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Category: Around the Diocese
News from around the 11 counties of the Diocese of Madison.
Holy Family finds unity in their ‘newborn’ parish
The “newborn” parish of Holy Family held a Mass on July 22 in honor of the completed merger of St. Joseph Parish, Waterloo, and St. Mary of the Nativity Parish, Marshall. Bishop Robert C. Morlino celebrated what he praised as a “beautiful” liturgy, with pastor Fr. Michael Radowicz concelebrating.
New altars enhance historic church in Potosi
Combining function with fine art, local sculptor Gary David has been creating new altars and liturgical pieces for the historic St. Thomas Church in Potosi.
Catechists blazing the trail’ for the Year of Faith
MADISON — Last October, Pope Benedict XVI released his apostolic letter Porta Fidei (“The Door of Faith”) announcing a Year of Faith to begin for the Universal Church on October 11, 2012, and concluding on the Feast of Christ the King, November 24, 2013.
Balloon Rosary travels from Madison to Michigan
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| Sheri Miglio and her son Will find the balloon Rosary which traveled 354 miles from the Rosary Rally held at the state Capitol in Madison to their farm in North Branch, Mich. (Contributed photo) |
MADISON — On Thursday, June 21, the first weekly Rosary Rally was held at the state Capitol in Madison. At that rally, a large helium balloon Rosary was released.
The 40-foot Rosary made up of a cluster of yellow balloons had been assembled by youth at St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff under the direction of Beth Ptak, coordinator of religious education.
The next day, Sheri Miglio in North Branch, Mich., looked out in her backyard and saw a huge cluster of yellow balloons snagged on a tree just inside their property line. She and her family live on a 10-acre farm.
It was the fifth birthday of Miglio’s son, Will. She said jokingly, “Will, someone sent you a bunch of balloons for your birthday.”
Finding the Rosary
They walked over to the balloons and cut the string holding them to the tree. With the balloons they noticed a cardboard crucifix and found out that the cluster of balloons was a Rosary. On the crucifix they found a message from Fr. Rick Heilman, pastor of St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff and one of the leaders of the Rosary Rally at the Capitol.
Bishops urge against use of POLST medical forms
MADISON — The Catholic bishops of Wisconsin recently expressed concern for “Upholding the Dignity of Human Life” in a statement warning against the use of Physician (or Provider) Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST).
Mass schedules change at Lafayette County parishes
MADISON — Parishes in Lafayette County have been realigned due to the priest shortage. Parishioners have been adjusting to the new Mass schedules.
We are both Catholics and Americans
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| Bishop Paul J. Swain of Sioux Falls, S.D., speaks on the topic of religious freedom to the St. Thomas More Society in Madison. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) |
MADISON — Religious liberty is one of the first values protected in the Bill of Rights. People had come to America to avoid religious persecution and so those writing the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution knew the importance of providing for religious liberty.
Bishop Paul J. Swain, formerly in the Air Force, a lawyer, legal counsel to Governor Lee Dreyfus, and a convert to Catholicism, recently spoke as a guest of the St. Thomas More Society on the Feast of St. Thomas More.
Bishop Swain is well known in the Madison area, having spent about 40 years here, discerning his call to priesthood, converting, becoming a priest, pastor, and vicar general before being named Bishop of Sioux Falls, S.D.
‘Love Begins” where we are
MONROE — Recently St. Clare of Assisi Parish has been gifted with 100 teens who stepped up to be part of a local mission project called Love Begins Here. They came together from Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, and Monroe to reach out and lend a hand.
MDCCW hosts annual convention
JOHNSON CREEK — Women from across the diocese came together in mid-June on the Feast of St. Anthony of Padua for the annual convention of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW). Hosted by the Jefferson Deanery, MDCCW President Carol Brennan, Berlin, presided at the event.