Category: Around the Diocese

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

On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Next ‘Unite’ Rosary Rally on October 11

Rosary Rally
More than 3,000 people are expected to take part in the second Unite Wisconsin Rosary Rally on Sunday, Oct. 11, in Madison. Pictured above are clergy and parishioner participants on State St. in Madison during the initial rally on August 15.
(Catholic Herald photo/Joe Ptak).

MADISON — On Sunday, Oct. 11, many will again come out to pray in downtown Madison.

Hoping to repeat the numerical and spiritual success of the previous rally, the second Unite Wisconsin Rosary Rally will be held to honor Jesus and his Blessed Mother.

The first rally took place on August 15 and brought more than 3,000 people out.

Materials for the October event said, “We are all living in perilous times facing EPIDEMICS and THREATS TO OUR FREEDOMS. Our cities are disintegrating into anarchy with RIOTS damaging the property and taking the lives of innocent people. More than ever, we are being called to pray together — to UNITE Wisconsin against all evil.”

The event is being planned in conjunction with similar rallies going on in many other parts of the United States on the same day and will be the conclusion of a 54-day Rosary Novena that started the same day as the previous rally.

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On
Nikki Sena, For the Catholic Herald

Evangelizing through Works of Mercy

BELOIT — At a time when many activities and efforts have slowed to a crawl, fervent hands and minds are still at work on the stateline in Rock County.

Five area Catholic parishes – Our Lady of the Assumption, St. Thomas, and St. Jude in Beloit; St. Stephen in Clinton; and St. Peter in South Beloit, Ill. – have formed a dedicated planning committee to establish the Stateline Mission Outreach.

The service will provide a day center where those suffering from homelessness can do laundry, take a shower, and share a simple meal together with the volunteers.

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On
Cathy Lins, Catholic Herald Correspondent

Madison Men of Christ Conference in Wisconsin Dells

WISCONSIN DELLS — The first Men of Christ Conference-Diocese of Madison will be held on Saturday, Oct. 24, at St. Cecilia Church in Wisconsin Dells, 603 Oak St.

Its theme is “Live Truth, Defend Truth.”

The vision of the Men of Christ conferences is to create an environment that will evangelize, catechize, and unify Catholic men.

The mission is to honor our Lord Jesus Christ by bringing Catholic men together, thereby forming a brotherhood that will empower each man to boldly live his Catholic faith.

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Jackson Fonder leaves behind legacy

MADISON — A familiar figure in the important work of helping others in the Diocese of Madison is moving on to the next part of his life journey.

“I think it goes by fast because you’re not really tracking it, you’re having the time of your life, you feel like you’re making a difference, and you’re working around really smart people,” said Jackson Fonder, whose time as president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Madison is coming to an end on October 1.

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Schools in Dane County fully open

MADISON — School parents and administrators, teachers, and staff in Dane County got a victory in their efforts to open Catholic schools to all students.

On September 10, the State Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction halting the Dane County Order requiring all schools, public and private, in the county to open virtually for students in grades three through 12.

This meant Catholic schools in Dane County could hold in-person instruction for all students immediately.

Families take action

The county order, Emergency Order #9, was issued on August 21 just days before many Dane County schools in the Diocese of Madison were scheduled to open for full in-person instruction.

Schools had spent most of the summer making preparations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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On
Gail Lamberty, For the Catholic Herald

Monastery part of Fermentation Fest D’Tour

PRAIRIE DU SAC — During the upcoming Fermentation Fest D’Tour, you are invited by the Nuns of Valley of Our Lady Monastery in Prairie du Sac to visit their home on the edge of what was once the great Sauk Prairie to learn about their life of “ora et labora” (prayer and work) — from September 26 through October 4.

The Sisters serve God and the world by praying for those in need, singing psalms in Gregorian chant seven times each day, along with planting, harvesting, sewing, and baking altar breads in an enclosed environment of silence and sacrifice.

An onsite exhibit will share their story.

D’Tour is a diverse 50 plus mile self-guided, free family drive through the artistic, cultural, and natural highlights of southern Sauk County.

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