News Briefs: Choral music reading session SUN PRAIRIE -- The Diocese of Madison's Office of Worship is hosting its annual summer choral music reading session Monday, Aug. 12, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. at St. Albert the Great Parish here. There is no registration fee, but pre-registration by Aug. 3 is required. Each participant will receive a free packet of music. There is a limit of four free packets per parish. More than four singers may come from a parish, but they may need to share music. St. Albert the Great is air conditioned and wheelchair accessible. For directions, visit the parish Web site: www.saintalberts.org/contact.htm. For more information about the reading session or to register, call the Office of Worship, 608-821-3080, or e-mail: worship@straphael.org. Heart Care program PORTAGE -- In 2001, nearly 600 area residents participated in Divine Savior Healthcare's Heart Care program, which measured their individual risk for heart disease. The resulting statistics created a picture of the entire community, which illustrated a need for healthier habits. "The average age of last year's participant was 64 years, yet Heart Care has shown its greatest value for those under age 50 who can begin to improve their lifestyle," said Deb Bruning, director of community health education at Divine Savior. Studies have shown that the disease process often begins in early childhood. It is estimated that more than half of U.S. children have at least one risk factor for developing heart disease. Screening will take place in Portage and Montello Aug. 6 to 10. Participants will receive lab tests for glucose, total cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoproteins), and triglyceride levels. Those wishing to participate may make appointments by phoning 608-745-6406 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, July 22, though Friday, July 26. Cost is $8 a person. Pregnancy resource Web site MADISON -- St. Marys Hospital Medical Center recently implemented a new Web site tool for "moms to be be" called the St. Marys Pregnancy Resources Center. The new interactive resource center is located at www.stmarysmadison.com. St. Marys Pregnancy Resource Center is a one-stop source for clinically reviewed pregnancy and childbirth information and tools. Online, new moms will find a pregnancy library of more than 250 medically sound childbirth and lifestyle articles, custom information about St. Marys Family Birth Center, a sign-up page for a weekly pregnancy e-newsletter, and childbirth class listings, to name a few. Blood drives in two locations MADISON -- Knights of Columbus Council 9082 and the American Red Cross are holding a blood drive on Sunday, July 21, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the St. Bernard Gym, 2450 Atwood Ave. Contact Joe Brickl at 608-241-9166 to schedule a donation time or for more information. SINSINAWA -- Sinsinawa Mound will host its first blood drive on Wednesday, July 24. The American Red Cross will be accepting blood donations from 2 to 6 p.m. on the Heritage level at the Mound. For more information, to volunteer, or to schedule a special appointment, contact Sheila Heim at 608-748-4411, ext. 869, or visit the Web site at www.sinsinawa.org. 'Living with a Sick Heart' program BARABOO -- A free program called "Living with a Sick Heart," will be presented Tuesday, July 23, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at St. Clare Hospital here. The program will assist people who have been diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF), their family members, and support persons to learn more about strategies for living with the disease. To register for this free program, call 608-356-1538.

Diocese of Madison youth, bishops
to make pilgrimage

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- On Monday, July 22, more than 100 pilgrims from the Diocese of Madison will embark on a journey that will change their lives.

Traveling by bus, their destination is World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto, Canada, where they will join Bishop William H. Bullock, Auxiliary Bishop George O. Wirz, and hundreds of thousands of other Catholic youth and young adults (ages 16 to 35) from more than 170 countries.

Carrying on tradition

Taking part in this week-long celebration of the Catholic faith, the pilgrims are carrying on a tradition begun by Pope John II in 1984, when he invited the youth of the world to go on pilgrimage. Since then, pilgrims have gathered for World Youth Day every two years in various countries.

"You are the salt of the earth . . . You are the light of the world" is the theme the Holy Father has chosen for the 17th World Youth Day.

The celebration is preceded by Days in the Dioceses July 18-21, during which pilgrims stay with Canadian host families and share their faith with each other.

Official activities begin

The Diocese of Madison pilgrims will join in the official World Youth Day activities beginning Tuesday, July 23, with a Mass of welcome at which Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, will preside.

From July 23 through 26, the Diocese of Madison pilgrims will be hosted by families of St. John Fisher Parish in Brampton, a suburb of Toronto.

During these days, pilgrims will learn about and share their faith in catechesis sessions led by bishops from different countries.

Participants may also take part in a Youth Festival, which consists of more than 200 events, including performances and concerts, service projects, exhibits, vigils, and discussions. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be offered throughout these days as well.

Special events

Bullock will preside and Wirz will concelebrate a special Mass for Diocese of Madison pilgrims on Wednesday, July 24.

Youth and young adults will welcome Pope John Paul II at a ceremony on Thursday, July 25. On Saturday, July 27, the Diocese of Madison group will join others in making a pilgrimage to Downsview Park, hiking four to six miles to where the Holy Father will preside at the evening vigil and at the July 28 concluding morning Mass.

Diocese of Madison pilgrims will return home on Monday, July 29.

'A wonderful symbol'

"To be with nearly a million or more other young Catholics, along with the Holy Father, will be something to remember," said Ben Weisse, associate director of the Diocese of Madison's Office of Religious Education. "Not only will it be a great experience, but it will be a wonderful symbol: Young people from around the world gathered with the leader of our church."

Aiming to help Diocese of Madison pilgrims prepare spiritually for World Youth Day 2002, a March 10 pre-pilgrimage event at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center featured Mass at which Bullock presided, small group discussion, and speakers such as Wirz, Weisse, and Madison's St. Paul University Center Chaplain Faye Darnall.

Parishes represented

Thirty parishes of the Diocese of Madison are represented among the pilgrim youth and chaperones: All Saints, Berlin; Holy Mother of Consolation, Oregon; Holy Redeemer, Madison; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Monona; Nativity of Mary, Janesville; Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Sun Prairie; SS. Anthony and Philip, Highland; St. Aloysius, Sauk City; St. Andrew, Verona; St. Ann, Stoughton; St. Augustine, Platteville; St. Francis Xavier, Cross Plains; St. Ignatius, Mount Horeb; St. John Nepomucene, Castle Rock; St. John the Baptist, Jefferson; St. Joseph, Waterloo; St. Jude, Beloit; St. Mary, Bloomington; St. Mary, Fennimore; St. Mary, Marshall; St. Mary, Milton; St. Mary, Platteville; St. Mary, Portage; St. Mary, Sullivan; St. Olaf, De Forest; St. Patrick, Hollandale; St. Paul University Catholic Center, Madison; St. Peter, Ashton; St. Pius X, Cambridge; St. Thomas Aquinas, Madison.

People from other parishes travelling with the Madison group include St. Bernard, Snake Run, Ind.; St. Frances Cabrini, West Bend; St. John, Little Chute; Daejon, South Korea; and Star of the Sea, Felton, Calif.

Planning committee

Weisse is coordinator of the pilgrimage planning for the Diocese of Madison, with input from WYD Planning Committee members, which have included Marilyn Angoli, Greg Blatz, Fr. Randy Budnar, Faye Darnall, Jeff Mesch, Julianne Nornberg, Grace Simon, Fr. Bart Timmerman, and Kate Wiskus.

Papal awards: Pope appoints monsignors

MADISON -- Two priests of the Diocese of Madison have been named as Chaplains of His Holiness with the title of Reverend Monsignor by Pope John Paul II.

Bishop William H. Bullock announced that Fr. Terrence L. Connors, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison, and Fr. Douglas L. Dushack, pastor of St. James Parish, Madison, have been named monsignors.

Bullock will present the papal awards to the two priests at their parishes on a future date.

Msgr. Terrence L. Connors

Msgr. Terrence L. Connors

Msgr. Terrence L. Connors, son of Rita and John Connors, was born Feb. 11, 1945 in Washington, D.C.

He attended Queen of Apostles High School, Madison, and St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee.

Connors was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison on May 23, 1975.

He served as associate pastor at the following parishes: St. James, Madison; St. Joseph, Fort Atkinson; St. Jude, Beloit; and St. Aloysius, Sauk City. He served as pastor of the following parishes: St. Mary, Bloomington; St. John, Patch Grove; and St. John the Baptist, Jefferson. He has been pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish since 2001.

He was a member of the Diocesan Board of Education.

Msgr. Douglas L. Dushack

Msgr. Douglas L. Dushack

Msgr. Douglas L. Dushack, son of Edith and Glen Dushack, was born Dec. 21, 1945 in Madison.

He attended Sun Prairie High School; Queen of Apostles Seminary, Madison, and St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee.

Dushack was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Madison on May 12, 1972.

He served as associate pastor of the following parishes: Sacred Heart, Reedsburg; St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison; St. Henry, Watertown; and St. Stanislaus, Berlin. He served as administrator of St. Joseph Parish, Berlin. After serving as pastor at St. Michael Parish in Berlin, Dushack has been pastor of St. James Parish since 1991.

Dushack served as chaplain of the Serra Club, Madison; liaison with Diocesan Charismatic Groups; and member of the Conciliation and Arbitration Board and Presbyteral Council.