• Articles on St. Raphael Cathedral
	News Briefs: Lenten mission at Madison parish MADISON -- Capuchin Franciscan preacher and author Fr. Richard Hart and Franciscan Sister Anne Kelly will conduct a Lenten parish mission renewal at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, 401 S. Owen Drive, Madison, from February 10 to 13. The program is designed to renew faith and strengthen convictions. Father Hart will preach at weekend Masses at the parish. The renewal event begins on Sunday evening at 7 p.m. and continues every evening through Wednesday, closing with a Mass. There is no charge. For more information, call 608-231-4600. Father Hart, from Milwaukee, has written several books, including Preaching: The Secret to Parish Revival and Preacher as Risk Taker. He is the head of the Capuchin Preachers of the Capuchin Province of St. Joseph. Faith Club book topic of discussion MADISON -- A book in which three women - a Muslim, a Christian, and a Jew - explore their beliefs, including the beliefs that unite them, will be the topic for discussion at St. Dennis Parish, 413 Dempsey Rd., Madison, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 13. All interested persons are invited to take part in the discussion. Authors Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner came together to learn about each other's faith tradition following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Their intent was to write a children's book, but first they wrote The Faith Club: A Muslim, A Christian, A Jew - Three Women Search for Understanding. It is the story of their struggles to come to an understanding about their three religions. At the discussion February 13, participants will share their thoughts and respond to discussion questions in small groups, then gather to offer their insights to the larger group. The meeting will be held in Fellowship Hall in the church. Refreshments will be served. Those interested in attending or seeking more information may contact Dennis at 608-221-8025. Adult gatherings at Janesville parish JANESVILLE -- Gathering in Faith Together, Adult Family Formation of Nativity of Mary Parish, 313 E. Wall St., presents a monthly opportunity for faith formation outside of the children's classes based on a theme for the year, "Acting for Justice." The group meets on the first Wednesday of the month in the church from 6:30 to 8 p.m. On February 6 the speaker will be Lee Nagel, executive director of the National Conference for Catechetical Leadership (NCCL). He is the former director of Total Catholic Education for the Diocese of Green Bay, having started his career as a first grade teacher. He will speak to the issues of creating a "justice in our church community for newcomers and how to see justice in the world." On March 5 the speaker will be John Leonard, professor of religious studies and chair of the department at Edgewood College, speaking on "Justice in Liturgy." He will refresh participants' memories of why they come to church and what they bring and take with them. Heart health fair scheduled at St. Clare Hospital BARABOO -- St. Clare Hospital is hosting "The Beat Goes On" heart health fair Tuesday, Feb. 19, from 12 noon to 2 p.m. in the hospital's Ringling Conference Room. The fair is free and registration is not necessary. Persons who have coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, are obese, or have had a heart attack or heart failure will be particularly interested in attending, along with their families and friends. For more information about the fair or heart health, contact Lori Rudolph at 608-355-1736. Support groups MADISON -- Two 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. People interested do not need to be a member of the parishes. For information, call 608-663-5011. Friends on a Journey meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7 and 21, at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, 401 S. Owen Dr. New Directions meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14 and 28, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd. Catholic Spirit Club JANESVILLE -- The Adult Catholic Spirit Club will host Rev. John Eyster speaking on the "Portrayal of Apostle Paul." Those coming are asked to read Corinthians 13 and bring any questions regarding the Apostle Paul and how he intertwines with Valentine's Day. The club has a potluck luncheon at 12 noon with the program following on Wednesday, Feb. 13, at St. John Vianney's Marian Hall. Project FACE Groups MADISON -- Project FACE is offering mental health groups to Dane County residents. Project FACE is a combined effort on the part of Catholic Charities, Lutheran Social Services, Family Service, and the Mental Health Center of Dane County. Dane County and the United Way of Dane County fund all groups fully or in part. Groups currently being offered include, but are not limited to, Addictions Recovery, depression groups, anger management groups for both men and women, Parenting Paths, Survivors of Suicide, Women's Trauma, Men's Well-being, groups for adult survivors of sexual abuse, domestic violence groups, and a psychotherapy process group for those who chronically struggle with mental illness. In addition, Project FACE offers support groups for men and women involved in the criminal justice system. Project Face also offers groups in Spanish to help issues of coping skills, cultural differences, isolation, life transitions, and anger management, and men who are struggling with alcohol and drug addiction issues. For more information about the groups, call Calvin at 608-256-2358. Birth Parent Support Group MADISON -- A Birth Parent Support Group will meet Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 5 Odana Ct. Sponsors are Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services. This ongoing support group, held the second Tuesday of every month, is for people who have placed their child/ren for adoption and is free, safe, and confidential. For registration, contact Alice at 608-270-6635 or apearson@lsswis.org or Trish at 608-833-4800, ext. 109, or pregnancy@tds.net 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

Diocesan Services Appeal 2008
Invites all Catholics to pray, offer financial support

MADISON -- One Church . . . Centered in Christ! This year's theme for the Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA) invites and challenges each of us to accept the awesome responsibility to be the Body of Christ where it is most in need in our diocese and throughout our world.

Our financial and prayerful support of the Diocesan Services Appeal (DSA) is our "yes" to the invitation for each of us, in word and deed, to profess our belief in One Church, Centered in Christ.

Support diocese, global community

Each year, individuals from all across southcentral Wisconsin continue to support the good work happening daily in our diocese and in our global community by supporting the DSA.

The success of the DSA stems from the hard work of our priests, deacons, and laity who understand the impact our united efforts can, and do, have in the lives of so many.

The 2008 appeal encourages each of us to remember that while we are many, we are One Church bound together in the love of Christ.

Begins on Ash Wednesday

Bishop Robert C. Morlino officially inaugurates the 2008 DSA on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 6, asking for our assistance in carrying out our joined mission as a diocesan Church. Parishioners are asked to support the appeal through a gift of prayer and resources.

"The goal of $3.2 million is aimed at providing effective ministry and service with greater impact spiritually and physically where it is most needed," states Bishop Morlino.

Financial information

"This year's goal of $3.2 million is an increase of four percent over last year's appeal, far less than many other dioceses' experience," according to Greg Keller, diocesan director of finance. "We as a diocesan staff work diligently to minimize costs and critically evaluate necessary funds needed throughout the diocese."

The parish goal is obtained using a formula incorporating information from parish financial reports. A listing of parish assessments is available on the diocesan Web site at www.madisondiocese.org under the Stewardship tab/Diocesan Services Appeal.

The Web site also provides a comprehensive list of ministries supported by the DSA. Audited financial statements for the Diocese of Madison are also available at this site. Informational DSA brochures are available in each parish.

Please consider how you can support this year's appeal and unite your gift with those around the diocese as One Church Centered in Christ to serve those in need.

The annual Diocesan Services Appeal runs from February 6, Ash Wednesday, through March 16, Palm Sunday. Please keep the success of this appeal in your prayers.

Looking at annual implementation plans

There have been a number of phone calls and e-mails where the topic of discussion has been something like, "Why do we need to keep having meetings? Didn't we already do this? Why can't we just do something?"

Implementation Committee training sessions update The Thursday, Jan. 17, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Diocesan Implementation Committee Meetings at St. Joseph Parish, Baraboo, and St. John Vianney Parish, Janesville, were cancelled because of snow. • The St. Joseph, Baraboo, meeting was rescheduled to Tuesday, Feb. 5, but had to be cancelled again because of another snowstorm. It will be rescheduled again. • The St. John Vianney, Janesville, meeting was rescheduled to Wednesday, Feb. 13, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (Snow date: Thursday, Feb. 14 at St. John Vianney, Janesville, in case of bad weather.) Those who registered for either location will be kept on the list for the same place but on the new date. Those needing to change the date or location should send an e-mail to trustinginthespirit@straphael.org or call 608-821-3023. To register send an e-mail to trustinginthespirit@straphael.org or call 608-821-3023.

Well, Trusting in the Spirit (just like Guided by the Spirit) is not about having meetings for meetings sake, or putting more work on our parish priests, or about closing church buildings. It is about effectively spreading the Gospel and the food that is Jesus Christ, to an increasingly larger community of the faithful, everyone at different places in their spiritual journey, everyone a son or daughter of God searching for that face to face meeting with their Lord, risen from the dead.

Everything we do needs to be referenced back to this key point so that all of the effort and sacrifice that everyone is giving, which with great hope we are placing at the altar of Christ's sacrifice every Mass, is given the value that it deserves.

No, especially as we enter into the Lenten season, this small hassle cannot compare to death on a cross, but it does have real value, with real expectations of everyone trying to move the Kingdom forward, with real souls at stake.

We have talked about how these expectations are measured, via the cluster directives, both general and specific, the bishop's goals, and the criteria and assumptions of the Implementation Commission.

But what exactly are they looking at?

Trusting in the Spirit, regardless of what cluster you are in, is a big program of diocesan and parish improvement and its success, like most things in parish life, hinges upon the leadership of our pastors.

However, they cannot do everything, so Trusting in the Spirit has Implementation Committees (at every parish), and Implementation Teams (at every cluster) to help the pastor coordinate all of the efforts in bringing the directives to fruition. We'll talk more about these groups in the next article as the product of their efforts is the topic right now.

As a reminder from the last article on accountability, Trusting in the Spirit relies on the idea of "Say what you Do and Do what you Say" and trusting that God will make the most of our efforts, a common theme in our Catholic faith. So we can break this down into two parts, the first of which we'll talk about now.

Every year, each cluster is required to take the time to set down their implementation plan of action for the coming year. This is done by having the cluster take the time to look at their big picture, clearly stating what their vision for the cluster, based upon everything we have mentioned. With that vision as a goal, clearly in the forefront of their minds and efforts, they will be able to, by taking the bishop's directives one at a time, set down objectives with corresponding actions that will enable them to achieve these goals.

Sounds simple and it is, in theory, but it will take some effort by each cluster to come to a consensus about what objectives and actions will be taken and their eventual effect. This information is recorded on the Annual Cluster Implementation Plan and submitted to the Implementation Commission in mid-May.

This plan will set expectations between the cluster and Implementation Commission in a way that, without being too demanding but still specific, will allow for the cluster's expression of their reasons for doing things and healthy discussion between clusters and Implementation Commission.

Once this plan is in place, it will be the time to "stop having meetings" and actually "get some work done." Christ's work, which after all, is the whole point isn't it?

As we begin this Lenten season, let us ask our mother Mary, who is always alongside us on our via dolorosa, our walk of sorrows, to pray for us for the strength to do Christ's work and the charity to share Christ's love that comes from . . . Trusting in the Spirit.

If you have any questions or comments, contact us at trustinginthespirit@straphael.org or mail Trusting in the Spirit, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison, WI 53719.

Grant Emmel is the vice-chancellor of the Diocese of Madison.
Next Article: Cluster Implementation Teams and Committees

Jail/prison ministry forum

MADISON -- "Criminal Justice in Wisconsin: Effective Strategies for Change" is the continuation of last year's "2007 Forum on Wisconsin's Correctional Future" and will again be sponsored by Edgewood College on Saturday, Feb. 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Anderson Auditorium.

	How to register There is no pre-registration or fee for the criminal justice forum. Contact Sr. Esther Heffernan at 608-663-2218 or heffern@edgewood.edu if you are planning on attending the entire program. To register for the panel on Catholic prison ministry only, contact Tom Nelson at 608-821-3093 or tnelson@straphael.org

Speakers will include Madison Police Chief Noble Wray, speaking on the Governor's Commission on ideas for reducing racial disparity in sentencing in Wisconsin courts; State Representative Mark Pocan addressing issues of community justice; and Judge Carl Ashley, who serves on a sub-committee for more effective strategies for justice on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Final speakers at the Anderson Auditorium session will be Rev. Jerry Hancock, who will address current trends in restorative justice; District Attorney John Chisholm speaking on Milwaukee County's efforts to counter disparity in sentencing; and County Executive Kathleen Falk addressing what Dane County is doing.

Catholic prison ministry

The final hour of the day, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., will focus on what we as Catholics can do to minister to those who have become incarcerated in the 11 county jails and five state and federal prison facilities that exist within the Diocese of Madison.

The diocesan Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach will host this segment with a five-person panel discussion on the basics of "Building a Catholic Prison Ministry to the Incarcerated." This panel will include perspectives of clergy and lay persons who minister to inmates; an inmate's view on faith community visitations; and an administrator's thoughts on the presence of faith communities.

Corporal work of mercy

The seven corporal works of mercy include visiting those who are imprisoned. It is a mission given to us as faithful followers by Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:34-40).

If you have thought of ministry to the imprisoned or how you can reach out to families of the incarcerated, join us for our panel discussion from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Predolin Room 118. You can attend the entire forum or just the panel discussion.