Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop William H. Bullock Saturday, July 6, 2002 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Monsignor Raymond N. Kertz as Pastor of St. Patrick Parish, Cottage Grove Sunday, July 7, 2002 9:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Thomas E. Gillespie as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish Waterloo, linked with St. Mary of the Nativity Parish, Marshall, at St. Mary of the Nativity Parish, Marshall Saturday, July 13, 2002 8:00 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer, Diocesan Institute for Lay and Diaconate Formation, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison 4:30 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Camp Gray Founders Day, Camp Gray, Baraboo Sunday, July 14, 2002 12:00 p.m. -- Guest Presenter at Diocesan Institute for Lay and Diaconate Formation, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:00 p.m. -- Preside at Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Saturday, July 6, 2002 5:15 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Stephen J. Umhoefer as Pastor of Nativity of Mary Parish, Janesville Sunday, July 7, 2002 10:00 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Randy J. Timmerman as Pastor of St. Paul University Catholic Center, Madison Tuesday, July 9, 2002 2:00 p.m. -- Preside at Celebration of the Eucharist and Blessing of New Motherhouse and Chapel, Sisters of St. Agnes, Fond du Lac Saturday, July 13, 2002 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Steven J. Kortendick as Pastor of St. Jude Parish, Beloit Sunday, July 14, 2002 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Installation of Reverend Daniel P. Volkert as Pastor of St. Mary Parish, Pine Bluff Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:00 p.m. -- Attend Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

St. Vincent de Paul Society

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

The Regional Convention of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul met here at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center on June 20-22, 2002.

The region consists of chapters of the society from several nearby states: Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan.

"God loves the poor in a special way. He listens to their prayers and actively assists them. Because they've experienced God in their own lives, the poor know him firsthand and sing his praises."

The meeting provided me with the opportunity to express gratitude to them for their remarkable work as well as to celebrate Mass with their members on Saturday, June 22, 2002.

The following homily notes and address are based on the Scripture readings for the 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Jeremiah 20:10-13; Psalm 69:8-10; Romans 5:12-15; and Matthew 10:26-33.

A clean start, heart

When we were baptized, we were cleansed from original sin and Christ transformed us into a new person so that we become more like him. In a basic way all baptized are other Christs.

In Baptism we put on Christ, which means he gave us a clean start and gave us a new heart. He gave us the power to love God with all our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Likewise, he empowered us to love our neighbor as ourselves. In Christ, we care for our brothers and sisters; we care about what happens to people, especially to the poor, the marginalized, and disadvantaged.

As sons and daughters of the Father, in Baptism we become sisters and brothers to one another. Christ becomes our brother in the flesh because he too comes from God the Father, and by the Holy Spirit we are empowered to live a life in Christ.

God cares

We care about the poor because God cares about them. He watches out for the poor, even if society ignores them. Each person endowed with God-given dignity is created in "the image and likeness of God." (Genesis 1:26-27) Often the poor are, "ridiculed and scorned (for various reasons:) cultural, political, racial, social, and economic, often in conjunction with one another." (Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith) "They are insulted and shamed, even to their face. In their pain, they seek God's rescue." (Psalm 69:8)

Ever since the days of Adam, original sin was introduced to the world and with it spiritual death. (Rom 5:12-15) Personal sinfulness takes many forms, such as the abuse of the poor and marginalized. Today the reality is that there is "an innumerable multitude of people - children, adults and the elderly . . . who are suffering under the intolerable burden of poverty." (Pope John Paul II)

Yet we know that God loves the poor in a special way. He listens to their prayers and actively assists them. Because they've experienced God in their own lives, the poor know him firsthand and sing his praises. If you've ever had a chance to have a conversation with someone who is poor, homeless or disadvantaged, you probably found yourself inspired by their testimony about how God works in their lives. They are just like us.

Joy and hope

The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council said that the "joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the (people) of our time, especially of those who are poor or afflicted in any way, are the joy and hope, the grief and anguish of the followers of Christ as well." (Gaudium et Spes)

Grief and anguish

Because of God's great love for the poor, their cries and pain become ours. We feel their pain as if it was our own and we feel compelled to alleviate it. Everybody benefits from this: the person who receives assistance, the person who gives the assistance, the Church and indeed the whole world.

This is part of the teaching and most ancient practice of the Church: "her conviction that she is obliged by her vocation - she herself, her ministers and each of her members - to relieve the misery of the suffering, both far and near." (Pope John Paul II)

Poor are precious to God

"The good news is that God poured out his gracious gift in the person of his only Son, Jesus, and this pouring out overflowed to the many." (Romans 5:12-15) Each person, even the poor, especially the poor, is precious to God. Even the hairs on our heads, the Gospel tells us, are numbered. Because we have an infinite worth before God, we are not afraid.

St. Vincent de Paul, saint and founder

I mention those things because they relate deeply and directly to the mission and work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Your organization was "founded in Paris by Frederic Ozanam in 1833. Ozanam, a layman, was deeply moved by the poverty and disorder that gripped Paris in the early stages of industrialization . . . he and his companions formed a Catholic organization of laypersons devoted to individual holiness, personal contact with the poor, and the distribution of alms."

With St. Vincent de Paul as its patron saint, the society soon expanded. In 1845, it made its first appearance in the United States in St. Louis. It eventually spread to 112 countries. You Vincentians, as you are called, devote yourselves not only to personal contact with the poor, but also to the creation of institutions to care for the needy, such as orphanages and hospitals. More commonly in the U.S., you (Vincentians) are known for your used-clothing and furniture stores.

Walk humbly before God

Christ has given you a beautiful calling, as a Vincentian. Your goal of individual holiness, personal contact with the poor, and the distribution of alms is a grace-filled vocation that goes to the heart of our walk with Christ who is, "the way and the truth and the life."

It seems like an echo of the words of the great Old Testament prophet Micah. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Micah asked and answered this question: "What does the LORD require of you? To act justly, to love mercifully, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8).

Happy 4th of July

Following is a 4th of July statement by Bishop William H. Bullock.

After September 11th the phrase used by many Americans was "we will never be the same."

As we celebrate the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of our nation on July 4th, I ask:

1. In what ways have we changed in becoming better citizens?

2. As we fly the flag do we also place our nation under God?

3. Are we regular at the polls in voting?

4. Are we active in defending basic human rights of all Americans?

5. Are we welcoming to the immigrants?

We are a strong, wealthy and powerful First World nation and sing that we are the "Land of the Free" and "Home of the Brave". We also boastfully sing, "Let Freedom Ring". May our prayer be that God bless America and protect us from terrorism and grant the same to all nations.

We also should vow before God to share more amply of our resources in order that others may not live in poverty but in decency and human dignity.

It has a hollow ring to say, "we will never be the same again" and still refuse to change our giving and sharing habits to help those who are in need.

God Bless America!