Mission In Action

On a cold winter morning, Bishop Hying visited Community Connections in Janesville and did what he always does: he sat down with people and made time for them. He moved through the space unhurriedly, joining individuals in conversation, listening to their stories, and asking questions. It was a December afternoon that looked a lot like every other afternoon at Community Connections — full of presence, full of people being genuinely seen. 

That quality of attention is not incidental to this program. It is the point. 

A Day That Goes Places 

Community Connections is open Monday through Friday in Janesville, serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from across Rock County. The program is built around a simple conviction: that the best life for each person is one lived in the community, not apart from it. 

Each day includes in-facility programming alongside community outings to local businesses, parks, recreation centers, and community events across the area. The goal is genuine integration: individuals moving through their community with confidence, engaging with the wider world as full participants. Staff work to understand what each person enjoys, what builds their confidence, and what helps them grow. 

In 2025, 62 individuals were served. Of those surveyed, 92% said they were offered meaningful activities that build self-esteem and encourage new learning. The same percentage reported having the choice to participate in a variety of community activities every day. Staff maintain a 1:3 to 1:5 ratio to ensure each person receives real attention, not just supervision. 

Dignity in Practice 

What Bishop Hying encountered during his visit is something the program’s staff works hard to protect every day: the dignity of each person in their care. Watching staff interact with individuals — the ease of those relationships, the way people were greeted and included — told its own story about the culture this program has built. Every support plan is developed around what matters to that individual. Every outing is an opportunity to be seen as a full member of the community. 

That commitment shows up in the data: 93% of individuals surveyed reported having a safe and supportive place to go each day. But it also shows up in the smaller moments — in the confidence that comes from being treated as someone whose preferences and interests genuinely matter. 

Part of Something Larger 

Community Connections is part of the Intellectual and Developmental Disability service line at Catholic Charities of Madison, alongside the Community Living Programs in Marquette and Green Lake Counties. Together, these programs served 80 people in 2025. Across all 16-plus programs in 11 counties, Catholic Charities of Madison served 18,003 people last year. 

For the individuals Community Connections serves in Rock County, this program is a cornerstone: a place that knows them, a staff that shows up for them, and a community that — one outing at a time — opens its doors a little wider. Bishop Hying’s visit was a reminder of why that work matters and why it deserves to be seen. 

Next month, this series continues at 5 Door Recovery, Catholic Charities of Madison’s residential program for adults working through severe substance use disorders — where the work of restoring lives happens one day at a time.