Dear Parishioners,

As you may know, Public Health Madison & Dane County issued Emergency Order #9 last Friday. This order requires that all students in grades 3-12, whether they be in a public or a private school, begin the year virtually. Because we were fully prepared to safely welcome back our students for in-person schooling, this development fills us with disappointment and frustration. We understand that our families are counting on in-person schooling and want their children to receive an integral Catholic formation.  

In particular, we view Emergency Order #9 as an impermissible infringement of religious liberty and on the rights of parents to provide a Catholic education for their children. I wanted to inform you that I made the decision yesterday for Blessed Trinity Catholic School to join a coalition with other Catholic Schools in Dane County in a legal action against this order. Spearheaded by St. Ambrose Academy, we issued a letter to Dane County Executive Joseph Parisi demanding that school be allowed to open and a notice to the clerk of the Wisconsin Supreme Court that we are willing to bring a lawsuit should this demand go unanswered. You should know that thanks to the generosity of many donors, the costs of this legal action have already been covered. I have attached both the letter and the notice.

While I am out-of-town on vacation, it's nevertheless important that I communicate these developments. Hopefully you understand that I will not be able to respond to questions at this time, but would be happy to once I return. 

Please keep the school, our students and teachers, and our efforts to find a resolution in your prayers.

God bless,

Fr. Joseph Baker