Catholic priests compete in bake-off for charity

COLUMBUS, Wis. (WMTV) - Catholic priests with the Diocese of Madison are competing for the title “star baker.”

In the Great Mercy Match, four contestants are perfecting their bakes and recording it for people to vote online.

Every vote is ten dollars that go towards the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation, to ultimately serve people in need.

Father Garrett Kau and his fourth-grade assistant Shauna Schulte worked on their cream puff shells Saturday. Fr. Kau, who serves the parishes at St. Jerome (Columbus) and St. Patrick (Doylestown), included a touch of humor in his recipe for success.

“Why vote for me? Well I like to think that I’m the most humble of the entire group and would certainly appreciate your support,” he said. “And also for little Shauna here and, kind of, my aspiring chef apprentice. She would love it so much, if you voted for us.”

According to the foundation website, other competitors serve in McFarland, Cross Plains and Sun Prairie.

“It’s always fun,” Kau said. “With priests, you think of these humble, prayerful guys which, you know, hopefully we all are. But we also do have a good competitive streak as well.”

The winning baker can also donate a thousand dollars to a charity of his choice. Father Kau said if he is crowned winner, he will give the prize money to Our Lady of Hope Clinic, which offers affordable access to healthcare.

According to a diocese spokesperson, the bake-off will premiere on the foundation website on June 18. But voting is already open and will close on June 22. The winner will be announced on Facebook and the foundation website.