needed in Columbia, Jefferson, Marquette/Green Lake, and Sauk Counties to complete the campaign organization.

'Powerhouse of prayer'

Bishop Robert C. Morlino said in his radio announcement, "The diocese has surely enjoyed the countless blessings resulting from this powerhouse of prayer. At Bishop O'Connor's invitation they belong to us. We are their beneficiaries. Therefore, when called upon to support the capital campaign, please be generous."

The Holy Father has declared October 2004 to October 2005 as the Year of the Eucharist. "A better understanding of the presence in the Eucharist will lead to a better prayer life," the pope said.

The nuns of Valley of Our Lady Monastery live prayerful lives and bake the altar breads used in the Eucharist. Isn't it fitting that their prayers for a permanent home be answered in this year of Communion with Christ?

Remembering the Fulfilling the Mission; Meeting the Need capital campaign when considering your 2004 charitable giving will be greatly appreciated by the nuns of Valley of Our Lady Monastery. Gifts are tax deductible.

For more information, call 800-966-6266.

Update: On sexual abuse prevention program in diocese

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- It has been almost a year since the Diocese of Madison - responding to the child sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church - implemented the Protecting God's Children^TM Program and other elements of the VIRTUS® programs.

The program grew out of the provisions of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, adopted by the U.S. Catholic Bishops.

"Integral to the Charter is an education program for all diocesan and parish employees, as well as volunteers dealing directly with children," said Msgr. Paul J. Swain, vicar general of the Diocese of Madison. "For this education component, the Diocese of Madison contracted for Protecting God's Children^TM Program."

Bishop Robert C. Morlino strongly endorsed this commitment.

These programs were developed by The National Catholic Risk Retention Group, Inc. (National Catholic), a not-for-profit organization that provides risk control services to many Catholic dioceses across the country. In 1998, the National Catholic board appointed a committee to work with child sexual abuse experts to develop prevention and response programs.

Training, awareness

As part of the Protecting God's Children^TM program, the Diocese of Madison trained local program facilitators, clergy, staff, and others throughout the faith community. The diocese sought to provide appropriate training to everyone who has access to children in the local, Catholic faith community.

The Protecting God's Children^TM 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. The goal is to help every parish, school, and community fulfill its potential as a safe haven for children.

According to Kate Wiskus, director of the diocesan Office of Pastoral Services, a total of over 9,800 members of parish and diocesan staffs and volunteers completed the Protecting God's Children for Adults Training and Awareness Programs as of Sept. 25, 2004.

To date, 330 members of clergy, diocesan and parish staffs, and volunteers have completed the facilitator's training for the Protecting God's Children^TM Program. In September, 160 individuals from diocesan parishes and schools were trained as facilitators for the new parent's program and children's program.

New programs for parents, children

Virtus recently completed its programs for parents and for children. The Diocese of Madison began training facilitators for those sessions to be conducted in the parishes next semester (2005).

The program designed for parents, guardians, and other caring adults is called "Protecting God's Children - Teaching Touch Safety Program." The three-hour session includes a video with three prevention steps: learn more about child sexual abuse; take action to safeguard children from child sexual abuse; report any suspicion of child sexual abuse to the proper authorities.

"Throughout the video, participants will be encouraged to discuss the issues as they've been presented," said Wiskus. "In addition to the video and discussion, parents will be told about resources available through Virtus for them to use as the primary educators of their children."

Wiskus said the program designed for children is meant to enhance what their parents are presenting on the issues of boundaries, safe touch, safe friends and adults, and appropriate responses when a child encounters a potentially unsafe person or situation.

Schools and religious education programs may incorporate the lessons into the second semester of the curriculum of the current academic year or provide the lessons in a non-class period as a separation program. With this option, schools and religious education departments could collaborate.

For information about the Protecting God's Children^TM program in the Diocese of Madison, contact Kate Wiskus, Office of Pastoral Services, phone 608-821-3083 or e-mail: pastoral@straphael.org