News from around the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison.
Rain or shine, life is precious and a gift from God.
More than 500 people were probably reflecting on that as they marched from St. Patrick Church in Madison to the State Capitol on January 22 — the 45th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion at all stages of pregnancy in all 50 states.
JANESVILLE — St. Patrick School in Janesville will be closing at the end of the current school year, it was announced at Masses on the weekend of January 27 and 28.
Currently, the school has an enrollment of 11 students in grades kindergarten through eight, in addition to 11 students in the public partnership 4K program.
This enrollment, a continued projected decline, and the fact that the operational cost of the school is over $200,000 per year led both the parish pastoral council and finance council to recommend the school’s closure to Pastor Fr. Tim Renz.
Father Renz contacted Bishop Robert C. Morlino notifying him of the recommendations being made by his parish councils. In a statement, the Diocese of Madison said that there has been ongoing conversation among the four Catholic parishes in Janesville about their schools “and the diocese anticipates the results of that collaboration with optimism.”
St. Patrick Parish is the oldest Catholic parish in Janesville. Catholic families have been praying together in the fourth ward of Janesville for over 170 years. In 1844, they learned that they would be getting a priest of their own. In 1845, the first Mass was celebrated in the church they built.
MADISON — Kate Hennessy, granddaughter of Dorothy Day, will speak at Edgewood College’s 13th annual Aquinas Forum at 10 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, in Anderson Auditorium, 1000 Edgewood College Dr.
Hennessy will present the biographical story of her grandmother and her mother, Tamar Hennessy. She will draw from memories, diaries, and family letters as she explores the themes of love, suffering, voluntary poverty, pacifism, and what it means to perform Works of Mercy.
BERLIN — All Saints Parish is again hosting its paczki sale. Fat Tuesday is approaching and the Polish tradition continues. Paczkis are made from an old family recipe that contains mashed potatoes with the traditional prune-filling, or plain, and then sugar-coated.
On Friday evening, Feb. 9, Matt Walsh will be speaking at St. Mary of Pine Bluff Church.
Walsh is a nationally recognized Christian writer, blogger, and speaker with a large national following. His provocative writings on political and cultural subjects are read by millions of people a month.
Through his enormous social media following, he engages with hundreds of thousands of people every day. Walsh is known through his writing and his speeches as a fierce and articulate defender of truth, moral values, and the Christian faith. Walsh lives in Maryland with his wife and two children.
Catholic Schools Week is the annual celebration of Catholic education in the United States, including in schools in the Diocese of Madison. It starts the last Sunday in January and runs all week, which in 2018 is January 28 to February 3.
The theme for Catholic Schools Week 2018 is “Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed.
Schools typically observe the annual celebration week with Masses, open houses, and other activities for students, families, parishioners, and community members.
MADISON — Madison-area men will have a “start of Lent” opportunity to enhance their Lenten experience at the newly renovated Jesuit Retreat House overlooking Lake Winnebago near Oshkosh.
It’s a rare chance to spend time with God in prayer, surrounded by the beauty, peace, and solitude of nature.
“What God reveals in Scripture is the love in which we are created, the love that sustains us, and the love in which we will rest,” said Fr. Chris Manahan, Retreat House director.
JANESVILLE — The annual Women’s Retreat Day, cosponsored by the Janesville Cluster Spirituality Group and the Janesville Catholic Women’s Club, will be held on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Speaker will be Juliana Rudnick, author and creator of the Sacred Intercession Prayer Journal and founder of Interceding Life Ministries. Her topic is “‘I am the Vine, you are the branches,’ An Invitation to Intimacy and Intercession.”
All women are invited to refresh their prayer lives, deepen their connection to God, and learn to pray more effectively for loved ones. Rudnick will have her prayer journal available for sale.
MADISON — St. […]
Hand warmers? Check.
Multiple layers of clothing? Check.
Pro-life signs? Check.
Love? Double check.
