Category: Around the Diocese

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

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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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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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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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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On
Kevin Wondrash

Catholics invited back to weekly Sunday Mass; safety protocols remain in place

Diocese of Madison Coat of Arms

Statement from the Diocese of Madison:

MADISON — As has been circulated in recent days, the five Wisconsin bishops jointly decided to lift the suspension of the Sunday Mass obligation in their respective dioceses this month. For the Diocese of Madison, this suspension will be lifted beginning on Sunday, September 27th.

As Bishop Hying wrote to the priests of the diocese, “We have been living with the obligation suspended for almost six months and we rightly chose to be cautious, concerned for the safety and health of our people, especially at the beginning of the pandemic.”

Since late May, diocesan guidelines, observing all state and local orders for safe reopening of our 134 churches have been in place throughout the 11-county Diocese of Madison. These measures have proven effective. Our churches were reopened for public worship with limited capacity, distancing, and great caution for the public health, without any known spread of COVID-19.

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