News Briefs: Diocesan Choir: Festival of Lessons and Carols MADISON -- The Madison Diocesan Choir presented its annual Festival of Lessons and Carols on Dec. 16 in the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center chapel in Madison. The audience joined in singing some of the songs. The presentation of the Christmas story in word and song will be repeated Saturday, Jan. 5, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, 1905 W. Beltline Hwy. in Madison. Little Drummer Project: Reaching out to needy MADISON -- Throughout the year, thousands of low-income and homeless families receive clothing, food, and furniture from St. Vincent de Paul stores and food pantries. In the spirit of the Christmas season, each year St. Vincent de Paul's Little Drummer Project donates children's gifts to families for Christmas. This year, more than 600 children benefited from the Little Drummer Project. The gifts are collected from Madison area parishes and schools. Madison Fulbright scholar: To teach in South Africa MADISON -- Wade DallaGrana, a social studies teacher at Edgewood High School, has been selected by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for a Fulbright grant to teach in South Africa. DallaGrana is one of approximately 2,000 U.S. grantees who will travel abroad during the coming academic year through the Fulbright Program. Because the South African school year is on a different schedule than that of the U.S., DallaGrana will begin teaching there in spring 2002 and will remain there through fall 2002. During his stay, an exchange teacher from South Africa, Lynette Dunlop, will teach at Edgewood High School.

Mass for Our Lady
of Guadalupe:

(see related photo on front page)

MADISON -- "You are called to become leaders in this nation," said Auxiliary Bishop George O. Wirz, who presided at a Mass honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe Dec. 15 at St. Raphael Cathedral here.

People from all over the Diocese of Madison gathered for the celebration, which began with a procession of a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the altar. Children of the Hispanic community, many of whom were dressed in regional outfits, placed flowers before the statue.

Eleven priests of the Diocese of Madison concelebrated the Mass. Providing music for the Mass during their first public appearance was a new Hispanic choir for the Diocese of Madison.

History of Our Lady

Our Lady of Guadalupe appeared Dec. 9, 1531, to Juan Diego, an Aztec Indian who was passing by Tepeyac Hill near Mexico City. She told Diego to give a message to Bishop Zumarraga, the bishop of Mexico: he was to build a church "where I will show and offer all my love, my compassion, my help and protection to the people."

Diego went to the bishop, who wanted proof. Our Lady arranged roses in Diego's cloak (or tilma) and when Diego returned to the bishop, the image of Our Lady miraculously appeared on the tilma. Within a few years, millions of people were converted to Catholicism because of the apparitions.

The Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is Dec. 12. As the number of Hispanics continues to increase, more places are observing this feast day with various celebrations.

For instance, in the morning hours of that day, people gather to sing songs and pray to Our Lady, a tradition that has taken place for many years at parishes such as Holy Redeemer Parish in Madison. This year, people also began the tradition at Centro Guadalupano in Madison.

Called to be leaders

"Something sweeping is happening as we begin the third millennium," said Wirz in his homily. "Soon 50 percent of Catholics in the United States will be Hispanic.

"A new Catholic Multicultural Center is being built and will be ready for all to come next year," said Wirz, pointing out that it will help with education, health care, food, and housing.

"In this dark time of terrorism, you are called to become leaders in this nation," he said.

Translating the bishop's homily into Spanish was Fr. Leo Petrimoulx.

Sr. Teresa Ann Wolf, director of the diocesan Office of Hispanic Ministry, thanked everyone who helped prepare the event.

Before the Mass ended, a dramatization of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe was presented by sixth grade students in religious education classes at Centro Guadalupano. Those attending gathered after Mass for a reception.

National Evangelization Team:

In Diocese

MADISON -- A National Evangelization Team (NET) will be visiting parishes in the Diocese of Madison from Jan. 10, 2002 through Feb. 5, 2002.

Headquartered in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minn., NET is a Catholic evangelistic outreach to youth. NET members travel throughout the United States to share their faith with young people.

Team #2, whose visit is sponsored by the diocesan Office of Religious Education, is visiting locations in the Diocese of Madison on the following dates:

Jan. 10: St. John the Baptist Parish, Waunakee

Jan. 11-12: St. Victor Parish, Monroe

Jan. 13: Sinsinawa Mound Center, Sinsinawa

Jan. 16: St. Patrick Parish, Loreto*

Jan. 17: St. Cecilia Parish, Wisconsin Dells*

Jan. 18: Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Beloit

Jan. 19-20: St. Joseph Parish, Edgerton*

Jan. 22: St. Olaf Parish, DeForest*

Jan. 23: St. Norbert Parish. Roxbury*

Jan. 24: St. John the Baptist Parish, Muscoda

Jan. 25: St. Dennis Parish, Madison

Jan. 26: St. Bernard Parish, Watertown

Jan. 27 and 29: St. Peter Parish, Madison

Jan. 30: St. Ann Parish, Stoughton*

Jan. 31-Feb. 1: St. Henry Parish, Watertown

Feb. 2: St. Joseph Parish, Madison

Feb. 3-5: Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona

*Indicates a parish using NET for the first time.