Lessons and Carols: Tops extraordinary year
for Diocesan Choir

By Richard Jones
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

First in a two-part series on the Madison Diocesan Choir

MADISON -- The Madison Diocesan Choir, under the direction of Dr. Patrick Gorman, caps an extraordinary year with its Christmas holiday concert, Lessons and Carols, Sunday, Dec. 17, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center.

More than 20 choir members returned recently from a Carnegie Hall performance, the world premiere of Stephen Edwards' Requiem. The Midwest composer began writing the requiem upon the death of Pope John Paul II.

Nearly 300 children and adults from choirs across the country performed it and other works with the New England Symphonic Ensemble on November 20 in Isaac Stern Auditorium.

Newly released CD

Besides the Carnegie Hall performance by a third of its members, the Diocesan Choir highlights of the year include the choir's first professional, compact disk recording, Hail to the Lord's Anointed: Music for a Cathedral, released in time for Christmas holiday season.   Full story ...

Review Board on Sexual Abuse:
Justice Day retires as chair, successor named

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Justice Roland B. Day has retired as chairman of the Diocese of Madison's Review Board on Sexual Abuse. Bishop Robert C. Morlino has named Madison attorney Daniel W. Hildebrand as the new chairman.

"Justice Day assisted us tremendously in establishing credibility, at a time in our local church's history when it was very much needed," commented Bishop Morlino.

"His kindness and generosity in this regard proved exceedingly invaluable, as few others could have supplied the credibility which Justice Day brought. He was there for us in our need, and for that we owe him a great debt of gratitude."

Appointed in 2002

Bishop William H. Bullock, now bishop emeritus, appointed Day to chair the newly created Review Board in 2002. The board was established in response to the U.S. Bishops' "Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People."

Don Heaney, diocesan attorney with the firm Lathrop & Clark, recalled when Bishop Bullock was considering Day for the position. "I immediately recognized that Bishop Bullock had found the perfect candidate for the position," recalled Heaney.

"Chief Justice Day was a distinguished practitioner in Madison when I first began to practice law. He was appointed to the Supreme Court and subsequently elected and re-elected to that position. He distinguished himself in his written opinions in many areas of law, not the least of which was the relationship between church and state and the constitutional considerations that are always at play in that relationship."   Full story ...