News Briefs: Bishop Wirz opens new lecture series MONTELLO -- The first in this year's Fr. Marquette Lecture Series will be held on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 6:30 p.m. at the Fr. Marquette Spiritual Life Center at St. John the Baptist Parish. Bishop George O. Wirz of Madison will speak on "Tasting the Fruit of the Holy Spirit." All are invited to attend; no preregistration is required. Other dates and speakers include: Oct. 3, Fr. Randy Timmerman; Nov. 7, Dr. Jeffrey Davis; Dec. 5, Msgr. Paul Swain; Jan. 2, Bishop Robert Morneau; Feb. 5, Fr. Kent Schmitt; March 6, Fr. Joseph Hogan; and April 3, Bishop William H. Bullock. For more information on this and other opportunities being offered at the Fr. Marquette Spiritual Life Center, contact the parish office at 608-297-7423. Help for caregivers offered MADISON -- The Caregivers Support Group will meet Tuesday, Sept. 10, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at East Madison/Monona Coalition of the Aging office, 4142 Monona Dr. All meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month (February to November). This month's meeting will be a "Caregivers Take Care" session - an open forum for family and friends who provide care for older adults to share and discuss commonly experienced concerns, questions, and coping strategies. A Caregiver's Forum, for anyone caring for an older adult as well as senior services professionals, will take place Thursday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton in Madison. It will feature 12 workshops. Cost for the forum, including breakfast, and conference materials, is $35 by Aug. 30 or $45 after. The coalition is offering partial scholarships and free, limited, on-site day care through ElderCare of Dane Co. For more information or to register for the forum, call 608-223-3100. Sleep laboratory at St. Clare, Baraboo BARABOO -- The Sleep Disorders Laboratory at St. Clare Hospital and Health Services here has earned accreditation from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (ASSM). This recognition comes from the national professional organization that sent sleep medicine professionals this spring to examine the St. Clare lab, assess patient care, and meet with staff and administrators. "Achieving accreditation demonstrates that our sleep studies program staff provide high-quality care and that all systems are in place to deliver appropriate screening and follow-up," said Mondy Shogren, St. Clare director of outpatient services. St. Clare is one of 11 hospitals in the state and the first community hospital in a 50-mile radius of Baraboo to be accredited by the ASSM. St. Clare's sleep lab conducts a wide range of sleep tests and provides treatment for such ailments as obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, narcolepsy, teeth grinding, and esophageal reflux. Marriage enrichment programs MADISON -- More information on the following programs can be found at www.madisonfaithandfamily.org: Upcoming Madison Marriage Encounter weekends will take place Sept. 13-15 (for recovering alcoholic and spouse), Oct. 4-6, Jan. 10-12, Feb. 14-16, and April 4-6 at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center. For more information and to request a brochure with a registration form, call 608-821-3175. More information about Marriage Encounter programs may also be found at the National Marriage Encounter Web site at http://marriage-encounter.org. Worldwide Marriage Encounter is hosting marriage enrichment weekends Oct. 18 and Nov. 15 at the Bishop Lane Retreat Center, Rockford, Ill. For more information, call 1-888-574-5653 or visit www.wwme.org. The fall Retrouvaille weekend will take place Sept. 20-22 at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison. For more information or a brochure with a registration form, call 608-821-3175 or visit www.retrouvaille.org. "Journey ministries for rebuilding after separation, divorce, or breakup" is a holistic program designed to help rebuild one's life after the experience of separation, divorce, or breakup of a love relationship. For more information or a brochure, call 608-821-3175 or e-mail ofmmadison@straphael.org. Natural Family Planning MADISON -- An introductory session on the Creighton FertilityCare Ovulation Method will be held Saturday, Sept. 21, at 11 a.m. at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison. Follow-up sessions with the instructor will be scheduled. The session will be repeated Saturday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m. A four-part series in the Northwest Family Services Sympto-Thermal Method will be held Saturdays, Oct. 5 and 19, Nov. 2, and Dec. 7, at St. Marys Hospital, Madison. Couples wishing to register, ask questions, or those with special scheduling needs may call the NFP Office at 608-273-2236 or e-mail: jwkrause@execpc.com

Deacons:
Bishop ordains three 'harvesters'

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- Bishop William H. Bullock ordained three men to the transitional diaconate for the Diocese of Madison during a joyful ordination Mass on Friday, Aug. 23, in the chapel at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center.

The three men - Diego Otoniel Cuevas, James Matthew (Jay) Poster, and Brien Joseph Wilk have one year of preparation remaining prior to their anticipated ordination to the priesthood in May of 2003.

Deacon Cuevas will continue his studies at Mundelein Seminary in Illinois and Deacons Poster and Wilk at Blessed Pope John XXIII National Seminary in Boston, Mass.

In his homily, Bullock said it was a "happy occasion for the local Church and the families of Brian, Diego, and Jay. I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity as I know are Bishop Wirz and our priests.

"Two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples, 'The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few' (Mt 9:37)," noted Bullock.

He asked, "Is that harvest still plentiful? Are laborers just a few? How many deacons are enough? How many priests are enough?"

2002: What it's dealt us

The bishop continued, "Let me cast these words of Christ on the same screen with some of the headline news events since our ordinations just a year ago. They tell us that our world needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than ever."

Bullock mentioned the 9-11 terrorist attacks; the scandal of sexual abuse of children and minors by bishops and priests and concealment of these crimes by bishops; the continued war on terrorism as "sabers rattle toward Iraq - as you and I pray these may be beaten into ploughshares"; the stock market roller coasters as retired citizens wonder about their monthly checks; and "high-level corporate executives deceive stockholders"

The bishop said, "We have suffered a great deal in the past 12 months. While the Paschal Mystery teaches us that suffering can be redemptive, we live in a world that needs to know Christ."

Is harvest still plentiful?

Bullock believes "the harvest was plentiful 2,000 years ago, and it's plentiful today." He offered some statistics - in the Diocese of Madison there are 264,536 Catholics registered as members in 135 parishes.

"Our 107 ordained priests of the Diocese of Madison in active ministry serve our quarter of a million Catholics! There are 2,472 Catholics per priest. The Lord Jesus said: the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, and we experience that truth at our local level," Bullock said.

"But," he noted, "Jesus said we are to 'ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest' (Mt 9:38). You three men, Brian Wilk, Jay Poster, and Diego Cuevas, are an answer to the prayers of many who have asked the Lord to call you to serve as priests.

"Tonight the Church ordains you to be harvesters (cf. Mt 9:37) in order to reap the seeds that the master of the harvest has planted everywhere.

"Your ministry as a deacon consists of your service of the word. You will be blessed to proclaim and preach. Many faithful listeners will look to you for sound teaching. They will look to you for encouragement and enlightenment, for new reasons to praise, thank, and trust God again," said Bullock.

Part of a team

He reminded the deacons they are "part of a large team of persons who labor for the sake of the Kingdom as dedicated laypersons and consecrated religious. You join a team that consists of all the bishops, priests, and deacons in the world.

"The Holy Spirit has intentionally diversified the many gifts he gives to Christ's faithful people," the bishop said. "Thank you for saying 'yes' to God's call!"

Sale of Beloit
school building

MADISON -- The Diocese of Madison has sold the building which formerly housed Beloit Catholic High School to a Janesville developer, Bishop William H. Bullock announced Aug. 26.

Ken and Diane Hendricks officially bought the property Aug. 21 for $250,0000, said Greg Keller, the Diocese of Madison's director of finance. He said that since the school closed, $87,461 has been returned to the three Beloit parishes to use toward developing Catholic education.

Keller said the rest of the proceeds from the sale will be used to pay off the church unemployment pay program and maintenance costs over the last two years when the building was not occupied. The remainder of the proceeds will be used to reduce the school's debt.

Hendricks told the Beloit Daily News last month that he would be making an investment in the building to fix the roof and gym floor. Hendricks will retain ownership of the site but plans to open it up for various public uses.

"We hope to use the building for a variety of community groups," he told the Beloit paper and added that the site and grounds with its gym and large field for soccer and/or football would be ideal for youth purposes.

"We're going to poll the city and find out what the needs are. We're very community-oriented people and we want to help the community," he said.

Hendricks said he could think of a couple ways to help the community - to make jobs available and to provide young people with a place where they can go to spend their spare time. Hendricks has purchased and redeveloped several former factory sites in Beloit and leased the space out to various businesses. Hendricks expects groups may begin moving into the building in about six months.

Bullock said he was pleased to hear the building would be used to help the community since Beloit Catholic High had such an impact on the city for so many years.

The building has sat unused for two years since the school was forced to close prior to the 2000-01 school year. Beloit Catholic High School served the community for 46 years and had more than 3,000 graduates. The Diocesan School Board recommended to Bullock that declining enrollment and lack of money were among the reasons for closing the school.

At the time of its closing, the school only had 54 students enrolled for the 2000-01 school year, including nine freshmen. In addition to needing money to run the school, funds were also needed to make repairs, including to the school's roof.

Items remaining in the school, including a few desks, books, and computers, have been donated to various charities.