Fr. Joe Baker was installed as pastor of St. Maximilian Kolbe Parish during the August 17 Mass at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee.

The 10 a.m. Mass on August 3 was filled with joy as Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison installed Fr. Mark Niehaus, ISP, as pastor.

Earlier this month, parishioners of Stella Maris Parish joyfully welcomed Fr. Eric Sternberg as their new pastor.

On Sunday, July 7, hundreds of parishioners packed Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church in Sun Prairie.

Let’s face it. Into the Deep is tough. With so many changes these past two years, it’s hard to see why we started all this reconstruction in the first place.

The Catholic Herald reached out to pastors, staff, and parishioners from three merged parishes to get a candid look at how the transition is unfolding.

FAQS for Into the Deep

Five years ago, the Diocese of Madison launched Go Make Disciples, our evangelizing initiative to live the mission of the Church.

In the spring of 2020, the Diocese of Madison launched the Go Make Disciples initiative in all parishes.

On June 1, Msgr. Kevin Holmes was installed as pastor of the newly established Divine Mercy Parish.

If words could be used to describe the 10 a.m. Mass on Sunday, March 30, at All Saints Church in Berlin, they would be “gratitude” and “thanksgiving”.

An opportunity and a privilege to unite together two distinct, holy, and stable parishes and to create something new — the parish of Queen of Apostles.

Two parishes celebrated the installation of pastors the weekend of March 1 and 2.

On February 2, the newly merged Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish celebrated the installation of Fr. Drew Olson as pastor.

On July 1, 2023, Into the Deep, the Diocese of Madison’s multi-year, comprehensive, strategic planning process, began Phase One.

On Friday, Nov. 1, the Solemnity of All Saints, Fr. Tim Renz was installed as the pastor of the newly merged St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish.

God asks big things of those He loves!

We have just passed the six-month point since Into the Deep started in earnest throughout the diocese.