“Let the splendor of holiness shine out on the whole world, from every person, place, or thing anointed with this Holy Oil.”
Those words were part of the ritual of blessing of the Holy Oils prayed by Bishop Robert C. Morlino at the Chrism Mass on April 3 at St. Maria Goretti Church.
Dear Friends,
So much flows from our Holy Week celebration, culminating, of course, in the celebration of the Resurrection. The Easter celebration, in which we now find ourselves, truly is the center and wellspring of our faith and our entire year.
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| Bishop Robert C. Morlino blesses the oil of the sick, oil of the catechumens, and sacred Chrism during the Chrism Mass on April 19 at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) |
MADISON — On Tuesday of Holy Week, April 19, clergy, religious, and laity from around the diocese came to Madison to participate in the annual Chrism Mass at St. Maria Goretti Church.
The Mass, at which priests renew their vows and the oils for the sacraments are blessed, was an opportunity to celebrate those special gifts to the Church, Bishop Robert C. Morlino said. With an eye to the sleeting weather outside, he joked that we were celebrating Christmas in April.
The weather held back many people, particularly from the farther reaches of the 11 counties that make up the Diocese of Madison. Parishes which were not able to attend or send representatives were still able to receive the oils that will be used throughout the coming year in sacraments and several other Church rites.
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| 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,
Despite the continued focus on the horrendous crimes of a relatively few priests within the Church, we move forward, a people of faith, cognizant of the fact that our Church is made up of sinners — our priests and bishops included — but that each of us has faith that it is Jesus Christ Himself who founded this Church, for our Salvation, and that He has sent the Holy Spirit to protect His Church from “the gates of hell.”
No matter the sins of Her members, even the terrible sins of a few of Her ministers, the Holy Spirit remains with the Bride of Christ, to care for Her, to reconcile all Her members to Christ, and to grant us everlasting life.
As one Body, each member of the Church is affected when another causes injury. We all feel profoundly the wounds inflicted by a few, and we must do all that we can to bring healing to those wounded. I don’t know that I’ve experienced that empathetic pain in anyone more than in our good priests and bishops. And that brings me to the point of this column.
