Editorial

A new bishop: Welcome, Bishop Morlino!

After over a year of waiting, the Diocese of Madison has a new bishop. We welcome Bishop Robert C. Morlino as the fourth Bishop of Madison.

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Many people have asked me, "What do you think of our new bishop?" Having spent some time with Bishop Morlino on May 23, my first impression was that Bishop Morlino's faith in Jesus Christ shines forth in both his words and actions.

Personal qualities. I would describe Bishop Morlino as a warm, friendly person genuinely interested in people. He was eager to greet each of the employees at the Bishop O'Connor Center at an impromptu welcoming ceremony, shaking hands and chatting with everyone.

He is obviously bright and articulate. At his press conference, he spoke completely "off the cuff" without notes. He answered questions from the media adroitly, giving clear Catholic teaching coupled with a sensitive pastoral approach. With a doctorate in moral theology specializing in bioethics, Bishop Morlino is highly qualified to deal with the many complex bioethical issues engendered by research at the University of Wisconsin.

Above all, Bishop Morlino has a sense of humor. It is often self-deprecating as he makes jokes about his weight. He even talked about a boy who was so excited to see the bishop in his magenta vestments. When Bishop Morlino asked his mother about this, she said the boy thought he was Barney, the purple dinosaur!

Appreciates youth. Bishop Morlino appreciates youth. He enjoyed attending World Youth Day in Toronto last summer. As a former college and seminary teacher, he is especially interested in reaching out to young men to encourage them to become priests. He noted that he was the chief "vocation recruiter" for the past four years in Helena and this would be one of his priorities in Madison.

He noted that the key to promoting vocations is "competent, joyful, and enthusiastic priests." Bishop Morlino exemplifies those qualities in his own priesthood.

Bishop Bullock's legacy. Bishop William H. Bullock accomplished much in his 10 years as Bishop of Madison. He helped develop a Strategic Plan for the diocese. He started or expanded diocesan services in communication, justice and peace, Hispanic ministry, worship, and stewardship and development. He unified the diocesan offices at the renovated Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center and built the new Catholic Multicultural Center.

Bishop Bullock ordained 17 men to the priesthood. He started a permanent diaconate formation program with the ordination of the first class planned for 2004. Bishop Morlino as head of the U.S. Bishops' Committee on the Diaconate will be an excellent resource for our program.

God's blessings. We wish Bishop Morlino God's blessings as he continues the work begun by Bishop Bullock. We know Bishop Morlino will bring his own unique gifts to enrich the Diocese of Madison as our new shepherd. His installation is scheduled for Aug. 1. Please pray for him and his predecessor in this time of transition.

Mary C. Uhler