MONONA — The third and fourth graders at Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) School in Monona started the year with a service project to help people affected by the flood in Louisiana.
Sr. Sue Keim, second grade teacher at IHM, has a sister, Judy, and nieces and nephews who live in one of the hardest hit areas of Louisiana.
Judy is a member of Church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Denham Springs, La., which sustained considerable damage in the floods
CASSVILLE — Students at St. Charles Borromeo School in Cassville recently made some new friends.
Their names are Audra, Calli, Eric, Jordan, and Sam. They are the crew members of the 2016 OAR Northwest.
OAR Northwest is a non-profit organization based out of Seattle, Wash.
It does human-powered water-based expeditions of large water bodies such as rivers and oceans. |
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For the past week, I have been sequestered at the Ateneo Pontificio Regina Apostolorum in Rome, an institution about five miles west of St. Peter’s Basilica.
I’m here for the Formation for New Bishops’ program, more colloquially known as “Baby Bishop School.” My colleagues are about 150 other bishops from around the world who have been appointed in the last 12 months.
The accommodations are fairly spartan: my room reminds me of my quarters in the college seminary, the bed is about two and a half feet wide, and there is no air conditioning. The meals, however, are tasty, and the conversations even tastier.
MADISON — As a new school year got underway, incoming freshmen at Edgewood High School in Madison got a chance to get started living the Sinsinawa Dominican values of Truth, Compassion, Justice, Partnership, and Community.
On September 14, the school held its first Service Fair in the school’s Wilke Gymnasium.
Representatives from several local organizations were on hand to meet with students interested in getting involved and helping others.
Edgewood High School students are required to complete 100 hours of service prior to graduation.
“Mom, won’t you be lonely when we all are at school?” my son asked me innocently one day, true concern spilling from his deep brown eyes.
At the time, I smiled and assured him that of course I would miss my children, but I would get lots of work done and the time would go by so fast that before I knew it, they would all be home in the afternoon.
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Last week I offered some remarks at the matriculation ceremony for Thomas Aquinas College in California. Since I would give the same advice to any Catholic students reentering the school year, I thought I would share my thoughts here.
A few months before I was named bishop, I gave another lecture at Thomas Aquinas College. I was asked to deliver a talk that I thought was going to be a little too heavy. It was late at night, I had flown in from Chicago and driven up the California highway, and I thought, “Oh, this talk is going to bomb.”
Incredible as it may seem, in just one week, children in the Diocese of Madison got to experience Mass, prayer, and Bible study, along with games, songs, snacks, and even live theater.
That’s what a normal week at Totus Tuus is like.
ASHTON — It was a day to celebrate the past, present, and future.
The 2016 graduating class of St. Peter School in Ashton was the 150th in the school’s history.
The eight fifth-graders finished the journey at one school with eyes on what lies ahead.
The graduation Mass and commencement exercises took place on June 2 at St. Peter Church in Ashton.
The class theme was, “There is always light in your heart.” The class colors were blue and red. The class flower was a rose.
Sometimes I feel like I am too small and the problems around the world are so big. I watch the news or read an article and get exhausted from the onslaught of depressing, discouraging, and sometimes crazy news stories. The presidential election. Immigration. Police issues. Racial disparity. The list goes on.
It’s overwhelming. And then I remember how Mother Teresa focused on helping just one person at a time. What a great lesson.
I’ve asked Jerilyn Robinson, our director of family programs, to give an example of how Catholic Charities is doing this with our Behavioral Health in Schools (BHS) program.
MADISON — The Edgewood High School Band recently got to perform a piece of music very personal to them.
At the school’s band concert on May 4, one of the performed selections was called “Snapshots” — which was a commissioned work composed by Dr. Jack Stamp, with a large amount of input from the Edgewood band members.
Stamp is currently adjunct professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where he teaches conducting.
