Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop Robert C. Morlino Thursday, February 12, 2004 5:30 p.m. -- Attend Dinner, Knights of Columbus Council #4527, Madison Friday, February 13, 2004 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Raphael Cathedral, followed by the praying of the rosary in the church 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Sunday, February 15, 2004 10:00 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison 4:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Bernard Parish, Middleton Thursday, February 19, 2004 7:00 p.m. -- Preside at Evening Prayer, St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Thursday, February 12, 2004 10:00 a.m. -- Attend Clergy Inservice on Youth Ministry, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Sunday, February 15, 2004 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Beloit, with St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Beloit, at Our Lady of Assumption Parish, Beloit Thursday, February 19, 2004 7:00 p.m. -- Attend St. Thérèse of Lisieux Lecture Series, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

Real love: Embraces truth, freedom, self-sacrifice

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Dear Friends,

Soon we will celebrate both Presidents' Day and Valentine's Day. The celebration of our two outstanding presidents reminds us of everything that should be great in our country and in our culture. The celebration of Valentine's Day in our country and in our culture naturally raises the topic of love.

Connotations of love in nation, culture

What connotations has love taken on in our country and in our culture? One sees regular advertisements of special Valentine's Day dinner options at restaurants which include on the menu a lot of foods alleged to be aphrodisiacs. The cultural connection of love with aphrodisiacs becomes more certain in light of the recent outrageous performances of Madonna and Brittany Spears, leading up to the Super Bowl antics of Janet and Justin.

"As we celebrate Presidents' Day and Valentine's Day, let us not allow the many aphrodisiacs presented on the cultural menu to cloud the truth written in our minds and hearts about love."

Love without question can be reduced to its sensual dimensions. It should not be surprising that as we prepare to celebrate Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day, CNN is airing regularly a program indicating that half of the marriages in the United States fall victim to the tragedy of adultery on the part of the marriage partners. Any sensual experience can conceivably be outdone by some other option.

And then there is the ongoing effort to assert into the civic life of our country and our culture the right to redefine marriage, certainly not among the inalienable rights conferred upon each human person according to the mind of our nation's architects from the beginning.

Real love tied to freedom, moral truth

Our country and our culture are built on maximizing individual freedom always looking to the preservation of the common good, so that each citizen voluntarily restrains himself or herself in accord with a clear and objective public morality.

The protection of American freedom really depends on the acknowledgement of an objective public morality, a moral truth. Our freedom is accountable to the moral truth and, as I have written many times, the fact that something is done freely does not make it morally right - that should be obvious.

The real love which our country and our culture should build, nourish, and reinforce has everything to do with genuine freedom accountable to an objective public morality, to moral truth, and a willingness freely to make the sacrifices entailed by self-discipline, so that in solidarity with all sisters and brothers who are citizens, the common good truly might flourish.

Regrettably in our country love has been in so many instances reduced to some dimension of sensual pleasure. But as we celebrate Presidents' Day and the ideals of our nation's founders and architects, we see that they meant our land to be a land of love in the sense of truth, freedom, and self-sacrifice and self-restraint.

Reflect and pray about love

The marvelous coincidence of Presidents' Day and Valentine's Day can provide an occasion for all of us to reflect and pray about love. For us as Catholic Christians we should always keep in mind the teaching of our Scriptures: Love then consists in this, not that we have loved God, but that He has loved us and given Himself for us.

Love which embraces truth, freedom, and self-sacrifice reaches its pinnacle in some kind or degree of martyrdom - greater love no one has than he lay down his life for his friends.

As we celebrate Presidents' Day and Valentine's Day, let us not allow the many aphrodisiacs presented on the cultural menu to cloud the truth written in our minds and hearts about love.

Thank you for reading this. God bless each one of you. Praised be Jesus Christ!