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| May 24, 2007 Edition | ||||
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Capital campaign: St. Vincent de Paul plans for new food pantry and service centerMADISON -- The St. Vincent de Paul Society in Madison is publicly launching its first capital campaign this week. The Help Build Hope campaign's aim is to construct a new food pantry and service center on Fish Hatchery Rd. adjacent to the interim facility at 1309 Culmen St. The campaign's goal is $4 million, with $1.9 million in gifts and pledges made in the campaign's "quiet" phase. Improve, expand servicesThe new center will allow St. Vincent de Paul to improve and expand its current efforts and to develop initiatives to help its neighbors in need more effectively and compassionately, said Ralph Middlecamp, executive director of the District Council of Madison. "The Madison community is constantly growing," noted Middlecamp. "There is a segment of people who come here for the opportunities. They have to find jobs and housing. Yet, the cost of living here is high. Food, energy, medical expenses, and higher gas costs all impact people's lives." Middlecamp noted, "Some people are surprised that we need to expand our services. They don't realize that 15 percent of people in Madison and nine percent in Dane County are below the poverty level." More people seeking helpMore and more people are seeking services from St. Vincent de Paul. One of the most telling statistical changes is the increase in how much food the society gives away. In 2005, the dollar amount for food distributed was $411,000. In 2006, the society's pantry gave away more than $850,000 worth of food. The society's interim food pantry typically serves between 60 and 100 families per day, five days a week, according to Ernie Stetenfeld, the society's director of community relations. "It is Dane County's largest and busiest food pantry," he noted. The pantry has served up to 116 client families in a single day. Middlecamp said the temporary pantry is often very crowded with only one check-in station. The new center will have an opportunity for four check-in stations and more places to sit. "It will make the waiting experience better," he said, emphasizing that the society always seeks to treat people with dignity and respect. Volunteer opportunities growingBesides serving people better, the new center will also provide more opportunities for volunteers to get involved. "Our organization is dedicated to putting faith into action to serve the poor," explained Middlecamp. "The new pantry space and new model has lots of opportunities for people to get involved. We hope to expand those opportunities. Middlecamp stressed that involvement in St. Vincent de Paul shows people value the church outreach to the needy. "We're giving Catholic people the tools to do their ministry and the space to do it," he said. "It's exciting to see we're almost to the half-way point in our campaign. We've never done a capital campaign before. It's gratifying to see the support and how generously people have responded so far." Middlecamp noted that there will be a variety of events in parishes and in the community in the next five months for people to get involved. Those willing to donate or become involved in the campaign or seeking more information should contact St. Vincent de Paul Development Associate Rebecca Thorman at 608-442-9878, ext. 1. Information is also available at www.svdpmadison.org
God's plan for sexuality:
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Theology of the Body events:Register Online Now! |
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In one such song, "Strong Enough," singer/song writer Sheryl Crow sings, "Lie to me, I promise, I'll believe. Lie to me, but please don't leave." We want this communion so much that some will accept a lie just to remain in it . . . hmmm . . . interesting.
Sexual freedom is truly realized in a committed relationship and sometimes we want this freedom so badly that we are willing to sell our soul and body to obtain it or to obtain an illusion of it. Why?
The answer is that we deeply desire communion both physically and spiritually with another person. This desire is "stamped" in our very being.
We want a spouse that will tell us what is best for us even when we want something else simply because we trust they know us, sometimes better than we know ourselves. Do you desire this? What stands in the way of obtaining that desire?
Gift from God
You know, our sexuality is a gift from God. This gift is so precious that He doesn't want us to give it to just anyone but to one someone that will treat this gift as the most precious pearl ever.
We cheapen this gift - our sexuality - by the way we wear our clothes, the way we act, what we look at, and how we talk. But, as Christopher West says "God gave us sexual desire itself to be the power to love as He loves."
That power - sexual desire - is from God and the center of a joy-filled marriage. There are other factors that make a joy-filled marriage but the power of the sexual desire is what the Church and John Paul II teach to be the only thing to truly imitate heaven on earth.
Some may think that the closest thing to heaven on earth is chocolate or the Green Bay Packers winning the Super Bowl, but the sexual embrace - the marital embrace - lasts longer than either of those two things. It does so in two ways: the one-flesh union images the everlasting communion of the Holy Trinity; and second, that same union may produce another life, if God wills it to be so, and that life lasts for an eternity. Speaking of imaging, just as God fully gives himself to us through His, we too are called to fully give ourselves to another in the same way: freely, totally, faithfully, and fruitfully.
Becoming human
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Previous articles:May 17, 2007 edition: |
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We invite you to find out what it means to be truly human through your sexuality. The sidebar on this page lists a number of Theology of the Body events occurring this June. The Introduction to the Theology of the Body in particular may open a door to your humanity that many of us are completely missing.
And if you feel called to help promote this "rediscovery of the meaning of the whole of existence, the meaning of life," as John Paul II puts it, then consider attending the training sessions for marriage preparation or the Theology of the Body for Teens.
Next Week: the Theology of the Body for Teens
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Guided by the Spirit:
Procedures, policies for parish cemeteries
Throughout the Catholic Church's history there has been a great affinity for places of rest of our deceased brethren. From the catacombs of early martyrs to the parish cemeteries of the present day, these places should evoke the image of God's great gift to us, the resurrection to eternal glory of our temporal bodies, and the unification of that body to our soul.
In the Catholic tradition, there are two places that are considered sacred: the church and the cemetery. It should be no surprise that just as the Diocese of Madison is taking seriously the shortage of priests by undergoing diocesan wide strategic planning for parishes; it is also taking seriously the responsibility we all have to support our parish cemeteries.
In July of 2006 the diocese contracted with Joseph B. Sankovich and Associates to conduct a comprehensive survey of all 107 parish cemeteries in the diocese. That survey is complete and the diocese is holding several regional meetings to discuss the results of the survey and to outline the course of action over the next months and years. (See the advertisement on this page -- print edition only.)
Future regional meetings will discuss the diocesan policies/procedures and rules/regulations.
The policies/procedures establish the relationship between the parish cemetery and the diocese while the rules/regulations give a template and guidance to pastors and sextons for the cemeteries in their care.
If you have any questions about the regional meetings, the survey, the results, or future plans regarding parish cemeteries, please feel free to contact either Grant Emmel (608-821-3010 or gemmel@straphael.org), or Tom Hanlon (608-238-5561 or thanlon@straphael.org).
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Offices and mailing address: Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison, WI 53719
Phone: 608-821-3070 Fax: 608-821-3071 E-Mail: info@madisoncatholicherald.org