News Briefs: Bishop Bullock rededicates parish center DEFOREST -- Bishop Emeritus William H. Bullock, as his last official parish request before retiring, blessed and rededicated St. Olaf Parish Center here recently. Total cost of the project was $1,400,000 with the remainder of the debt, $230,000, to be paid by pledges through 2006. The project involved the addition of parish office space, a music room, renovation of the gym into a hall with six movable classrooms, updating of the church and parish center restrooms, and installation of new heating and air conditioning units. Additional storage was added along with insulation throughout the facility. A renovated choir area was created in the church along with new carpeting. During the Mass, St. Olaf pastor, Fr. Gary Wankerl, thanked Bishop Bullock for his 10 years of service to the Diocese of Madison. Father Wankerl presented the bishop, on behalf of the parishioners of St. Olaf and the mission of St. Joseph, East Bristol, with a painting by the priest artist depicting the transfiguration of Christ. Deanery meetings scheduled MADISON -- Fall deanery meetings for the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women have been scheduled. They include the following: • Aug. 26, p.m., Lafayette at St. Patrick Parish, Benton • Sept. 16, p.m., Grant at Immaculate Conception Parish, Boscobel • Sept. 18, p.m., Marquette/Green Lake at St. John Parish, Princeton • Oct. 2, a.m., West Dane at St. Bernard Parish, Middleton • Oct. 14, p.m., East Dane at Christ the King Parish, McFarland • Oct. 16, a.m., Sauk at St. John Parish, Spring Green • Oct. 21, p.m., Jefferson at St. Lawrence Parish, Jefferson Lafayette Deanery meeting BENTON -- The fall meeting of the Lafayette Deanery Council of Catholic Women will be held Tuesday, Aug. 26, at St. Patrick Parish here. The theme is "Come Live in the Light." Registration is at 5:30 p.m. followed by a concelebrated Mass at 6. A dinner will be served at 6:45 followed by a business meeting at 7:30. The program, Clowns of Christ, will be presented at 8 by Gail Richardson and Charlotte Laird. Reservations are due by Aug. 19 to Judy Vaughn at 608-759-3993. The cost is $6. Concert in honor of 150th anniversary WATERTOWN -- A special sacred concert will be held at St. Henry Parish here on Friday, Aug. 15, at 7 p.m. in the church to open the parish's celebration of its 150th anniversary. St. Henry Church is located on the corner of N. 4th St. and Cady St. in Watertown. The presentation of this creative musical, God With Us, composed by Don Moen, is the work of Integrity Music, Inc., and was in process for over three years. This musical worship experience is written for a four-voice choir plus a four-voice praise team with an additional solo line, plus an orchestra and readers. Directing this sacred choir concert is Barbara Beier, St. Henry Parish's music and liturgical minister. The Praise Choir and the Vita Voce choirs of St. Henry and other singers from the surrounding area as well as area professional instrumentalists will take part. This sacred concert is open to the public free of charge. Refreshments and fellowship will follow in the parish center. Badgers at O'Connor Center MADISON -- For 30 years the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badger football team has used the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center (previously Holy Name Seminary) for its fall training camp. From Aug. 5 to Aug. 23, the O'Connor Center is home to 105 Badger football players, plus support staff such as coaches, trainers, student managers, and cooks. "We're proud of the relationship between the UW Badgers and the O'Connor Center," said Dan Solberg, administrator for the O'Connor Center. "We're appreciative of Bishop Bullock's support of the Badgers and of our efforts. We look forward to continuing the relationship for many many years to come." The center staff is good about maintaining privacy for the Badgers, said Dave Endres, Diocese of Madison liaison to the Badgers. "They come out here to get away from everything and focus on football." Upcoming parish softball tournament SUN PRAIRIE -- Softball teams are invited to participate in the Sacred Hearts Fall Festival Co-ed Softball Tournament Sept. 5 to 7. There will be prizes for the first four places. Registration is $110 per team. Games will be played at Sheehan Park in Sun Prairie. Teams should register by Aug. 22. Call Trula Hensler at 608-825-2989 or download an application at www.sacred-hearts.org.

New bishop at cathedral:
'We have to hunger for the truth'

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

(See also front page photo.)

MADISON -- With joyful hearts and voices, people of the Diocese of Madison joined Bishop Robert C. Morlino as he presided at Mass as fourth bishop of the diocese at St. Raphael Cathedral Sunday, Aug. 3.

More coverage ... • Bishop Morlino: Receives warm welcome from people in the pew • August 2, 2003 Special Report: Installation of Bishop Morlino

"The cathedral is the mother church of the diocese and home of the bishop's chair and of the bishop," said Msgr. Paul J. Swain, rector of St. Raphael Cathedral. "So, Bishop Morlino, welcome home."

The congregation applauded.

"Thanks to Msgr. Swain, all of you, and so many others, I feel very much at home," said Bishop Morlino.

Concelebrating the Mass were Monsignor Swain; Msgr. Stanley Piorkowski, a friend from Dunmore, Pa.; Fr. Ivan Fucek, a Jesuit priest who was Bishop Morlino's doctorate thesis director; and Fr. John Fleckenstein; a friend from the Diocese of Kalamazoo.

Battling boredom

"The only thing as happy for a bishop as being with the cathedral parish family for the first time - not counting all the previous celebrations - is going from parish to parish for Confirmations to see the high school youth," Bishop Morlino began his homily.

"I work hard to be open to the Lord to have something to say to them. One thing that worked was when I asked them, 'At Mass, does the devil tempt you to be bored?' Every hand went up. I asked, 'Do you give in to that temptation?' Every hand but three went up and then followed.

"Sometimes boredom hangs around the liturgy. The Eucharist is the source and summit of life, yet boredom hangs around - it's a tactic of the devil to keep you from the truth of Christ, from receiving the strength from Communion in the Body of Christ," he said.

"Jesus says those who are in communion with him will never thirst or hunger again. What he means is not to say we won't have a deeper thirst and hunger for the Word. It means we'll hunger and thirst less for other things. That's why I bring up boredom because when we come here, we hunger and thirst for other things.

"How do we come at the devil who tempts us? We have to hunger for the truth; that's what the Word is all about," he said.

Hunger for truth

But in order to hunger for the truth, you have to believe there is a truth, said the bishop. "Many don't believe there is a truth or they say everyone has his own truth. Truth comes from God and conscience discovers it. Christ's body and blood is the absolute truth of the meaning of life - it's spelled out in the church teachings."

We can battle the devil's attempt to sway us with boredom with a new commitment to believe in and hunger for the truth and by extending the Mass we celebrate, he said. "Eucharistic adoration is Mass in meditation. Here the Mass is in action, there the Mass is in meditation."

Finding redeemed self

We can always identify with Christ, who has a joyful and sorrowful face, he said. "We find our redeemed self in him, the self he wants to love into full realization so we can be the best we can for all of us. It's that true self redeemed in Christ, our best self we're expected to bring here for Eucharistic worship. If we don't bring that best face here, the deck is stacked against us when the devil wants to get us with boredom and distraction.

"There's no mercy in the world and that means the body of Christ, we're not doing our job and that's because we're not able to be our best selves. There are too many distractions, there is too much mediocrity. Put aside mediocrity to look into the joyful yet sorrowful face of Christ and let him give us our true self, our redeemed self, our best face."

Bishop Morlino:
Receives warm welcome
from people in the pew

By Julianne Nornberg
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- People from the Diocese of Madison gathered in the undercroft of St. Raphael Cathedral for a reception welcoming Bishop Robert C. Morlino after Mass Aug. 3. Many gave their first impressions of the newly appointed bishop.

"I love his smile," said Joan Rubens from St. Dennis Parish, Madison. "He is intelligent, kind, and loving."

She noted that the bishop had placed his hand on the shoulder of a person in a wheelchair as he came down the aisle in the processional for Mass. "It elated the person and it was just beautiful," she said.

Bernie Trujillo of Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison, said Bishop Morlino is "very engaging and seems to love kids."

"We are excited about the future," said his wife, Vicki Trujillo.

"He spoke to my heart," said Nan Delaney, member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison.

"He's so devout and wonderful. He made a good impression," said Ann Hilton of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison. "I'm glad he came to us."

"There is so much hope in seeing the joy of the bishop and seeing his deep love for the church, God, and the people of Madison," said Mary Lestina, director of family faith formation for St. Raphael Cathedral, St. Patrick Parish, and Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison. "He is a very joyful and prayerful man and is extremely interested in people."

Steve Statsick of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison, has known Bishop Morlino since Statsick was in high school in Kalamazoo, Mich.

He became good friends with Bishop Morlino in college and has kept in touch with him through the years. Now Statsick lives in Madison with his wife, Nora, and three children.

"He's great with young people, very approachable," said Statsick. "Ask him questions about what the church teaches and he tells you the reasons behind it and makes you want to learn more. He's very warm, intelligent, outgoing, and speaks the truth.

"He helped bring my faith to life. For married couples, too, he's a real inspiration and he's very in tune with young people and the challenges they face. He does a tremendous job of making sure Christ is at the center of our lives. He's a tremendous man, a nice guy, and a great teacher."

Bishop Morlino taught Statsick that faith is not always an easy road. "He energized me to study what the church teaches and my faith has grown much more. He taught me to love the church. He does it in the way Christ would do it: he just lays it out and allows you to ingest it.

"I can't say what a tremendous gift the diocese has received," said Statsick.

Stephen Pecha of St. Raphael Cathedral said Bishop Morlino seems "profoundly Eucharist-centered" and "very personable" and noted that when he preaches a homily, it is as if he is teaching a class. "I look forward to him being here," he said.

Carrie Bohman of Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison, said, "I look forward to his leadership, his strong convictions and followings of Christ's teachings."

Elise Rose, member of Holy Redeemer Parish, described the new bishop as "warm, funny, and has a heart for our human needs."

She said she appreciates his defense of life and his fight against the culture of death. "He has a heart for the truth. I think he'll be wonderful."

"The joy just pours out of him into you," said Caroline Skalsky of Holy Redeemer Parish, Madison.

Karen Stoddard of St. Raphael Cathedral said, "He had me sitting on the edge of the pew. He spoke right to where the people are practically. He's a teacher at heart. I think he'll be a wonderful leader and a great teacher."

"I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet him and I wish him well," said Helen Forester of St. Raphael Cathedral.

"It was wonderful to hear our new bishop," said Marco Tejeda, a member of Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Madison. His wife, Erica, expressed excitement about the future as well.

"He is the bishop Christ gave us. How can we not be excited?" said Marco.

Pat Fisher, member of St. Dennis Parish, Madison, and member of the board of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women, said she looks forward to working with him. "He seems energetic and happy to be here in Madison," she said.

"We're very happy to have him here," said Chris Speece, member of St. Raphael Cathedral.

Building for the Millennium:
Wisconsin Dells parish plans for future

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

WISCONSIN DELLS -- The growing numbers of tourists coming to Wisconsin Dells year-round and the shortage of priests have both impacted St. Cecilia Parish here.

During the busy tourist season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, St. Cecilia often has to double-up on Masses. After the church is filled, the overflow crowd walks across the street to the parish center. There, a second Mass is offered by a visiting priest.

Fr. Felix G. Oehrlein, pastor, has been fortunate to have the help of retired priests. But with an increasing shortage of priests, St. Cecilia's can't count on having them available in the future.

Millennium Committee

The solution? The parish Millennium Committee conducted an assessment of the current and future needs for parish facilities. Parish-wide meetings were held. Many parishioners served as advisors to share their input on the needs and wishes of the parish.

As a result, the Millennium Committee determined that the current building housing the parish offices is not adequate. The rectory will be demolished with the parish offices and meeting rooms being moved into the remodeled school.

It was determined that the worship area is not only in deteriorating condition, but it is also inadequate to meet the needs of the parish's 700 households, including a large Polish-speaking community, and growing number of tourists.

There is a need for a gathering space, restrooms, adequate handicapped accessibility, more sanctuary space, better acoustics, and more seating.

"We need to have a facility to accommodate 1,000 'soft' seats," said Oehrlein. "We could make the present church into a gathering space and build a new church to seat about 600 people. The gathering space with seating for over 300 would provide flexibility for more seating."

Capital campaign

The parish has undertaken a capital campaign - "Building for the Millennium" - to raise up to $5 million in cash or pledges of up to five years. The Diocese of Madison requires parishes to have at least 50 percent of the total project cost in cash and the balance secured in pledges before the building project can begin.

Oehrlein said the parish has retained the services of Phoenix Fundraising Counsel, Ltd., of Madison to work with the parish on its capital campaign. Dick Ottem is the on-site director.

The parish has not yet hired an architect, but it does have a "footprint" or floor plan of the parish center and church.

Decisions impact future

Floyd Field is honorary chair of the Millennium project. "I am proud to have been affiliated with St. Cecilia Parish for most of my life," said Field. "we have always made good decisions regarding our future and I believe that 'Building for the Millennium' is the right direction for St. Cecilia Parish."

Joanne and John Van Wie are general co-chairs of the Millennium Project along with Terri and Tom Lucke.

"It's an opportunity to be part of something to serve our children and grandchildren," commented John Van Wie, who owns a local lumber and construction business. "Over 100 years ago, people at Cecilia's made decisions about the future. Now it's up to us."

He noted that Wisconsin Dells is serving Catholics from all parts of the country. "It puts a burden on us at St. Cecilia Parish. In the community, businesses collect taxes, but the church doesn't do that. It relies on donations."

For more information on the "Building for the Millennium" project, contact St. Cecilia Parish, P.O. Box 356, Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965, phone 608-254-6991.