Category: Guest column

Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles on how the offices in the Diocese of Madison are coping with the recent layoffs and financial cut-backs. Information will be included on what the diocesan offices continue to do for the diocese and its parishes. Offices will also indicate how people can help continue their mission through volunteer involvement.

We continue to spread the Good News! Like nearly every other business (for-profit and not-for-profit alike), the Diocese of Madison has undergone some difficult but necessary cutbacks. These changes have affected each and every office of the diocese, the Office of Communications among them, but we have work to do and we must continue that work.

Editor’s note: Pope Benedict XVI will canonize Blessed Damien of Molokai on October 11. This article from Hope News Service provides information on one of our newest saints.

Joseph de Veuster — the future St. Damian of Molokai — was born in Belgium on January 3, 1840, the seventh child of a devout Catholic family.

My family moved to Madison last June from St. Louis. We miscarried our fourth child this past January. She was eight weeks old.

I elected not to have a D & C, but to go home and miscarry naturally. This gave me time to research, “What is the Catholic response to miscarriage?”

During my years as the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Madison I’ve encountered a certain set of recurring questions from priests and laity regarding our seminarian program.

They are excellent questions that show an interest in the seminarians’ formation for priesthood. In this article, I answer six of these recurring questions. If anyone has other questions, feel free to e-mail me at [email protected]. For more on diocesan seminarians, go online to www.madisondiocese.org and click on the “Vocations” tab.

I remember when my wife and I became engaged what great fun it was to go to the department stores and put together our gift registry. In fact, the greatest gifts I received (I mean, we!) were three different grills! I ended up returning them all and getting the daddy of all grills – what a gift!

Now that we just passed our 16th wedding anniversary, and the gas grill rusts on the back porch, I realize that there were other gifts far more important than the grills. In fact, perhaps the most meaningful gift was attending a weekend retreat for engaged couples before our wedding.

My wife and I had talked about many, many things during our dating relationship — I didn’t think there could be much more to discuss. But the opportunity to focus only on us — for a full weekend led by married couples sharing their own experiences and the wisdom of the Church — would have a far greater impact on our marriage than I realized at the time. In fact, I credit that experience for the ongoing success of our marriage.

“Believe it all.” That was the “very best” preaching advice from our Dominican priest speaker at a clergy day on homiletics back in 2004.

This followed shortly my ordination to the permanent diaconate. “Do not pick and choose” from the Church’s teachings, Father said.

Don’t question it, he said, for to do so is to enter treacherous waters, that spiritual trap which whispers to us that our own personal wisdom is superior to the Church of Christ and its guarantee of doctrinal purity with guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Catholics are attacking our apostles and priests. Bishops, priests, and faithful lay people are challenging colleges, universities, hospitals, and other Catholic institutions to be just that — Catholic.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is formally assessing the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, on very important issues. Bishops have defined that Catholic institutions cannot perform new-age-energy-healing rituals.

And bishops, priests, and lay faithful are increasingly challenging prominent Catholic politicians, like the vice president, the speaker of the house, numerous governors and officials, at every level throughout the country, to be Catholic.

Note from Bishop Morlino: Dear Friends, As we come to the close of this year of St. Paul, let us refocus our minds and hearts on the life and works of this great Apostle. One of our newly ordained priests, Fr. Brian Dulli, parochial vicar of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish in Sun Prairie, has been kind enough to offer some excellent reflections on St. Paul to help us along the way. — Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Third and last in a series

How is Paul’s conversion relevant to today? Paul was a religious zealot, whereas many of the people we would like to evangelize have a casual approach to religion.

The Lord intervened and saved Paul from egotism. God saved Paul from becoming a law unto himself as Saul.

Note from Bishop Morlino: Dear Friends, As we come to the close of this year of St. Paul, let us refocus our minds and hearts on the life and works of this great Apostle. One of our newly ordained priests, Fr. Brian Dulli, parochial vicar of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish in Sun Prairie, has been kind enough to offer some excellent reflections on St. Paul to help us along the way. — Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Second in a series

Paul remains the most formidable thinker of apostolic times. While he could not have initiated Christianity, we owe to Paul profound thanks both for his human and spiritual gifts.

Much of what Paul writes flows from his very capable reflection on what happened to him as a human being and then as an apostle.

Note from Bishop Morlino: Dear Friends, As we come to the close of this year of St. Paul, let us refocus our minds and hearts on the life and works of this great Apostle. One of our newly ordained priests, Fr. Brian Dulli, parochial vicar of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Parish in Sun Prairie, has been kind enough to offer some excellent reflections on St. Paul to help us along the way. — Bishop Robert C. Morlino

First in a series

According to the initiative of Pope Benedict XVI, we are now in the midst of a year of celebration in honor of the life of St. Paul, the Apostle to the Nations.

In our very time, all the nations of the world still greatly need the preaching and truth of the Gospel. Like Paul, a modern preacher must overcome real obstacles barring the delivery of Christ in his fullness.

Yet that is what Paul strove to do. He did not speak or write about Christ through vague intimations. He delivered the full reality of Christ to show that faith is never in vain.