Category: Around the Diocese

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

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By Dick Jones, For the Catholic Herald

Diocesan Choir launches Youth Pastoral Musician Scholarship Award

MADISON — Expanding its music ministry, the Madison Diocesan Choir is launching an initiative likely to benefit parishes throughout the diocese for years to come: student scholarships to help ensure a new generation of liturgical musicians, as members of their church choirs or choir accompanists.

The Youth Pastoral Musician Scholarship Award begins this year with two $500 awards, one to a junior high school student, the other to a senior high school student, allowing them to attend an approved summer music clinic. To be eligible, students must be involved in their parish music programs as regular participants.

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Kevin Wondrash

St. Patrick’s celebration in Watertown

WATERTOWN — The 2018 Watertown Catholic St. Patrick’s Day Celebration, hosted by St. Bernard Church, will take place on Saturday, March 17, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The event will celebrate the best in Irish food and entertainment, promising an evening of family fun. Choose a corned beef dinner, Reuben sandwich platter, or traditional bangers and mash (Irish sausages with mashed potatoes and gravy).

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Kevin Wondrash

Annual White Mass scheduled for March 18

MADISON — The Catholic Medical Guild of the Diocese of Madison will present the annual White Mass with Bishop Robert C. Morlino on Sunday, March 18, at St. Patrick Church, 404 E. Main St.

The White Mass honors physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers. The Mass will be at 11 a.m.

A brunch and speaker will follow the Mass. Vicki Braun, MS, CGP, will speak on “The Female Cycle as the Fifth Vital Sign — Fertility awareness based methods and their role in women’s health issues.”

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Kevin Wondrash

St. Thérèse of Lisieux lecture features Fr. Jacques Philippe

MADISON — The Diocese of Madison’s St. Thérèse of Lisieux lecture series will present Fr. Jacques Philippe speaking on “Interior Peace: How to Find and Communicate Peace” on Tuesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. in the Bishop O’Donnell Chapel in Holy Name Heights.

With over 500,000 copies sold in 18 languages, Father Philippe’s writings on themes such as prayer, interior freedom, and peace of heart have become classics of modern Catholic spirituality.

There is no cost and no registration necessary.

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Kevin Wondrash

Eucharistic Day in Sun Prairie

SUN PRAIRIE — Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish will hold its annual Eucharistic Day on Sunday, March 11.

Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament begins at the end of the 11 a.m. Mass at the church, 221 Columbus St. Private prayer and adoration take place until 3 p.m., when Evening Prayer and Benediction will be held.

A reflection on “The Eucharist: Gift of the Body of Christ” will be given by Msgr. Douglas Dushack, a retired priest of the Diocese of Madison who is currently in residence at St. Albert the Great Parish in Sun Prairie.

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Kevin Wondrash

Talk in Janesville on Carmelite spirituality

JANESVILLE — Fr. Thomas Otanga, OCD, will talk about Carmelite spirituality on Sunday, March 11, at 11 a.m. at St. John Vianney Church, 1250 E. Racine St.

He will discuss the spirituality of such Carmelite saints as St. John of the Cross, St. Teresa of Avila, and St. Thérèse of Lisieux.

The Order of Carmelite Discalced Seculars (OCDS) in Janesville is the only one in the Diocese of Madison. OCDS members are men, women, married, and single from all walks of life.

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Catechumens and candidates take next steps to joining the Church

rite of election
Catechumen Jessica Beilharz from St. Mary Parish in Milton signs the Book of the Elect while her sponsor looks on during the Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion on February 18. The annual rites took place at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee. Also pictured is Msgr. James Gunn, far left, pastor of St. John the Baptist. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

WAUNAKEE — On February 18, more than 90 people from the Diocese of Madison stood and gave their promises to continue their journey to fully enter the Catholic Church.

The annual Rite of Election and Call to Continuing Conversion was held at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee.

More than 20 catechumens, those that are not yet baptized, and nearly 70 candidates, those who are baptized Christians and now seeking the Sacraments of Confirmation and the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, took part in the rites.

Erica Wand, from St. Clare of Assisi Parish in Monroe, is one of those candidates.

“I feel like it’s a calling,” said Wand. “I’ve been wanting to do this to help my kids grow in the Catholic Church.”

“It’s been a wonderful journey,” said Wand’s sponsor and sister-in-law Gina Bacher. “I’m glad she’s doing it for her family.”

Words from the bishop

“Welcome to this wonderful moment,” Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison said at the start of the event.

“It’s a joy and an honor to be with you this afternoon. I want you always to be welcome, to feel welcome in the Church, and the way we do that is by carrying out our mission as true disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Later, in his homily, Bishop Morlino reflected on Mark’s Gospel reading that said, “The spirit drove Jesus out into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”

Bishop Morlino said Jesus being tempted was part of his mission and that for everyone, “Temptations are practice in the game of life.”

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Diocesan V Encuentro to be held on March 11

MADISON — Since 1972, the Catholic bishhops in the United States have held an Encuentro every five to eight years to give Hispanic/Latino Catholics an opportunity to express their needs, aspirations, and contributions to the Church.

In 2018, the fifth Encuentro — V Encuentro — is being held throughout the country. Its theme is “Missionary Disciples: Witnesses of God’s Love.” The main goal of the V Encuentro is to discern ways in which the Church in the United States can better respond to the Hispanic/Latino presence, and to strengthen the ways in which Hispanics/Latinos respond to the call to the New Evangelization as missionary disciples serving the entire Church.

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The Ambrosian, Newsletter of St. Ambrose Academy, Madison

Priest makes special appearance in St. Ambrose production

MADISON — As pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison, which has hosted St. Ambrose Academy (SAA) since 2004, Fr. Bart Timmerman goes above and beyond to support our school whenever he can.

In addition to making the sacraments of Holy Communion and Confession regularly available to our students, he’s also a guest faculty member, teaching religion each week in a different class.

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