November 2009 – Madison Catholic Herald


	Hailey and Linda Braunsky, members of St. Albert the Great Parish in Sun Prairie, play Advent Bingo at an intergenerational FLAME event at the church November 18. The program, which this month focused on the season of Advent, brings together people of all ages for fun and catechesis. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner)

SUN PRAIRIE — The choir at St Albert the Great Parish has been practicing since September for their upcoming Candles & Carols, a cantata that, with its accompanying narrative, tells the story of Christ from the prophets all the way to his birth in Bethlehem.

And that’s choir — as in, one choir, one parish, one Church.

They may have many weekend Masses to each sing at, but all of the choir members come together once a week to practice in just one of the ways that St. Albert the Great Parish is striving towards a greater sense of unity. The Candles & Carols event is another.

The choir, which will also be performing several of the songs a few days earlier at a choral fundraiser for the local food pantry and at the 9 p.m. Mass on Christmas Eve, won’t be performing alone at the event December 6. Along with the instrumentalists, the choir will also be assisted by young people taking on roles to flesh out the narrative of the coming of Christ, telling the stories of the Bible to serve as a reminder of the reason for the Advent season. Throughout the performance, which features arrangements that often call to mind many familiar Christmastime carols, they will light candles to represent the coming of Christ.

“Children will love it — it’ll be really neat,” said Cecile Gregory, the director of liturgy and music at the parish.

On November 26, 2009

Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Catholic Business Association holds first meeting

MADISON — Relevant Radio 1240 is spearheading the formation of a new Catholic Business Association (CBA) in Madison to create an ongoing opportunity for Catholic business people to meet and network in a prayerful environment.

On November 26, 2009

Meg Matenaer for the Catholic Herald

St. Ambrose Academy dinner and auction

MADISON — St. Ambrose Academy will host its third annual Christmas Benefit Dinner and Auction on Friday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center. The guest of honor is Bishop Robert C. Morlino.

On November 26, 2009

Fr. Donald Lange

Now thank we all our God — even in hard times

Robert Orben bought a baby turkey early in January. He fed it organic food to enable it to grow and become the plump, juicy main course of their Thanksgiving dinner.

His three children quickly made the turkey their pet. Like Mary’s little lamb, it followed them wherever they went.

On November 26, 2009

Sr. Margie Lavonis

Happy New Year

When you read the title of this column, you probably thought I was several weeks ahead of myself or that a little dementia had set in.

Well, I know what date it is, and I am not losing my mind, yet! The new liturgical year will begin on December 1 and, just like many people make resolutions to improve their lives at the start of the calendar year, the Season of Advent presents us with an opportunity to reflect on the spiritual aspect of our lives.

On November 26, 2009

Kim Wadas

Amendment preserves long-standing protections

Abortion proponents raised a public outcry after passage of the House health care bill earlier this month.

They criticized action taken by 240 members of the House of Representatives to approve an amendment offered by Representative Bart Stupak (D-Michigan). The Stupak amendment maintains a “status quo” approach to the federal funding of abortion.

The inclusion of the Stupak amendment in the House bill shocked those who would like taxpayers to pay for abortion coverage. Their reaction has been to misrepresent the amendment’s impact by suggesting that it will reach beyond current law.

They are wrong.

On November 26, 2009

Jerry Cigelske, Cambria

There are still concerns about health care reform

To the editor:

Lately, I have been reluctant to even identify myself as a Catholic. Friends of mine in other denominations were already warning their members during last year’s election that Obama is a threat to Christianity in this country, but many Catholics believed he was not as bad as his record showed.

On November 26, 2009

Patrick Hardyman, Blanchardville

Take a stand for life and God-centered medicine

To the editor:

The health care reform debate now moves to the Senate. If Wisconsin Senators Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl want to learn about real health care, than I suggest they research a small religious order in Los Angeles called the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart.

On November 26, 2009February 15, 2022

Mary C. Uhler, editor

Keeping the faith in Thanksgiving

In an attempt to be “inclusive” and not to offend anyone, our society these days seems to be emphasizing the secular nature of our holidays and avoiding any mention of religion.

That’s perhaps why we often see turkeys pictured instead of Pilgrims at Thanksgiving time. That’s why, too, we see the term “holiday” trees used instead of Christmas trees.

On November 26, 2009May 10, 2021

Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Filled with hope and gratitude

Dear Friends,

As I write this, I am freshly arrived back from the annual assembly of our National Bishops Conference, filled with hope indeed. On my way to Baltimore for the meeting, I had a stopover in Washington, during which time I had a good opportunity to visit with our seminarian who is a Basselin Scholar at the Catholic University of America, and some of the fellow seminarian friends whom he has met. The experience was totally upbeat and filled me with hope, both for the present and for the future.

Additionally, at meetings of the bishops conference, Tuesday night is usually the “free evening” for dinner and recreation for the bishops, though in many instances, bishops are very generously giving themselves, on Tuesday evenings, to the work of the various committees or sub-committees of our conference.