Bishops' Schedules: Bishop Robert C. Morlino Friday, September 30, 2005 8:30 a.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, Central Education Institute, Marriott Hotel, Middleton Friday, September 30, 2005 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. -- Workshop Presenter, Central Education Institute, Marriott Hotel, Middleton Saturday, October 1, 2005 9:00 a.m. -- Main Speaker, Fifth Annual St. John Bosco Youth Day, Holy Hill, Mary Help of Christians, Hubertus, Wis. Sunday, October 2, 2005 3:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, Madison Diocese 50th Wedding Anniversary Mass, Bishop O'Connor Pastoral Center, Madison Tuesday, October 4, 2005 4:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese Mass, Bishop O'Connor Pastoral Center, Madison Wednesday, October 5, 2005 12:10 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Patrick Church, Madison Thursday, October 6, 2005 12:10 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Patrick Church, Madison Thursday, October 6, 2005 7:30 p.m. -- Speaker -- "Stem-Cell Research: A Bio-Ethics Case Study," Theology-on-Tap, Mill Street Pub and Inn, Cambridge Bishop William H. Bullock Friday, September 30, 2005 Preside at the Mass of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre, Mount Olivet Cemetery, Janesville Saturday, October 1, 2005 Preside at Sacrament of Confirmation, St. William Parish, Janesville

An Open Letter to the Faithful of the Diocese of Madison

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Dear Sisters and Brothers, all in the Lord,

As we continue to pray for the victims of the tornado here in Stoughton, for our sisters and brothers in Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, especially in New Orleans, and for those whose lives will be hurt and impacted by Hurricane Rita, I nonetheless want to speak to another matter, without in any way forgetting the weather catastrophes that have befallen us or in any way trivializing what should be front and center in our prayers.

In recent days I was privileged to attend the orientation meeting for those bishops and priests who have been appointed by the Vatican as Apostolic Visitors to the seminaries in the United States. The meeting was one of the most stimulating and energizing that I have ever been privileged to attend.

One of our main concerns was to delineate the characteristics that we hope a seminarian would catch and receive as graces from the Lord during his time of seminary formation. Perhaps the one who best summarized and articulated these characteristics was Monsignor Robert Sokolowski, who is a philosophy professor the Catholic University of America, and an excellent professor of philosophy at that.

Monsignor Sokolowski described the hoped-for priest who would issue forth from our seminaries as having, among other traits, confidence in the truth that our Church teaches. This got me thinking because I read recently in a book about military history that an army can only be successful if 51% of the troops have the "doctrine" firmly embedded between their ears. Certainly in many passages of Scripture the People of God have been described as "a mighty army on the march toward Heaven." The question strikes me, do 51% of our Christian faithful have the doctrine, the teaching of the Church, firmly embedded between their ears, that is, are our people confident in the truth that the Church teaches? We want our priests, as they receive Holy Orders, to be confident in the truth that the Church teaches so that they can lead our people into this confidence, that is, to receive the grace of this confidence from the Lord.

When I ask myself about the confidence of our Catholic people in the truth which the Church teaches, I am unable to say a resounding, YES, that at least 51% of them are confident in the truth which the Church teaches. I say this because, as I have written previously, many do not approach the reception of Holy Communion at Mass with a reverence that tells me that they are confident in the truth of Christ's Real Presence there. It saddens me that there are Catholics who believe that an organization like "Catholics for a Free Choice" could have any legitimacy or credibility whatsoever. And of course it is no secret that many Catholics are not confident in the truth of the Church's teaching which forbids artificial contraception or artificial reproduction or the destruction of innocent embryonic human beings. There are not a few Catholics who believe that dissent from the teachings of the Church is part and parcel of the life of the Church. It is necessary to remind everyone, myself included, of the teaching of Pope John Paul the Great, the official teaching of the Church in this matter: "Dissent ... is opposed to ecclesial communion and to a correct understanding of the hierarchical constitution of the People of God. Opposition to the teaching of the Church's Pastors can not be seen as a legitimate expression either of Christian freedom or the diversity of the Spirit's gifts." (Veritatis Splendor, 113.2). Incidentally, Veritatis Splendor (The Splendor of Truth) is one of the three core documents for the Apostolic Visitation of Seminaries. The teaching of the Church, in which we are called to be confident, includes the teaching that there is only one Magisterium, that is, one official teaching authority of the Church, and that is the Bishops, in union with and never apart from, the Holy Father. In our Church, there is only one Magisterium or there is no Magisterium, because there is only one truth, as Monsignor Sokolowski said so well. And so, my responsibility as Bishop calls me to challenge all of you, my brother priests, and myself, to be confident in the truth that the Church teaches, because only then can we have grounded hope that our march toward Heaven will, in fact, arrive at its final destination.

Secondly, Monsignor Sokolowski reminded us that truth and wisdom transcend history. The post-modern attitude sees human beings as in constant need of updating, which generally requires a rejection of the past. We see this frequently when the term "pre-Vatican II" is used in a negative way. What was wise and true before the Second Vatican Council, cannot cease to be wise and true afterwards. Truth and wisdom are not subject to history in this way. Truth and wisdom transcend history. That is why it is still worthwhile to read Plato and Augustine and Thomas Aquinas and Shakespeare and St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, just to mention a few. Wisdom is wisdom for all the ages, and truth is truth for all the ages. It so saddens me sometimes to hear parents say, "Well, my son/daughter is living with the girlfriend/boyfriend - they're not married yet. Years ago, I would have been upset, but times have changed." Indeed, times have changed and respect for objective truth is at an all-time low, but that doesn't change objective truth, it doesn't change the substance of wisdom. The substance of wisdom and truth transcends the passage of history. This is another way of saying that Jesus Christ, the Truth, is risen from the dead - is Eternal. His teaching is not subject to the change of history and He has chosen that His teaching be officially communicated through the Body of Christ, the Church.

And so we continue to pray for, and support our beloved seminarians in every way available to us and we continue to pray that the Lord will, Himself, continue to bless our Diocese abundantly with new laborers to prepare themselves for work in the vineyard of the Lord. We pray especially for all of those who are called to minister to our seminarians in the seminary context, a vocation that I had hoped for many years might be mine. We pray that those entrusted with the formation of our seminarians truly will be the instruments through which the Lord gives them strong and firm confidence in the truth of the Church's teachings, all of them! And we take this moment as faithful members of the Diocese of Madison, laity, consecrated religious, deacons, priests, and the bishop himself - we take this opportunity to examine our consciences as to how confident we are in the truth of the Church's teaching and how we express that confidence in word and in action.

Thank you very much for reading this, and God bless each one of you.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Faithfully yours in Christ,

Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

Respect Life Letter from Bishop Morlino

Editor's note: This is the first in a series of weekly letters written by Bishop Robert C. Morlino during October, which is observed as Respect Life Month.

Dear Sisters and Brothers, All in the Lord,

	More on Hurricane Katrina: • Prayer for victims of Hurricane Katrina from Sept. 22, 2005 edition: • 'Mattresses from Madison': Drive to help evacuees from Sept. 15, 2005 edition: • Bishop's column -- Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina from Sept. 8, 2005 edition: • Editorial -- After disasters: Helping our brothers and sisters in need • St. Vincent de Paul to aid those impacted by hurricane from Sept. 1, 2005 edition: • Bishop Morlino authorizes special collection for Hurricane Katrina victims (posted 9/1/2005; updated 9/6/2005)
	More on Stoughton Tornado: from Sept. 8, 2005 edition: • Tornado aftermath: Helping each other pick up the pieces • Editorial -- After disasters: Helping our brothers and sisters in need from Aug. 25, 2005 edition: • Editorial -- Helping others: Not just a nice thing to do posted Aug. 19, 2005: • Tornado in Stoughton

The tragedies of Hurricane Katrina and the Stoughton tornado show us how our lives can change in an instant. You have been generous in your response to my request for help. Your calls asking, "What more can I do?", "How can I help?" are inspiring.

In this time of need, many organizations are coming together to assist. We have offered 120 rooms at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, along with meals, for three months. Our local Catholic Charities and St. Vincent de Paul Councils were immediately on alert and part of the wide-spread efforts to plan for new arrivals to our communities. The Catholic Multicultural Center computer lab is offered for people to contact their families. I have commissioned a Diocesan Disaster Relief Committee to solidify plans for providing housing, food, clothing, medical care and continuation of schooling for currently affected people and to better plan our response to the next calamity.

In today's readings (Sunday, Oct. 2), you heard about the vineyard that produced wild grapes and about the tenant farmers who would not share the produce of the land. In this vineyard of the Diocese of Madison, you have produced the good fruit of heartfelt generosity. You are a people with a great capacity for love of neighbor. By putting your Faith into action, you are proclaiming our belief that the dignity of the human person is of utmost concern to us. You are standing up for the poor and vulnerable; you have shown solidarity with the people in need. I am proud of all you have done.

These recent disasters have given us a window into how we might generously and faithfully respond to more localized, more individualized calamities. In this month of October, Respect Life Month, I call you to deepen your understanding of life issues. We all have much to learn about changing medical technology and new ways we can help others. Consider how you might respond to the news of a friend or neighbor's paralyzing stroke, an accident leaving a family member comatose, or the unplanned pregnancy of a young woman across town.

What does our Church teach us about these occurrences? Why does she teach what she does? During each of the weeks of October, I am asking you to open your minds and ears to the wise words of our Church's teachings. They are founded, not on the perceived needs of this moment in history, but on the eternal truths that uplift humanity.

The Church teaches that a full and complete understanding of what it is to be human is a cornerstone of our Faith. The human body is designed for glory. Our bodies are not really our own. Our bodies belong to God. So, the body is not a "thing" to possess. You don't "have" your body. You are your body. You are to use your mind and body to glorify God - at each stage of your life, during adversity and during joyful times.

We, as a people of God, are called to infuse the world with His love and mercy. As lay people, your vocation is to change the world for Christ, to bring about justice. The resolution of the respect life issues of our day, founded on a true understanding of the value of human life, in all its stages, is paramount to forming a just society.

Here are three things to delve into:

We, as a Catholic people, believe in the beauty and dignity of life, because it is God's gift to us and we are made in His image.

As lay people, as you share this belief, you will build the Culture of Life.

This Culture of Life will lead naturally to a loving response to the stroke victim, the comatose neighbor, the woman with an unplanned pregnancy. The answers will be self-evident.

I look forward to being with you, through these letters, this month. Your thoughts and concerns are important to me. Ponder, discuss, question and debate these critical issues of respect for life, so that, together, we can form an even stronger Culture of Life within our human family.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

Bishop's Letter

Dear Friends in Christ,

Hurricane Katrina has lashed the country and the good people of the Diocese have been generous in their response.

Our culture has been lashed by many forces that tear at the fabric of life: abortion, embryonic stem cell research, poverty, starvation, war, end of life issues, are just a few examples. I ask your help in October, which is Respect Life Month, by reading my weekly letters. Although the subjects are worthy of much more time, I have attempted to keep each letter short.

To build the Culture of Life, we need to build a network of safety and refuge, so that every woman in the Diocese of Madison would know of our care and concern. To aid this effort, I am asking for a special collection to be held either the week of October 1 and 2 or October 8 and 9. Envelopes will be sent to each church.

We will be utilizing the proceeds in several ways: to help with the completion of Elizabeth House, a home where up to ten women will reside, study, plan their futures and learn parenting skills; to help build the pro-life counseling centers throughout the Diocese; to educate our Diocese on the full range of pro-life issues, including poverty, war and end of life issues.

Thank you, for reading my letters, for your hospitality to any of the evacuees of Hurricane Katrina and for building the culture of life through this collection.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

Bishop Morlino: Appointed to national board
by Secretary of Defense and Secretary of the Army

By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF

MADISON -- The Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Army have appointed Bishop Robert C. Morlino to the Board of Visitors of the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC).

WHINSEC is part of a community of military education and training institutions administered by the Department of Defense. Established by the U.S. Congress in 2001, WHINSEC is devoted to a mission of security, peace, and cooperation. It instructs civilian, military, and law enforcement leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere.

Bishop Morlino commented on his appointment, "I was somewhat surprised when I was approached about this opportunity to serve our country, but I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to support our military and our brothers and sisters, neighbors in the Western Hemisphere, by standing up for the truth about morality and justice."

The WHINSEC motto is "Libertad, Paz, y Fraternidad" (Freedom, Peace, and Brotherhood). These ideals epitomize the mission of this organization and are reflected in every aspect of WHINSEC.

Located on Fort Benning, adjacent to Columbus, Ga., WHINSEC has administered courses for 800 to 1,000 students each year since its founding. WHINSEC educates military and civilian students to solve regional problems by peacefully resolving border conflicts, respecting civilian control of the military, fighting terrorism, combating illegal drug trade, and valuing human rights.

WHINSEC promotes the principles of the Charter of the Organization of American States (OAS) by fostering mutual knowledge, transparency, confidence, and cooperation among the nations of the Western Hemisphere. The institute strives to instill in its students democratic values, respect for human rights, and an understanding of U.S. customs and traditions.

The Board of Visitors is charged with independent review, observation, and recommendations regarding the institute's operations. The 13-member board includes members of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees, representatives from the State Department, U.S. Southern Command, and Army Training and Doctrine Command; and six members designated by the Secretary of Defense. These six include representatives from human rights, religious, academic, and business communities. Bishop Morlino is one of those six appointees.

The Board of Visitors meets twice annually to look into the operations, administration, and curriculum of WHINSEC. The chairman of the board submits an annual report of observations and recommendations through the Offices of the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of Defense to be reviewed and acted upon, if necessary. The report is then provided to the U.S. Congress.

Members of the Board of Visitors serve the public of the United States and they fulfill their duties without fiscal compensation.