News Briefs: Quilt show in Waunakee WAUNAKEE -- The St. John the Baptist Parish's Piecemaker's Quilt Club will hold a quilt show Friday, Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day in the St. John School gymnasium, 114 E. Third St. here. Between 100 and 150 quilts will be exhibited. Among them will be a bed turning of antique quilts, raffle quilt, nickel quilts, and quilts the club makes for charity donations. Approximately 30 quilts will be given to The Interfaith Hospitality Network and Domestic Abuse Intervention Services. There will be club members' items for sale along with quilt shop vendors; demonstration of longarm quilting both days by Carleen Wagner; and food court serving coffee, donuts, and lunch. Driver safety program offered MADISON -- An AARP driver safety program will be offered at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, 401 S. Owen Dr., as a refresher course for adults. The course is conducted by certified instructor, Helen Zander. It runs for two four-hour sessions and focuses on problems unique to older drivers: physical changes in eyesight, hearing, and reaction time, which normally happen as people age. The program leads participants through a review of basic laws and driving patterns that may have changed since older drivers got their licenses. No test is involved. Some insurance companies offer discounts for completing this course. Sessions will take place on Wednesdays, Nov. 5 and 12, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the parish center meeting room. Course fee is $10, payable to AARP. Call Heather to register at 608-663-2996. Diabetes program scheduled BARABOO -- People with diabetes and those at risk for the disease will get information and advice from specialists on Saturday, Oct. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Opera House here. Dr. Wolfram Nolten, University of Wisconsin endocrinologist; Cheryl Eastman, certified diabetes educator at St. Clare Hospital, Baraboo; and Trudy Mara, family nurse practitioner with Baraboo Internal Medicine will present information on the disease, effects on the body, complications, risk factors, and prevention. Registration is required. Call St. Clare Hospital, 608-356-1489, by Oct. 24. There will be a $5 charge at the door. Lunch will be provided by the Opera House. Retreat for post-abortion sufferers MILWAUKEE -- A Catholic retreat for post abortion women and men will be held in the Milwaukee area from Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. through Sunday, Nov. 16, at 12:30 p.m. For those suffering from past abortion decisions, the retreat can show the way to hope and healing. For a private room for two nights and all meals, a fee of $69 per person or $125 per couple is requested. The exact location of the retreat is not publicized in order to protect the privacy of all participants, but complete information is given to all those interested in attending. For more information and to register, call Mary at 414-463-9708 or Patti at 414-645-4050. Haydn Mass to be sung Oct. 26 MADISON -- Joseph Haydn's Missa brevis St. Joannis de Deo (Kleine Orgelmesse) will be sung during the 9:30 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Oct. 26, at Holy Redeemer Church, 120 W. Johnson St. Music for the liturgy also includes The Heavens are Telling from Haydn's The Creation. Perry Allaire directs the Holy Redeemer Parish choir. The organist is Joanne Einersen. 'Spirituality for Men' MONONA -- Fr. Martin Pable, retreat leader, spiritual director, and author, will speak on "Spirituality for Men" in Marian Hall at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, 4913 Schofield St., from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28. For more information, call Eileen Hribar, 608-221-1777. Post-abortion ministry MADISON -- Project Rachel is a referral ministry for those hurting from abortion. Rachel's Vineyard, a weekend retreat for post-abortive healing, will be held Nov. 14-16, 2003 and March 19-21, 2004. Call the Office of Family Ministry at 608-821-3175 for further information.

Rite of Acolyte:
Taking another step toward permanent diaconate

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- Twenty men in the Diocesan Institute for Lay and Diaconate Formation in the Diocese of Madison received the Rite of Acolyte during a recent Mass in the chapel at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center here.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino, the presider, welcomed family and friends of candidates for the permanent diaconate as they take another step in their journey toward a lifelong ministry of service at the altar and in particular to the Eucharist, he said.

Before the homily, Msgr. Paul J. Swain, vicar general, called forth each candidate by name. Candidates, seated in the congregation with their families, stood and said, "Present," before approaching the altar. The group bowed before the bishop and returned to their seats.

Capacity to wonder

In his homily, Bishop Morlino thanked Monsignor Swain and Kate Wiskus, director of the Office of Pastoral Services, in charge of the formation of the deacon candidates; pastors who shepherd them; and family and friends for their witness and support as the men prepare themselves to be icons of Christ's service.

The Gospel says we must be careful of riches, the bishop said, noting that riches aren't bad but they can cause a problem because they can make us lose the capacity for wonder.

"If there are too many 'wows' in our life because of material wealth, we can lose the 'wow' even at the miracle of the Eucharistic presence," he said.

'Beautiful step'

Bishop Morlino said the Rite of Acolyte is a beautiful step in which deacon candidates become more publicly joined to the presence of Christ in the Eucharist. "As you prepare to come forward and accept this new responsibility publicly for life for the whole church, I say what the church says to priests: 'Be as holy as what you will touch.'"

There is one way to get as holy as what you will touch: time spent on your knees before the Eucharistic presence in the tabernacle, which is Mass in meditation, he said. "You come back with your best face because you have time to look into the face of Christ."

Mass "in action" at the altar sends us to Mass in meditation which sends us back to Mass at the altar, he said. "We go forth from the altar and tabernacle back to lead the world."

After the homily, the bishop presented each candidate with the bread to be consecrated and said, "Take this vessel with bread for the celebration of the Eucharist. Make your life worthy of your service at the table of the Lord and of his Church."

Dane County United: To hold founding assembly Nov. 2

Editor's note: Dane County United, a new non-partisan organization, will hold its founding assembly Sunday, Nov. 2, at 3 p.m. at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison. Catholic parishes and parishioners are among members of Dane County United. Following is more information on the new organization.

What is Dane County United?

Dane County United is a new organization of organizations - congregations, labor unions, neighborhood and community organizations - which is forming to give Dane County citizens and their organizations a powerful vehicle for nonpartisan collective action in the local public arena for the common good of the people and communities of Dane County.

Why is it being formed?

Many important issues facing Dane County families and communities are complex and sometimes metropolitan-wide or regional.

Rapid and increasingly diverse population growth, increasing demand for infrastructure and services, skyrocketing cost of housing and health care, changes in the local economy, and related dynamics are putting unprecedented pressure on Dane County institutions and communities across the urban/suburban/rural spectrum, at the same time that public resources available to address new challenges are becoming more limited.

Individual citizens and their organizations (and most communities) lack the power, resources, and strategy to address such issues on their own. Getting to the root of these issues will require the cooperation and resources of a variety of public and private institutions. Dane County United seeks to bring a "broad-base" of organizations and constituencies together to work on a local, multi-issue agenda.

What is the 'agenda' of Dane County United?

The underlying "agenda" of Dane County United is to provide a vehicle through which the people and organizations of Dane County can unite to work on issues they have in common and which they cannot address on their own.

Dane County United will act on issues supported by the majority of its member organizations and where after careful research into the issue and potential solutions, it can develop a winnable strategy to create needed change.

Examples of the kinds of issues that have been raised by many people in the relationship-building work of the past two years include: more affordable housing options for owners and renters; quality schools and educational opportunities; jobs and businesses that support families; health care access and affordability; sustainable growth and development in their communities; accountability of public and private institutions to ordinary citizens.

Proposed Purpose Statement "Dane County United is a non-partisan organization of organizations and diverse body of people working together across our differences to create a better life and a more just and inclusive community for all people of Dane County. "We believe that our community benefits when all people are involved in the political, economic, and social decisions that affect their lives and communities. We believe our faith and democratic traditions call all of us to take collective action and collective responsibility in public life for social justice, human dignity, and the common good. "Dane County United seeks to build strong public relationships and develop effective leaders among the people and organizations of Dane County, bridging the geographical, political, racial, cultural, religious, class, and generational lines that often separate us. "Through Dane County United, we seek to understand the concerns, values, goals, and interests we have in common, and to organize together to create change for social justice and the common good."

How will power be exercised?

The power of Dane County United will be exercised primarily through nonpartisan collective action. As organized citizens, they will work with, and hold accountable, decision-makers in local government and other public and private institutions on critical issues where they have built and negotiated common ground among their diverse constituencies.

Dane County United will also work to develop new strategies, initiatives, and resources to solve problems - made possible through bringing leadership and talent throughout our communities together in new ways.

Who leads, funds it?

The multi-year "broad-based" organizing drive that has led to the creation of Dane County United is sponsored by 10 local organizations, including several Catholic and Protestant congregations, neighborhood organizations, a teachers union, a local college, and a local community foundation. Over 30 additional congregations and community organizations and hundreds of individual faith and community leaders have participated in the organizing effort.

Under guidelines proposed for adoption at its Nov. 2 founding assembly, Dane County United will be led by a representative body of leaders from those organizations who become member organizations after the founding assembly.

The core budget will be funded through annual dues of member organizations. Additional grants and funding may be sought.

Founding Assembly

At the assembly, 2,000 delegates from more than 40 participating organizations will gather to: celebrate their new relationships and common purpose; recognize key political, religious, labor, and business leaders; approve name, dues structure, and initial guidelines for the organization; elect an initial slate of officers and leaders; endorse a statement of purpose and initial agenda of issues/issue areas. This will mark the beginning of Dane County United and its work, not the finished product.

For more information about Dane County United or the Founding Assembly, contact Lead Organizer Tim Carlisle at 608-334-5890 or dcsponsors@tds.net

Equestrian Order: To meet in Madison

MADISON -- The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem will hold its annual meeting at Madison's Monona Terrace Convention Center here Oct. 24-26.

Two Madison area residents will be invested into the order on Oct. 26 by the Grand Prior of its North Central Lieutenancy, Cardinal Francis E. George of Chicago. They are Mary Uhler, editor of the Catholic Herald newspaper, and Francis Pohlkamp of Middleton.

Bishop William H. Bullock, Bishop Emeritus of Madison, recently received the Silver Palm of Jerusalem Award for 25 years of dedicated service to the order.

One of oldest orders

The Order of the Holy Sepulchre vies with the Order of Malta as the world's oldest order of knighthood. The Order of the Holy Sepulchre was founded in 1099, when a group of elite officers or horse cavalry was assigned to guard the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem. The order has been maintained in existence over the centuries by the Vatican.

Traditionally its membership included European heads of state and diplomats, but more recently membership has been extended to other committed Catholics who have distinguished themselves in some way in the church or the world. Its members attempt to follow the traditional ideals of the Christian knight, including justice for the oppressed and care of the weak.

Humanitarian activities

Although founded as a military organization, the order long ago abandoned military tactics in favor of works of humanitarian assistance and activities to promote mutual understanding. For example, the order provides assistance in the Holy Land to the blind, orphans, elderly, and religious groups which provide such assistance.

Moslems comprise more than 50 percent of the student body of many of the Christian schools supported by the order in the Holy Land, including the University of Bethlehem. The order is currently working with a group of Jewish rabbis in Chicago to provide computer training to Palestinian citizens of Israel.

The order's Web site is www.holysepulchre.net