• Color (PNG)
• Black (PNG)
• White (PNG)

• General year-round graphic
• Respect Life Month (October) graphic
• (Graphics for November and December will be uploaded soon)

• English: Front | Back
• Spanish: Front | Back

• Home Enthronement steps: English | Spanish
• Home Enthronement resources: English | Spanish

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Two Size 4 knitting needles 

Baby Soft brand yarn, 4 oz weight. Solid color pairs can be pink, blue, yellow, tan, green, and white. Multi-color pairs are also welcome.

INSTRUCTIONS: 

Measure out a 12-14” long string of yarn.  (Called a tail) Cast on 32 stitches. Begin knitting, and continue until you have 15 rows. On the knit row, cast off 6 stitches, leaving 26 stitches. Finish knitting the row. 

Next is the purl row. Cast off 6, leaving 20 stitches. Continue purling the rest of the row. The next 10 rows you will alternate Knit a row, then Purl a row, beginning with the Knit row. 

The next knit row, knit two together, ending with ten stitches on your needle. Final row, purl two together, and you will end up with 5 stitches on your needle. Cut the yarn,  leaving another 12” -14” tail. 

Using a darning needle, thread the tail of yarn through the eye of the needle. Transfer those 5 stitches from the knitting needle to the darning needle. Pull the 5 stitches tight and put the right sides together. 

Begin stitching bootie, starting at the toe, and working up to the cuff. Weave a little of the extra yarn in between the stitches, and cut off the extra. 

Then take the second tail, and stitch up the heel and along back. When done, turn it inside out again. Turn down the top to make a cuff. 

 3-1/4” is the final length of a bootie, from toe to heel.

Please see the attached business card with information about our Mental Health ministry; you can put it into your bulletins/Flocknotes or use it for making business cards.

Mental Health Ministry card (English, PDF)
Mental Health Ministry card (English, PNG)

Mental Health Ministry card (Spanish, PDF)
Mental Health Ministry card (Spanish, PNG)

TEXT:

The Diocese of Madison is pleased to present "Mazzuchelli: Called for Great and Difficult Work," a new documentary on the life and influence of Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, the pioneer priest who built up the Church in southwest Wisconsin and beyond. Visit madisondiocese.org/mazzuchellimovie to view the film and to learn more about Fr. Mazzuchelli; there you'll find reflection and discussion questions to accompany the movie, locations in and outside of the Diocese of Madison that are associated with him, a list of resources about him and his work, and more!

The Catholic Bishops of Wisconsin have recently released the fourth edition of Now and at the Hour of our Death, a pastoral letter about end-of-life decisions drawn from Church teaching. It includes guidance for those facing health issues and those who care for them, and it covers issues such as: assisted suicide and euthanasia, ordinary and extraordinary measures of sustaining life, palliative care and hospice, pain management, redemptive suffering, funeral planning, burial and cremation, power of attorney for health care, and more.

Join Bishop Hying for a video series on the Four Last Things: Death, Judgment, Heaven, and Hell. The Church encourages us to reflect on these sometimes difficult truths to help us grow in holiness and make choices in this life that lead to eternity with God. Watch all four videos by scanning the QR code or visiting YouTube.com/DioceseOfMadison

Bulletin Graphic (3.5" x 4.5"; click image to get a downloadable graphic)

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• Square graphics for bulletin or social media (click image to open in a new tab and download. Graphics are question-only; share them with the text of their corresponding answer. See below for full Q&A text)

Why do we need a cathedral?

The word “cathedral” comes from the Latin “cathedra,” meaning “chair.” A cathedral is the bishop’s church, housing his episcopal chair as a symbol of his authority, leadership, and service as chief shepherd of the diocese and successor of the Apostles.

Each Catholic diocese has a cathedral which serves as the “mother church” of the diocese. As such, it is a most fitting location for the faithful to come together for diocesan events and celebrations with the bishop, such as ordinations, the Chrism Mass, and the liturgies of the Triduum.

Often built in or near the center of a city, cathedrals stand as a reminder of the primacy of God in our lives, pointing the human heart to the centrality of God amid worldly concerns.

The Diocese of Madison has been without such an important church for almost 20 years after an arson fire destroyed St. Raphael Cathedral in downtown Madison in 2005. While we have made do by using other churches for diocesan events, this was never meant to be a permanent solution. It is time to once again give Catholics in our diocese a place to call home, a central church symbolic of God’s abiding presence in and care for our diocese and of our commitment to making Him the center of our lives.
 

Why aren’t we building a new cathedral?

As the Diocese of Madison seeks to realign its resources and renew its commitment to evangelization through its Into the Deep initiative, we chose to name an existing church as our new cathedral in the interest of good stewardship. Building a new church would cost upwards of $90 million, a difficult expense to justify as we seek to utilize our existing church buildings and our finances more strategically.

The transformation of an existing church into our new cathedral is an apt symbol of the Into the Deep process. We’re taking a gift, a legacy that already exists, and then lovingly transforming it to serve our needs in the current moment and for generations to come.
 

How is this project being funded?

Much of the funding has come from private donors who expressed a strong interest in this project. Although the original goal was that no capital campaign would be necessary, challenges—such as unanticipated structural issues and supply-cost increases—necessitate some broader fundraising efforts. By uniting our gifts, we can come together to finish this long-awaited mother church for all the faithful of the Diocese of Madison.  

Why was St. Bernard selected to be the cathedral?

St. Bernard was selected as our new cathedral for legal, historic, and aesthetic reasons.

From the standpoint of Church law, a cathedral must be located within the boundaries of its diocese’s titular city, and St. Bernard is within the city limits of Madison.

Historically, naming an existing church as our cathedral has precedence in our diocese, as St. Raphael was built in the 1860s and only named a cathedral when the Diocese of Madison was established in 1946. St. Bernard was also considered the “mother church of the east side of Madison” when the diocese was founded due to its rapid growth.

Aesthetically, St. Bernard Church is large enough to be a cathedral, and many of its architectural and design features — its Gothic Revival style and its beautiful stained-glass windows, for example — make it a top choice for our next cathedral.

Renovations are underway to enhance this beauty and to make the church worthy of its new cathedral status.
 

What changes will be made at St. Bernard to make it more cathedral-like?

Several renovations are needed to beautify St. Bernard Church, including but not limited to:

• Replacing the floor
• Replacing the pews
• Installing new pipe organs
• Installing new statues, side altars, furnishings, and fixtures
• Painting the walls and ceiling
• Installing the Bishop’s cathedra
• Installing new bells

When will the new cathedral be finished?

We expect renovations to be complete and the new cathedral to be dedicated in 2027.

(Source: Q&A with the Bishop about the project, from the Catholic Herald)

Feeling stressed? Talk to Hope!

“Hope” is a FREE chat service providing encouragement and strategies to manage everyday stress and anxiety using chatbot technology. Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison is pleased to offer this chat service to anyone at no cost in partnership with Catholic Charities USA.

To get started, text "Hi" to 202-949-7249. When asked for the start code, enter CCMAD. Or visit catholiccharitiesofmadison.org/mental-health/.

Hope is built to serve people ages 13 and older.

*If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the Suicide & Crisis Hotline at 988.

¿Se siente estresado? ¡Hable con Hope!

"Hope" es un servicio de chat GRATUITO que brinda ánimo y estrategias para manejar el estrés y la ansiedad del día a día, utilizando la tecnología de chatbot Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison se complace en ofrecer este servicio de chat a cualquier persona de forma gratuita en asociación con @Catholic Charities USA (1).

Para comenzar, envíe "Hola" por mensaje de texto al 202-949-7249. Cuando le soliciten el código de inicio, ingrese CCMAD. O visite nuestro sitio web en catholiccharitiesofmadison.org/mental-health/.

Hope está diseñada para servir a personas mayores de 13 años.

*Si usted está teniendo pensamientos suicidas, llame a la Línea directa de suicidio y crisis al 988.

• PDF flyers in English and Spanish 
• Social media/bulletin graphics (click to open in new tab and download)

• Hope avatar (click to open in new tab and download)

Parishes are most welcome to include notes about job openings within the diocese (the diocesan offices, parishes, and schools) in their bulletins and parish emails. See the bulletin graphics and PDF flyers below.

Request a votive candle to be lit for your prayer intention(s) before the Immaculate Heart of Mary, the channel through which Our Lord bestows graces and dispenses blessings! Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Monona is home to the Shrine of Our Lady of the Green Scapular, and they are accepting your prayer requests and can light a candle for your intentions. By lighting a candle, we allow our prayer intentions to unite with the light of Christ. Even though you may not be physically present to pray at the shrine, while the light of the candle burns, your prayers continue to be lifted up to Our Lord through the intercession of Our Lady.

Visit stellamarisparish.org/candles to request a candle to be lit for your intentions!

To learn more about the Our Lady of the Green Scapular Shrine, visit stellamarisparish/shrine.

The Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity in Manitowoc invite single women ages 20 to 35 to consider a call to their way of life! Please see the attached images and flyers for how to start a conversation with them and arrange a visit, and visit https://fscc-calledtobe.org/ to learn more about the community.

St. Catherine Ministry: We are here to support families through miscarriage

Whether you or a loved one have just received the sad news of a miscarriage, the miscarriage is already underway, or you want to know what is next after miscarrying, St. Catherine Ministry is here to accompany you by e-mail, phone call, text message or, if desired, in person.

From providing miscarriage kits to referring for burial sites to crying with you, we want to help because we have been there, too. It's as simple as contacting St. Catherine Ministry director Laura Karlen at [email protected] or 
608-445-2064. Visit our webpage at ourladyofhopeclinic.org.

PDF Summary Sheet
PDF Brochure
Square social media graphic

(Sunday Spanish Masses and communities with Hispanic ministry)

 

Calling all young artists! As part of our celebration of the Sacred Heart of Jesus this year, we are running a Sacred Heart Art Contest for youth in grades Kindergarten through High School!

The contest has four different divisions: Grades K-2, Grades 3-5, Grades 6-8, and Graces 9-12. One winner and two runners-up will be chosen from each division. Submissions must be hand-created, original art, with the Sacred Heart of Jesus as the primary subject. Drawings, paintings, and sculpture may be submitted; entries may not be AI-generated or otherwise created digitally/with a computer. The submitting student must live within the Diocese of Madison.

Submissions are due December 1 and winners will be selected by Bishop Hying and announced December 18. The winners and their pieces will be showcased in the Catholic Herald, the Diocese of Madison's website, and the diocese's social media channels!

Visit madisondiocese.org/sacredheartartcontest for full rules, prizes, and more!

There’s a lot happening at Durward’s Glen Retreat Center near Baraboo. Come for one, or more, of the following - and experience more beauty, peace, faith and community. More info at durwardsglen.org

Undated, non-location-specific materials

Location-specific materials 

• Reflection on Mary, Mother of Life
• A Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Life
• Respect Life Month novena (October 22-30)
• Promotional graphics

• Mass of Hope and Healing (October 25)
• Rachel's Vineyard Retreat (November 6-8)
• Local Respect Life resources flyer
• Haiti Midwife Fund (Information and promotional materials forthcoming!)
• Walking with Moms in Need

• "Purified": This presentation brings together teens and their parents to discover God's plan for love and opens up an opportunity for them to continue the discussion on this important topic at home.
• "Gender and the Theology of Your Body": This presentation explores how Catholics can approach the topic of gender with charity and clarity.

Do you have cremated remains in your home? Our cemeteries office invites you to Lay Them to Rest with a free committal service on October 31 in Beloit or on November 2 in Madison.

While families may have reasons for wishing to keep cremated remains in their home, the Church teaches that human remains, whether a body or ashes, belong in a cemetery. Burial of a loved one brings us closure and is an expression of hope in the Resurrection. Our cemeteries office offers Lay Them to Rest as a way to reverently inter cremated remains that people have kept in their homes. This service is offered at no cost to participants. Perpetual record-keeping is included.

Lay Them to Rest is being offered this year on October 31 at Mount Thabor Cemetery in Beloit, and November 2 at Resurrection Cemetery in Madison. Please visit madisondiocese.org/rest for important information about each cemetery's terms and conditions and to register. Registration is requested by October 24 to guarantee participation.

• Resurrection Cemetery, Madison: 5:30 pm candlelight Mass with Bishop Hying at the cemetery chapel
• Our Lady of the Assumption Church, Beloit: 8:15 am Mass, followed by a procession to Mount Thabor Cemetery (directly behind the church and school)
• Mount Olivet Cemetery, Janesville: 7:00 pm Mass in the cemetery chapel, followed by a candlelight procession

Do you have questions about end-of-life decisions like estate planning or Catholic burial practices? Are you caring for someone nearing the end of their life and want to know how to make medical decisions that are informed by our Catholic faith? Our Office of Cemeteries is offering a free event on Thursday, November 5 called "Now and At the Hour of Our Death," which will offer practical guidance and Catholic perspectives on a variety of end-of-life topics and issues. Thinking through these issues in the light of our faith can offer peace of mind and firmness of purpose.

This presentation will be held on November 5 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the Upper Auditorium at Holy Name Heights in Madison and will feature Bishop Donald Hying, Damian Lenshek (Director of Cemeteries for the diocese), and Fr. Joseph Baker (diocesan ethicist and pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish). This event is free to attend; a free-will offering will be taken.

This presentation will explore a pastoral letter from the Wisconsin Catholic Conference on end-of-life issues. Visit madisondiocese.org/endoflife to download the letter and to find additional resources.