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| July 18, 2002 Edition | ||||
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World Youth Day
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Bishop George Wirz and I will "wing" our way by air to Toronto next week to be with our 119 young people from the Diocese and concelebrate Mass with Pope John Paul II on July 28th for World Youth Day.
This World Youth Day marks the 17th and the first since the Jubilee Year celebration in Rome.
"God will indeed bless our youth with His grace, enlighten them with His love, and usher them into new and lasting covenants and commitments to the Church. World Youth Day is a special moment of grace." |
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What a powerful week this promises to be. When our youth come streaming into Toronto for a week of prayer, fun, seriousness, and instruction from 150 countries of the world, good things will happen in their lives - a new vision of Christ, the Church, and of different cultures.
Many thanks to our youth who are committed to this trip, to their priests who accompany them - Monsignor Gerard Healy, Father Randy Budnar, Father Randy Timmerman, and Father Robert DeCock - along with other adult chaperones.
Purpose of World Youth Day
Your prayers for them are needed. The purpose of World Youth Day is as always, to deepen the relationship of our youth with Christ. Our young people will experience in depth racial, cultural, and language differences. However, they will also experience that sameness common to all humanity regardless of ethnic origin, language, or country.
Our own Catholic Multicultural Center in the Diocese is an expression of this goodness. I will make a particular point, as we attend this World Youth Day, to pray for all those who will be served by our Catholic Multicultural Center when it is completed this fall.
God will indeed bless our youth with His grace, enlighten them with His love, and usher them into new and lasting covenants and commitments to the Church. World Youth Day is a special moment of grace.
Pope John Paul II
Despite his age, Pope John Paul II, whose physical limitations become ever more evident, has a special charism from God for young people. The chanted phrase "John Paul Two, we love you" is not just a chant of the exuberance of youthfulness, it is most genuine. They love Pope John Paul II.
I ask your prayers not only for the youth but also for all of us who will participate in these days. Pray for our safety, our growth in our faith, and our commitment to more closely walk with Jesus, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6)
Week's schedule
The week begins July 23rd with an opening Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Toronto, Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic. On July 24-26 there will be Catechetical Sessions, a youth festival, and celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
On Wednesday evening there will be small group liturgies. Bishop Wirz and I will gather with our youth for Mass and celebration. Pope John Paul II will gather with all the youth for a welcoming ceremony on Thursday evening. On Friday all will participate in the Way of the Cross. The concluding event is a Mass with Pope John Paul II on July 28th. The whole week promises to be a time of renewal and refreshment in the light of God's love.
I wish to express my deep gratitude to Mr. Ben Weisse, our Director of Youth Ministry, his staff, our priests, and Ms. Faye Darnall from St. Paul University Catholic Center, for their hard work with our young people.
Our youth, in learning more about their faith and celebrating it with ease (that is, without the usual peer pressure) can, in openness, deepen their commitment to Christ and to one another. Obviously God will move powerfully among them and even work on Bishop Wirz and on me in this, the year of our 50th anniversary of priesthood. "Viva la Papa, John Paul II, we love you."
Camp Gray
On Saturday, July 13th we celebrated Founder's Day at Camp Gray with the staff, counselors, friends, and supporters of Camp Gray. It was a great day and wonderful prelude to World Youth Day. Camp Gray prides itself in being a Catholic camp for young people.
Catholic camp
As you sit in their open-air pavilion you can read quotations from Sacred Scripture on the beams, such as from the Book of Micah, "Walk humbly before the Lord," to Gospel quotations directing your attention to the sacredness of human life, the love of God, and the good care we should take of God's creation.
The spirit, the openness, the song, the friendliness, and the joy is so very evident in their hymns and songs at Mass and their jumping enthusiasm for the Lord Jesus! They sing, jump, and chant. "We say, yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes, yes, Lord."
John Karsten
It's a real tonic for all of us who participate in Founder's Day. Monsignor Paul Swain accompanied me, as is his custom, and together all of us enjoyed the celebration of Mass and outdoor picnic supper. This year I was pleased to present the Bishop's Distinguished Service Award to Mr. John Karsten, President of the Board of Camp Gray. He and his wife Diane have worked diligently and effectively for many years. This is our way to say thanks.
Also, a special thanks to Mr. Phil DeLong, Director of Camp Gray, and Melanie Carter and staff counselors for their wonderful work with the campers. They are proud of their Camp Gray and proud to keep it a Catholic camp in order to bring our youth close to Christ. Several of their counselors will attend World Youth Day.
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Official Announcements:
Most Reverend William H. Bullock, Bishop of Madison, wishes to announce the following:
His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, has named as Chaplains of His Holiness, with the title of Reverend Monsignor,
Reverend Douglas L. Dushack
Reverend Terrence L. Connors
The following parishes are linked, effective June 12, 2002:
St. Raphael Cathedral Parish, and Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison;
St. Mary Parish, Marshall, and St. Joseph Parish, Waterloo;
St. Patrick Parish, Lodi, and St. Michael Parish, Dane.
Msgr. Paul J. Swain
Vicar General
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Bishop names members of committee
to study Catholic Charities
MADISON -- Bishop William H. Bullock has appointed a committee to develop goals to enhance the relationship, define processes, and establish procedures for Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Madison.
Msgr. Paul J. Swain, vicar general of the diocese, will oversee the work of the committee, appointed by the bishop from membership of the Board for Catholic Charities (CC) as well as persons from other diocesan agencies.
Members include: Phil Galassie, Janesville, CC board chair; Brian Cain, CC executive director; Susanna Herro and Linda Gorchels, Madison, CC board members; Philip Reuter, Janesville, member of the diocesan Corporate Board; Tom Hanlon, director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Madison; Judy Peppard, associate superintendent of schools, Diocese of Madison; and Fr. John Meinholz, pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona. The bishop himself will also attend the meetings.
Bullock has also obtained the consulting services of Fr. J. Bryan Hehir, president of Catholic Charities USA, and Fr. Bryan N. Massingale, who is on the faculty of St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee.
Bullock said the committee includes expertise of people who have served with Catholic Charities as well as those who have worked with other diocesan agencies. The committee will examine what Catholic Charities is doing now and provide inservice to staff and board members.
The bishop hopes to "enhance the agency's position of service to the poor," he said. "Part of the review will be to look at what are new 'poverty pockets' in our diocese."
In announcing the study in the June 27 issue of The Catholic Herald, Bullock said, "For several years now I have been working to build the Catholic identity of Catholic Charities. Due to certain circumstances, some of which may well be my own inadequacies, the relationship with the diocese has been wanting." He said he owes it to his successor to clarify the role and relationship of Catholic Charities within the Diocese of Madison.
Bullock said he is also close to naming members of a diocesan Independent Review Board for Sexual Abuse Cases.
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