Tag: Madison

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the Diocese of Madison

Diocese of Madison to roll out reopening plan early next week

MADISON — With the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling of May 13, which overturned Governor Tony Evers’ state-wide Emergency Order #28, i.e., the “Safer at Home” Order, Most Reverend Donald Hying, Bishop of Madison offered the following brief statement:

“I certainly appreciate the exception added to the Public Health Madison and Dane County Order of May 13th, which while continuing to list religious entities as ‘Essential Businesses and Operations’, also allows for more reasonably-sized congregations for public worship while maintaining appropriate health-related safeguards, and I look forward to seeing this exception for religious entities being adopted in our other ten counties in the Diocese of Madison, and hopefully statewide in any possible future state order.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

Two parishes host Drive-Thru Taprooms to provide food and support local businesses

MADISON/WAUNAKEE — Two parishes — St. Maria Goretti in Madison and St. John the Baptist in Waunakee — supported local businesses by hosting Drive-Thru Taprooms providing food and beverages.

Those attending the event also had the option of offering a free will donation to the parish with their order.

Promoting businesses, helping parishioners

“This all came together quickly, and we didn’t have much of a playbook to follow,” said Mark Shapleigh, business manager at St. Maria Goretti parish. “The central event coordinator was Karben4 Brewing company.

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Jane Lepeska Grinde, For the Catholic Herald

Convention postponed until 2021 for women

MDCCW Officers
MDCCW officers to be elected this year include, from left: Judy Lyons, president-elect, succeeds Bernadette Schaefer as MDCCW president; Katie Crosby continues as treasurer; and Linda Ripp is a candidate for president-elect. This year’s election will take place virtually as will the installation of officers by Msgr. Duane Moellenberndt, MDCCW spiritual advisor, left.
(Jane Lepeska Grinde photo)

MADISON — “Five years ago, at the National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) Convention in Orlando, it became my dream to celebrate the 100th anniversary of NCCW at our diocesan convention in 2020,” said Bernadette Schaefer, Lancaster, who is in her final year as president of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (MDCCW).

“Now, instead,” she wrote in the MDCCW newsletter, “I have to announce that our convention and celebration have been cancelled.”

With concerns about the health and safety of its members during this pandemic, the MDCCW board voted by email to cancel the annual convention scheduled for June 13 in Cross Plains. The board will meet virtually May 16 to elect officers and conduct other business which is allowed during times of crisis.

Much accomplished

The June convention was to be the 66th annual convention. During those 66 years, area Catholic women have participated in countless activities at their parish, vicariate, and diocesan levels.

Add 34 years to that for the 100 years of organized activities of the NCCW, and the result is countless charitable projects in this country and internationally, said Schaefer.

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David R. J. Stiennon, For the Catholic Herald

Our Lady of Hope Clinic challenged by pandemic and personnel issues

MADISON — Our Lady of Hope Clinic has been hit by multiple challenges during the last three months.

The pandemic has not only altered how health care is provided but has all but eliminated the availability of volunteer medical assistants at the 11-year-old Odana Rd. clinic on Madison’s west side.

Open for members and uninsured recipients

Dr. Michael Kloess and Dr. Elizabeth Larson continue to serve an average of six uninsured patients daily, while providing enhanced access primary care to members of the clinic.

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Bishop Donald J. Hying

Turning to God during the pandemic and maintaining momentum afterwards

Hying Logo

Questions often raised during these weeks of social isolation and pandemic are: What am I learning from this experience? How will my life be different going forward? How will society change as a result?

I have heard from many people who are feeling a greater need for God in their lives. When we confront suffering, fear, loneliness, and privation, we gain greater insight into the essential nature of life’s meaning.

Discovering what really matters

Without frenetic activity to distract us, with less social contact to sustain us, with the threat or reality of sickness, unemployment, and even death staring us in the face, we discover very quickly what really matters.

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Angela Curio, Catholic Herald Staff

Overflowing generosity at drive-thru food drive

QOP Food Drive
Volunteers at Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison take donations for the Catholic Multicultural Center in Madison out of the back of a vehicle. (Contributed photo)

MADISON — Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish (QP) saw an overflow of generosity at its first Drive-Thru Food Drive to benefit the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) on the morning of Sunday, April 19.

“Many of you are asking for ways to help as COVID-19 continues to affect our community on a daily basis, so QP’s Social Action and Community Enrichment Board teamed up with the St. Vincent de Paul conference to find a creative way to help our neighbors in need!” read the Facebook event page that was posted just six days before the event.

“We need your help to feed the hundreds of families that are continuing to suffer by filling the Catholic Multicultural Center’s food pantry!”

High turnout

Thirty-eight individuals expressed interest on Facebook before the event, but the turnout was “more than we were anticipating,” said Annette Fox, director of the parish’s Social Action and Community Enrichment board. “It was awesome. Filled the van plus some!”

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Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Two transitional deacons ordained in Madison

MADISON — Ordinations, whether to the priesthood or the diaconate, are usually very busy events filled with making sure everyone is in their right seats; lining up the men to be ordained, priests, and others in the processional before the Mass; and dozens of people doing their parts during the Mass to make sure the sacred rites are done correctly and reverently.

However, on April 15, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, as Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison said during his homily, “It’s not the ordination that any of us would have anticipated.”

He added, “By being winnowed down to its essence, we see with greater clarity the beauty of what is about to happen.

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Kevin Wondrash

Harnessing the sun at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Madison

MADISON — St. Thomas Aquinas Parish on Madison’s westside has recently installed a 72-panel solar array on its roof.

The 335-watt panels were installed in February and became fully operational on March 4 after being commissioned by Madison Gas and Electric.

The installation launched Phase 1 of the parish’s Make Disciples Capital Campaign. The new installation is expected to lower the parish’s carbon footprint by six percent and provide 10 percent of the electricity needed to power the church.

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Angela Curio

Parishes offer livestream Masses, other services

Following is information on some of the livestreaming Masses and Rosaries offered by parishes in the Diocese of Madison.

Cathedral Parish, Madison: The Cathedral Parish invites people to join them in prayer online. Each weekday, Monday through Friday, Msgr. Kevin Holmes, rector, leads the Rosary in a livestream from the rectory at 12:15 p.m. Sunday Mass at 11 a.m. is also livestreamed from the Cathedral Parish at St. Raphael Church. Visit the cathedral Facebook page to join in these moments of prayer (@CathedralParishMadison). Note people can view the public posts on the page even if they don’t have a Facebook account.

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