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Sr. Carmela Pierick dies
MADISON -- Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Carmela Pierick, 80, died Feb. 7.
Born to Emma and Henry Pierick in Highland, she entered the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation in 1953. She served in education most of her life, teaching in Boscobel public schools before joining the Sinsinawa Dominicans.
In the Diocese of Madison, she served as diocesan consultant to Catholic schools, 1965-69; superintendent of Catholic schools, 1969-79; director of continuing education at Edgewood College, Madison, 1980-84; coordinator of study and religious development for the Sinsinawa Dominicans, 1984-88; principal at St. James School, Madison, 1988-93; and principal at Nativity of Mary School, Janesville, 1993-95.
A wake and remembering service will be held for her at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the gathering space at Sinsinawa Mound. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated in Queen of the Rosary Chapel at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, at the Dominican Motherhouse at Sinsinawa, followed by burial in the Motherhouse Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Sinsinawa Dominicans, 585 Cty. Rd. Z, Sinsinawa, WI 53824-9700.
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Barneveld parish:
Receives permission to repair damages
By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF
BARNEVELD -- Immaculate Conception Parish here, whose church sustained smoke damage in a fire Dec. 23, received permission from Bishop Robert C. Morlino to use insurance funds to begin repairs immediately.
Fr. Donald Lange, pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish and St. Bridget Parish in Ridgeway, received a letter from the bishop Feb. 4 after the bishop and Msgr. Paul J. Swain, vicar general, met with about 175 Immaculate Conception parishioners for input about the church
Thursday, Jan. 29.
The parish is currently working with its insurance company to evaluate the cost of repairs.
"The people were very jubilant" the day after Father Lange received the letter, the pastor said. "A lot of people were happy and pleasantly surprised."
The bishop indicated that strategic planning for the future will still continue, said Father Lange, which means the parish will look at ways to deal with the priest shortage. Father Lange gave an example of having a joint vocation committee between Immaculate Conception Parish and St. Bridget Parish.
"I think things like this are an opportunity to grow in the realization that we have fewer priests and we need to plan. God's grace is at work," said Father Lange, noting that even before the fire, the growing parish had already planned to have Kate Wiskus, director of the Office of Pastoral Services, visit and give insights on this type of planning.
"This can motivate us to plan for the future," he said.
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News Briefs:
Post-abortion support group for women
MADISON -- Hope is available for those who struggle from the emotional and spiritual turmoil that can follow an abortion.
Whole Heart, a post-abortion ministry, will offer a 14-week support group for women beginning Monday, Feb. 23. Facilitators will walk as companions with participants on the journey to healing. They have been there and understand pain and anguish.
A compassionate, safe, and confidential setting is offered. Women often express relief in knowing they are no longer alone. The support group uses a workbook with Scripture reflections and journal exercises.
Facilitators have received training from Project Rachel and PACE (Post-Abortion Counseling
and Education). Whole Heart networks with Project Rachel and makes referrals to other groups.
Register by Feb. 16 by calling Cassie at 608-259-1605 or e-mail cassiem@carenetdane.org
Whole Heart is a ministry of the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Madison. It also offers
individual help to women and men struggling with past abortions. All services are free and confidential.
Novena for defeat
of casino referendum
MADISON -- There will be a rosary novena from Feb. 8 to 16 at 8 p.m. at the Schoenstatt Shrine, 5901 Cottage Grove Rd., to pray that the casino referendum in Dane County will be defeated and that the needs of the Ho-Chunk nation will be met in ways other than gambling. The public is invited.
Organizations participating in the novena include the Knights of Columbus, Catholic Daughters, Schoenstatt Movement, Natural Family Planning group, and some parishioners from St. Dennis Parish, Madison, and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona.
Parish Mission
in Platteville Feb. 8-12
PLATTEVILLE -- St. Mary Parish is sponsoring a "Parish Mission" the second week in February.
There will be five consecutive evenings of prayer, singing, and reflections in response to
the preaching of Fr. Bob Halter, a Redemptorist priest from Chicago. The mission begins Sunday, Feb. 8, at 7 p.m. and continues the next four evenings.
People of all faiths are invited. There will be refreshments and fellowship after each service. There will be free childcare and transportation (call 608-348-4317) for those who need it.
Catholic Boy Scout,
Girl Scout celebration
MADISON -- A Catholic Boy Scout and Girl Scout celebration will be held on Saturday, March 6, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, 702 S. High Point Rd.
The day begins with 1 p.m. registration and ends with a 5 p.m. social. Bishop George O. Wirz
will preside at a 4 p.m. Mass.
Breakout sessions will focus on the Catholic religious awards that are available to Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Each youth participant will receive a special patch.
Cost is $6 per family. Registration deadline is Feb. 27. For more information, contact Mike
Kleckner (Boy Scouts) at 608-275-3344 or mkleckne@amfam.com or Kathy Soukup (Girl Scouts) at 608-244-8965 or kathys@merr.com
Middle School Youth Rally Feb. 22
MADISON -- "Go! Make a Difference!" is the theme of the Diocese of Madison's Middle School Youth Rally to be held on Sunday, Feb. 22, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center here.
The rally is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Religious Education and Camp Gray.
The rally begins with 10 a.m. registration, includes activity sessions, Mass at 1:15 p.m., and concludes with a 2:30 p.m. dance and social.
Keynote speaker for the day is Steve Angrisano, musician, music director, and youth minister who lives in Birmingham, Ala., with his wife and three children.
Cost is $15. Registration deadline is Feb. 10.
For more information, contact the Office of Religious Education at 608-821-3160.
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Join Bishop Morlino:
To view movie, The Passion of the Christ
By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF
MADISON -- People in the Diocese of Madison have a special opportunity to join Bishop Robert C. Morlino to view the new movie, The Passion of the Christ.
A private viewing of the film will be presented Sunday, March 7, at 1:30 p.m. at Point
Cinema, 7825 Big Sky Dr. in Madison. The theater is located about a half mile from the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center off High Point Rd.
The movie will be followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer, and Benediction in the chapel at the O'Connor Center at about 3:30 p.m. After that, there will be an opportunity for socializing, refreshments, and discussion with Bishop Morlino in the O'Connor Center dining area.
Produced and directed by Mel Gibson, The Passion of the Christ captures the last 12 hours of Christ's life. The movie will open in U.S. theaters on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Bishop previewed film
Bishop Morlino had the opportunity to view the film in Denver at the recent national meeting of FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). The bishop was very impressed with the movie.
In his column in the Jan. 29 issue of the Catholic Herald the bishop said, "Let me take this opportunity to urge all of you and your friends, all Catholics, all Christians, and all people of good will to view Mel Gibson's film, The Passion, at your earliest convenience."
In answer to some critics of the film, Bishop Morlino said, "I must admit that the film
sought to make clear at several times and in several ways that Jesus suffered and died because of the sins of all, so that all might be saved through Him. I would never recommend viewing a film that I saw to be bigoted in any way, Anti-Semitic, Anti-Roman, or whatever."
How to get tickets
Movie tickets at $8 per person (which includes the movie as well as the events at the
O'Connor Center following) must be ordered by mail. Send check for $8 per person payable to the Diocese of Madison, to Attn: The Passion of the Christ, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, P.O. Box 44983, Madison, WI 53744-4983.
Include name, address, phone, and number of tickets ordered. Tickets will be mailed.
There will be no phone orders. The deadline for ticket orders is Feb. 20.
Like puzzle pieces:
We all are needed, teens learn
By Julianne Nornberg
and Connie Koopmans
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD
WISCONSIN DELLS -- We all are like pieces in a puzzle: each of us has a place to fill.
This was one of the messages at Resurrection 2004, a recent rally for more than 200
Catholic high school youth held Jan. 23-25 at Chula Vista Southwest Resort here.
The rally began with a keynote presentation by Mike Patin on a Friday night and
ended after Sunday morning Mass at which Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided.
"Puzzled?" was the theme of the rally. It addressed not only the idea that people must
find where they "fit" into God's big picture, but it also addressed issues about which teens have questions.
Life is about love
Fr. Felix Oehrlein, pastor of St. Cecilia Parish here, presided at a Saturday morning prayer service.
"Love is what it's all about," he said. "Jesus reminds us to keep his commandments. Jesus came here and lived among us and lives with us today. He lives in the church and you and I are that church."
In the midst of the turmoil of the world and the turmoil of ourselves, the solution is love, he said.
Sharing testimonies
Members of a National Evangelization Team (NET), a Catholic evangelistic outreach to youth, combined humorous skits and activities with personal testimonies.
One NET member, Simona Beskova, 22, from Slovakia, talked about how God worked in her life. After the realization that perhaps God wanted her to share her faith with young people, gradually she began to pray more and "soon prayer was the most beautiful time in my days."
"God took care of me," she said. "Trust that God has plans for you, too. Don't be afraid to spend time with God alone."
In another testimony, NET member Nick Rippe explained that he smoked and made other bad decisions up until the 10th grade. Then he moved across the country and felt like no one cared about him. His parents made him go to a youth group and at first he hated it. Then he saw a girl crying at Eucharistic Adoration.
"I got to the point where I opened my eyes and there was Jesus in the Eucharist," said Rippe. "He was there saying, 'I love you still. Just come follow me, I know what's best for you.'"
After that, he decided to take a new path in his life. "It was the best decision I ever made," he said. "Even when I let Him down, He still loves me. He's there for you, too."
Special workshops
Teens then chose from modules that included topics such as prayer, the Catholic Church and its rules, relationships, differences, and sharing faith.
In one workshop on prayer NET member Edwin Leonard talked about how he never really embraced a relationship with God because he didn't understand what it was. After going to confession, he started to pray just five minutes every day.
"Get a Catechism and read the Catechism," he told the students, pointing out the 45-page section on prayer. "The reason we're able to pray is because God is calling to us to pray to him," he said.
Don't be afraid to just be silent in the presence of God, the NET members told the students.
"It helped me open my faith and realize my relationship with God," said workshop participant Ben Nicholas, 11th grader from Our Lady of the Assumption Parish, Beloit. "I hope to use the things said to better communicate with Him."
Using God-given gifts
During the keynote presentation, Mike Patin, director of the youth ministry office for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, combined humor with a message about using the gifts you are given.
Calling the Bible his "family album," Patin talked to the students about biblical characters such as Abraham, who wondered how God could use him.
"God calls people who are set in their ways and think they can't change," said Patin.
When Moses came to the burning bush, God said, "Don't be afraid" just like he tells young people today, said Patin.
"God uses ordinary people to do great things," he said.
Some of you may feel tempted with drugs or you've slandered others or you've stolen and you don't think God can use you, Patin said to the students. "You're wrong. God used second strings to do ordinary things and to change the world," he said.
Patin gave the youth three hints for fitting into the "puzzle" of life: G-O-D: "G" stands for "gifts," recognizing and using the gifts God has given you; "O" stands for "offering it to Jesus," asking him how he wants you to use those gifts; "D" stands for "do something" because 95 percent of all people don't use 95 percent of their gifts 95 percent of the time, said Patin.
We are all like pieces in a puzzle, he said. "We need you," he said, pointing out what he says as a coach to a basketball team: "If you don't do what you can do, we can't win."
"The choice is up to you," Patin said to the teens. "It's in your hands."
Christ is everything
Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided at the Mass on Sunday, opening his homily by asking if anyone was confirmed.
In a special way the spirit of the Lord is in you as the Holy Spirit was in Jesus, said Bishop Morlino. "This is the strength that you have or will receive." Referring to the Gospel, he said joy is our strength. "How do we get that joy? St. Paul says to rejoice always."
There are many pieces, he said, referring to a puzzle board put together by puzzle pieces students brought up during the procession. The puzzle pieces represented how students felt their parishes contribute to the Body of Christ.
"I can't go anywhere I want; every piece is fitted to occupy a certain spot," the bishop said. "I know I have strengths and weaknesses. If I don't like my strengths and weaknesses, if I don't accept it, there is no joy."
Joy comes when I realize I cannot fill up the whole space and accept my strengths and weaknesses, said Bishop Morlino.
"The story of Jesus is your story. It's my story. The story of humanity," he said.
The bishop encouraged the students to see Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ. He saw it with 1,400 college undergrads and no one spoke afterward, he said, "because that story is so powerful."
"Christ is everything to everyone," said the bishop. "All you need is that story. I pray Jesus will give you the gift to see it and accept it."
The bishop ended with a call to vocations, encouraging youth to think about it and not to be afraid.
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