SAUK CITY/LODI — “We will find ourselves and come alive when we make a sincere gift of ourselves to our neighbors.”
As stated in part of its mission manifesto, hundreds of teens in the Diocese of Madison came alive this summer as they participated in Love Begins Here.
This time of year always brings me a feeling of excitement, because school is starting again.
Even though I haven’t attended school for years, I still remember my own 12 years as a student in Catholic elementary and high schools in La Crosse, Wis. Those were happy years for me in so many ways.
Likewise, I enjoyed participating as a parent with our own children when they attended Our Lady Queen of Peace Elementary School and Edgewood High School in Madison. I know that they, too, appreciated their time at those schools.
Msgr. James Bartylla announces the following priest appointments made by Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison, effective Tuesday, August 13, 2019:
The morning scene inside St. Francis of Assisi Oratory is befitting of its rural setting — a house of God amid the trees, quiet, and occasional sounds of wildlife.
A mere three days after his installation as the fifth Bishop of Madison, Bishop Hying, with a self-admitted devotion to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, ordained three men to the priesthood at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison on Friday, June 28, the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The three new priests were: Fr. Steve Brunner, Fr. Bill Van Wagner, and Fr. Cristian Valenzuela.
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We live in a frenzied culture of hyperactivity and stress; we probably all feel the pressure to do more, be more productive, and somehow find a perfect balance in it all.
To slow down, purposely do nothing for a while, and to rest is difficult in our sleepless, overstimulated culture. Yet, how can we hope to grow our prayer lives, deepen our relationship with God and others, and grow in our spiritual awareness if we never embrace holy leisure?
Orthodox Jews take the laws of Sabbath rest very seriously, not even driving a car or pushing an elevator button from Friday evening until the end of the Sabbath, in imitation of the Lord’s seventh day of rest.
I am old enough to remember Sundays as a child, when most people still went to church, stores were closed, and no one was supposed to do work. Sundays felt qualitatively different with a focus on God, time for family and friends amidst a slower pace.
“The Church is forever young,” said Bishop Donald J. Hying. …
Bishop Hying spoke those words during his homily at his Installation Mass as the fifth Bishop of Madison on June 25 at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison. More than 1,500 people attended the Mass.
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As I begin episcopal ministry in the great Diocese of Madison, the Lord has filled my spirit with joy, enthusiasm, and gratitude.
I am particularly thankful to Msgr. Jim Bartylla for his dedicated, effective, and loving leadership of the Diocese these past seven months.
Stepping into my new role has been easy because of his hard work. I am grateful to all the diocesan staff, the priests, permanent deacons, Religious, lay leaders, and the faithful who have all welcomed me with such kindness and love. I am already feeling very much at home!
We honor the legacy of Bishop Morlino as we continue to pray for him and lift him to the Lord.
I am grateful for his attention to growing the priesthood, the beauty and reverence of the liturgy, and the importance of faith formation for our leaders and people.
Msgr. James Bartylla announces the following priest appointments made by Most Reverend Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Madison, effective June 25, 2019:
At the request of diocesan leadership, Defenbaugh and Associates, an independent security and investigations firm, founded by and composed of veteran agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), has been retained to conduct a full review of all personnel files of the Diocese of Madison.
