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	News Briefs: Sinsinawa holiday Mass schedule SINSINAWA -- The public is invited to pray and worship with the Sinsinawa Mound community this holiday season in Queen of the Rosary Chapel. Service times will be: Christmas Eve: 7 p.m. - Vigil of Carols and Readings, 7:30 p.m. - Eucharist; Christmas Day: 10:30 a.m. - Eucharist; New Year's Eve: 4:45 p.m. - Evening Prayer; New Year's Day: 10:30 a.m. - Eucharist. For more information, contact the liturgy office at 608-748-4411, ext. 843, or visit www.sinsinawa.org Retreat to begin new year SINSINAWA -- Sinsinawa Mound is offering a different way to begin the New Year with its "New Year's Retreat: Unmasking Our Underlying Hope." The retreat begins at 3 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and ends at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1. Leader Sr. Mary Ellen O'Dea will take the hope-filled view of biblical apocalyptic writings (Isaiah, Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, Paul's Thessalonian Letters, the Synoptics, and Revelation) and reflect that hopefulness as it thrusts us forward into a new world of peace and cooperation. Participants are asked to bring a Bible, one current issue of a favorite news magazine, and a pillar candle from home. The fee, which includes meals, is $97 for an overnight guest and $76 for a commuter. The registration deadline is December 23. For more information, contact guest services at 608-748-4411, ext. 811, or visit www.sinsinawa.org Alternative New Year's Eve DUBUQUE, Iowa -- "New Year's Eve: An Alternative Way To Celebrate!" evening of food, fun, and prayer will be held Sunday, Dec. 31, from 6:30 p.m. through a little past midnight at Shalom Retreat Center, 1001 Davis St., Dubuque, Iowa. The offering to attend is $30 per person, which includes dinner and program. Registration and prepayment are required by December 26. Call Shalom at 563-582-3592 or mail check made payable to "Shalom Retreat Center" to 1001 Davis St., Dubuque, IA 52001. Free throw contest RIDGEWAY/BARNEVELD -- Ridgeway/Barneveld Knights of Columbus Council 10905 is sponsoring its annual Freethrow Contest at Barneveld High School on Saturday, Dec. 22, at 10:30 a.m. Registration is at 10 a.m. All boys and girls ages 10 to 14 are invited to compete. Contact Steve Hellenbrand at 608-924-3049 for details. Nominate someone for a profile Do you know a person to nominate for a profile? This could be someone in a paid or volunteer position in the Catholic Church. It could be someone working outside the Church who lives his or her faith in ordinary or extraordinary ways in daily life. Send nominations with information about the nominee to: Catholic Herald, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison, WI 53719, or e-mail info@madisoncatholicherald.org

Come down under!
Spots available for pilgrimage
to World Youth Day in Australia

MADISON -- Exciting. Awesome. Inspiring.

That's how young people have described their involvement in previous World Youth Days (WYD).

These events - held about every three years - are opportunities for young Catholics to gather with the Holy Father to pray, worship, learn, serve, and mingle.

Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the world will be traveling "down under" for the celebration of World Youth Day in Australia in the summer of 2008.

Diocesan pilgrimage

Joining them will be a delegation from the Diocese of Madison. "We're all excited. The diocesan plan is going well," said Fr. Paul Arinze, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Dodgeville and chairman of the diocesan pilgrimage planning committee.

	You can still go Seven slots are still available for the Diocese of Madison's pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Australia in July of 2008. The openings will be filled on a first come, first served basis. For more information call Fr. Paul Arinze at 608-930-3392 or e-mail parinze@straphael.org

He explained that 63 people are registered for the diocesan group. These include almost all of the diocesan seminarians as well as some high school and college-age students and young adults.

Father Arinze said there is still an opportunity for young people from the Diocese of Madison to attend World Youth Day. "We have about seven openings for young people aged 16 to 35," he said.

Msgr. Jim Bartylla, diocesan vocation director, will travel with the group. They will also meet Bishop Robert C. Morlino in Australia. "I'm really excited that Bishop Morlino is coming to World Youth Day," said Father Arinze.

Bishop Morlino will celebrate a Mass with all diocesan participants at St. Mary's Cathedral in downtown Sydney the Monday after World Youth Day. There will also be a dinner at a nearby hotel with the bishop.

Itinerary for World Youth Day

The diocesan group will depart on July 7 from Madison and travel by bus to Chicago. They will arrive in Melbourne, Australia, on July 9.

"We will participate in Days in the Diocese in Melbourne," explained Father Arinze. "This is an opportunity to welcome the pilgrims on their way to Sydney. We will join the local community in attending dozens of events that will inspire us. There will be social justice activities and catechetical instruction."

Father Arinze has visited Australia and said Melbourne is "a beautiful city." He notes that it's the site of the Australian Open tennis tournament and has the largest Catholic population in Australia.

After Melbourne the diocesan pilgrims will travel by bus in a caravan to World Youth Day. "Since it's about a 10- or 11-hour drive, it will give us an opportunity to see some of the countryside," said Father Arinze.

In Sydney, the diocesan group will be assigned to a Catholic parish. They might stay with families or sleep in a parish facility. There will be morning prayer, catechetical instructions, Masses, and youth festivities.

On July 17, Pope Benedict XVI will arrive for World Youth Day. "Judging by our experience in Cologne, German, for World Youth Day, it will be very exciting," said Father Arinze.

After World Youth Day, there will be three days of sightseeing in the Sydney area before the group departs July 24 and returns to Madison on July 25.

Benefits of attending

Father Arinze talked about the benefits of attending WYD.

"Personally, I think it's a great opportunity for young pilgrims. They're able to see young people expressing their faith. It's affirming. And seeing the pope speak to them in person is a great experience. Your faith and outlook on life will be changed for the better."

Father Arinze noted that a number of World Youth Day attendees have becoming interested in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, as well as sacramental married life.

The trip for diocesan pilgrims costs at least $3,600. "It's a lot of sacrifice," said Father Arinze.

How people can help

He encouraged people in the Diocese of Madison to help by:

1. Praying for the success and safety of all World Youth Day participants.

2. Providing financial support to help defray costs. People can support young people going from their own parish or send checks to the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis earmarked for World Youth Day. Contributions are tax-deductible. Send checks to:

Office of Evangelization and Catechesis
P.O. Box 44983, Madison, WI 53744-4983

"We're still hoping someone could help provide transportation expenses by bus to Chicago and provide T-shirts. Please help support these young people who are committed to going to World Youth Day," he said.

Who's going

Parishes that have participants signed up for World Youth Day include: St. Peter, Ashton; St. Joseph, Dodgeville; Holy Mother of Consolation, Oregon; St. Mary, Pine Bluff; St. John the Evangelist, Spring Green; St. Ann, Stoughton; St. Henry, Watertown; and St. John the Baptist, Waunakee.

There are also students from St. Ambrose Academy; diocesan seminarians; two from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa; and one from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The Diocese of Madison is also hoping to sponsor up to two pilgrims from its sister diocese in Ghana.

Celebrating feast
of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Hispanics make Jesus and devotion to His mother a priority

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino welcomed the Hispanic community to the diocesan celebration of the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, which was doubly meaningful because it was celebrated on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception at St Patrick Church in Madison on Saturday, Dec. 8.

Many people came in the colorful costumes of their country, bringing flowers in remembrance of the roses Mary gave to Blessed Juan Diego to show the bishop.

The Diocesan Hispanic Choir filled the church with traditional music while the parents and children created a garden of beautiful flowers to surround the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Bishop Morlino celebrated Mass with Msgr. Kevin Holmes, pastor, and a number of other priests.

Making Jesus a priority

Bishop Morlino began his homily noting that environmentalists focus "like a laser" beam on their priority, the environment. Leading into a discussion on the Blessed Mother, he said "Jesus Christ was her priority."

He expressed her great fidelity and her love and said the challenge of this beautiful feast is to ask, "Do I make Jesus Christ a priority when it comes to marriage, when it comes to having children, when it comes to observing Christmas? Or am I lukewarm?"

In concluding, Bishop Morlino said, "Our brothers and sisters from the Hispanic cultures give us an example of how to make Christ and devotion to His mother a priority.

"You do not hold back in expressing your devotion to Christ . . . or to His Mother, Our Lady of Guadalupe. And we need your example terribly so that we can keep our priorities straight."

Celebration continues

After Mass, a joyous celebration, with music, dancing, traditional sweets, and Mexican-style hot chocolate, showed another priority of the Hispanic culture: that simple pleasures, family, and friends are a gift to be enjoyed!