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Dear Friends in Christ,
As Bishop of Madison, I am pleased to announce that I am designating Sunday, October 13, as Catholic Charities Sunday for the Diocese of Madison.
Catholic Charities fulfills the Church’s role in the mission of charity by providing compassionate, caring services to all God’s people. It is important for us as Catholics to put our faith into action, where our Lord’s command to “Love our Neighbor” is carried out.
On July 22, 2013, during the flight to World Youth Day, Pope Francis said that “Youth are the future.” He quickly added that “the aged are also essential.”
He stated that he did not want World Youth Day to be a meeting with young people in isolation because when we isolate them, we do them an injustice.
Like us, he said, they belong to a family, a culture, a country, and faith. To know who we are, and where we are going, it’s helpful to know where we came from.
An 80 degree day with clear skies was perfect atmosphere for the 2013 “Day at the Dells” for the Diocese of Madison Apostolate to the Handicapped.
Dear Friends, Well already it’s “back to school” time for so many of our young people.
This has always been a time of tremendous hope and of excitement for me, personally.
It may come as no surprise that I always enjoyed going to school myself, and even wanted to make “school” my chief ministry as a university professor and then seminary faculty member.
As we begin September, we prepare to engage in the wonderful task of teaching and learning in Catholic schools.
Some may wonder and question why this task is any different than similar tasks undertaken by tens of millions of students and hundreds of thousands of teachers at public schools?
After all, aren’t all schools in the business of teaching and learning? Don’t all parents want basically the same things for our children — to educate them so they gain the knowledge and confidence necessary to succeed economically and socially, to instill traits that will ensure that they understand and fulfill their social responsibilities and perform well the duties of national and global citizenship?
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| Encouraging vocations to the priesthood has been one of Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s priorities in his 10 years as Bishop of Madison. Here he greets Fr. David Johannes after ordaining him to the priesthood in 2012. Bishop Morlino has ordained 20 priests for the Diocese of Madison. (Catholic Herald photo/Kat Wagner) |
MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino is “grateful to God” for the many blessings he has experienced in his 10 years as Bishop of Madison.
In an interview, Bishop Morlino said “the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit get the credit” for whatever growth the Diocese of Madison has experienced in the past 10 years.
“I have invited people to grow in faith,” he said, pointing to an increase in such things as Eucharistic Adoration throughout the diocese.
Prayer, he said, is the “key” to more Church vocations. “We’re richly blessed with vocations — and with quality vocations — but we still need more.”
Encouraging more vocations to the priesthood — and to consecrated life and sacramental marriage — was one of his three priorities as Bishop of Madison. The others are strengthening liturgy and catechesis.
| Bishop Morlino comments about his 10 years in Madison in his column this week. He calls on Catholics to invite others to know Christ in a life-changing way. | |
Since he came to Madison in 2003, Bishop Morlino has been doing everything he can to increase the number of seminarians studying to become priests.
When he came here, there were six seminarians. His goal was to grow the number to 30.
In 2012, the diocese hit that mark with 32 seminarians. This fall there will be 34, with three men ordained to the priesthood in 2013.
Bishop Morlino considers the seminarians and priests he ordains “his spiritual sons.” With his past experiences living with college students, he feels he has a greater rapport with young men.
“They really are like my sons,” he said. “Our efforts are bearing fruit. The quality of our men is very evident.”
Having a full-time vocation director has also helped bring more attention to the efforts to recruit more seminarians.
On August 1, 2003, Bishop Robert C. Morlino was installed as the fourth Bishop of Madison during a Mass at St. Raphael Cathedral.
During his homily at that Mass, Bishop Morlino focused on the image of Jesus the Good Shepherd. He called that image “one of the richest in the Gospel.”
Just as a shepherd feeds his flock, he noted that priests and bishops nourish people with spiritual food, most notably Christ himself in the Eucharist.
“To enter into that full communion, we have to listen to the word of truth and respond with a profession of faith that we are ready to be nourished by his Body and Blood in the Eucharist,” said Bishop Morlino in that 2003 homily.
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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,
I suppose (after all the coverage here, as well as a very fair and good piece by Doug Erickson in the State Journal) it will come as no surprise to you that this past week I marked 10 years as Bishop of Madison.
I’m so grateful to God for having given me the blessing of these 10 years of service to this local Church and I’m so very grateful to you all. Thank you for your prayers, your faith, your encouragement, and, yes, your constructive criticism through the past years. God willing, I’ll have almost 10 more with you, and I hope we can continue to do great things together — always with His grace and help.
Over the past 10 years I’ve had many a good person come to me — whether through letters or in person, at Masses and events around the diocese — to say basically, “Bishop we want to help, but we’re not really sure where you’re going. What are you trying to do?”
It seems, from speaking to them, that much of the confusion comes from my taking a different style than that to which they may be accustomed — I speak rather loudly and in a straightforward manner, in a culture which has become obsessed with an idea of “tolerance” (which equates to never making Truth claims,) and never saying anything that may make people uncomfortable.
Rev. Msgr. James Bartylla, Vicar General, announces the following priest appointments made by Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, effective Saturday, July 13, 2013, unless otherwise specifically stated, and announced at weekend Masses of Saturday and Sunday, May 18 and 19, 2013.
I would like to congratulate Rev. Mr. Vince Brewer, Rev. Mr. Garrett Kau, and Rev. Mr. Steve Petrica on their upcoming ordination to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ. What an event of great joy for the diocese in this Year of Faith to have three men ordained for the ministry of the word and sacraments.
