Day: April 8, 2010

On
Kat Wagner, Catholic Herald Staff

Blessing the oils and the priesthood

Bishop Morlino distributes the holy oils to parishes around the diocese. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner)

MADISON/VATICAN CITY — The Chrism Mass is held every year during Holy Week to bless the oils to be used throughout the year for the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination, and the Anointing of the Sick.

The Mass also is an opportunity for priests to gather and to renew the promises they made at ordination.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino presided at the Chrism Mass in the Diocese of Madison on the Tuesday of Holy Week, March 30. Hundreds of priests, religious, seminarians, and laity filled St. Maria Goretti Church for the diocesan celebration.

After acknowledging the presence of Bishops William H. Bullock and George O. Wirz, Canon John Pintabone, Fr. Isaac Mary Relyea, and the Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre in his opening remarks, Bishop Morlino thanked all of the priests from around the diocese who came to the Mass.

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On
Francis Paliekara, Fond du Lac

Encouraging to see faith of doctor in his column

To the editor:

It is extremely encouraging for a layperson like me to hear from a medical expert like Dr. Michael Robiolio that “there is never a need for an abortion even in these cases.” The cases referred to in the guest column, “Catholic physician’s perspective on the health care debate,” in the March 25 issue of the Catholic Herald, are rape, incest, and threat to the mother’s life.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, editor

Church is combatting sexual abuse

Almost every day we hear media reports concerning how the Catholic Church has handled cases of sexual abuse of minors by clergy. It is important for Catholics — and the public at large — to get the facts straight.

First of all, Pope Benedict XVI and countless bishops around the world have continued to repeat that sexual abuse is wrong, sinful, and must not be tolerated. For example, in his March 19th letter to the Catholics of Ireland, Pope Benedict says, “Like yourselves, I have been deeply disturbed by the information which has come to light regarding the abuse of children and vulnerable young people by members of the Church in Ireland, particularly by priests and religious. I can only share in the dismay and the sense of betrayal that so many of you have experienced on learning of these sinful and criminal acts and the way Church authorities in Ireland dealt with them.”

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