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	News Briefs: Fr. Frank Pavone to lead prayer service at abortion center in Madison, concelebrate Red Mass MADISON -- Fr. Frank Pavone, national director of Priests for Life, will lead a prayer service at an abortion center in Madison. On Thursday, April 20, from 3 to 4 p.m., Father Pavone will lead the prayer service at Planned Parenthood, 3706 Orin Rd., Madison. Father Pavone will also join Bishop Robert C. Morlino at 5 p.m. on Thursday in concelebrating the annual Red Mass at St. Patrick Church, 404 E. Main St., Madison. The Red Mass is offered especially for legislators, judges, lawyers, and government workers. Bishop Morlino will preside and preach at the Red Mass. Father Pavone will also take part in two Rachel's Ministries Conferences on Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22, in the Baraboo/Wisconsin Dells area for clergy and the general public. West Dane Deanery: Meeting scheduled May 2 at St. Andrew, Verona VERONA -- The West Dane Deanery spring meeting will be on Tuesday, May 2, at St. Andrew Parish here. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with coffee and rolls, followed by the business meeting. The program on "Human Trafficking" will be presented by Sr. Mary Frost, a Sister of the Divine Savior. Sister Mary's focus will be on recognizing the signs of trafficking. Mass is at 11 p.m., followed by lunch and a closing activity. Donations of twin bed sheets (fitted full or queen size could be used as well) are being collected for Brother Regis in New Holstein, who uses them for packing materials when sending items to clinics and dispensaries where they are most needed. A collection will be taken for the Divine Savior Sisters who are building a chapel in Mozambique. The cost for the day is $8 and registrations may be sent to Nancy Oswald, 306 Plympton, Verona, WI 53593, phone 608-845-6130. Make checks payable to the St. Andrew CCW. Self-management course for people with diabetes BARABOO -- St. Clare Hospital here is offering a self-management course for people with diabetes to help them better control the disease. Each participant may bring a support person. Group sessions will be held on four consecutive Mondays beginning May 1 from 1 to 3:15 p.m. at St. Clare Hospital. Prior to the group sessions, each participant will meet with a diabetic educator and an exercise physiologist to assess her/his particular needs. Course instructors include a registered nurse, dietitian, pharmacist, exercise physiologist, and mental health counselor. After the course is completed, one-on-one meetings will continue at three months, six months, and one year. To enroll or for more information, call Melanie Mielke, 608-356-1510. Deadline is April 21. LAMP training class MADISON -- Latin American Mission Program (LAMP) training class will be held Sunday, April 23, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Multicultural Center, 1862 Beld St. Former volunteers will talk about experiences in teaching and on health teams. For information write LAMP, P.O. Box 85, Madison, WI 53701-0085, or call 608-845-7028, 608-255-5284, or 608-868-7816. Nominate someone for "Profiles from the pew" To nominate someone to be featured in "Profiles from the pew," download a nomination form (PDF file, 269 KB). "Profiles from the pew" runs in the Catholic Herald print edition NOTE: The nomination form is a Portable Document Format file (PDF), which can be viewed using the freely available Adobe® Reader® software. Many computers already have this software and will automatically open the document when you click the nomination form link, above. Adobe Reader is a registered trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Apostolate Spring Day: He died to save, lives to love

By Kathleen Bushman
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MONROE -- The gymnasium at Monroe Senior High School was filled with joy, laughter, and music - not to mention colorful balloons and Easter bunnies - for the annual Apostolate to the Handicapped Spring Day April 8.

Volunteers served at Mass, served dinner, and played music during the event for about 835 attendees. Many of them - families, Knights of Columbus, Monroe Clinic workers, and FFA members, to name a few - were returning volunteers.

With so much support from so many people to make the event happen, Director of the Apostolate Msgr. Thomas F. Campion declared himself, reprising the immortal words of Lou Gerhig, "The luckiest person today."

"As long as 'your hands are my hands,'" he said, quoting the motto on the Apostolate window at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison, "I'm the luckiest person alive."

He lives to love us

The day began with music from Hugo and Heidi, followed by Mass and dinner.

Both Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus, and Bishop George O. Wirz, retired auxiliary bishop, both longtime supporters of the Apostolate, were present. Bishop Bullock celebrated the Mass and Bishop Wirz and nine priests concelebrated.

The theme of the Spring Day this year, held the day before Palm Sunday, was "He died to save us. He lives to love us." The theme reminded us, Monsignor Campion wrote, that Jesus "saves us from sin, despair, and loneliness, and lives to give us hope, healing, and life."

In his homily, Bishop Bullock enjoined those listening to continue helping others through love.

"There are those who are physically handicapped, emotionally starved, cast aside," he said. "But there's a nakedness about all of us that only others can fill in.

"Let love be the motivation that brings you to care for other people," the bishop said. "He died to save us and lives today so that we can bring that love to other people."

He then shared the story of the disabled runners at the Special Olympics who, when one of the runners fell, turned back and picked him up and then went arm in arm to the finish line.

"What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves," Bishop Bullock said. "What matters is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course."

'God bless'

After the Mass, Monsignor Campion, despite a recent illness and upcoming surgery on April 19, attended the entire Mass and afterward made a rousing speech that received a standing ovation from those who could and a sitting one from those who couldn't. A sign hanging from the upper bleachers read, "You're the greatest! 39 years - God bless!"

Even Bishop Bullock, at the beginning of his homily, told Monsignor Campion that he had one directive for him - "Take care of yourself because we need you and we love you."

Monsignor Campion began his speech by saying, "In a very real way I don't say 'my dear handicapped'; in a very real way I say, 'my fellow handicapped.'"

Over the years, he said, he thinks that he appreciated the situation for people with disabilities, but he hadn't really understood until the past month when he became ill. He hopes, he said, "to not ever lose that awareness of what it is to be disabled, to be told you might not make it."

He thanked all of the people who had worked hard to make this Spring Day come about without his help. "You are my passion. You are my life. You are my purpose," he said. "And I can feel from the support of many, many people that a lot of people do care about me and it gives me the drive and motive to continue on this work.

"Your hands are my hands. That's what life is about," he said. "All of us, handicapped or not handicapped, I don't care what religion . . . your hands are my hands. That's all of us speaking to one another."

Volunteers, attendees

Many of those who came, volunteers or attendees, said that they had been to Apostolate events before, and even those for whom it was their first time said they were enjoying themselves.

John Perkins, a volunteer from the UW council of Knights of Columbus, said that he comes to the Apostolate events in support of the work for people with disabilities, especially because of the bond the council has with Monsignor Campion. The council also helps out with the Apostolate television Masses.

"I enjoy seeing all these people here," he said. "They have a special smile on their face when there's someone to greet them when they come through the door."

Mak Johnson, who has come to Apostolate events many times, brought his sister Lavonn Kettle, both from Janesville, for her first Spring Day and helped people out of the buses. He enjoyed coming, he said, "because I can come here and help people."

Mary Doyle of Madison said that she came to the event again this year because, as a senior, now it was her turn. "I used to bring my father because he was old, and my mother-in-law because she was . . . and now it's my turn - I'm almost 80!"

"I come back to humble myself," said Gloria Duane of Madison, who sat beside Doyle. "There's so many people here who can't do many things that I can do."

New superintendent of Catholic schools:
Bishop announces appointment
of Michael Lancaster to post

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front-page photo.)

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino has announced the appointment of a new superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Madison.

"As the Bishop of the Diocese of Madison I am exceedingly pleased to announce that Michael J. Lancaster, currently the Principal of Mount Horeb High School in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, has accepted the position of Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Madison. Mike will be working with Dr. Jim Silver and visiting diocesan schools leading up to the start of his official term on July 1, 2006.

"Michael has 13 years of educational experience as a teacher and administrator. He is a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council for the Diocese of Madison as well as the Chairman of the Parish Council for Immaculate Conception in Barneveld, Wisconsin. He and his wife Michelle reside in Barneveld with their three children, Meghan, age 12, Colin, age 6, and Heather, age 5."

Lancaster first became interested in Catholic education during his years as a student at Regis Jesuit High School in Denver, Colo. "During my freshman year my Latin teacher, Fr. Michael Marchlewski, continually exhorted me to one day 'return to Regis and keep it great,'" recalled Lancaster. "So, return I did, as a novice teacher some eight years later."

Lancaster is the product of Catholic education. Besides Regis High School, he attended the University of Dallas for his undergraduate degree and Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, where he earned a Master's Degree in Educational Administration.

He is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis.

"I am very grateful to Michael and his wife Michelle for answering the call of the Holy Spirit and accepting this tremendous responsibility," said Bishop Morlino. "Michael has the vision, enthusiasm and, most importantly, faith to take our schools to the next level. I know I can count on Mike to continue our tradition of educational excellence established by Dr. Jim Silver and our past Superintendents.

"Please welcome Michael and his family to our diocesan leadership team."

Lancaster commented on the appointment, "I am very humbled and honored to have the great privilege of serving the Lord and the good people of the Madison Diocese in this wonderful capacity. My family and I look forward to beginning this work of education and evangelization through our schools.

"I particularly look forward to meeting all the pastors and principals as we work to ensure that Catholic schools provide an unparalleled education rooted firmly and forever in the Catholic faith."

Catholic women:
Hold state conference in Watertown

WATERTOWN -- The 91st annual conference of the Wisconsin Council of Catholic Women (WCCW) will be held Friday and Saturday, May 5 and 6, at the Windwood Country Club here. The theme is "The Journey Continues."

A liturgy will be celebrated May 6 at St. Bernard Parish, 114 S. Church St., here at 8:30 a.m. Registration is at 9:30 a.m. followed by the opening and business sessions at 9:45 a.m.

Dr. Richard Lyles will be the speaker in the media session. His topic is "Catholic Media in Contemporary Society." He is currently CEO of Relevant Radio, which includes a network of 17 stations.

The afternoon program will include the legislative and the current Catholic issues sessions. Stephen Nass, Palmyra, representative from the 31st Assembly District elected in 1990, will be the legislative speaker. A member of the National Guards for 33 years, Nass retired in 2005 having served two voluntary tours of duty in Saudi Arabia.

Leland Nagel, consultant and retired director of the Green Bay Diocesan Office of Education, will be the current Catholic issues speaker. His topic will be "God's Word - Unfolding and Lighting the Way." Installation of officers follows.

On Friday, May 5, there will be a banquet at the Windwood Country Club at 6:30 p.m. preceded by a social at 5:30 p.m.

Reservations are due April 26 to Catherine Jones, 3009 Glenhaven Pl., Eau Claire, WI 54703. Fees include: banquet - $23; conference on Saturday - $37. Those attending the conference are asked to bring school supplies or small religious articles for the Indian Mission at Stone Lake.