by Tracey Lamm
For The Beacon
It takes three swings and misses in baseball to strike out. For the Very Rev. Martin Goetz, parish priest for Divine Mercy Parish, his faith community stepped up to the pitchers’ mound Tuesday night with a Strike Out Cancer fundraising event.
In late August of 2021, Father Marty, as he is known to parishioners, delivered some difficult news about his health. After experiencing severe back pain, medical tests revealed he had developed breast cancer that had spread into his bones. As he wrote at the time in his CaringBridge blog, he had been thrown “a curve ball.”
At the Notre Dame Nike girls’ and boys’ varsity basketball games Tuesday night, parishioners and students gathered to rally and support Father Marty with a baseball-themed fundraiser. The funds raised at this event will help defray the costs of his cancer treatment.
Notre Dame High School Principal Bill Maupin said the event was a joint effort between the student council and the parish faithful. The Divine Mercy Parish encompasses the Catholic communities in Burlington, West Burlington, and Dodgeville.
Students and community members cheered on the Nikes as they took on Holy Trinity. Everyone who attended was urged to wear pink in support of Father Marty. Pink rally towels with the moniker: "We Won’t Back Down — Father Marty" were sold. Divine Mercy Parish is also taking orders for T-shirts to show support and raise funds to aid their beloved pastor.
The Notre Dame Student Council held a 50-50 raffle, bake sale, and had a donation bucket at the ticket table.
Father Marty attended the games to cheer on the home team and feel the love and support from the parish community he has served. With their assistance, his journey continues, guided by the following words: “Only you can do it, but you can’t do it alone.”