Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop William H. Bullock Thursday, February 27, 2003 9:00 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer, Parish Staff Day 2003, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison 3:00 p.m. -- Preside at Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Saturday, March 1, 2003 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Monona Sunday, March 2, 2003 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Dennis Parish, Madison Tuesday, March 4, 2003 9:30 a.m. -- Attend Corporate Board Meeting, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Wednesday, March 5, 2003 12:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist and Distribution of Ashes, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Thursday, February 27, 2003 3:00 p.m. -- Attend Midday Prayer for Vocations, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Saturday, March 1, 2003 4:30 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Barnabas Parish, Mazomanie, with the link of St. John the Baptist Parish, Mill Creek, at St. Barnabas Parish, Mazomanie Sunday, March 2, 2003 12:30 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Bernard Parish, Middleton Tuesday, March 4, 2003 10:30 a.m. -- Attend Corporate Board Meeting, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

Stewardship is rooted in Sacred Scripture

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

Many statistics are gathered in our day about religion and who gives to support it and of course, who doesn't and why.

Stewardship, rooted in Scripture, both Old Testament and New Testament, gives us the "what" and teaches us "why" we should share God's gifts of time, of talent, and of treasure.

The 'what' of stewardship

Obviously the "what" of stewardship touches on the dollars needed to financially support a program or agency, or to help build a new and needed facility in order to carry on God's work, as well as lending and giving our time and talent.

"A steward is someone who has received from God, and who gives back to God in thanksgiving by sharing with others."

The "why" of stewardship is that we are merely stewards, not the exclusive owners of our time, talent, and treasure. A steward is someone who has received from God, and who gives back to God in thanksgiving by sharing with others.

Someone once said, putting it bluntly: "There are no 'U-Hauls' behind hearses." Yet another saying reminds us - "You can't take it (your money) with you when you die because it is not needed in the Kingdom of heaven."

God has given us life, family, friends, talent, and time on this earth in order to help us prepare for the Kingdom to come - that Kingdom described by Christ as a new heaven and a new earth where all will be given the fullness of life and all will share equally for eternity, a world without end.

The 'why' of stewardship

Since that is the final model in God's plan, God wishes us to begin now on earth to become sharing people, sharing with those who have little. God calls us to be faithful stewards on this earth. It makes good sense to start here and now to give back to God what gifts he has given us by sharing them with others.

The Church and money and the spreading of the Gospel are connected and need to be understood clearly in God's plan of salvation. No one likes pulpit money talks in church and they would never be needed if everyone understood the Biblical sense of stewardship.

Time

In a busy world where "busyness" is claimed as a measure of importance, it is all too easy for us to be preoccupied with our own time, to guard it, to protect it, and to keep it for ourselves. God says otherwise.

We often talk about "time" spent with someone in the same way in which we speak of money we spend. What are your spending habits as stewards of time, talent, and treasure? Very simply it means we share, we give away, we bestow on others some of what God has given to us.

Stewardship therefore has a spiritual as well as material side. They combine nicely and the person who gives finds enormous satisfaction in contributing on all levels in order to help in the spreading of the Gospel.

God's stewards further the mission Christ gave to his Church, they preach the Gospel, bring the Good News to all people throughout the whole world. I pray to God that you will be generous with the Church in our Diocesan Services Appeal.

Diocesan Services Appeal

In this edition of The Catholic Herald is our financial report of July 2001 to June 30, 2002 [print edition only]. It is published each year in order to give all the parishioners of the Diocese of Madison a picture of our financial condition. I have written a letter in support of our financial report. It is yours to review.

The week of March 3, 2003, we will present our Diocesan Services Appeal or what has been known by its initials D.S.A. The appeal shows the division of the D.S.A. dollars as applied to various budgets supported by the appeal.

I obviously encourage all of you who are asked by your pastor to give, to do so generously and build stewardship into your way of life as a Catholic. God is never outdone in generosity.

I ask God's blessing on all in our Diocese and pray that God will keep us in his love and keep our country safe from terrorism and fear. May God give us peace.

May we share always, and in all ways, our talent, our treasure, and time. Please pray for me. Know too that all of you are in my daily prayers and sacrifices.

Lenten Reflection

By Bishop William H. Bullock
BISHOP OF MADISON

Lent is a time for all of us to refocus our lives in Jesus Christ.

As a Church we are invited to fast from food, abstain from meat, pray with special devotion, and give alms for the poor, the needy, and the marginalized.

Fasting, praying, and almsgiving constitute the required expressions of keeping the season of Lent. Some other aspects of Lent demand our attention.

First, I believe Lent is also a time when we pray that we never become hardened by evil. In our day with the prevalence of evil and serious disregard for life, our knowing God's laws and commandments can make us look pretty good.

But our measure of good is not in contrast to the abundant evil of the world, but the command of God's love never to become hardened by evil.

In this regard, I remind you "do not let sin grow old in you." If you have seriously sinned, do not live in that sin. Confess it in the celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation.

Second, Lent reminds us to never become weakened by laziness. Athletes keep in shape by regular routines of physical exercise. Their practice assists the body's readiness to respond when they play their athletic games.

In the spiritual life, we pray that we will not be weakened by laziness. A spiritual alertness comes about by "religious exercise" . . . by looking for ways to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.

Third, as we fast and give alms we pray in a special way that we will never become ignorant because of foolishness.

We can all too easily "ignore" the ways of God when we are so surrounded by the foolishness of some T.V. programs, by the genuine disrespect of the human body in a sex-driven culture that invites all to indulge every carnal desire without any restraint. Let us not become ignorant because of foolishness.

We have a rich opportunity beginning on Ash Wednesday, March 5th, to march to the tune of the Lord Jesus instead of our own drummer. He will remove the hardness of our hearts and replace it with his love. He will strengthen us in holiness and grace. And he will fill us with God's wisdom.

May we earnestly pray that God will renew us, his people, in the season of Lent.

Bishop's Letter

Dear Friends in Christ:

A Faith for All Ages, A Faith for All Times is this year's theme for the special collection taken on Ash Wednesday in support of the Catholic Church in Central and Eastern Europe.

This area of the world, once an anchor for the faith, is now mission territory. Purged of spiritual expression under successive oppressive regimes in the 20th Century, in the last decade Catholics in some 27 countries have faced the daunting task of reestablishing and reinvigorating the Church. Freedom of religion is not yet guaranteed in many of them. Ethnic rivalries have made their task more difficult. Materialism and secularism are additional challenges.

Proceeds from this collection fund grants that support religious education programs; the training of seminarians and lay catechists; social ministries to those in need; the rebuilding of churches, schools, and convents; and the spreading of the gospel message through the media.

On this day when we specially remember our dependence on God, let us pray for, and support through this collection, our brothers and sisters in Central and Eastern Europe who seek to keep the faith, which is for all ages, alive in this unique area of the world.

Grace, Mercy, and Peace,

Most Reverend William H. Bullock
Bishop of Madison