News Briefs: Advent mission at Blessed Sacrament Parish MADISON -- Dominicans Fr. Jim Marchionda and Sr. Ann Willits will lead a parish mission December 3 to 7 at Blessed Sacrament Parish to start the Advent season. Father Marchionda is a former Blessed Sacrament associate pastor, professional musician, and composer. Sister Ann is presently co-director of the PARABLE Conference for Dominican Life and Mission. They will begin the mission at the weekend Masses starting December 3. After each 8:30 a.m. weekday Mass during the mission there will be time for dialogue over coffee and refreshments. A healing service will be featured on Monday evening at 7 p.m. Tuesday afternoon will be dedicated to a youth rally featuring contemporary Christian music with Father Marchionda, John Angotti, and Meredith Dean Joseph. Preaching on Tuesday evening starting at 7 p.m. will be for all ages. The mission will conclude Wednesday evening with a celebratory music concert featuring Father Marchionda, Angotti, and Joseph and a combined Blessed Sacrament Choir. Meredith Dean Joseph is director of music and liturgy at St. Joseph Parish in East Rutherford, N.J. John Angotti is director of music at St. Ann Parish in Bartlett, Tenn. National Night of Prayer for Life on Dec. 8 MADISON -- The National Night of Prayer for Life on Thursday, Dec. 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, will be sponsored in three locations in the Diocese of Madison. All are invited to take time to reflect on the great joy and gift of life and to pray for the unborn with Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the rosary, meditation, and song. All are welcome to come for a few minutes or to stay until midnight to join in the Hour of Unity, where parishioners in churches across the country pray to end abortion and promote the Culture of Life. The three locations in the diocese include: • Holy Redeemer Church, 120 W. Johnson St., Madison - Prayer time will follow the 8 p.m. Mass. • Bishop O'Donnell Holy Name Memorial Chapel, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison - Prayer will begin at 9 p.m. • St. Joseph Church, Rio - Prayer will begin at 9 p.m. All will end at midnight following the Hour of Unity. This night links the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with the memorial of St. Juan Diego on December 9, bringing to mind that the Blessed Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe, is both patroness of the Americas and the unborn. If you would like to sponsor this prayer in your own community, contact Susanna Herro, director of the diocesan Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach, 608-821-3087, or sherro@straphael.org All are encouraged to pray wherever they are to join spiritually with the National Night of Prayer for Life. Remembering loved ones at holidays SINSINAWA -- An ecumenical service, "Remembering Service: Remembering Our Loved Ones at Holiday Time," to honor family and friends who have died will be held Sunday, Dec. 4, at 1:30 p.m. at Queen of the Rosary Chapel at the Sinsinawa Mound. Catholics with Disabilities invites people to "come home for Christmas" MADISON -- Catholics With Disabilities invites all persons with disabilities considering returning to the Catholic Church, or who are interested in learning about Catholicism, to come, share their faith story, and pray together on Saturday, Dec. 3, at St. Patrick Church, 404 East Main St., Madison, at 2:15 p.m. Christmas refreshments will be served. All family members and friends are welcome. Support groups for separated, divorced MADISON -- Two local parishes offer peer support groups for those hurting from separation, divorce, or loss of a significant relationship. The groups are open to all ages and faiths. For information, call 608-821-3170. Friends on a Journey meets on the west side of Madison from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, at Our Lady Queen of Peace, 401 S. Owen Dr. New Directions meets on the east side from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd. Day of fast and prayer for forgiveness MADISON -- December 2 marks the 25th anniversary of the martyrdom of three Sisters and one Catholic laywoman in El Salvador. Militia trained by the U.S. Army were involved in these murders and many others in Central America. A day of fast and prayer is being organized to seek forgiveness for the violence that continues between North and Central America. The fast will be held in the chapel at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison from 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1, to 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2. At 6 p.m. on December 2 a memorial service will be offered for the 25th anniversary of the martyrs of Central America. These dates include the time Bishop Robert C. Morlino will attend the Board of Visitors meeting for the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. There will be hourly prayers for Bishop Morlino.
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Monstrance for Vocations:
Visits Schoenstatt shrine

By Kathleen Bushman
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front-page photo.)

MADISON -- In the small chapel at Schoenstatt Heights here, roses of five colors - one for each decade of the rosary - decorated the altar around the papal monstrance as adorers knelt before the Blessed Sacrament.

Related articles: Nov. 17, 2005 edition: • Monstrance for Vocations: Comes to Diocese of Madison • Bishop's column -- Year of the Eucharist: Reflect on fruits of celebration Nov. 10, 2005 edition: • Perpetual Adoration volunteers sought Oct. 20, 2005 edition: • Closing Mass: Diocese gathers to end Year of Eucharist • Bishop Speaks -- Recent events: Energized by Eucharist, apostolic visit • Editorial -- Year of the Eucharist: Will continue every day Oct. 13, 2005 edition: • Bishop Speaks -- October: Marks Respect Life Month June 23, 2005 edition: • Corpus Christi: Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ May 26, 2005 edition: • Notes from the Vicar General -- Holy Eucharist: Someone to get dressed up for March 31, 2005 edition: • 'Listen hard, be changed': Bishop says at Chrism Mass March 24, 2005 edition: • Bishop Speaks -- At Easter: With eyes of hope Feb. 17, 2005 edition: • To new Catholics: Bishop emphasizes priority of Sunday Eucharist Feb. 10, 2005 edition: • Bishop Speaks -- In Year of Eucharist: Reflecting on gift of hope at Lent • Faith Alive! Feb. 3, 2005 edition: • Faith Alive! Dec. 2, 2004 edition: • Bishop Speaks -- Christmas journey: Jesus in crèche, tabernacle Nov. 4, 2004 edition: • Bishop Speaks -- Look to Eucharist: For real meaning of thanksgiving Oct. 14, 2004 edition: • Editorial -- Living the Eucharist: It is a 'great school of peace' Oct. 7, 2004 edition: • Editorial -- Year of the Eucharist: Connected with life issues

The Monstrance for Vocations, which was blessed before his death by Pope John Paul II and is traveling across the United States and Canada for use in Eucharistic Adoration, made its first stop for Adoration at the Marian shrine on the east side here, November 19.

Providential visit

It was providential, said Sr. Marcia Vinje, a Schoenstatt Sister and associate director of the Office of Religious Education for the Diocese of Madison, because the monstrance arrived at the shrine almost to the minute that a new house for Adoration was opened near the Schoenstatt shrine near St. Vincent Pallotti in Milwaukee.

The Eucharistic Adoration filled out a two-day retreat held by the Schoenstatt Sisters, the theme of which was "Living the Eucharist in Daily Life." The retreat featured presentations by retreat master Fr. Gerold Langsch, a Schoenstatt Father; private prayer; Confession; and Mass.

Children and their parents also were invited to participate in Adoration and afterwards learned from a young novice, candidate, and prospective candidate - three sisters - about discerning, fostering, and conserving their vocation.

Living the Eucharist

Without the Eucharist, said Father Langsch in his talk on Sunday, "we would starve to death, spiritually speaking. In the Eucharist, [Christ] comes in the most personal, direct form possible."

But often we do not recognize Christ in the Eucharist, and show a lack of respect for each other, he said. "It amazes me that we receive Communion, and after a while we act like nothing in the world happened."

To live the Eucharist in our daily life, he said, "means our daily life has a center: that is, God in me.

"The whole purpose of the monstrance, the whole purpose of the Eucharist, is to receive the Truth," Fr. Langsch said.

After the presentations were done, retreat attendees and other adorers returned to the chapel for Adoration, a procession and rosary, and benediction, followed by Mass.

From November 18 to 23, the papal monstrance visited sites around the diocese, including St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, Madison, during the Diocesan Youth Rally; St. Paul's University Catholic Center, Madison; St. Augustine University Parish, Platteville; St. William Parish, Janesville; and the Bishop O'Connor Pastoral Center, Madison.

The monstrance is one of six blessed by the pope in November of 2004 to travel throughout the world to promote Eucharistic Adoration during the 2004-2005 Year of the Eucharist.

Catholic Charities:
Holds 10th annual Awards Dinner

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Over 400 supporters, staff, and clients of Catholic Charities (CC) gathered recently at the Marriott Hotel for the 10th annual Awards Dinner to celebrate Catholic Charities' mission of providing caring, compassionate service to those in need.

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Madison "offers people the opportunity to put their faith into action," said Alan (Cubby) Wolfe, one of the dinner's co-chairs along with Joe Tisserand, both CC board members.

At the dinner, Catholic Charities honored leaders in the community of faith as well as individuals within the CC programs.

Special award

Bishop Robert C. Morlino presented a special St. Raphael Lifetime Achievement Award to Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus.

Bishop Morlino noted that under Bishop Bullock's guidance, Catholic Charities grew from 10 to 28 different programs with 235 employees serving over 17,000 people each year. These programs serve children, families, the disabled, those with drug abuse, and many others.

Services to senior citizens were expanded, including the All Saints Retirement Center in Madison with 144 apartments. Five housing projects for the poor were also built with 282 units.

"These are structural programs that embody Bishop Bullock's dedication to helping the needy," said Bishop Morlino. "It is an honor and a joy to join in honoring him and to present a lifetime achievement award."

In accepting the award, Bishop Bullock noted that the stained glass windows in the chapel at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center in Madison highlight the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Two large windows are also dedicated to Mother Teresa and Christ of the Handicapped.

These windows remind us that as Catholics, we "combine worship and work and witness," said Bishop Bullock.

Director's awards

Brian Cain, CC executive director, presented Executive Director's Awards to three people who show the impact of CC's programs on clients. A video program introduced the award recipients:

• Robert J. Corbit, Jr., a client of Rebos-Chris Farley House in Madison, a residential facility that provides transitional housing and supportive services for newly sober men recovering from alcohol and other drug abuse.

• Judith Johnson, a client of Catholic Charities' Development Disability Counseling Program, which helps persons with development disabilities experience maximum opportunity for self-actualization and integration into their community.

• Steve Scheel with the Catholic Charities' Supportive Living Program, which provides support services primarily to individuals with traumatic brain injury.

Leadership awards

Tisserand and Wolfe presented awards to four persons for their activities supporting Catholic teaching and values:

• Msgr. Kenneth J. Fiedler, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison - the Visionary Leadership Award.

• Sr. Anne Raymond Gasser, a School Sister of Notre Dame who is a pastoral associate at Sacred Hearts Parish, Sun Prairie - Catholic Leadership Award.

• Jeannette J. Klaas, St. Mary Parish, Platteville - Community Leadership Award.

• Dr. Edward J. Kramper, Christ the King Parish, McFarland - Community Leadership Award.

Funds raised from the Awards Dinner will support Catholic Charities' Programs for Aging Persons and Families.