• Articles on St. Raphael Cathedral
	News Briefs: 'Handling the Holidays' MONROE -- Monroe Clinic's Hospice is offering "Handling the Holidays" to help people deal with depression as a part of grieving. The program will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the St. Camillus Center, 2101 Sixth St. in Monroe. Refreshments will be served at this free program. Register by calling 608-324-1230. Breast cancer support BARABOO -- A support group for women who have undergone breast surgery and/or treatment for breast cancer will meet monthly at St. Clare Hospital beginning Monday, Nov. 13, from 7 to 9 p.m. Future meetings are scheduled for the second Monday of each month at the same time. Registered nurse Pam Schreiner is the facilitator. The meetings are informal and there is no charge. For information, call Schreiner at 608-643-0986 or e-mail pmssp@shopstop.net Blood drive at Mound SINSINAWA -- Sinsinawa Mound Center will host a blood drive, sponsored by the Red Cross, from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 15. All are welcome to come and give blood to save a life. For more information, call 608-748-4411 or visit www.sinsinawa.org Flu immunizations MONROE -- Monroe Clinic will offer flu immunization clinics at its offices in Monroe, Albany, Blanchardville, Brodhead, Durand, Freeport, and Lena. The cost is $20 in cash or check paid at the time of the flu clinic. For information, go to www.monroeclinic.org Mound Advent retreat SINSINAWA -- An Advent retreat, "Wait, Watch, or Not?", will be held Friday, Nov. 17, through Sunday, Nov. 19, at Sinsinawa Mound. Dominican Sister Kathleen Flood will lead the retreat. There is a fee and the registration deadline is November 10. For more information, call 608-748-4411 or visit www.sinsinawa.org Schoenstatt fall retreat focuses on family MADISON -- "Family - It's a Schoenstatt Thing" is the theme of the Schoenstatt fall retreat at Schoenstatt Heights, 5901 Cottage Grove Rd., on Saturday, Nov. 18, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 19, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This retreat will explore how to bring the mission of "family" to our culture and church today. Retreat master will be Fr. Gerold Langsch. Cost is $30 (includes all meals) plus an offering for the retreat master. Limited rooms (double occupancy) are available for an additional $15. For reservations and information, call Irene at 608-222-4655. 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.

All Souls Day: A Catholic perspective on purgatory

By Kathleen Bushman
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Surrounded by tombs and reminders of loved ones past, Massgoers raised their prayers for the souls of the dead at an All Souls Day Mass at Resurrection Cemetery.

The Mass was celebrated in the Madison cemetery's chapel and mausoleum November 2 by Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus. He was joined by Msgr. Michael L. Burke, pastor at St. Maria Goretti Parish, Madison, and Fr. Jay Poster, parochial vicar; Fr. Roger G. Nilles, St. Peter Parish, Madison; as well as Master of Ceremonies Deacon Jack Fernan.

Traditionally, All Souls Day falls on November 2, the day after All Saints Day. The basis for the feast is that the souls of some of the dead are in purgatory to cleanse them of venial sin before being received into the fullness of heaven, and the faithful on earth help them through prayer and the sacrifice of the Mass.

The celebration of All Souls Day is a time for the faithful to remember loved ones who have gone before, said Tom Hanlon, director of the Diocesan Cemeteries. Having this Mass at a cemetery, where the physical bodies of the dead repose, is important.

"In our faith we believe we pray for the dead - and this is an opportunity for us to pray as a group of people - and the dead pray for us," he said. "It is, to me, one of the more solemn occasions. . . . The Feast of All Souls Day is what our faith is about."

During the Mass, Bishop Bullock offered a perspective on "the beauty parlor outside heaven called purgatory."

He talked about the view of purgatory, especially from Dante's Inferno, of a cleansing by fire. By Catholic teaching, he said, fire is what is used to purify, such as for precious metals.

"The whole sense of purgatory is God wants us to be very much at home in him," he said. "But we as Christian people believe there's this intermediate step before we are ushered into heaven."

On All Souls Day, we pray for our loved ones that they may be brought into heaven, he said. "We pray that they are in the hands of God . . . and they live in the promise of Jesus that he will bring them into the fullness of heaven."

Memorial Garden: Invites quiet prayer and meditation
at Fort Atkinson parish

By Audrey Mettel Fixmer
CATHOLIC HERALD CORRESPONDENT

FT. ATKINSON -- Every day is All Souls Day at St. Joseph Parish when the new parish Memorial Garden is viewed at the left side entrance to the new church.

The Memorial Garden, so named because it is a living memorial to the loved ones of the parish family who have gone on to their eternal rewards, invites quiet prayer and meditation and remembrance.

The bricks that form the path in the shape of a cross are carry-overs from the old St. Joseph Church location on Main St. It was a labor of love performed entirely by volunteers.

At this point 110 of the bricks are engraved with the name of the loved one being memorialized. A donation of $500 by living members of the families purchases an engraved brick; twice a year the newly purchased bricks are set in place by volunteers.

Using the side entry to the church, individuals are in awe of the seemingly endless array of blooms in lavender and pink, with new surprises every week. Estelle Wiesmann, chief gardener for the Memorial Garden, designed and lovingly tends the garden several times a week.

Two stone benches offer a resting place to pray a rosary or simply pray. One was donated by Marcella Davis in memory of her husband, Bob Davis, and the other by Garrett Barry.

The birdbath was purchased by the eighth grade graduating class of 2006, and the small statues by the Joyce family in remembrance of their parents, Rose and Bill.

The focal point, of course, is the beautiful stone Memorial to the Unborn Innocents donated by the Knights of Columbus and carried over from the old church.

The month of November is a good time to visit the Memorial Garden, a quiet place of beauty, to reflect on God's love and mercy and to remember in prayer loved ones who have passed away.

Apostolate to Handicapped:
To hold Christmas party Dec. 2

MONROE -- "Jesus saw the crowd, and cared for them" is the theme of the Christmas party sponsored by the Apostolate to the Handicapped to be held on Saturday, Dec. 2, at Monroe Senior High School in Monroe.

This is always a big and beautiful event and all disabled and elderly persons are invited to this significant day. "True, it is not even Advent yet, but it still gives us a chance to celebrate the joy and good news of our Christian faith. We always need 'a little Christmas' to help keep us going," said Msgr. Thomas Campion, Apostolate director.

The day's events will begin at 9:15 a.m. with Hugh and Heidi, entertaining in their unique way. At 10:45 a.m. Bishop Robert C. Morlino will preside and preach at a concelebrated Mass with several other priests of the Madison Diocese.

The Diocesan Choir under the direction of Dr. Patrick Gorman will lead the singing for the Mass. The significant role of the disabled will include the presenting of the gifts to the bishop for the celebration. Television Mass commentators and acolytes will read and serve for the Mass.

Following the spiritual feeding of the Mass, participants will be physically fed with a dinner. There will be more entertainment and a gift for all the guests attending.

The usual group of hundreds of drivers, nurses, cooks, meal servers, helpers, set-up and clean-up crews, and benefactors will assist in the huge task of making it all happen for the expected 1,200 guests.

To make a reservation for this event, write Msgr. Thomas Campion at P.O. Box 443, Monroe, WI 53566. All are invited and there is no cost as expenses are paid by "friends of the Apostolate to the Handicapped."

The staff of volunteers of the Apostolate to the Handicapped, the administration, teachers, student body, Monroe fire department, Monroe auxiliary police, Monroe EMS, and many other groups, organizations, and individuals all help in creating a day enjoyed by the handicapped and elderly.

"We must see the crowd and care for them, as the crowd sees us and cares for us," Monsignor Campion, director, said. "It is the vision of the worth of every person, and what we can all do for one another. The disabled community does so much for all of us - they give us that sign of purpose, the motivation of energy, and a real direction to our lives. And then the rest of people see the handicapped and help as they can to care for them.

"It is a magnificent sign of the 'give and take' in life for everyone. It is where real respect for life is seen in visible actions. In the language of the Gospel, for all persons disabled and able, like Jesus, we must see the crowd around us and care for them," Monsignor Campion stated.

Monroe High School is handicapped accessible.