News Briefs: Thanksgiving Day meal in Highland HIGHLAND -- The fifth annual Highland community Thanksgiving Day meal will be served at noon on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, at SS. Anthony and Philip Parish Center, 726 Main St., Highland. The meal is sponsored by the Highland area churches. There is no cost and rides are available. Reservations are appreciated; call 608-929-7490 by Sunday, Nov. 21. All are welcome. On Wednesday evening, Nov. 24, at 7:30 p.m. there will be an ecumenical Thanksgiving service at Peace Lutheran Church, Cobb. All are welcome and may bring a non-perishable food item or cash donation for the Iowa County Food Pantry. Mass for marriage, family life MADISON -- The Eucharistic Adoration Society of Holy Redeemer Parish in Madison began a six-week prayer initiative for the sanctity of marriage and stability of family life on Oct. 13. The Adoration Society thanks everyone who has been involved in praying for these intentions during Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesdays and the first Saturday of the month. The prayer initiative will culminate with a Mass on Friday, Nov. 19, at 7 p.m. at Holy Redeemer. An informal reception will follow. All are welcome to participate. The church is located at 120 W. Johnson St. The parish telephone number is 608-255-1658. Lee Nagel speaks at parish mission BELOIT -- St. Jude Parish on 737 Hackett St. in Beloit is sponsoring a mission from Nov. 20 through the 23. Speaker is Lee Nagel, superintendent of total Catholic education in the Diocese of Green Bay. Nagel is a dynamic national speaker, a faith-filled, spirited person who will speak on "The Seasons of Our Lives." All three sessions will begin at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Anyone who would like to participate in any or all these sessions is most welcome. Camp Gray accreditation BARABOO -- Camp Gray, the summer camp and retreat center located between Baraboo and the Wisconsin Dells, was re-accredited by the American Camp Association (ACA) for 2005. "ACA Accreditation means that Camp Gray submitted to a thorough (over 300 standards) review of its operation by the American Camp Association (ACA) - from staff training to emergency management - and complied with the highest standards in the industry," said Pat Hammond, director of ACA's standards program. Camp Gray was first accredited in 1995 and has maintained its Accredited Camp status since then. "ACA Accreditation demonstrates Camp Gray's commitment to safety and quality camp programming," said Phil DeLong, camp director. Camp Gray serves over 1,300 campers each summer and over 125 groups throughout the year. It is owned and operated by the Diocese of Madison. Camp Gray will soon accept applications for summer camp 2005. Visit www.campgray.com or call 800-711-4729 for more information. Peer support groups MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship are open to all ages/faiths at two Madison parishes. Friends on a Journey will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call Paul at 608-862-3613. New Directions meets from 7 to 9 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of the month at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. There will not be a meeting on Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day. For information, call 608-821-3170. CPR course offered MADISON -- Heartsaver: Infant and Child CPR course for individuals needing/wanting certification for job or personal reasons will be offered by Dean/St. Marys Health Works. The American Heart Association course will be offered at Dean West Clinic, lower level Health Works, 752 N. High Point Rd., on Wednesday, Dec. 1, from 6 to 9 p.m., and at Dean East Clinic, lower level Health Works, 1821 S. Stoughton Rd., Madison, on Saturday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and Saturday, Dec. 18, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. No prior CPR experience is required. Course fee is $36. Pre-registration is required by calling 608-824-4400 or 1-800-368-5596.
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St. Martin House awards

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- On the Feast of St. Martin de Porres, St. Martin House at the Catholic Multicultural Center here recognized several people who have contributed greatly over the years.

Service awards

The first annual Margaret Straub Service Award, named after one of the founders of St. Martin House, was given to John Gill, who began volunteering at St. Martin House in 1987.

"Since that time, he has volunteered an average of eight days each month," said Steve Maurice, coordinator of St. Martin House. "He has seen the free meal program evolve and change over the years - during the latter 80s he helped serve over 200 meals a night on a regular basis."

Maurice pointed out that Gill has washed dishes and scrubbed pots and pans at St. Martin House for 17 years, which means he has scrubbed 8,160 pots and pans, washed 48,960 plates and the glasses and cups that held 4,080 gallons of milk and 2,448 gallons of coffee.

"But most importantly, John has served over 195,840 meals to God's children in need over the years," said Maurice.

Maurice presented the first annual Bishop Jerome Hastrich Service Award, named after a founder of St. Martin House, to the Notre Dame Club of South Central Wisconsin.

Club members helped landscape the old St. Martin House facility, clear the plots and build the fence for the community garden, and helped solve a drainage problem in the old parking lot. The club has helped assemble nearly 100 annual Christmas baskets for families in need. They also serve the free meal once a month and sponsor family fun nights.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Maurice then presented Arlene Miller with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Miller "helped make an idea called Blessed Martin House into a reality," said Maurice. "She helped foster a dream of creating a place where whites and blacks could come together in unity in the Lord - a place to work, play, and pray together."

Miller was a pioneer who took on many roles in helping to lay the foundation of St. Martin House, said Maurice. "She was on hand to clean out the vacant storefront that was the first home to Blessed Martin House. When they acquired the property here, she helped mix mortar and lay bricks in the original building."

Miller served as the director and was on the board of the St. Martin Guild. But she may be best known for her talents as a seamstress and being able to teach those skills to other adults and children, said Maurice.

"Arlene was instrumental in helping bring St. Martin House into being," he said, pointing out that she is also the only living member of the original group of founders.

All Saints Parish:
Building the foundation

By Cindy Schrader
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

BERLIN -- During the last three weekends in October, All Saints Parish liturgies have included special presentations regarding the future of the parish.

The presentations were used to build up to the unveiling of preliminary building plans for a new parish complex.

Birth of new parish

The first weekend Fr. Jerome J. Maksvytis (known as Father Max), pastor of All Saints Parish, explained that All Saints Parish is the newest parish in the Diocese of Madison, officially created July 1, 2001. He recalled that in January of 2002, the Berlin Journal considered the birth of this newly formed parish as the most significant local news event during 2001.

Father Max explained that although the parish is new, his parishioners repeatedly demonstrate to him how they are truly a community built on God's gifts of faith, hope, and love.

He specifically recalled how the parish came together to celebrate their new identity as All Saints Parish on July 8, 2001; how they sought hope and faith following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001; and how they worked together to accept the awesome responsibility of Deputy Bruce William's funeral at their parish.

How does All Saints Parish meet such challenges? Father Max answered "quite simply, because of our common faith, both in ourselves and in God; because of our great hope that offers us strength and courage to overcome despair, and most importantly because of our love for God, ourselves, and one another. A love we have willingly shared time and time again."

Sacrifices made

Tom Malchetske, parish council president, spoke the second weekend, summarizing that the overall theme of his presentation was sacrifice. He outlined sacrifices of past Catholics in Berlin and stated "sacrifice it seems to me is part of the very foundation of our faith, and our lives as Christians. We, as modern, busy, intelligent, well-meaning people, sometimes forget the sacrifices made for us by our forefathers."

Malchetske spoke of different sacrifices by Catholics in our ever changing society, such as priest and religious shortages; challenges faced by Father Max - taking the helm of three parishes; and the dedication of over 60 parishioners in the past two years to plan for the vision of a new parish complex.

The vision for the parish complex, as stated by Malchetske: "The idea has been that we all would give up our old buildings, our individual identities, and move forward to forge a true union, both spiritually and physically."

Malchetske then announced that each parishioner would receive a brochure in the mail in the upcoming week. The brochure provides the preliminary building plans for the new parish complex. He asked his fellow parishioners to "take some time and quietly reflect on the past, present, and especially the future of our parish."

Plans for new church

On the third weekend, Jody Heil, chairperson for the worship/space subcommittee, presented a summary of the work of this committee. The subcommittee works with the architect to design the worship space of the church proper.

Their first responsibility was to hire a liturgical consultant, which is needed to guide the design in liturgical aspects, asking the questions, what is a church, what is a Catholic Church, and what does our parish do there that specifies the design?

This committee toured numerous churches, studied church documents, and worked with diocesan officials to help answer these questions. In addition, they wanted to incorporate the experiences and traditions of Catholics in Berlin in the design of the new worship space. Heil said "it is like putting together pieces of a puzzle."

Agreed on criteria

Heil stated there were various opinions, as with any committee, but they agreed on the following criteria for the design: 1. overall timeless design, 2. design must look like a Catholic church, familiar to parishioners based on their own personal experiences with the current churches in Berlin, 3. significantly more accessible, user-friendly, and convenient than any of the current churches.

Heil explained that some aspects of the design will be unfamiliar, such as the baptismal font at the back of church and the music area at the front of church. These aspects, as well as others, are required because they are liturgically and theologically correct.

Heil reminded the parish that this is just a floor plan and there is much work to be done to get to the final design. He explained that the committee has done a complete inventory of all church liturgical furnishings, such as statues, crucifixes, and that whenever possible and appropriate these articles will be used in the new worship space.

He encouraged parishioners to share any history/stories they knew about these articles with the committee so they could make good decisions. "We are eager to hear them and to include them in our decision making process," stated Heil regarding the historical stories.

Capital campaign

The next planned challenge for All Saints Parish will be a capital fund raising campaign to raise funds for construction of a new church. Malchetske said he believes the parish "can meet this challenge with God's help and prayerful focus on the task ahead."

Father Max told his parishioners, "the new challenge we have accepted will not be an easy one. However, by remembering the dedication, commitment, and sacrifice our forefathers made decades ago; by recalling what we have already been able to accomplish when needs arise; and by accepting our responsibility to plant the seeds of faith for future generations, should inspire all of us to do our fair share."

All Saints Parish is preparing to build the foundation. The parish is using the traditions of their past to move into the future. They know it will take sacrifice, faith, hope, love, and a commitment to their vision of "All Saints Catholic Parish - United in the Spirit."

Fighting poverty:
Catholic Campaign for Human Development

MADISON -- The Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has distributed nearly $9 million to support 318 local projects this year in 45 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Striving to end poverty

The CCHD is the national program of the Catholic Church that strives to eliminate poverty in the United States. Established by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1969, the CCHD is the largest private funder of anti-poverty programs initiated and led by poor people in the United States.

CCHD's mission is to raise funds to support organized groups of poor and low-income people as they work to develop economic strength and political power.

CCHD's mission is also to educate Catholics about the need to implement the church's social teaching by addressing poverty in the United States.

In the past 34 years, CCHD has distributed more than $260 million to more than 4,000 community programs. Campaign funds are raised in Catholic parishes during CCHD's national collection.

Recent national grants

The most recent grants were distributed as follows:

• 62 percent to support affordable housing and community development;

• 23 percent to address family and community issues such as homelessness, youth issues, child care and support, anti-violence efforts, welfare, the environment, education, health care, and disability rights;

• 15 percent to promote living-wage jobs and economic development.

CCHD funds two categories of projects: 1) organizing projects, which help people work together to address the needs of their community by seeking solutions to local problems and finding ways to improve lives and neighborhoods; and 2) economic development projects, which help poor and low-income members of community groups develop new businesses and create jobs.

In Diocese of Madison

Recent CCHD national grants have supported local organizations in the Diocese of Madison. For example, the Greater Dane Organizing Project (Dane County United) received a grant for $35,000.

Dane County United reaches across religious, racial, and geographic lines to voice shared concerns such as housing choice and availability; health care access and affordability; quality education for all; economic security and disparity; services for vulnerable populations; immigration and integration; and environment, development, and transportation.

According to J. Mark Brinkmoeller, director, Diocese of Madison's Office for Justice and Peace, in the past year, other local CCHD grants have been given to:

• Wexford Ridge Neighborhood Association in Madison to assist with leadership development in this low-income community.

• Worker Justice Center in Madison to assist low income persons with problems relating to their employment and understanding rights and responsibilities.

• Hands of Faith in Beloit to aid homeless families.

• Community Connections in Oregon to aid literacy efforts for prisoners.

• Interfaith Hospitality Network in Madison to assist homeless families.

• Wisconsin Apprentice Organizers Project in Madison to help people develop community organizing skills with local organizations.

For more information on CCHD, visit www.povertyusa.org or www.usccb.org/cchd