Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop William H. Bullock Friday, September 6, 2002 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Luncheon Guest Speaker, Serra Club of Madison, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Saturday, September 7, 2002 12:00 p.m. -- Present Remarks, Wisconsin State Council, Knights of Columbus, Madison Diocesan Meeting, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Sunday, September 8, 2002 3:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, World Youth Day Reunion, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Tuesday, September 10, 2002 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Rededication of Church and School, St. John Vianney Parish, Janesville Wednesday, September 11, 2002 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Anniversary of September 11, 2001, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Thursday, September 12, 2002 9:00 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer, Parish Leadership Day, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Thursday, September 5, 2002 6:30 p.m. -- Guest Speaker at Father Marquette Lecture Series, Father Marquette Spiritual Life Center of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Montello Sunday, September 8, 2002 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Albert the Great Parish, Sun Prairie 3:00 p.m. -- Concelebrate at Celebration of the Eucharist, World Youth Day Reunion, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Wednesday, September 11, 2002 7:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Mary Parish, Fennimore, with St. Lawrence O'Toole Parish, Mount Hope, at St. Mary Parish, Fennimore Thursday, September 12, 2002 10:30 a.m. -- Chair Meeting of the Board, Office for Continuing Education of Priests, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

Transitional Diaconate Ordination

		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 Transitional Diaconate Ordination, Friday, August 23, 2002, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center.

We gather on this joyful and happy occasion for the local Church and the families of Brian, Diego, and Jay. I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity as I know are Bishop Wirz and our priests.

"Being a transitional deacon isn't like the speed bumps, something you slow down for or put up with on the way; it's an order in the Church that roots you with some fine saints, Stephen, Lawrence, and many more."

Two thousand years ago, the Lord Jesus said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (Mt 9:37). Is that harvest still plentiful? Are laborers just a few? How many deacons are enough? How many priests are enough?

2002: What it's dealt us

Let me cast these words of Christ on the same screen with some of the headline news events since our ordinations just a year ago. They tell us that our world needs the Gospel of Jesus Christ more than ever. Here are a few of them:

• On 9-11, we were the victims of the largest terrorist attack in U.S. history. Many of us have been haunted by the live coverage of the airplanes crashing into the World Trade Center In New York City. These towers of power, wealth, and supremacy, announced to the world they were invincible, yet from a cave in Afghanistan was orchestrated an attack that reduced them to rubble. In 19 short days our country will commemorate the first anniversary of that sad day.

• In a nation that allows everything and forgives nothing, we watched the media cover not only the horror of destruction of the twin towers but the scandal of sexual abuse of children and minors by bishops and priests and concealment of these crimes by bishops.

• Many watched the decisions by the U.S. Catholic Bishops as they met in Dallas, where a new charter and norms emerged aimed at ending forever sexual abuse of children and minors. (Bishop Wirz and I were part of that history.)

• Our war on terrorism continues and sabers rattle toward Iraq - as you and I pray these may be beaten into plough-shares and the clash of arms give way to songs of peace.

• The stock market roller coasters and our retired citizens wonder about their monthly checks.

• High-level corporate executives deceive stockholders, conceal billions in expenses so as to artificially uplift their stock prices, as independent accounting firms cooperated in these crimes by shredding documentation.

We have suffered a great deal in just the past twelve months. While the Paschal Mystery teaches us that suffering can be redemptive, the simple fact is that we live in a world that needs to know Christ who reminds us that, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few" (Mt 9:37). Those who labor for Christ and His Church must always know that world and lead our people from the false fleshpots of pleasure, position, and possessions to a life in Christ.

Is the harvest still plentiful?

Christ spoke words about harvest and laborers at a special moment and time in history. He said the harvest was abundant but it was in a day when lots of people were waiting for evangelization, the Good News of the Gospel.

The harvest was plentiful 2,000 years ago, and it's plentiful today. Let me offer some statistics - In our own Diocese, for example, we have 264,536 Catholics registered as members in our 135 parishes.

Our 107 ordained priests of the Diocese of Madison in active ministry serve our quarter of a million Catholics! In other words, there are 2,472 Catholics per priest. The Lord Jesus said it: the harvest is abundant but the laborers are few, and we experience that truth at our local level.

On the global level as well the most recent statistics say there are over one billion Catholics in the world served by 405,000 priests. In other words, there are 2,575 Catholics per priest.

Looking at it from a different perspective, the number of Muslims worldwide has, for the first time in history, surpassed the number of Catholics. The Lord said it: "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few," and we as local Church see our intimate connection with the large universal Church.

But Jesus said we are to "ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest" (Mt 9:38). You three men, Brian Wilk, Jay Poster, and Diego Cuevas, are an answer to the prayers of many who have asked the Lord to call you to serve as priests. Transitional though this order of Deacon may be, it is a significant order of the Church.

Diego, Jay, and Brian, tonight the Church ordains you to be harvesters (cf. Mt 9:37) in order to reap the seeds that the master of the harvest has planted everywhere. As you minister in the coming years, you will walk humbly before the Lord because you will discover that the harvest is not yours. It's the master's (cf. Mt 9:38). It is the Lord's.

Your ministry as a Deacon consists of your service of the word. You will be blessed to proclaim and preach. As you preach and teach, many faithful listeners will look to you for sound teaching. They will look to you for encouragement and enlightenment, for new reasons to praise, thank, and trust God again.

Your ministry as a Deacon consists of your ministry at God's holy altar, assisting the priest and people at Mass. You will distribute the Precious Body and Blood of Christ to the little ones, to the young, and to the old.

As Deacon you baptize the young and the old, bring them to Christ by plunging them into the waters of new life, into the suffering, death, and resurrection of Christ. These three ministries are both a joy and a labor of love. As I lay hands on you, you will be "ordered," ordained, to carry out these ministries in humility and with love. Christ counts on you to do both.

The work

Through the years of your formation, your seminary professors, rectors, and spiritual directors have told you of this task, which might overwhelm you if you let it, but you are not alone.

You are part of a large team of persons who labor for the sake of the Kingdom as dedicated laypersons and consecrated religious. You join a team that consists of all the bishops, priests, and deacons in the world. Tonight you are welcomed by some of these deacons.

Yes, the full team also consists of highly qualified religious and laypeople, professional and volunteer, dedicated people who work very hard for Christ.

The Holy Spirit has intentionally diversified the many gifts he gives to Christ's faithful people (cf. Rom 12:4). God intended us to have diversity within the unity of the Church. Each baptized person is a member of the one Body of Christ, each gifted in order to contribute to the full Body.

As a lay Catholic, each of you three men has discovered areas of your own giftedness. But tonight, through the laying on of hands, through Sacramental Ordination, the Holy Spirit will change you into a deacon. With ordination will come new spiritual gifts for those you serve.

St. Paul lists these familiar gifts in the Second Reading: prophecy, or preaching; serving; teaching; encouraging; contributing; leadership; and showing mercy. The gift St. Paul calls "serving," is what we call, in English, "deaconing." St. Paul lists the office of deacon alongside the office of preaching and the office of teacher (cf. Rom 12:8b).

The call

I have spoken about the world into which you will minister as deacons and the plentifulness of the harvest. Remember it is the Lord God, who knows all about you, who calls you. Be encouraged that Jeremiah was destined for the office of prophet even before he was born. Similarly, God who always loves you chooses you for the order of deacon.

Even though Jeremiah didn't fly in jet airplanes to all parts of the world, the ministry God called him to was for all the nations (Jer 1:5c). Similarly, the role you will be ordained for is rooted in particularity, yet it is for the good of the world that God's Kingdom come to that world, that the world be converted from its selfishness to self-giving - placing others first.

You will be deacons with a specific assignment within our diocese. Nevertheless the role you have is a vital one. You are not just a deacon out there on your own; you are a deacon of the Church doing your part to build up the Church.

As you pray the Liturgy of the Hours, you join Christ in His prayer to the Father - you are united with all who praise God and intercede for his mercy.

Ordained as transitional

You are called a "deacon in transition." In May 2003 you will be ordained a priest. It is not a tread water time of waiting - you immerse yourself totally in your work. Let that reality soak in fully. Being a transitional deacon isn't like the speed bumps, something you slow down for or put up with on the way; it's an order in the Church that roots you with some fine saints, Stephen, Lawrence, and many more.

The third Eucharistic Prayer calls us the "pilgrim Church on earth." As individuals, we are on pilgrimage on this earth, awaiting Christ to come again and take us to the Kingdom. Similarly, your time as a deacon will mark a sort of transitional time, a pilgrimage on the way to the priesthood. The steps in-between tonight and next May are good in and of themselves. Live them fully.

Like the prophet Jeremiah, who didn't know where God would assign him, you will go, "To whomever I send you, you shall go" (Jer 1:7b). Life itself is transitional from womb to tomb to the Kingdom. We are in a process of becoming.

Like Jeremiah, the words you are to say will not be your own. God said to Jeremiah, "See, I place my words in your mouth!" In other words, God says, "whatever I command you, you shall speak"(Jer 1:9).

Finally - and thanks for listening so well tonight- build solid work habits, spend yourself for Christ, use yourself for Christ. Give every day, your all - when you're tired, give of what you need for yourself. Be like the poor widow; give the widow's mite. Christ gave his all and asks that we do the same.

Thank you for saying "yes" to God's call!

Official Appointment:

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

Rev. Msgr. Kenneth J. Fiedler, as Chaplain of the Knights of Columbus Our Lady of the Lakes Council #4527, effective September 1, 2002, through August 31, 2003.

Msgr. Paul J. Swain
Vicar General

Mass for the People:
Should be offered on Sundays, holy days

MADISON -- Bishop William H. Bullock has written to pastors, administrators, and parochial vicars in parishes in the Diocese of Madison reminding them that a Mass for the People should be celebrated on all Sundays and holy days.

His letter is the first in a series concerning normative practices in liturgical celebrations in the Diocese of Madison. In the letter, the bishop reminds the clergy "After a pastor has taken possession of his parish, he is obliged to apply a Mass for the people entrusted to him on each Sunday and holy day of obligation in his diocese, says Canon 534-§1 of the Code of Canon Law. In other words, the Mass for the People is a Mass whose only intention is for the people under your pastoral charge, and for which you as presider receive no stipend."

The bishop made some observations flowing from that Canon:

1. The Mass for the People is to take place each Sunday and holy day of obligation, not on a weekday, unless you are legitimately impeded from doing that.

2. The pastor is the one required to celebrate the Mass for the People, not the parochial vicar or some other priest, unless you are legitimately impeded from doing that.

3. If you are a pastor of linked parishes, you are not obliged to celebrate a separate Mass for the People for each parish. Instead, one Mass for the People will suffice for the entire people entrusted to you.

4. If you are a priest serving as administrator of a parish, you also are bound to celebrate the Mass for the People just as a pastor is.

5. If you have fallen behind in your Masses for the People, the Code calls you to "apply as soon as possible as many Masses for the People as [you] have omitted."

"I ask that you check your schedule of Mass intentions to verify that your Masses for the People meet these requirements of the Church," said the bishop.