Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop William H. Bullock Thursday, May 30, 2002 11:30 a.m. -- Host Luncheon in Honor of Retired Priests, Bishop's Residence, Madison 3:00 p.m. -- Preside at Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Donnell Holy Name Memorial Chapel, Madison Friday, May 31, 2002 12:00 p.m. -- Host Luncheon and Gathering with Nigerian Priests, Bishop's Residence, Madison Saturday, June 1, 2002 5:15 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Ann Parish, Stoughton Sunday, June 2, 2002 3:00 p.m. -- Attend the Celebration of the Eucharist on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Most Reverend George O. Wirz, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Tuesday, June 4, 2002 10:00 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer, Pastoral Inservice Day for Priests, Office of Continuing Education of Priests, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Wednesday, June 5, 2002 7:00 p.m. -- Attend Board of Trustees Meeting, St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee Friday, June 7, 2002 5:30 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Saturday, June 8, 2002 8:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Mary Help of Christians Parish, Glen Haven Sunday, June 9, 2002 10:00 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, Christ the King Parish, McFarland Tuesday, June 11, 2002 11:00 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women Convention, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Thursday, June 13 - Saturday, June 15, 2002 Attend Spring Meeting, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dallas, Texas Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Thursday, May 30, 2002 11:30 a.m. -- Attend Luncheon in Honor of Retired Priests, Bishop's Residence, Madison 3:00 p.m. -- Attend Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Donnell Holy Name Memorial Chapel, Madison Sunday, June 2, 2002 3:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Ordination to the Priesthood of Most Reverend George O. Wirz, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Tuesday, June 4, 2002 9:30 a.m. -- Attend Pastoral Inservice Day for Priests, Office of Continuing Education of Priests, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison 2:00 p.m. -- Chair Meeting of the Board, Office for Continuing Education of Priests, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center Monday, June 10, 2002 Attend Annual Convention Banquet, Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center Thursday, June 13 - Saturday, June 15, 2002 Attend Spring Meeting, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dallas, Texas

Ordination to priesthood: Responding to God's call

		The Bishop: A Herald of Faith Bishop William H. Bullock

(This week's column consists of the text of Bishop Bullock's homily from the Mass of Ordination to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ, Michael E. Moon, Tait C. Schroeder, and David A. Wanish, Friday, May 24, 2002, St. Raphael Cathedral.)

Friends in Christ,

Michael Moon, Tait Schroeder, and David Wanish have come to say "yes" to the call of Christ and of the Church to serve the people of God as presbyters of the Diocese of Madison.

It is in this cathedral that many of our priests gathered here tonight were ordained by the laying on of hands in the ancient rite given to us by the Apostles. As Mick, Tait, and Dave say yes, we give thanks and praise to God for their sacrifice of service given in loving imitation of the Lord Jesus. It is a night of joy and hope for all of us who are with them as they place their lives at the feet of Christ and commit themselves to help build up God's Kingdom, the Church.

Renewed in God's love

We pray that all of us will be renewed by the light of the Gospel, that we will all be strengthened by the presence and ministry of our newly ordained as well as the many priests who now serve faithfully, honorably, and with steadfast love, and have done so throughout the history of our diocese.

"[The people's] faith rests not in the vessels of clay we all are as priests but in Christ, God-made-man, our Eternal High Priest."

It is with your Bishop and these your fellow priests that you will offer your first Holy Mass tonight. Tonight we all stand in the deepest faith that the God we believe in will renew us in his love and give us the grace of special strength for the days ahead.

With joy we thank God for calling Mick, Tait, and Dave to his service. Their eagerness to serve the people of God invigorates us all. But we come with a very sincere prayer, that Satan will not sift them as wheat (Luke 22:31, Job 1:11). We earnestly pray that they will be equal to the task that lies ahead.

Hearts filled with prayer

Our hearts are filled with prayers and hymns of praise as we acknowledge the greatness of God, who came among us and draws us to himself. Still, no one of us here, I would venture to say, has not been affected by the scandal involving sexual abuse of children and the young by a few priests. The publicity is constantly before us.

Thus I say: "Are you sure you want to be a priest?" "Are you sure you want to be a priest after the heart of Christ, the High Priest?" "Will you conform your life as priest in Christ, remain faithful and loyal to him in order to serve God's people?"

Choosing to serve

The right answer to that question fills the hearts of all of us with great joy because you are making the right choice. The right choice in the final analysis enables you to freely choose to serve.

You can do so with confidence even in our troubled Church because our laity continue to say, while deeply saddened by sexual scandals, their faith remains unshaken: for their faith rests not in the vessels of clay we all are as priests but in Christ, God-made-man, our Eternal High Priest.

Response to God's call

Joy has come to you because of your choice and we are able to share that joy, because we too have been part of your choice. Where will that choice of tonight lead you?

The choice to respond to God's call in answering the Church's call to be a priest commits you to work hard for long hours and also to work through your loneliness, your disillusionments, your successes, and your failures. In your choice to live the Paschal Mystery in Christ you will suffer, die, and rise again many times.

While the present moment in the history of our Church in the U.S. is a humbling one, our Catholic people love their priests, recognize their many gifts, and support them by their prayers. At the same time, we know also that no one among us is immune to sin.

As we read in St. Paul's letter to the Hebrews, proclaimed here tonight, a priest "is able to deal patiently with erring sinners, for he is himself beset by weakness." We are painfully aware of that as priests of Jesus Christ.

Obedience forms us

Jesus also gives us his own example of how to be a priestly people who participate in the mission of salvation he has given to the Church. "Son though he was," the Scriptures remind us, "he learned obedience from what he suffered."

By his obedience Jesus "became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." A hallmark of those who wish to be his disciples is obedience, obedience to God - "ab audire" - we listen and thus follow him. Jesus learned obedience through death, death on a cross.

Obedience causes us to "put out into the deep water and lower our nets for a catch." Obedience does not bend our will against our wishes and personal wants; rather it forms us for the difficult choices in life.

We are never alone

Each in his own way - as an ordained minister, or as one consecrated, or as laity - each of us is called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, but we never have to do it alone.

We do it in sight of the Father's love. We do it with Jesus walking alongside us, carrying the cross he bore for us. We do it filled with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, given for all. We do it as members of the "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church." We are never alone, but God is always with us, and we are with one another in the community of believers called the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ.

Hear words of Jesus

My brothers, Mick, Tait, and Dave, the words of Jesus in the gospel to his disciples are words he speaks to you tonight.

First, Jesus says to you, "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Live on in my love." It is my prayer, in a special way, that you will hear those words each day of your priestly life, "live on in my love." Let the love of Jesus hold you up, fill you, and surround everything you do as a priest. In letting the love of Jesus have its way with you, you can follow Christ's command: "there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends."

Finally, Christ reminds you, "It was not you who chose me, it was I who chose you to go forth and bear fruit." Tonight by the laying on of hands and the prayer of the Church, I, as your Bishop, will make that choice of Jesus final in your lives. You will become a priest forever.

Jesus chose you

Jesus selected you from the many others he might have chosen. In his love he chose you because he loves you! He asks you to live in his love and to go forth and bear fruit.

Hear the Lord Jesus say, "I have chosen you; I love you with an everlasting love." As you hear his invitation to live in his love, also hear him say to each of you, Mick, Tait, and Dave, "Do not be afraid." "Seek first my Kingdom and all things shall be added thereto for the glory of the Father and salvation for his people."

Official Appointments:

Most Reverend William H. Bullock, Bishop of Madison, wishes to announce the following appointments:

Reverend Michael E. Moon, newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar, St. Bernard Parish, Middleton, with additional work in Hispanic Ministry, effective 12:00 noon, Wednesday June 12, 2002.

Reverend Tait C. Schroeder, newly ordained, to further study to obtain a Licentiate in Sacramental Theology at the Pontifical Antheneum of Sant' Anselmo, Rome beginning October 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003.

Reverend David A. Wanish, newly ordained, to Parochial Vicar, Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison, effective 12:00 noon, Wednesday, June 12, 2002.

Msgr. Paul J. Swain
Vicar General