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	News Briefs: St. Clare Hospital to provide urgent care services in Wisconsin Dells WISCONSIN DELLS -- St. Clare Hospital will begin offering urgent care services in Wisconsin Dells on Sunday, May 18, at 9 a.m. at the intersection of Highways 16, 13, and 23 at 1310 Broadway (in the Dells Clinic building). It will be available weekday evenings from 6 to 9 and weekends and holidays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The urgent care staff will treat a wide variety of ailments, including sore throats and colds, ear and eye infections, urinary tract infections, minor lacerations, sprains, strains, and joint pain. Nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and registered nurses provide urgent care services. In addition to the Wisconsin Dells location, St. Clare Urgent Care is also available at 530 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy. in Lake Delton from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and around the clock at St. Clare Hospital, 707 14th St., Baraboo. Natural Family Planning 101 class MADISON -- Individuals curious about Natural Family Planning (NFP) or wondering what it is and how it is different from contraception are invited to come to St. Patrick Parish, Madison, on Tuesday, May 20, at 7 p.m., to hear Jessica Smith, family planning coordinator for the Madison diocese, present "NFP 101." Smith will teach the basics of what NFP is, what it isn't, and why it makes for far happier people, marriages, and families. Contact Smith at 608-821-3134 or nfp@straphael.org to register. The suggested donation for the class is $10 per person or $15 per couple. Creative writing workshop focuses on spiritual quest SINSINAWA -- A creative writing workshop, "Writing as a Spiritual Quest," will be held at Sinsinawa Mound May 30 to June 1. Participants will focus on writing exploring their spiritual well-being by looking at the sacred, grace, and loss in their lives. Areas of focus will be prayer, forgiveness, and gratitude. All levels of writers are encouraged to attend. Gail Balden, founder and director of Creative Journeys, a writing institute on the Oregon coast, will lead the workshop. Registration deadline is May 23, and the fee, which includes meals, is $179 for overnight guests and $114 for commuters. For more information, contact guest services at 608-748-4411 or visit www.sinsinawa.org Support groups for relationship loss 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. For information, call 608-663-5011. Friends on a Journey meets from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 15, at Our Lady Queen of Peace, 401 S. Owen Dr. New Directions meets from 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, May 22, at St. Dennis Parish Center, 413 Dempsey Rd. Trip to Brewers game MADISON -- Knights of Columbus, Assembly 1200, is sponsoring a bus trip to Miller Park for the Brewers/Rockies game on Thursday, July 10. Cost is $40 per game for ticket and transportation. The bus will leave from the St. Dennis parking lot about 9:30 a.m. Call Mel Feit at 608-241-0800 or Jim Gillitzer at 608-222-8854 for details. Everyone welcome. Community forum on caring for the elderly MADISON -- As people in our families age, we all face new questions, have new concerns, and look for answers to create a safe, comfortable future. With those goals in mind, the Human Concerns Committee of Blessed Sacrament Parish, with sponsorship from the diocesan Office of Justice and Pastoral Outreach, presents a community forum on Thursday, May 22, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Friary of Blessed Sacrament Parish, 2131 Rowley Ave. Two leading advocates will share valuable information on how we can help our elders who are at risk of harm or exploitation continue to live safe, rewarding, and satisfying lives. Topics will include: • How you can be an effective advocate for an elderly person. • What to consider when assessing the safety, quality, and consistency of care provided by a long-term care facility. • Recognizing and responding to the warning signs of neglect or abuse. • Avoiding financial manipulation and securing the monetary well-being of our elderly loved ones. The last half hour will include time for questions and answers, discussion, and refreshments. For more information, call Ed Emmenegger at Blessed Sacrament Parish at 608-238-3471, ext. 119. Senior Connections group forming MADISON -- A Senior Connections group is forming. This group provides an opportunity for senior men and women to share and work on common issues in a safe environment. Structure and topics are tailored to the needs of group members and frequently include depression, anxiety, self-esteem, setting personal boundaries, self-care, and stress management. A 10-week commitment is required. Cost can be covered by insurance. The group will be located at All Saints Retirement Center, 8202 High View Dr. Individuals do not have to be a resident of All Saints to join. To enroll, or for information, call Ellen Magee at 608-256-2358. 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

Knights of Columbus live up to vision of founder
Madison council marks 50 years of service
to Church, community

Editor's note: Brian Elliott, grand knight of Knights of Columbus Council 4527 in Madison, recently shared his views on the Knights of Columbus and the 50th anniversary of the council.

What is the Knights of Columbus and what exactly does it do?

The Knights of Columbus is the largest lay organization in the Catholic Church. It was founded in 1882 by Fr. Michael J. McGivney, who is being considered for sainthood. We seek to motivate our members and their families as good citizens to conduct projects for the good of society and individuals in need in the areas of Church, community, council, family, and youth. We encourage our members and families to be loyal to the faith and to be supportive of the mission of the Church.

We also serve our members and families through our life insurance program. Insurance was one of the purposes identified by Father McGivney for the establishment of the order, namely, the care of the widows and children of members.

How many members are there in Wisconsin and in Madison?

In Wisconsin, there are almost 39,000 knights, 8,000 of which are in the Madison Diocese. The Madison area has about 890 knights. Council 4527 is one of the largest in the area with 316 members.

Why should a man become a member of the Knights of Columbus?

Men should become knights because they deserve to join. A Catholic man and his family deserve the internal benefits and friendships received through the knights. Throughout our diocese knights are making a difference in bringing the faith and reaching out to others. We're doing a service to God. We're doing our bit for evangelization.

It is an organization of men that are not afraid to say they are Catholic. They are not afraid to pray together. We help with great success because it is needed and because it's our faith. For any Catholic man over the age of 18, it's going to make his faith stronger. It's going to help his family be more involved in different things because it is a family organization.

So the Knights of Columbus isn't just a "men's" organization?

The KCs is not just for knights; it's for the entire family: wives, children, siblings, and grandparents. It's for widows and family members of knights who have died. Our celebration of the family is not a private matter. All of our activities, except the monthly business meetings, are open to non-members, parishioners, friends, priests, religious, and anyone else.

Council 4527 is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2008. What is it planning?

We are operating under the theme of "Celebrating 50 Years of Service to Our Community." We sponsored a gala at our clubhouse on May 3.

We were chartered on January 26, 1958, and there was a large gala then at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church. We kicked off the golden jubilee with a Mass and dinner at the clubhouse presided over by our chaplain Monsignor Schmelzer.

Our monthly newsletter is featuring stories and pictures from 50 years ago. We are stressing the order's longstanding emphasis on the Mass, the Rosary, and Eucharistic Adoration to aid in the practice of the faith. Father McGivney founded the order to aid in both the spiritual and temporal well being of our members, a commitment we take seriously.

What is the future for the knights?

The knights respond to the future through a renewed commitment to the vision of our founder. Father McGivney foresaw the importance of a united and informed laity for the progress of the Gospel in the new world. Almost a century before the Second Vatican Council, he sought to enable Catholic laymen to live up to their baptismal vocation to seek the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and ordering them according to the divine plan.

In this secularized culture, which at times rejects and even tries to ridicule religious belief and fundamental norms of the moral law, the Knights of Columbus will continue to play a significant role in teaching and embodying the religious and civic ideals capable of shaping a future of hope and promise for coming generations.

Pope John Paul the Great taught that it is "imperative" that all members of the Church, acting either individually or in groups, are "obliged" to engage in a lay apostolate. Quoting the Council, he said "the gifts of the Spirit demand that those who have received them exercise them for the growth of the whole Church."

The knights offer in one place just what the pope ordered for carrying out this mandate. The order has a mission that is clearly defined, that of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism that rests as always in the heart of the Church.

Bishop participates
in commencement
at college

WARNER, N.H. -- On Saturday May 3, Bishop Robert Morlino of Madison celebrated the Baccalaureate Mass at Our Lady Queen of Apostles Chapel at Magdalen College in Warner, N.H.

Members of the class of 2008 were awarded Bachelor of Arts and Associate of Arts Degrees in Liberal Studies, as well as the Apostolic Catechetical Diploma. The Vatican-approved Apostolic Catechetical Diploma is awarded to graduates who successfully complete four years of rigorous studies of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Code of Canon Law, the social teachings of the Catholic Church, the Gospels, papal encyclicals, and Church teachings on marriage and family life.

The college also conferred the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, on Bishop Morlino; Anne Hochreiter, a faithful member of the Board of Trustees since 1982; and Leo Blau, whose generous donations led to the college's recent acquisition of Durward's Glen Retreat and Educational Center in Baraboo, Wis.

During his homily, Bishop Morlino encouraged the graduates and the congregation to become more conformed to Christ in their daily lives, referring to the Letter of St. Paul to the Galatians "yet I live, no longer I, but Christ who lives in me." The bishop also exhorted them to be beacons of light and hope as they confront the "dictatorship of relativism" prevalent in today's culture.

The celebration concluded with a reception after the Baccalaureate Mass, where Bishop Morlino addressed the graduates, urging them to be open to God's call to the priesthood or religious life, and that "good vocations come from good families."

Leo Blau, a native of Merrimac, Wis., is a Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus member and a member of the Our Lady of the Rosary Group, the primary benefactor for the college's purchase of Durward's Glen Educational and Retreat Center. Since 1936, Blau has generously given of his time, talent, and finances to preserve, benefit, and support the historic landmark, Durward's Glen. Blau's philanthropic efforts have played a major role in the development of Durward's Glen. His numerous contributions include a most recent gift of an Italian white marble statue exhibiting the characteristics of both Our Lady of Grace and the Immaculate Conception.