Month: April 2020

On
Kevin Wondrash

A walk to retreat, reflect, and remember

‘[Assistant] Editor’s View’
Kevin Wondrash

Those who know me well know that I like to walk. I’ll try to walk the one mile to Mass every weekend (when it is being celebrated publicly), and I’ll occasionally walk the 2.5 miles to work from my apartment on Madison’s west side.

If it were up to me, I’d walk everywhere instead of driving.

In my mind, unless you’re Richard Petty or A.J. Foyt, nothing good comes from driving.

Other than for practical reasons, I’ll also go for walks to satisfy the clichéd check boxes such as “getting out of the house” and “getting my steps in”.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Tragedy, contingency, and a deeper sense of God

I have lived in Santa Barbara, Calif., for the past four years. In that brief time, my neighbors and I have experienced a number of real tragedies.

Just over two years ago, the terrible Thomas Fire broke out in my pastoral region, in the vicinity of Thomas Aquinas College (hence the name).

For a frightening month it made its devastating way from Santa Paula through Ventura, Carpenteria, Montecito, and eventually commenced to devour the foliage on the hills just north of my home.

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Mass, Eucharistic Procession during solemnity, pandemic

MADISON — In a nearly empty oratory at Holy Name Heights in Madison, Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison celebrated Mass on March 25, the Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord.

With concelebrant Vicar General Msgr. James Bartylla, seminarian Luis Reyes as server, and Office of Worship Director Dr. Patrick Gorman as cantor, the Mass was livestreamed via Facebook and YouTube and viewable to the public, unable to attend Masses during this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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On
Carolyn Averill, For the Catholic Herald

St. Ambrose Academy shifts to distance learning

MADISON — St. Ambrose Academy (SAA), along with schools around the world, has, practically overnight, become a distance learning school.

The academy closed its doors on March 13 as students hunkered down with their families in the safety of their homes against the onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic.

But, said Executive Director Joan Carey, “thanks to a heroic, all-hands-on-deck effort, St. Ambrose Academy reopened its door the following week over the Internet, where we continue to provide the best in education and classical learning for families.”

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On
Meg Matenaer, For the Catholic Herald

Unexpected homeschooling during COVID-19

Meg Matenaer

I am a homeschooling dropout. Seven years ago when my oldest was five, we decided that we would homeschool her.

Eight weeks later when the reality was so depressingly different from the ideal I had painted in my mind, she was enrolled in an amazing Catholic school and we’ve never looked back.

Until yesterday.

After it was clear that there would be an imminent shutdown of the schools in Madison, our heroic teachers and principals in only a matter of days mobilized, creating systems to keep learning going at home.

They sent home computers, devised ways to stream lectures and collect homework, spent hours photocopying and recording videos, and packed up the students’ belongings, distributing them at assigned times to parents in the parking lot.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Edgewood Spring Fling canceled

MADISON — As public health, state, and federal authorities have mandated, Edgewood High School has decided that in order to protect its supporters and the entire community, it will not be able to hold the Spring Fling event at Garver Feed Mill, scheduled for Friday, April 24.

In a statement, the school said, “Our prayers are with every member of our Edgewood community in this unprecedented and difficult time. Our blessings to you, your families, our sponsors, donors, and our entire Edgewood Community.

“We are grateful to our sponsors and all who support Edgewood Crusaders during these uncertain times.”

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On
Kevin Wondrash

CMC keeps programming running

MADISON — The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) is continuing to operate Dane County’s only daily free community meal program, its food pantry, and comprehensive low-cost immigration legal services program to safely serve the most vulnerable among us during this time of heightened need.

Ever since COVID-19 precautions became necessary, CMC staff have been preparing fresh, hot meals every weekday served as a grab-and-go meal distributed from the parking lot to encourage social distancing practices.

On weekends, a sandwich sack lunch is provided.

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