Category: Around the Diocese

News from around the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison.

On
Kelly Cheramy, For the Catholic Herald

What does courage look like today?

MADISON — Faces of courage and stories of faith took the spotlight during the St. Dennis Parish “Courage Through Faith” event that was held on the fourth Sunday of Easter.

Pastor Fr. Randy Timmerman welcomed about 400 believers from congregations throughout the city with the challenge to be bold and courageous in work and everyday life, much like the apostles were courageous in building the early Church after Christ rose from the dead.

Father Timmerman’s plea was to be a living example of Christian values and voices in a society that is often hostile toward faith.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Bishop presents money to Catholic Charities

MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison recently presented three checks to Jackson Fonder, CEO and president of Catholic Charities Madison.

One check, totaling $185,000, was from the 2017 Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA). This money came from additional proceeds made available when the diocese reached its giving goal for the year.

The Diocese of Madison has supported Catholic Charities with more than $400,000 from last year’s ACA.

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Pregnancy Helpline, Inc. of Madison, For the Catholic Herald

Pregnancy Helpline names new executive director

MADISON — At the annual Comedy Night Benefit this spring, the Pregnancy Helpline made an exciting announcement. They introduced their new Executive Director, Stephanie Ehle, to their crowd of supporters.

Stephanie Ehle, MS, CWP and owner of a local wellness company, steps into this new role as the previous director, Alissa Hirscher, hands over the reins after nearly six years of service.

New executive director

Ehle is excited to take on the challenge of leading the Helpline through its next chapter. She has a background in health and wellness, and is a parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona, in addition to being a mom of two young children. She has worked for a large healthcare company, as well as started her own business.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Giving back to her community

erin moran
Waunakee Village Board Trustee Erin Moran stands outside the village hall. The 21-year-old Waunakee resident and Edgewood College student was recently elected to the board for a two-year term. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

WAUNAKEE — Talk to any typical college junior and most of them may have thoughts of graduating, getting a job, and moving away from home.

While 21-year-old Erin Moran certainly has some of those things on her mind, she recently started another after-school activity that most might not find typical.

The Edgewood College student and Waunakee resident was recently elected to the Village Board of Trustees, along with two others, getting 1,740 votes in the April 3 election.

On Election Night, the Waunakee Tribune, when reporting the results, called Moran “perhaps the youngest [village board trustee] in Waunakee history.”

Moran, who received the second-most votes, came out ahead of two incumbents, who had both served on the board for more than a decade, according to the Waunakee Tribune.

Active in her hometown and beyond

Moran is one of four daughters of parents Steph and John. They are members of St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee.

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Kevin Wondrash

Mass in Highland church marks 130th anniversary

HIGHLAND — In honor of the feast of St. Philip, Fr. Jim Murphy, pastor of SS. Anthony and Philip Parish, has scheduled an annual Mass on Sunday, May 6, at 1 p.m. in St. Philip Catholic Church, 1032 Dodgeville St.

The Highland Catholic community has been blessed with celebrating their faith in historically beautiful churches. Their ancestors laid the cornerstone in some of the finest built churches of the diocese. 2018 represents a great year to reflect on 130 years of Our Lord providing the opportunity to gather and sing his praises.

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Kevin Wondrash

Blue Mass to be held at St. Bernard, Madison, on May 10

MADISON — St. Bernard Parish, along with the Knights of Columbus St. Bernard Council 9082 and the Bishop William O’Connor 4th Degree Assembly, are sponsoring the second annual Blue Mass, in thanksgiving for their faithful service, for all law enforcement personnel and all fire personnel on Thursday, May 10, at 6:30 p.m. at St. Bernard Church, 2450 Atwood Ave.

All law enforcement officers and fire personnel — both active and retired, regardless of faith — are invited to attend in full uniform. This includes police, sheriff, Department of Natural Resources personnel, firefighters, EMTs, EMS personnel, and all other members of law enforcement agencies.

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi observes 175 years

potosi school
On June 5, 2017, the Little Saints Daycare was opened at SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi. It currently serves 62 children from six weeks to 12 years old, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here Jessica Welch, assistant director and lead preschool teacher, works with some of the children. (Contributed photo)

POTOSI — SS. Andrew-Thomas School in Potosi — the oldest Catholic school in the Diocese of Madison and in Wisconsin — is celebrating 175 years of continuous Catholic school education in Potosi and Tennyson.

A special anniversary celebration will be held on Sunday, May 6, starting with a 10 a.m. Mass followed by a performance of an original SS. Andrew-Thomas play written by one of the parishioners.

Following the performance will be a free dinner for the public.

“We are excited,” said Principal Deb Pfab of the plans for the 175th anniversary celebration.

“A Catholic school has existed in this area continuously since 1843,” noted Michael Lancaster, superintendent of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison. “2018 marks 175 years of continuous Catholic school education in the Tennyson/Potosi area (even though the school names and locations have changed over that time). That means that Catholic schools have been in the area longer than they have been anywhere else in the state.”

History of school

In sharing the school’s history, Pfab noted that although Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, founded the parish of St. Thomas in Potosi, it was his successor, Fr. James Causse, who established the first school in 1843.

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By Jane Lepeska Grinde

Sinsinawa Mound site of women’s convention

SINSINAWA — All women of the Diocese of Madison are invited to attend the 64th annual convention of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW) at the historic Sinsinawa Mound on Wednesday, June 13.

Grant Vicariate CCW President Janet Block, St. Clement Parish, Lancaster, chairs the convention and is working with fellow parishioner Bernadette Schaefer, who will assume the MDCCW presidency at the convention.

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