MADISON — Monday, Aug. 3, was a jubilant day for the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC), 1862 Beld St., in Madison. After being closed by the Diocese of Madison since May 27, the center reopened its doors to serve the basic needs of people in Madison and the surrounding 11 counties of the Madison Diocese.
With the permission of Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison spearheaded the effort to reopen the center.
The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC), located at 1862 Beld St., off Park St. on Madison’s south side, will be re-opened Monday, Aug. 3, with the following programs:
MADISON — An outpouring of support from the local community, parishes, and the diocese has given the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) new life and a chance to serve the poor and those in need in the Madison area after only a two-month closure.
“Jubilation” was M. Goddard-Pezêt’s response to the news. She and 12 to 14 others had been regulars at the daily Mass at the center, but with its closing many had gone to their own parishes, breaking up the closeness of their group. The center’s proximity to her house and the difficulty of walking from the bus to her parish church, especially during winter, had made the CMC an ideal location for her. Its re-opening has given a ray of hope that Mass may begin again there.
“I’m very happy, as there are a lot of people who need this,” Goddard-Pezêt said. “And some personally depend on this for their livelihoods.”
Goddard-Pezêt was one of the more than 200 people who came to the CMC’s open house July 12 to learn more about its work, reconnect with other center volunteers and regulars, and to meet people who are influenced by its services. Both Bishop George O. Wirz, retired auxiliary bishop, and Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus, who had the center built at its current location in 2002, were able to attend the open house.
The Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) of Madison, recently closed due to budget cuts in the Diocese of Madison, has been given a ray of hope, according to officials with Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison.
MADISON — Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison has begun coordinating efforts for the future reopening of the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC).
The Diocese of Madison handed over keys to the center to Msgr. Kenneth Fiedler, pastor of the parish, on June 8. The diocese had closed the center on Madison’s south side on May 29 as part of diocesan cutbacks due to economic difficulties.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish is researching and studying the use and programs of the Catholic Multicultural Center. “We have dialogued with former staff of the CMC, diocesan priests (all priests were invited to a meeting held at the parish on June 19), members representing civic organizations, Edgewood College, St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Vincent de Paul, LaSup (Latino Support Network), the City of Madison, and the Dane County Executive’s Office,” reported the parish.
MADISON — Due to a downturn in investment income and a new Annual Catholic Appeal (ACA) which has not reached its goal, the Diocese of Madison announced on May 27 that it was cutting 19 full-time and four part-time diocesan employees and closing the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) in Madison.
However, on June 5 the diocese announced that Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison had offered to assume primary responsibility for the operation of the CMC. The offer, made through pastor, Msgr. Kenneth Fiedler, with the support and collaboration of neighboring pastors and parishes, was “weighed and gratefully accepted” by Bishop Robert C. Morlino.
