Tag: priests

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Kevin Wondrash

Mass for deceased bishops and priests of Diocese of Madison

MADISON — Bishop Robert C. Morlino will celebrate a special Requiem Mass for deceased priests and bishops of the Diocese of Madison. November is a month when Catholics pray in a special way for the repose of the dead and, by God’s will, for the rapid entrance into heaven of the poor souls.

On Monday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. at the Bishop O’Connor Center, Bishop Morlino, with clerical and lay ministers, will celebrate a Pontifical Requiem Mass “at the Throne” in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

 

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Jenna Bernard, For the Catholic Herald

Priests for Our Future: The Church is Alive! kicks off final phase

More than 500 pastors and lay leadership came together in the past two weeks to celebrate the start of the last phase of the Priests for Our Future: The Church Is Alive! campaign.

Six events were held in parishes spanning the geographic area of the Diocese of Madison to welcome and inform volunteers who will pioneer the final efforts of the campaign.

 

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Fr. Gregory Ihm

Awakening deeper faith during the Year of Consecrated Life

Pope Francis has declared this year as the Year of Consecrated Life and you will see from his letter that he has several objectives for this year.

Among them being: thanksgiving for all the Lord has accomplished through the various Religious communities, a greater fidelity to the mission established by the founders and foundresses, and embracing the future with hope.

Diocese involved

The Diocese of Madison is looking to assist the Holy Father with these objectives by engaging the priests, Religious, and laity in various events and activities throughout the year.

We are inviting our consecrated men and women to use this year as an opportunity to highlight the many graces received through the living out of their community’s charisms throughout the history of the diocese.

We also look forward to opportunities to joining the various Religious communities in their prayer which is crucial to their identity.

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Brent King, For the Catholic Herald

Priests for Our Future capital campaign seeks $30 million to endow education and formation of future priests

There are now 33 seminarians in the Diocese of Madison, up from six in 2003. Six were missing for this photo, taken at the seminarian gathering in Madison in August. Also pictured are Bishop Robert C. Morlino and Fr. Greg Ihm, director of vocations. A capital campaign seeks to raise $30 million for the education and formation of priests. (Catholic Herald photo/Pam Payne)

MADISON — Both by lay people and priests alike, it’s been talked about, studied, and identified as the top concern facing the Diocese of Madison for several years now: the vocations crisis.

With a continuous line of faithful senior priests reaching retirement and a decidedly thinner lineup of priests ordained in the 1980s and ’90s, it would be hard to deny a crisis brewing.

Number one priority

In fact, so serious was the concern in the mind of Bishop Robert C. Morlino, and so clear was the message that he received from around the diocese, that he made the fostering of vocations to the priesthood his number one priority upon arriving in Madison in August of 2003.

The bishop, priests, and faithful of the diocese together initiated a program of fostering a “culture of vocations,” of inviting young men to consider the call God might be making to them, and to prayer — especially in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament — asking that more and more might answer the call of Jesus Christ.

Increasing numbers

And increasingly, men have been answering this need and God’s call with a profound “yes.” From six seminarians in 2003, the diocese has seen a near six-fold increase.

This year, the diocese is blessed to have 33 men studying for the priesthood, and the good news is that hopes remain high that (with continued prayers) growth in seminarian numbers will continue.

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Fr. Donald Lange

Annual priets’ assembly offers special grace

A special grace of my priesthood is the privilege of participating in the annual Diocesan Presbyteral Assembly held at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells from September 21 to 24.

The Presbyteral Assembly grew out of the landmark Madison Diocese Emmaus retreat in 1980, which was intended to bolster the spiritual lives of us priests. It did.

Since I was in high school work at Beloit Catholic High, I rarely was able to attend diocesan functions, but I was free during summers. During summer school, I learned that this was also true of priests who taught high school in other dioceses. I was happy that Bishop Cletus F. O’Donnell asked all active priests to attend.

Emmaus experience

Msgr. Frank Bognanno of the Diocese of Des Moines was chosen to lead the Emmaus retreat. The bishop of Des Moines was Bishop Bullock, who later became our bishop. Father Frank returned to Madison for Bishop Bullock’s anniversary celebration. He also led an inspiring priests’ retreat in 2002.

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