Bishops' Schedules: Bishop Robert C. Morlino Thursday, October 27, 2005 12:10 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Celebration of the Eucharist, St. Patrick Church, Madison Thursday, October 27, 2005 6:30 p.m. -- Talk on "End of Life Issues" and Dinner, Knights of Columbus, St. Bernard Parish, Middleton Bishop William H. Bullock Sunday, October 23, 2005 3:00 p.m. -- Preside at the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. Joseph Church, Waterloo Wednesday, October 26, 2005 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. -- Wisconsin Catholic Conference Board of Directors Meeting, Archbishop Cousins Center, Milwaukee Bishop George O. Wirz Wednesday, October 26, 2005 7:00 p.m. -- Preside and Preach at the Sacrament of Confirmation, St. James Parish, Dayton, and St. Mary of Lourdes Parish, Belleville, at St. Mary of Lourdes Church, Belleville

Recent events: Energized by Eucharist, apostolic visit

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

Dear Friends,

As you may be aware last week I had the blessing of preaching at the Solemn Closing of the Year of the Eucharist in the Cathedral of the Diocese of Peoria on Sunday, October 9, and then to go on to the Seminary of the Archdiocese of Denver, St. John Vianney, where we have four students at present participating in the spiritual year, to conduct the Apostolic Visitation and evaluation of the seminary.

We should rejoice that as Eucharistic Devotion through the Mass and aside from the Mass has blossomed in so many ways in our own diocese, the same is the case throughout the country.

The Cathedral in Peoria was full for Vespers, the Eucharistic Procession, and Benediction, and the participation was most fervent and faithful. And so also it was that last Sunday, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Monona was full to the brim for our own Solemn Mass for the Conclusion of the Eucharistic Year. Thank God, our participation was most fervent and most faithful. Our Eucharistic Procession took to the outdoors and everyone returned to the body of the church for Benediction. What a great rally to honor Jesus! Thanks so much to all who participated.

Energized by apostolic visit

This week I want to say briefly how energized and encouraged I was through the blessing of Chairing the Apostolic Visitation of the two seminaries in Denver: the St. John Vianney Archdiocesan Seminary and the Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Seminary.

Without going into detail I just want to note that all of the members of our Visitation Team were deeply moved at our entry into the seminary to accomplish our work, experiencing hospitality and a welcome that was genuine, warm, and prayerful. The humble joy or joyful humility of the seminary community, the peace, the prayerfulness, really enveloped us and all of us were quite grateful and amazed.

The Visitation Team consisted of four other priests, only one of whom I had ever met, none of whom I knew very well, and a lay professor, who also teaches in the seminary, who was really our brother in Christ in accomplishing our task. But all of us were overwhelmed with the sense of being in the presence of uniquely special friends of Jesus Christ who were spending time with him, experiencing Him as risen from the dead, experiencing being changed by Him in the seminary environment.

Pray for all seminarians

I think you know how hopeful I am with regard to the future and the seminary communities in Denver; both of them are certainly populated by "witnesses of hope." You and I can and should be very grateful that four of our own men have been called by the Lord to confirm their priestly call and to seek the grace of perseverance in this environment. Discernment of Christ's call to priesthood is never easy, and some of those who begin the journey discover in fact that they are not so called. We pray from our heart for all of them and we support them in the arduous journey of following Christ who alone can bring them to offer Mass at His altar.

The other seminaries where our men are being formed for priesthood are surely excellent as well, and as I reflect on the Denver experience, please do not take that to indicate any lack of appreciation of the other fine seminaries where our men have been assigned. In fact, I rely desperately on all of these seminaries to assist me in my responsibility to provide for the priestly formation of these men and to help me in discerning, on behalf of the Church, their possible call to priesthood. Let us keep them all regularly in our prayers, knowing that they pray fervently for us every day and that means a great deal - it certainly means everything to me.

Thank you very much for reading this, and God bless each one of you. Praised be Jesus Christ!

Respect Life Letter from Bishop Morlino

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

Dear Brothers and Sisters, All in the Lord,

Exodus gives us a powerful message. "You shall not molest or oppress an alien. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan." Nor should you extort from the poor.

These readings during Respect Life Month lead us to additional questions on how we live out the Culture of Life.

"You shall not molest or oppress an alien." How do we live this out? We welcome the stranger and stand in solidarity with those who are different than we are. Indeed, the Church teaches we are all part of the Body of Christ; we are all God's children. We are to welcome strangers and love our new neighbors as ourselves. Foreign people, the aliens, who come to our country to provide a better life for their families, are not to be harmed or oppressed. The Bishops of the United States have initiated a call to ensure our laws are fair and just for all immigrants. This is Respect for Life.

"You shall not wrong any widow or orphan." We know that the treatment of the most vulnerable in society is a reflection on that society. In the time of Exodus, the most vulnerable were widows and orphans. Who are the most vulnerable in our society now?

The Church sees many groups who are vulnerable. By treating people of all races, walks of life, or degrees of disability with the same justice, mercy, and dignity that Jesus would, we create a Culture of Life.

Those who are differently-abled, either mentally or physically, are especially vulnerable. Think of someone you know who is differently-abled, perhaps in a wheelchair, perhaps hearing- or sight-impaired, perhaps suffering from a mental disorder, or Alzheimer's. We are called to love each person as they are. This is Respect for Life.

Nor should you extort from the poor. As a people of the Culture of Life, we should work to eliminate poverty. The Church teaches, preaches, and models that each human deserves access to medical treatment, decent shelter, adequate nutrition, and loving care.

Perhaps it is most difficult to remember that people in prison are our brothers and sisters. Fear, and sometimes vengeance, colors our thinking when bringing criminals to judgment. But our God is a God of love and forgiveness so we must be a people of love and forgiveness as well.

Violence does not solve human problems. People in prison are vulnerable to the death penalty in some states, but fortunately, not in Wisconsin. The death penalty uses the ultimate violence of death when bloodless methods of deterrence are almost always available. The Bishops have also begun a campaign to end the death penalty.

These are challenging concepts: to love the foreigner and call him "neighbor"; to love the disabled as we love ourselves; to advocate for the elimination of poverty so that all our neighbors can lead lives of dignity; to seek the elimination of the death penalty because we are a people of hope, who never give up our belief that each person is made in God's image and can be redeemed.

Pope John Paul II called us to be "unconditionally pro-life." So, I humbly ask you to continue to be witnesses for life, to stand in solidarity with the alien, the differently-abled, the poor, and those in prison. You will fulfill the Gospel message by loving our God and our neighbor.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison

Bishop's Letter

Dear Friends in Christ:

October 23 is World Mission Sunday. As part of its celebration we annually have the opportunity to contribute to the special collection that supports the ministry of missionaries around the world. The day is organized by the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and, as described by Pope John Paul II, is "an important day in the life of the Church because it teaches how to give: as an offering made to God, in the Eucharistic celebration and for all the missions of the world."

The dual charge of Christ to his Church to carry the Gospel to the ends of the world and to love one another as he has loved us are joined in the missions. So often with meager resources, and too often at great personal risk, the public witness of missionaries that every person has value and ought to be able to live with dignity deserves our admiration and prayerful support.

This collection assists priests, Religious, and laity to reach out in loving help to needy children and elderly, refugees and the sick, and so many more. Your financial contributions also help make available the sacraments, religious formation, and education in areas of the world where the faith is rapidly growing.

You are a generous people. While these remain uncertain times, the missionary work of the Church needs our support. Also, pray for an end of violence against all peoples, and peaceful resolution to the difficult conflicts of the day.

Faithfully yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend
Robert C. Morlino
Bishop of Madison