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Grateful servant honored for respecting life

First in a three-part series on the 2003 Gaudium et Spes recipients

	ON THE JOB: Gaudium et Spes recipient Marge Mattice of Kewaunee works in the emergency room at St. Vincent Hospital, Green Bay. (Rick Evans photo)
	Honoring them What: Green Bay Diocese's 15th annual Gaudium et Spes dinner. Why: To honor this year's recipients of an award given to persons who try to live their faith in the world in the spirit of the Vatican II document, The Church in the Modern World. Who: This year's honorees are Dennis Brennan of Oshkosh, Marge Mattice of Kewaunee, and Allen Stade of Green Bay. When: Social at 5:30 p.m.; dinner at 6:30 p.m. May 9. Where: Liberty Hall, Kimberly. Reservations: (920)437-7531 or toll-free 1-877-500-3580, ext. 8234.

"Ministry always stems from gratitude," says Marge Mattice of Holy Rosary Parish in Kewaunee.

"I've been given so much. You've got to give something back," she said. For that giving back, she is one of three recipients of the Green Bay Diocese's Gaudium et Spes awards.

Related articles ... • Stewards put faith to work From April 11, 2003 issue: • Three to receive diocesan awards

Mattice gives back as an emergency room and flight nurse at St. Vincent Hospital in Green Bay, as a member of the diocesan and the St. Norbert Abbey Peace and Justice Committees, as a Norbertine lay associate and as a volunteer in her parish.

Br. Steve Herro, O.Praem., chair of the Abbey Peace and Justice Committee, said he nominated Mattice for the award because she "has worked hard to protect the life of the unborn, elderly and those on death row.... She has helped letter writing campaigns to legislators on issues related to the protection of human embryos and fetuses and those on death row."

Mattice has made public presentations on the sanctity of human life at the Norbertine Center for Spirituality and at The Gathering, Br. Herro said. "She has helped our Abbey Justice and Peace Committee understand restorative justice."

The death penalty and restorative justice are "real" issues for her, Mattice said. They became real in October, 2000, when her brother was murdered in Houston. The perpetrator was caught, tried and sentenced. Since the murder was not a capital crime, he did not receive the death penalty.

"I feel like I come from a pretty sound base when I address my pro-life concerns for the death penalty. I don't think it's an answer," she said. "It's not a solution in terms of my own brother. Nothing is going to bring him back. I would get absolutely no satisfaction from seeing another person murdered. That's not a tribute to my brother or any other victim of homicide."

She does think that life without parole is "a reasonable option." She also pointed to the need for prison reform.

Mattice said the Abbey committee is investigating the "issue of homelessness in the Green Bay area." She recently completed six years on the diocesan Peace and Justice Committee.

Br. Herro noted that St. Vincent Hospital's pastoral care department has "lauded" Mattice for "treating patients and loved ones with care and respect as they confront life-threatening situations. When she has to give bad news to a grieving family member, she does it with gentleness and a caring touch."

She is equally compassionate with her co-workers, he said. "After tense situations, Marge provides a listening ear that helps her co-workers relieve the stress of the traumatic situation."

Since June 1997, Mattice has been part of the Eagle III helicopter's critical care transport team, which goes as far north as Upper Michigan, west to Antigo and Marshfield and south to Madison and Milwaukee.

Her favorite story about that work concerns a "little boy" from the Luxemburg area whose left foot was severed at the ankle by a riding lawn mower. The helicopter flew him to a Milwaukee hospital for surgery.

A year and a half later during a talk in Kewaunee, she told the child's story. His parents were part of the audience. As they spoke to her, they pointed out their son who "was running around so fast, nobody could catch him." He was wearing a light brace and "doing absolutely wonderful."

Mattice is working on her master's degree at Marquette University so she can become a nurse practitioner. She wants to use that education to help the underprivileged.

For the last three summers, she and her daughter Karen have volunteered one week in June at a camp for underprivileged children in rural Mississippi run by the Glenmary priests and brothers.

She found information about this program while looking for service opportunities on the Internet. About 50 children attend each of the four one-week sessions the camp holds in June. Counselors come in from all over the United States. Mattice worked as a nurse and in whatever other capacity she can.

She is not sure if she'll be able to attend this summer because she has to take a class for her graduate program.

Mattice became involved with St. Norbert Abbey while studying nursing at Northeastern Wisconsin Technical College. A friend told her the Abbey was looking for nurse aides to care for its elderly priests; she got one of the jobs. Since, she has become a lay associate at the Abbey. Associates assist at Masses and meet monthly to study Scripture.

At Holy Rosary parish, Mattice has worked with the lector team and religious education and confirmation classes.

When asked why she was so involved in ministry, she replied: "You've got to do what you can while you can. Everybody's given 24 hours in a day. You make choices about what you're going to do with that."

Br. Herro concluded: "Her life is well balanced in prayer. She is a prayerful person who can be a wonderful spiritual companion to many people. I have encouraged her ... to seek spiritual direction training; her prayerful holiness is a wonderful partner to her professional expertise in nursing and prophetic practice in justice and peace."

-- Next: Allen Stade of Green Bay, friend of the poor