News Briefs: Year of the Eucharist day of reflection MADISON -- As part of the Year of the Eucharist programs in the Diocese of Madison, the Office of Worship is hosting a day of reflection on Saturday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison. The day, entitled "They Recognized Him in the Breaking of the Bread," will focus on Christ's presence in the Mass, especially in the Eucharist. Patrick Gorman and Debby Del Ciello will lead the retreat-style day. It will begin with Morning Prayer and continue with spiritual reflections. There will be ample time for silent reflection and prayer, small group sharing, and large-group discussion. Lunch is included. The retreat is open to all people, but is especially geared to parish liturgists, musicians, RCIA directors, team members and sponsors, and liturgical ministers. Pre-registration by Feb. 2 is required. A registration fee covers the cost of the day. For more information or to receive a registration form, visit the Office of Worship Web page at www.madisondiocese.org/worship or call 608-821-3080. Ecumenical service in Columbus COLUMBUS -- The ecumenical Christian unity service will be held Sunday, Jan. 23, at St. Jerome Church at 3:30 p.m. Theme is "All Things Are Yours - You Belong to Christ - and Christ, the Unique Foundation, Belongs to God" (1 Corinthians 3:1-21). The main speaker will be Rev. David S. Moyer, conference minister of the Congregational United Church of Christ. An anthem will be sung by the Congregational Choir as well as other praise music. The offering taken up will be sent to aid the victims of the tsunami tragedy in southern Asia. Following the service there will be continued fellowship and refreshments served. Retreat for women SINSINAWA -- Sinsinawa Mound is offering a women's retreat which reflects on hope, a topic close to women's hearts. "Hope, Again I Say It, Hope," led by Marilyn Dansart, will offer time to spend pondering hope - what it is, how we can deepen our sense of hope, and looking at the connection between hope and joy. Participants are asked to bring something that symbolizes hope for them. The retreat will run from 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 4, through 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5. There is a fee. The registration deadline is Jan. 28. For more information, contact Janice DeMuth at 608-748-4411, ext. 811. For information, visit the Web site www.sinsinawa.org/moundcenter Support for divorced, separated MADISON -- Peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship are open to all ages/faiths. Friends on a Journey will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, at Our Lady Queen of Peace nursery, 401 S. Owen Dr. For information, call Paul at 608-862-3613. New Directions will meet from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd., top floor. For information, call 608-821-3170. Recycle the Warmth MADISON -- The Society of St. Vincent de Paul's 13th annual blanket and bedding drive, "Recycle the Warmth," will be held Friday, Jan. 28; Saturday, Jan. 29; and Sunday, Jan. 30. During the Jan. 28-30 weekend, people may donate blankets, sheets, pillows, and other clean bedding to participating churches or collection points at the four Madison-area ShopKo stores. 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. More than 30 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 Monetary gifts for new sheets, pillows, and mattress covers are welcome. Last year over $5,000 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. For more information, call 608-278-2920. Grief series offered MONONA -- Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Parish will offer the Moving Through Grief program. This is a non-denominational Christian program in which people share caring, support, understanding, and reassurance for those grieving the loss of a loved one. It is a four-session series presented by the IHM Bereavement Ministry Team. It will meet Saturday mornings (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.) in the church meeting room on Jan. 29, Feb. 5, 12, and 19 with a group reunion on March 19. There is no charge but registration is necessary. To register or for information call Kathy Bier at the parish office, 608-221-1521. Cancer support series MIDDLETON -- St. Marys Hospital Medical Center is offering the next eight-week program of I CAN COPE beginning Monday, Jan. 31, at St. Bernard Parish Center at the corner of University Ave. and Parmenter St. in Middleton. The program runs for eight consecutive Mondays, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., through Monday, March 31. I CAN COPE is an American Cancer Society Program for people with cancer and anyone touched by cancer, such as a spouse, family member, friend, or other support person. It offers information, support, and encouragement. The class is free and open to the public. To sign up, call St. Marys Hospital Public Relations and Marketing, 608-258-5065. Life book training for adoptive parents MADISON -- The Post Adoption Resource Center (PARC) is planning a life book training day at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, 702 S. High Point Rd., on Saturday, Jan. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants should bring photos to include in a life book. PARC will provide products and tools for use that day. The event is free and free childcare will be available. To register, call Erin Wilson at 888-485-7385 or e-mail erinwilson@tds.net Registration for LAMP MADISON -- The Latin American Mission Program (LAMP) is seeking volunteers to spend two to three weeks this summer in Mexico to teach religion, arts and crafts, and English; cook for volunteers; or serve as drivers or physical workers. Registration will be held Sunday, Jan. 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Multicultural Center, 1862 Beld St. For more information write LAMP, P.O. Box 85, Madison, WI  53701-0085 or call 608-845-7028, 608-255-5284, or 608-868-7816. Mothers of Preschoolers at Night STOUGHTON -- Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) at Night will meet Thursday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m. in the gathering area of St. Ann Parish, 323 N. Van Buren St. "Discipline with Love and Logic" is the topic. A presentation based on the Love and Logic books by Jim Fay and Foster W. Cline will be given by Katy Egger, a kindergarten teacher in Janesville and mother of two young daughters. Childcare is not provided; however babies birth through three months are welcome. There is a $2 fee per meeting and scholarships are available. For information, call Mona Beckham, 608-877-0017. Day of recollection JANESVILLE -- The Catholic Women's Club of Janesville invites all women to a day of recollection to be held at Nativity of Mary Parish on Saturday, Jan. 29, at 2:30 p.m. Speaker is Fr. Stephen Umhoefer, pastor. There is no charge. Refreshments will be served. Guests are welcome.
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Silent No More: Women share stories of pain of abortion

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also Pro-life events on front page.)

MADISON -- Although the women's stories varied, their message was the same: "I regret my abortion."

This was the message eight women sent out loud and clear during the second annual Silent No More gathering at the State Capitol Jan. 13.

According to Leslie Graves, Spring Green, who helped coordinate the gathering, Silent No More is a national organization that began in 2003. Its goal is to break the silence of post-abortive women and raise awareness that abortion hurts women and that there are programs and services to help those affected by abortion, she said.

Some of the women who shared their stories became pregnant in their teens and felt abortion was their only choice. Others were married at the time of their abortion. All of them had been physically, emotionally, or spiritually scarred by abortion.

"I felt I had no choice," said Terri White, Beloit, who had an abortion in 1980. "Not only did my baby die that day, but deep down inside, so did I."

Deep down Mary Mead of Monona didn't want an abortion, but she, too, felt it was her only choice.

"Women deserve better than abortion," she said. "All the talk of 'choice' is a joke. Women deserve to be treated with dignity and respect." We need help to stay in college; we need better choices, she said.

"I do remember the sound of the suction machine and prayed for forgiveness," said Julie Berberich of Beloit. "They didn't tell me my soul would be frozen for years to come."

What resulted from the abortion were problems such as depression, guilt, shame, substance abuse, and two miscarriages, she said.

The most important thing for women to know is that abortion is not the easy way out that it seems, said Berberich, who eventually found help through Rachel's Vineyard, a retreat for those affected by abortion. The forgiveness she felt there could only come from God, she said.

Ann-Marie McNamara of Madison, a women's health nurse, was married and had a three-year-old when she had an abortion in 2000. She was told she had a risk of hemorrhaging with her pregnancy and was fearful for her life.

Since the abortion, she had a tubal pregnancy and four miscarriages. What she hadn't known before her abortion was that there is a seven percent risk of infertility after abortion.

Renee Scrivano of Beloit had an abortion 17 years ago. During the abortion, the abortionist said, "It's trying to get away." From that very moment, I regretted my abortion, Scrivano said, "for to me the 'it' was a baby."

The rooms in the clinic were loaded with girls who had had abortions, she said.

"I left the building, drove home, and then had to look into the eyes of my son," she said.

During Leslie Graves' abortion, she remembers seeing a pinkish gray substance being sucked through a tube and dripped into a large glass holding jar. Although she was uncomfortable with that, "I thought I couldn't be doing anything wrong here. It's legal. If it's wrong, I would be killing my child," she said.

She began to feel depressed afterward, though, and dropped out of grad school. "You're weak. You don't have what it takes" to get through an abortion, she told herself.

But the emotional impact of an abortion is like a nuclear bomb: it touches every aspect of your life, stays there, and does not go away, she said.

"The war was in our wombs and it happened to our children," she said.

For more information, visit www.SilentNoMoreAwareness.org or call 1-800-395-HELP.

Camp Gray: Taking measure of Catholic camp, where faith and fun meet

By Joe Van Tassel
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD

We can measure milk by the gallon, paper by the ream, and electricity by the kilowatt. But how do we measure the effect Camp Gray has on campers, parents, and staff?

What Camp Gray does

Camp Gray combines faith, friends, and fun in a safe environment. It is dedicated to teaching children the emotional and spiritual skills they need in order to mature, make good decisions, and grow closer to God. The best part about camp is that all this skill building and spiritual growth is achieved while the campers are having a blast.

Camp programs

Camp offers a wide variety of programs for campers spanning grades one through 12. According to Camp Gray Director Phil De long, "We've designed our programs with the developmental needs of children in mind. As campers grow and mature, the programs grow with them. Programs for older campers have new challenges, more responsibility, and more flexibility."

The high-energy, fun-filled traditional Settler and Trailblazer programs are offered for campers from second through eighth grades. Campers take part in morning program areas such as canoeing, fishing, performance, or arts and crafts, and they spend their evenings at such events as the Sunday campfire, talent show, or cookout and Capture the Flag extravaganza.

The Pathfinder program, available for eighth through 10th graders, focuses on having the campers discover themselves as individuals through activities such as the low-ropes adventure course, service projects, and powerful devotions.

Offered to 10th and 11th graders, the Explorer program gives campers the opportunity to cook, sleep, play, and pray with their counselors on their own in the woods of Explorer village. They focus on developing community and leadership.

Those who love horses can earn their spurs at Ranch camp, which is offered for campers in grades seven through 11. Ranchers spend their week learning to ride and care for horses all while living a more rustic cowboy and cowgirl life.

In the Voyageur program, available for eighth through 12 graders, campers bring the spirit of Camp Gray with them as they travel off camp for a week of backpacking or canoeing coupled with outdoor survival and powerful community building. Single gender backpacking trips for seventh and eighth graders are offered, and campers looking for a bit more adventure can chose a 10-day trip to Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

There is also a Pioneer program, which is a half-week taste of camp, for the youngest campers in first and second grades. The Counselor-in-Training program is designed for 12th graders looking to learn and practice the skills it takes to be a great camp counselor.

Groundbreaking study

An exciting new means of assessing the positive effects of Camp Gray's programs is nearing implementation. For a long time, the only way Camp Gray could get a sense of its impact on the lives of campers was through anecdotal evidence, parent surveys, and personal testimonials.

In 2005, Camp Gray will complete the final phase of a groundbreaking study which will provide concrete evidence of camp's beneficial effects. Camp Gray is one of just 20 camps in the nation selected to participate in this research effort, which is sponsored by the American Camp Association.

The study focuses on measuring and improving specific supports and opportunities necessary for positive youth development. These supports and opportunities include: supportive relationships, meaningful involvement, a feeling of safety, and challenging and engaging activities. Camp Gray's contribution began last year when a session of adolescent campers took a survey that measured these positive youth development outcomes.

Camp staff received the results of the initial survey this past fall and found the results gratifying. The results showed that camps in general (and Camp Gray in particular) are among the best facilitators of positive youth development.

However, the purpose of the study is also to improve camp programs and create an even better youth development environment. After collecting feedback from development professionals, campers, and returning staff members, Camp Gray staff has begun the process of evaluating and improving their programs.

"We were very pleased with our initial results from the outcomes survey. The results confirmed all the glowing feedback we've been getting from parents and campers." said De long. "And it points out the areas where we have the most room to grow. That's the exciting part. Camp will be even better this summer!"

What Camp Gray gives

So what can campers expect at Camp Gray this summer? By creating a safe and supportive environment, Camp Gray gives kids a place where they feel free to be themselves. In the words of one camper, "I love Camp Gray! It is the only place I know that doesn't judge me."

Camp also gives campers the chance to live in community, meet new people, and make new friends. "My favorite part of Camp Gray is meeting friends every year. There are always such awesome people at camp!" said a Pathfinder about her experience.

From climbing on the tower, to horseback riding at the stables, from building campfires on a Voyageur trip, to stepping out of your shell at the talent show, there are many opportunities to do things at camp that you can't do anywhere else.

Through its unique ministry as a Catholic summer camp, Camp Gray also gives parents a valuable resource, aiding in instilling faith and values in their children. One parent writes, "At least for our daughter, the way you present ideas (on faith and values) reaches her in ways we can't at home or at church."

Role models

Perhaps most importantly, Camp Gray gives campers positive role models and fun, responsible leaders through the camp staff. "Camp Gray staff is composed of dedicated young adults who are great models of faith, excitement, and responsibility who have a passion for working with kids. Their service to camp is immeasurable," said De long.

One parent describes the staff as, "Wonderful and trustworthy. I have no hesitation entrusting my child to the camp counselors," while yet another asserts, "I have never met a more dedicated and compassionate group of young adults anywhere! Every year I am more and more surprised."

How to sign up

There are still spaces available this summer, but don't wait too long, as sessions are filling up fast. Visit www.campgray.com to read more detailed information on the summer programs, to view a regularly-updated session chart, or to print out an application. Call 1-800-711-4729 or e-mail bigfun@campgray.com with any questions, or to receive a brochure and application by mail.

Camp Gray, located between Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells, is owned and operated by the Diocese of Madison. It is fully accredited by the American Camp Association. Camp Gray also facilitates Environmental Stewardship retreats for middle schools, family backpacking trips, teambuilding initiatives, and confirmation retreats.

Joe Van Tassel is Camp Gray operations and development manager.