News Briefs: Memorial Mass to be held Aug. 30 MADISON -- A Mass will be celebrated for the anniversary of the death of Bishop Cletus F. O'Donnell, former bishop of the Diocese of Madison, on Friday, Aug. 30, at 12 noon at St. Raphael Cathedral in Madison. Sr. Villanova Schiller, who died June 2, 2002, will also share in the memorial Mass on the same day. She served O'Donnell for many years. Parishes are asked to include the following intention in the Prayers of the Faithful at each Mass on the weekend of Aug. 24-25: "For Bishop Cletus F. O'Donnell, former bishop of Madison, who died on Aug. 31, 1992, that he may be granted the fullness of God's peace, we pray to the Lord." Diocesan Choir members needed MADISON -- The Madison Diocesan Choir's 2002-03 singing season begins Tuesday, Sept. 3, and new members are needed. Tenors and basses are needed to fill the sections due to retirements. The choir is interested in sopranos and altos. However, those names will be put on a waiting list due to growth in the size of the choir. Interested singers, high school age and older, may call Director Pat Gorman at 608-821-3080 or e-mail pgorman@straphael.org. More information may be found on the choir's Web page: www.madisondiocese.org/worship. Click on the link "Find out more about the Diocesan Choir." A schedule of rehearsals, concerts, and other singing events throughout south central Wisconsin is included. Schoenstatts celebrate 50 years MADISON -- Members of the Schoenstatt Movement are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their founding in the Diocese of Madison. On Sunday, Aug. 25, a variety of jubilee events will take place. A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in the conference hall at Schoenstatt Heights, 5901 Cottage Grove Rd. This will be followed by a potluck dinner. At the dinner, reflections on the Schoenstatt Movement and the presence of the founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich, will be given by Bishop George O. Wirz of Madison, who knew Kentenich. Also speaking will be Dorothy Gmeinder, Sun Prairie, and Marie Loring, Madison, who have been members of the Schoenstatt Movement for 50 years and also knew the founder. Following the reflections, there will be a prayer service at the Schoenstatt Shrine. This will begin the golden jubilee year observance for the shrine. Peer support groups offered MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship are offered at two Madison parishes open to all ages and faiths. New Directions' next meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 22, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 505 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For more information, call Ron at 608-835-2907. Friends on a Journey's next meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Drive. For more information, call Paul at 608-862-3613.

Parish Leadership Day:
To focus on evangelization
and parish mission

MADISON -- "Reflect the Light of Christ: Evangelization and Parish Mission" is the focus of the Diocese of Madison Parish Leadership Day to be held Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center. The day was planned by an inter-agency committee with input from the diocesan Cabinet.

Keynote speakers addressing the theme will be Mark Mogilka and Lee Nagel, both from the Diocese of Green Bay. Mogilka is director of pastoral services and Nagel is director of total Catholic education. They will speak at 9:45 a.m. following morning prayer in the chapel at 9 a.m. with Bishop William H. Bullock presiding.

There will be four rounds of workshops throughout the day. Mogilka and Nagel will also present workshops, Nagel on "The Principal's Role in the New Evangelization" and Mogilka on "How to Weave Evangelization through the Fabric of Parish Life."

Other workshops will focus on such areas as social justice, creating a "stewardship" parish, how families work, youth as leaders, administration of parish cemeteries, reaching out to Hispanic parishioners, Diocesan Religious Education Standards, Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults and parish renewal, active participation in the liturgy, marriage preparation, church building and renovations, and working with difficult people.

Lunch will be provided. A workshop for diocesan principals will also be held from 1 to 3 p.m.

Registration forms were sent to parishes or may be obtained by calling 608-821-3086. Registration fee is $25 per person. Deadline is Aug. 29.

Abortions:
Continue to drop in Wisconsin

MILWAUKEE -- The newly released Wisconsin abortion figures for 2001 indicate that there were 115 fewer abortions than in 2000. The actual numbers are 11,040 abortions in 2000 and 10,925 abortions in 2001.

"Wisconsin continues to experience dramatic decreased abortion numbers, a trend which began 20 years ago with only a few annual increases over that time span," commented Barbara L. Lyons, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life.

"At the time when the number of women of childbearing age is rising, it is especially heartening to watch the number of abortions decline.

"Wisconsin Right to Life has worked very effectively over the past 10 years to raise public awareness about abortion," Lyons said. "Our poll data reveals that a full 67 percent of Wisconsin adults now believe abortion should not be legal except in the most extreme circumstances, a 14 percent pro-life attitude increase in an eight year span from 1993 to 2001.

"Most significantly, 78 percent of women 18 to 34, those most likely to procure an abortion, now believe abortion should not be legal except in the most extreme circumstances, a 33 percent pro-life attitude increase from 1993 to 2001," Lyons pointed out. "Thousands of children are alive, and their mothers spared a lifetime of anguish, by the increased value for human life experienced in Wisconsin," she said.