Tag: bishop

On
Bishop Robert Barron

Why it matters more who Jesus is

I have been reading, with both profit and delight, Thomas Joseph White’s latest book, The Incarnate Lord: A Thomistic Study in Christology.

Fr. White, one of the brightest of a new generation of Thomas interpreters, explores a range of topics in this text — the relationship between Jesus’ human and divine natures, whether the Lord experienced the beatific vision, the theological significance of Christ’s cry of anguish on the cross, his descent into Hell, etc. — but for the purposes of this article, I want to focus on a theme of particular significance in the theological and catechetical context today.

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Bishop Robert Barron

Love is both tolerant and intolerant

Every community, inevitably, has a value or set of values that it considers fundamental, some basic good which positions every other claim to goodness. For most of the modern liberal democracies, for example, freedom and equality play this determining role in the moral discourse.

In Communist societies, economic justice, construed as the elimination of the class structure, would provide such a foundation. In the context of German National Socialism, the defense of the Fatherland and the will of the Führer anchored the moral system, however corrupt.

There is a rather simple means of identifying this ultimate value: in regard to any particular moral or political act, keep asking the question, “Why is this being done?” until you come to the point where you find yourself saying, “Well, because that’s just a good thing.” The “just a good thing” is the value that your society or culture considers non-negotiable and which in turn determines all subordinate values.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Love is both tolerant and intolerant

Every community, inevitably, has a value or set of values that it considers fundamental, some basic good which positions every other claim to goodness. For most of the modern liberal democracies, for example, freedom and equality play this determining role in the moral discourse.

In Communist societies, economic justice, construed as the elimination of the class structure, would provide such a foundation. In the context of German National Socialism, the defense of the Fatherland and the will of the Führer anchored the moral system, however corrupt.

There is a rather simple means of identifying this ultimate value: in regard to any particular moral or political act, keep asking the question, “Why is this being done?” until you come to the point where you find yourself saying, “Well, because that’s just a good thing.” The “just a good thing” is the value that your society or culture considers non-negotiable and which in turn determines all subordinate values.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Bishop to celebrate Pontifical Mass at the Throne

MADISON — On Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m., His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at the Throne (Extraordinary Form) in the chapel of the Holy Name Heights in Madison (Bishop O’Connor Center), 702 S. High Point Rd.

Holy Mass will be celebrated in honor of the Feast of St. Joseph, foster father of the Lord, husband of Mary, patron of the Church, of the dying, of fathers, and of immigrants.

The music will be Gregorian Chant and polyphonic motets.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Bishop to celebrate Pontifical Mass at the Throne

MADISON — On Monday, March 20, at 7 p.m., His Excellency Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a Pontifical Mass at the Throne (Extraordinary Form) in the chapel of the Holy Name Heights in Madison (Bishop O’Connor Center), 702 S. High Point Rd.

Holy Mass will be celebrated in honor of the Feast of St. Joseph, foster father of the Lord, husband of Mary, patron of the Church, of the dying, of fathers, and of immigrants.

The music will be Gregorian Chant and polyphonic motets.

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Lent is a time to remember that God and Heaven should be our top priorities

This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

Dear Friends,

The readings for the first Sunday of Lent give all of us a general principle for evaluating our own lives and determining areas for growth during the holy Lenten season.

The First Reading reminds us of Satan’s successful deception of Adam and Eve, convincing them that pride, that is, disobedience of God, will enable them to be like God.

In fact, Adam and Eve are left in the Garden for the first time experiencing shame as they learn the hard way that the wages of sin never amounts to being like God, but rather the wages of sin is death.

God and Heaven are top priority

The Second Reading makes clear that disobedience and death really are the very same choice.

Disobedience and that assertion that “I know better than God!” leads me to place God and Heaven at a lower priority in my own life. Once this happens, it becomes progressively easier to make my goal something less-than-God, something less-than-Heaven.

But God and Heaven alone are the fullness of life, and ultimately to choose what is less-than-God or -Heaven as my top priority is to choose death.

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On
Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

Lent is a time to remember that God and Heaven should be our top priorities

This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop.

Dear Friends,

The readings for the first Sunday of Lent give all of us a general principle for evaluating our own lives and determining areas for growth during the holy Lenten season.

The First Reading reminds us of Satan’s successful deception of Adam and Eve, convincing them that pride, that is, disobedience of God, will enable them to be like God.

In fact, Adam and Eve are left in the Garden for the first time experiencing shame as they learn the hard way that the wages of sin never amounts to being like God, but rather the wages of sin is death.

God and Heaven are top priority

The Second Reading makes clear that disobedience and death really are the very same choice.

Disobedience and that assertion that “I know better than God!” leads me to place God and Heaven at a lower priority in my own life. Once this happens, it becomes progressively easier to make my goal something less-than-God, something less-than-Heaven.

But God and Heaven alone are the fullness of life, and ultimately to choose what is less-than-God or -Heaven as my top priority is to choose death.

Read More