Bishops' Schedules: Bishop William H. Bullock Sunday, October 10, 2004 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, Christ the King Parish, McFarland Tuesday, October 12, 2004 10:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Meriter Commons, Madison Bishop George O. Wirz Friday, October 8, 2004 Attend Central Education Institute, Madison Marriott West Conference Center, Middleton Saturday, October 9, 2004 4:45 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Patrick Parish, Lodi Sunday, October 10, 2004 4:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Victor Parish, Monroe

Eucharistic Year, Month of Rosary

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Dear Friends,

As I write at the beginning of October, it is actually the wonderful feast of St. Francis of Assisi, October 4th, and I wish to offer two reflections.

Yesterday's liturgy included the passage from the book of the Prophet Habakkuk which contains a phrase which I have chosen for my episcopal motto: the vision will not disappoint. The opening words of that Sunday liturgy (27c) are equally powerful: "Lord you created all things, you set them in their place, and it cannot be otherwise . . . you are the Lord of all."

The "Vision" Who can and will never disappoint is Jesus Christ Himself, the real person, risen from the dead, who changes our lives - there is no other such vision which can and will never disappoint.

Days of convalescence

During these days of convalescence, it would be nice of course if the devil would leave the Bishop alone but he won't. At times he tempts me to hope that this period of convalescence would take two weeks rather than two months. That hope for a two-week convalescence is a hope which can disappoint like all hopes which are rooted in this world.

In this world God will constantly bring about not only what is for our good but even what is for our best, whether or not it feels that way. But hopes rooted in this world can and do disappoint. Jesus Christ is the only hope who can never disappoint and what a beautiful invitation the Sunday liturgy of October 3rd offered us to be renewed in that singular anchor of all our hope who is Jesus Christ.

I would add that my convalescence is in fact proceeding very much on track. I had a very positive report from my first visit with the doctor since leaving the hospital, and I definitely feel stronger every day. But at the same time the road to this particular recovery looks more like two months than two weeks given the additional healing that is needed in my arms from which veins were taken for the surgery. So things are well and on track, and please do continue to keep me in your prayers.

Response to Eucharist: reverence, WOW!

The second point I wish to offer has of course to do with the month of October, the month of the rosary of Our Blessed Lady, and in the year 2004, the month during which we begin the Eucharistic Year declared by our Holy Father Pope John Paul II.

In recent days we have been given a new General Instruction for the Third Edition of the Roman Missal along with additional instructions contained in a document entitled The Sacrament of Our Redemption. My reflections on that document, The Sacrament of Our Redemption, will appear in the Catholic Herald.

The point of these various liturgical instructions and norms is to promote reverence in the sense of that amazement to which we are called in the Eucharist as our Holy Father says in the encyclical, Ecclesia De Eucharistia. The mystery that Jesus Christ, the real person, is truly present under the signs of bread and wine should evoke from each one of us amazement - a WOW! as I have written previously. That same Eucharistic celebration by the power of the Holy Spirit makes us present to the sacrifice of Christ on Mount Calvary which took place in the past. The Eucharistic sacrifice draws us together as the Body of Christ in the world today, as Universal Church, as Diocesan Family, and as Parish Family.

The Eucharistic sacrifice makes us present to the heavenly banquet amid the assembly of angels and saints united with our sisters and brothers who are in purgatory - thus the Mass also makes us present to the future. The Eucharistic sacrifice takes us outside of time and is truly a mystical experience - another reason for us to respond with genuine amazement - the WOW! - reverence. This reverence is of course a gift of the Holy Spirit that we receive in a special way at Confirmation, so as a response to the Eucharist, it is deeply rooted in our hearts.

Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

Mary the Mother of the Church, the model of the Church, is clearly the Mother of the Eucharist. She was privileged to offer her body and blood so that Christ her Son might derive His Body and His Blood from hers according to the flesh. This is the unique privilege of Mary's self-donation, and the reason why our Holy Father has said repeatedly that the way to the Eucharist always passes by Mary.

So please during this month of October let us renew our devotion to the Eucharistic Christ using all the means at our disposal - more frequent attendance at Mass, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, prayer before the Eucharist enthroned in the tabernacle in our churches, and let us also look into that mirror of justice who is our Blessed Mother Mary to receive that particular perspective on her Eucharistic Son. October is still the month of the rosary and through the rosary Mary our intercessor leads us as only she can to Christ. More intense praying of the rosary, especially as a family where possible, will, I am convinced, lead us more intensely into the heart of Christ and a deeper Eucharistic devotion and amazement.

While my present circumstances prohibit me from leading a special celebration to mark the beginning of the Eucharistic Year, according to the Lord's Grace we will play "catch up ball," as the months proceed because the blessings of the Eucharistic Year are far too rich to be missed.

I do encourage you with your pastors to promote and engage in all of the Eucharistic devotions encouraged by the Church especially times of Exposition of the Eucharist, Holy Hours, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. These Eucharistic devotions outside of Mass take their meaning from and lead us back to the altar of the sacrifice of the Mass, so that there could never be the appearance of conflict or competition between the Mass itself, and Eucharistic devotion outside of Mass. Eucharistic devotion outside of Mass and the presence of Christ in our tabernacles can be called, as Deacon Owen Cummings has noted, the Mass in meditation. The presence of Christ in our tabernacles and His presence during the Eucharistic celebration truly are a seamless garment where we continually journey from the altar to the tabernacle and then back again to the altar.

This Eucharistic Year promises to be one of rich blessing for the whole Church and for the Diocese of Madison. As I always add, increased Eucharistic devotion and adoration always result in an increase of priestly vocations, and in our situation that should never be forgotten.

So let our hearts be filled with gratitude for this beautiful month, focused as we are on our Eucharistic Lord, and on His mother, and through her on Him through the wonderful mysteries of the rosary. Let this be the month of prayer and love that our Lord wants it to be for each one of us. Again, thank you for reading this, thank you for your continued prayers and greetings and concern, and God bless each one of you. Praised be Jesus Christ!