News Briefs: Candlelight vigil for unborn children JOHNSON CREEK -- Pro-Life Wisconsin-Jefferson County will hold a candlelight prayer vigil for the unborn on Wednesday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. in front of Planned Parenthood in Johnson Creek. For more information, contact Rebecca Sande at 608-423-9733 or Mary Kulla at 920-648-3223. Christian Unity services scheduled COLUMBUS -- The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service will be held at St. Jerome Church Sunday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m. Preacher will be Pastor George Carlson, bishop, South-Central Synod of Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Host pastor is Fr. Bruce Hennington of St. Jerome. Other participating clergy include: Pastor Robert Moberg and Pastor Susan Quigley, Faith Lutheran (ELCA); Pastor Laval Suiter, Columbus Church of the Nazarene; Pastor Carol Hermann, First Presbyterian; Pastor John Hobbins, Columbus United Methodist ; Pastor Margaret Shepherd, Olivet Congregational United Church Of Christ; and Pastor Steven Aust, Wisconsin Academy, Seventh Day Adventist. Music will be provided by St. Jerome New Hope Singers. Refreshments will be served following the service in St. Jerome School gym. The public is invited. MCFARLAND -- Christ the King Catholic Parish, McFarland Lutheran Parish, and McFarland United Church of Christ Parish will celebrate the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity Sunday, Jan. 19, at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Church, 5306 Main St., McFarland. This year's theme is: "We hold this treasure - this gift - in earthen vessels . . . therefore we do not lose heart. . ." Christ the King Parish choir will lead the musical worship. Pastor Jack Hicks from McFarland United Church of Christ will give the reflection. Other clergy and lay representatives will serve as worship leaders. There will be a collection of food items or cash donations for the McFarland Food Pantry. Everyone is invited to this ecumenical celebration. Program on funeral, burial issues MCFARLAND -- A program entitled "The Final Journey: Questions and Answers" will be presented Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 7 p.m. at Christ the King Parish here. The program will consider funeral and burial issues, including cremation and the disposal of cremated remains, burial in non-Catholic cemeteries, and pre-planned funerals. Tom Hanlon, director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Madison, will lead the presentation along with Mike Smits, Christ the King Parish member and funeral director for Gunderson Funeral Homes, and Fr. Steve Smith, parish pastor. The program will be held at the parish hall, 5306 Main St. Everyone is welcome. Catholic teaching for young adults MADISON -- For young adults who want to learn more about Catholic social teaching, "Public Discipleship" is a diocesan-led project focusing on implementation of Catholic social teaching in various levels of community life. An overnight retreat at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center from Friday, Jan. 24, to Saturday, Jan. 25, will kick off the program, with regular small group gatherings beginning in February. For information, contact J. Mark Brinkmoeller at mbrinkmoeller@straphael.org or Brad Klingele at saintalsadult@charter.net.

'Recycle the Warmth':
Blanket drive to help needy families

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Donating blankets and funds to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's blanket and bedding drive, "Recycle the Warmth," is a good way to start the new year.

To run this 11th blanket round-up, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's District Council of Madison in Dane County is working with area churches, the four ShopKo Stores in Madison, A.A.A., WISC-TV 3, and WTDY (1670 AM).

Collection points

On Saturday, Jan. 18, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., volunteers will staff collection points at the four Madison-area ShopKo stores. For those who wish to donate new blankets, ShopKo will offer blankets at a reduced price.

Bedding will also be collected at the St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores on Williamson St., the West Beltline, and Park St. in Madison, and on Jefferson St. in Stoughton.

On Sunday, Jan. 19, more than 25 churches will help collect bedding. For participating places of worship and time and collection details, call participating congregations, listed on the St. Vincent de Paul Web site at www.svdpmadison.org/recyclewarmth.html.

Blankets for a year

All of the blankets and bedding collected or purchased will be given away during the next 12 months to needy individuals and families who come to the St. Vincent de Paul Service Center on Williamson St.

"The drive is extremely important to St. Vincent de Paul in that over the last 11 years, we've been able to collect a year's worth of blankets for people who need them," said Gary Hammond, general manager for St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in the Madison area.

Monetary gifts

Monetary gifts for blankets, sheets, pillows, and mattress covers are welcome. Last year over $9,500 was raised.

Checks may be made payable to "Society of St. Vincent de Paul" and sent to: District Council of Madison, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, 1109 Jonathon Dr., Madison, WI 53713-3230.

Proposed state legislation:
Addresses sexual misconduct by clergy

MADISON -- A bill being drafted for introduction in the upcoming state legislative session adds members of the clergy to a list of more than 30 professionals ("mandatory reporters") required to report suspected child abuse or neglect.

Sponsors of the bill are Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Representative Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee).

Inclusions in draft

The preliminary bill draft, labeled LRB-0041/3, includes an exception for information received in confidentiality, such as during confession.

According to a memo from Darling and Krusick, under the bill draft, victims of sexual abuse have more time to bring criminal and civil actions against the accused. Prosecution may be brought anytime before the victim reaches age 35, instead of 31 in current state law. Civil action may be brought before the victim reaches age 26 or within five years of discovering the injury, whichever is later.

The proposed bill also defines a civil cause of action against clergy for sexually abusing a child and also against religious organizations that knew or should have known but did not take immediate action to prevent other incidents. Under a 1995 state Supreme Court ruling, religious organizations cannot be held accountable for negligent supervision of an abusive clergy member, according to Darling and Krusick.

Darling and Krusick are striving to build consensus between interested parties before formally introducing the legislation next month.

Wisconsin Catholic Conference comments

John Huebscher, executive director of the Wisconsin Catholic Conference (WCC), commented on the proposed legislation.

"First of all I want to thank Senator Darling and Representative Krusick for their deliberative approach to this sensitive issue. Nine years ago, the Wisconsin Catholic Conference supported adding clergy to the list of mandated reporters so long as the requirement exempts confidential pastoral communications of all religious traditions.

"We are pleased that this draft includes that language. This provision reflects the spirit of the Charter approved by the U.S. Catholic bishops in Dallas last June that Catholic dioceses report sexual abuse, cooperate with civil authorities, and follow civil law requirements," he said.

"At the same time, the draft changes the role of all reporters by expanding the circumstances in which one may be compelled to report. This aspect of the bill needs to be examined more fully by all mandatory reporters," Huebscher said.

"We recognize that the current statute of limitations for civil suits may not give some victims adequate time to come forward. An extension is appropriate, so long as it strikes the appropriate balance between the rights of the victim and the accused. We need time to carefully examine how well it achieves that desired balance.

"Similarly, we need to further assess the implications of creating a cause of action against clergy. It is important that the issue of negligence be carefully defined so it does not put the state in the role of judging church structure or how churches train or assign their clergy. Churches should not be held more liable than other entities for actions by their members that are clearly illegal, outside the expected scope of their duties, and in direct violation of any moral standard."

The WCC is committed to working with victims, other religious groups, and legislators interested in this legislation as it moves forward, Huebscher said.

"We are also committed to reaching a day when anyone abused or mistreated by Catholic clergy will seek and find a healing response from the church," he said. "As people of faith and as citizens of this state, we strongly reiterate our fundamental commitment to the protection of children."