Bishops' Schedules: Bishop Robert C. Morlino Friday, April 16, 2004 7:30 p.m. -- Guest Presenter, Jumpstart Your Ministry!, St. Paul University Catholic Center, Madison Saturday, April 17, 2004 4:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Joseph Parish, Baraboo Sunday, April 18, 2004 2:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Divine Mercy Sunday, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Tuesday, April 20, 2004 1:15 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, All School Mass, St. John School, Princeton, and All Saints School, Berlin, at St. John School, Princeton 7:00 p.m. -- Guest Presenter, Marquette/Green Lake Vocation Committee, Evening of Reflection, St. James Parish, Neshkoro Wednesday, April 21, 2004 7:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Martin of Tours Parish, Martinsville, and St. Peter Parish, Ashton, at St. Martin of Tours Parish, Martinsville Thursday, April 22, 2004 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Red Mass, St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison Bishop William H. Bullock, Bishop Emeritus Saturday, April 17, 2004 11:00 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Spring Day for the Handicapped, Monroe Sunday, April 18, 2004 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Joseph Parish, Waupun Bishop George O. Wirz, Bishop Emeritus Saturday, April 17, 2004 5:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Augustine Parish, Footville, with St. Paul Parish, Evansville, at St. Augustine Parish, Footville Sunday, April 18, 2004 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Mary Parish, Platteville

Priest as 'father': Called to be friend of life, says bishop

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino shared some good news as he began his homily at the annual Chrism Mass celebrated Tuesday, April 6, at St. Raphael Cathedral.

Editor's note: Because of Bishop Robert C. Morlino's busy Holy Week schedule, we are publishing an article on his homily at the Chrism Mass at St. Raphael Cathedral, Madison, on April 6 instead of the bishop's usual column, "Under the Gospel Book." His column will return next week.

He announced that he has six applications for the seminary for next fall and at least one more in process. With the six seminarians currently studying, that would bring the total seminarians to 13 for the 2004-2005 school year.

"We're not superstitious," the bishop said, "but it would be better to go to 15, which is half of the 30 we need."

Tribute to faith

To the people of the diocese, the bishop said, "This is a tribute to your faith. Seminarians come from good families."

He also said the number of new seminarians is a "tribute to the zeal and hard work of priests, to their example.

"I am the new guy on the block," he noted. "This is a tribute to the faith of the priests and people. The Lord will continue to do great things for us."

In his first Chrism Mass homily as Bishop of Madison, Bishop Morlino primarily directed his remarks to priests of the diocese. At the Chrism Mass the priests renew their commitment to priestly service. Oils are also blessed for use in administration of sacraments in the diocese.

Bishop Morlino said he would reflect on the themes of fatherhood, oil, and good news.

"As priests, dear brothers, we are called to be in the person of Jesus. The Lord sent us to bring good news to the poor, the captives. That's all of us. We all need to hear some good news, especially in the world we live in. That's part of the mysticism of the priesthood - we're actually sent to bring good news to everyone.

Priest as father

"To be a priest is to be called 'Father.' That means I'm willing to be seen as someone who cares more about the next generation than myself," said the bishop.

He noted that fatherhood is about children, be they biological, natural, or spiritual children. "Because of the circumstances we find ourselves in recently, we are called to be protectors of children. Some of our credibility in that area has been damaged," admitted the bishop.

Bishop Morlino linked fatherhood with the oils. "The holy oils we're going to bless remind us of pivotal moments when we're called to be fathers with the church as our bride. You and I will baptize spiritual children at the Easter Vigil. They will be filled with strength of Christ himself in Confirmation.

"The oils remind us how deeply we are fathers and our fathering is heightened in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. What a beautiful way to be father, to give life with his bride, the church, to his children.

Friend of life

"What's the good news that goes with giving life? It's clear. Life is sacred. The priest, the protector of children, is always a friend of life," emphasized the bishop.

"The priest gives to God's people the good news that life from conception to natural death is sacred. Every human being is safe. In the person of Jesus Christ we are protectors of every daughter and every son of the loving Father.

"We invite everyone to embrace this sacredness," said Bishop Morlino. "But we don't beat them into submission. We invite them to see because we are friends of Christ and life in this culture of death."

He said priests should warn people against behaviors that exclude children. "We invite people to see that contraception is not the way of Christ; it's another way of excluding children. We invite people to see that gay marriages are not the way of Christ. We treat every human person with dignity, but we invite them lovingly to see the truth of Christ.

"We're called to be friends of life," he emphasized. "That's who we are in the person of Christ."

Bishop Morlino said the oils remind priests to care for the sick, the poor, and everyone suffering injustice. "We are friends of the poor - it's part of that fatherhood, to help those close to the heart of Christ.

Called to be holy

"The oils also remind us of our priestly ordination. We are friends of Christ in his holiness," he said, noting that in the ordination rite, priests are asked to "be as holy as the mysteries you touch.'

"That means we are enemies of secularism and worldliness," said Bishop Morlino.

He also said that civil government and civil society are not meant to be indifferent to religious. "Vatican II didn't mean that," he said. "Vatican II does not teach there is an unbreakable wall between church and state. The decree on religious liberty says government shouldn't embrace any particular religion. Civil government should favor religion, not build a wall."

He explained that religion helps people "to freely restrain themselves so that the government restrains them less.

"So as priests we are called to proclaim the good news about holiness and the rightful place of religion and not put it on the other side of some insurmountable wall."

Bishop Morlino said "offering the people that good news is the greatest service we can render. There is no more powerful way we can love them."

He said that priests are assisted in their journey to holiness by God's grace and the Holy Spirit. "Despite our unworthiness, God works it out through you and me. Then our blessed people feel that love you have for them when you are holy and they are on fire, too. So love them in the best way that is possible."

Bishop Morlino encouraged people in the congregation to stand and show priests by their applause "how grateful we are." Priests were given an enthusiastic round of applause.