Bishops' Schedules: Schedule of Bishop William H. Bullock Friday, May 2, 2003 2:30 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Wisconsin Council of Catholic Women 2003 Conference, St. Mary Parish, Janesville Saturday, May 3, 2003 8:00 a.m. -- Preside at Morning Prayer, Diocesan Institute for Lay and Diaconate Formation, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison 5:15 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Peter Parish, Madison Wednesday, May 7, 2003 5:00 p.m. -- Attend Presbyteral Council Meeting, Catholic Multicultural Center, Madison Thursday, May 8, 2003 9:00 a.m. -- Attend Presbyteral Council Meeting, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison Schedule of Bishop George O. Wirz Saturday, May 3, 2003 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Mary of the Holy Rosary Parish, Pardeeville, and St. Andrew Parish, Buffalo, at St. Mary of the Holy Rosary Parish, Pardeeville Tuesday, May 6, 2003 12:00 p.m. -- Attend Luncheon Meeting and Program, Madison Catholic Woman's Club, Blackhawk Country Club, Madison Wednesday, May 7, 2003 5:00 p.m. -- Attend Presbyteral Council Meeting, Catholic Multicultural Center, Madison Thursday, May 8, 2003 9:00 a.m. -- Attend Presbyteral Council Meeting, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

More clergy changes: Due to illness, departure, death

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

On the occasion of the Chrism Mass this year, I outlined several challenges that face us as a local and universal Church. The challenges to the local Church resulting from the shortage of priests are particularly noticeable this time of year as we prepare for additional new priest assignments across the Diocese.

A sacramental people

As Catholics, we are a sacramental people who celebrate Jesus Christ in the Church. Receiving God's Word, celebrating His Sacraments, and living in Community are three essentials. It is precisely because of the centrality of God's Word, Church Teaching, Sacraments, and Community that we become concerned with the declining number of active priests to serve in the Diocese of Madison.

Earlier this year, in March, I already announced four new groupings of parishes in the Diocese necessitated by the declining number of priests available to serve as pastors: linkage of St. John the Baptist and St. Lawrence of Jefferson; linkage of St. Joseph and Our Lady Queen of Peace of Madison; cluster of St. Boniface of Lime Ridge, Holy Family of La Valle, and St. Patrick of Loreto; and the cluster of St. John the Baptist of Spring Green, St. Malachy of Clyde, and St. Luke of Plain. The possibility of the need for additional linkages or clusters for this year is high.

"I am constantly heartened by our priests and their willingness to accept the pastoral care of additional parishes. I am also moved by the faith of our laity and their commitment in accepting these changes."

As the decisions are made concerning the linking, clustering, or merging of parishes and posting of priests within the Diocese, questions surface about the process used, how decisions are made, and what was the long-range plan.

Fewer priests

Several years ago, as the Diocese completed its Strategic Plan to provide for parishes with the reduction in numbers of priests, I said that for the time being I did not wish to close parishes. However deaths, departures, and retirements have reduced our numbers of priests in active ministry in spite of the increase in ordinations.

The first criterion for making decisions regarding the assignment of priests is the need of the Diocese by individual parish, making every effort to match the needs of the local parish with the most qualified and available priest.

A critical factor, therefore, in determining priest assignments is necessity. Unforeseen changes - illness of priests, death, and departures - also necessitate changes in priest assignments and pastoral responsibilities. These changes are also affected by retirements of our priests at age 70 and 75.

Another factor is the preference of the priest, considered and accepted whenever possible. At times the needs of the Diocese of Madison and the laity within our 135 parishes take precedence over the individual priest's preference.

Linkages and clusters

Parish groupings with a shared pastor through linkages and clusters are decided based upon the proposals offered by the parishes themselves through the inter-parish collaborative process and the Diocese of Madison Strategic Planning Process.

Most of the proposed linkages and clusters have already been implemented as we have experienced a serious reduction in the number of active diocesan priests to this date in 2003. It is estimated that by 2010, we will have even fewer diocesan priests in active ministry. As the numbers continue to decline, we must look to the appointment of Directors of Parish Life among our deacons, laity, and religious. (More detailed statistics will be published later.)

Directors of parish life

The dioceses of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, Green Bay, La Crosse, and Superior - and other dioceses of adjoining states have already instituted Directors of Parish Life and have appointed lay persons to provide the day to day pastoral and administrative presence in the parishes and to work with a non-resident priest or sacramental minister.

Our time has come to implement Lay Directors of Parish Life in order to provide for the pastoral needs of parishes within our 11 counties.

As your Bishop, I am constantly heartened by our priests and their willingness to accept the pastoral care of additional parishes. I am also moved by the faith of our laity and their commitment in accepting these changes.

God is always present to us in our challenges and we can and will come up with a plan for our future needs. I am grateful to many persons who aid us in meeting these challenges - the Priest Personnel Board; Monsignor Paul Swain, our Vicar General; Mrs. Kate Wiskus from the Office of Pastoral Services; Monsignor Daniel Ganshert, who was the chief architect of the Strategic Plan; and many others on the grassroots level.

Additional linkages are:

• St. Ignatius Parish, Mt. Horeb, with St. Mary Parish, Pine Bluff;

• St. Patrick Parish, Hollandale, with Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville, with Holy Redeemer Parish, Perry;

• St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Poynette, with St. Joseph Parish, Rio; and

• St. Jerome Parish, Columbus, with St. Patrick Parish, Doylestown.

These additional linkages are effective June 11, 2003, at 12:00 noon.

There is a part of me that says - wait and give this work, privilege and responsibility to my successor, but I also know pastoral care of our people is primary.

May God bless and keep us all in His love and may we have peace in Iraq and throughout the world.

Official Appointments:

Most Reverend William H. Bullock, Bishop of Madison, wishes to announce the following effective noon, June 11, 2003:

Link St. Ignatius Parish, Mt. Horeb, and St. Mary of Pine Bluff Parish, Cross Plains.

Link St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Poynette, and St. Joseph Parish, Rio.

Link St. Patrick Parish, Hollandale; Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville; and Holy Redeemer Parish, Perry.

Link St. Jerome Parish, Columbus, and St. Patrick Parish, Doylestown.

Reverend Paul U. Arinze, from Pastor, St. Ignatius Parish, Mt. Horeb, linked with Holy Redeemer Parish, Perry, to Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Dodgeville.

Reverend James R. Bartylla, from Administrator, St. Mary Parish, Bloomington, linked with St. John Parish, Patch Grove, to Pastor, St. Ignatius Parish, Mt. Horeb, and St. Mary of Pine Bluff Parish, Cross Plains.

Reverend Raymond J. Dischler, in addition to Pastor, St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Poynette, to Pastor, St. Joseph Parish, Rio.

Reverend Bruce M. Hennington, in addition to Pastor, St. Jerome Parish, Columbus, to Pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Doylestown.

Reverend Sanctus K. Ibe, from Parochial Vicar, St. Dennis Parish, Madison, to Pastor, St. Patrick Parish, Hollandale, Immaculate Conception Parish, Blanchardville, and Holy Redeemer Parish, Perry.

Reverend Eric H. Nielsen, from Pastor, St. Paul Parish, Evansville, and St. Augustine Parish, Footville, to Pastor, St. Mary Parish, Bloomington, and St. John Parish, Patch Grove.

Reverend Basil C. Osuigwe, from Administrator, St. Pius X Parish, Cambridge, to Administrator, St. Paul Parish, Evansville, and St. Augustine Parish, Footville.

Reverend Daniel P. Volkert, from Pastor, St. Mary of Pine Bluff Parish, Cross Plains, to Pastor, St. Pius X Parish, Cambridge.

Msgr. Paul J. Swain
Vicar General