Sometimes the best partnerships are the ones that seem so obvious, you wonder why it took so long to happen. That’s precisely the feeling surrounding the recent merger of the Catholic Multicultural Center (CMC) and Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison — two powerhouse organizations that have been serving our community with such dedication that bringing them together feels like the most natural thing in the world.
Growing Pains, Growing Opportunities
To understand how we got here, we need to go back to 1946, when the Catholic Multicultural Center was originally founded as Blessed Martin House by a group of Catholics who wanted to address the lack of racial justice efforts by the Church in the Madison area.
For decades, it served the community alongside a sister organization, Centro Guadalupe, which was formed in 1977 to aid the Latino population. In 2002, Centro Guadalupe and St. Martin House joined forces to create the Catholic Multicultural Center after the original building was demolished and a new center constructed.
In 2009, the CMC found a new home under the caring leadership of Our Lady Queen of Peace (QOP) Parish in Madison. Under QOP’s stewardship, the CMC flourished beyond anyone’s expectations. What started as a focused ministry grew into something much larger, serving an ever-expanding community with increasingly comprehensive programs.
Eventually, this remarkable success created its own unique challenges.
“It just makes no sense, any longer, to have an individual parish administering what has become a large social service agency serving such a broad population,” explained Fr. Brian Wilk, pastor of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish.
It’s the kind of “problem” every organization dreams of having: being too successful to stay small.
A Vision Fulfilled
This wasn’t just a case of organizational growing pains finding a convenient solution. When the CMC transitioned to Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in 2009, Msgr. Ken Fiedler welcomed the opportunity to nurture this vital ministry.
Starting with a staff of four and a focused mission, the center began a remarkable period of growth and expansion. Monsignor Fiedler always envisioned that the center wouldn’t remain under the parish umbrella forever. His foresight laid the groundwork for precisely this kind of transition.
When Bishop Donald J. Hying of Madison encouraged the move and the parish council gave its blessing, all the pieces fell into place.
More Than Just Administrative Shuffling
While the merger is primarily administrative (CMC keeps its name, programs, and dedicated staff), the real magic happens in what becomes possible.
Consider CMC’s experience serving immigrant communities, paired with Catholic Charities’ resources and support services across 11 counties. Picture the food pantries, meal programs, and community engagement initiatives gaining access to broader funding opportunities and collaborative partnerships.
Steve Maurice, director of the CMC, shared:
“CMC has a long-established history of service in Dane County, and this merger with Catholic Charities will allow us to continue our work with even greater resources and support. We look forward to the positive impact this merger will have on our clients and the community as a whole.”
“By incorporating CMC into Catholic Charities, we can expand our reach and provide even more comprehensive support,” said Shawn Carney, executive director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Madison.
It creates a collaboration that makes both organizations stronger together.
The Best of Both Worlds
For those who’ve supported CMC over the years, everything about the organization remains intact. The immigrant focus is unchanged. The quality programs are enhanced. The community connections, especially with Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, are still going strong.
“[QOP] has always taken an active role in CMC activities. This in no way should prevent that from happening in the future,” Father Wilk emphasized.
Looking Ahead
As both organizations move forward together, there’s an unmistakable sense of excitement about what’s possible. It’s not often that two institutions with such aligned missions and complementary strengths get the chance to formally unite their efforts.
Today, the CMC serves people in need with a budget of $1.7 million, 16 permanent staff positions, and roughly three times the amount of programming it had when it reopened under QOP’s care, including Dane County’s only free community meal served all seven days of the week.
After years of parallel service to vulnerable populations across our diocese, CMC and Catholic Charities are finally sharing the same organizational roof. And judging by their track record of caring “in faith for the human family,” that roof just got a whole lot stronger.