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News Briefs:
Corpus Christi celebrations at parishes
DURWARD'S GLEN -- St. Mary Health of the Sick Parish, Merrimac, will celebrate the Feast of Corpus Christi with a Mass and procession at Durward's Glen, W11876 McLeish Rd., Baraboo, on Sunday, June 10, beginning at 9:15 a.m. A potluck dinner will follow at the Durward's Glen dining hall; bring a dish to pass. Beverages and table service will be provided. The public is invited. For more information, call 608-356-8113.
PERRY -- Holy Redeemer Parish, Perry, will hold its annual Corpus Christi celebration on Sunday, June 10. Fr. Rick Heilman will be the celebrant of the Mass at 8:30 a.m. with the procession following Mass. Former parish members, friends, and guests are welcome to take part.
Support group
for birth parents
MADISON -- A Birth Parent Support Group will meet Tuesday, June 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at 5 Odana Ct. Sponsors are Catholic Charities and Lutheran Social Services. This ongoing support group for people who have placed their child/ren for adoption is free, safe, and confidential. For registration, contact Alice at 608-270-6635 or apearson@lsswis.org or Trish at 608-833-4800, ext. 109, or pregnancy@tds.net
Church museum open
in summer
SAUK COUNTY -- The Our Lady of Loretto Church Museum will be open to visitors each Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. during June, July, and August. It is located in southern Sauk County on Cty. Hwy. C between Denzer and Leland.
Calling all 50th anniversary couples
MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino and the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis will be honoring couples who will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in 2007.
The Mass and reception, to be held Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, is by invitation only. Couples wanting more information or wishing to attend should contact their pastor or parish office. Parishes must submit the couples' names to the bishop's office by Friday, June 15.
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Bishop Morlino says cathedral will be rebuilt on current site
-- Posted: 6/10/2007, 2:51 p.m. Central Time
-- Updated: 6/10/2007, 7:21 p.m. Central Time
-- Updated: 6/13/2007, 12:29 p.m. Central Time
By Mary C. Uhler
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF
(See also front-page photo.)
MADISON -- Bishop Robert C. Morlino said on Sunday, June 10, that St. Raphael Cathedral church would be rebuilt on the site of the present church in downtown Madison.
Bishop Morlino made the announcement at the conclusion of a Eucharistic Procession celebrating the Feast of Corpus Christi -- the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
Bishop Morlino has spent more than two years listening, consulting, and praying about the cathedral future.
"I truly believe in my heart that the decision at which I have arrived is what God wills," Bishop Morlino said.
St. Raphael's cornerstone was laid in 1854, and the church, located at 222 W. Main St., was designated as the cathedral church for the newly established Diocese of Madison in 1946. Much of the church was destroyed in an arson fire on March 14, 2005.
New footprint
Bishop Morlino said that the footprint of the new church would be different than the current cathedral. The new church will be bigger and is expected to seat 1,000 people. It will be erected where the current church, rectory, and parking lot now exist.
The new entrance will be on Fairchild St., rather than on Main St. The diocese will use the current steeple, which was installed in 2004, and as much as they can salvage from the existing church.
A final design has yet to be determined. The Bishop announced that a feasibility study would be done on the financial aspects of the project. The diocese has an insurance settlement of $6.125 million for use in building a new cathedral.
Today's Eucharistic Procession started at St. Patrick Church and moved to the state Capitol, where Bishop Paul Swain of the Diocese of Sioux Falls, S.D., and former rector of St. Raphael, spoke. It concluded at the St. Raphael site, where Bishop Morlino made his announcement.
Mass at St. Patrick's
At the 11 a.m. Mass at St. Patrick Church, Bishop Morlino said he had "much joy" in his heart. "I am deeply moved on this occasion," he said after welcoming Bishop Swain; Bishop George O. Wirz, retired auxiliary bishop of Madison; Msgr. Kevin Holmes, the current pastor of the three downtown Madison parishes (Holy Redeemer, St. Raphael, and St. Patrick); and other priests.
The church was filled with people from the Madison parishes and from throughout the diocese. Bishop Morlino said the sunny weather was a sign of God's benevolence.
In his homily, Bishop Morlino noted that the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ reminds us that in order to have the Eucharistic celebration, we need priests - men who lend Jesus their hands, voices, and hearts. "We can't reflect on the Eucharist without reflecting on the priesthood," said the bishop.
He introduced Deacons Brian Dulli and Patrick Wendler, newly ordained transitional deacons who plan to be ordained to the priesthood next year. He also asked the seven seminarians present to stand, noting that there are almost 30 seminarians now studying for the Diocese of Madison.
Eucharist as food
Bishop Morlino referred to the Gospel story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. When the apostles tell Jesus there is not enough food to feed the crowd, Jesus tells them to give them food. He makes it possible for them to feed the people.
"He wants the apostles and all of us to get involved in giving nourishment to the world. The most important nourishment is the Eucharist," said Bishop Morlino.
He said we can look at the Eucharist as food in three ways: as the food of reverence, by experiencing wonder and awe in God's presence; as the food of truth, by believing in everything in the Catechism of the Catholic Church when we receive Communion; and as the food of Adoration, by participating in Eucharistic Adoration as the "Mass in meditation."
Walking with Jesus
While preparing to walk through the streets of Madison in a Eucharistic Procession, Bishop Morlino said, "It's a great blessing that Jesus wants to walk with us. Let's remember that every day of our life in the Diocese of Madison, Jesus walks with us. He accompanies us
on the pilgrimage that leads to heaven."
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament began in church. When the monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament was brought to the sanctuary, the bishops knelt before it. Bishop Morlino then incensed the monstrance.
Then Deacon Wendler carried the monstrance out of the church where a canopy awaited. The bishops, priests, and servers processed out of the church onto Main St. Joining them were Knights of Columbus and Knights and Ladies of the Holy Sepulchre in their robes.
Also joining in the procession were the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary and members of the Schoenstatt Movement, ConQuest Madison Boy's Club, the St. Raphael Cathedral Choir, as well as members of other lay ecclesial movements and other faithful of the Diocese of Madison.
People of all ages took part in the procession, from parents pushing strollers to children, youth, young adults, and the elderly. As they walked, they sang songs in English and Latin, interspersed with ringing of bells.
At the state Capitol
Some people watched from the curbs and others joined the procession. They stopped at the state Capitol, where the monstrance was placed on an altar. Bishop Morlino again incensed the monstrance.
At the Capitol, Charles Scott, a member of St. Raphael Cathedral Parish and a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre, read from the Apostolic Exhortation of Pope Benedict XVI, Sacramentum
Caritatis (Sacrament of Charity). The Holy Father said, "In the sacrament of the Eucharist, Jesus shows us in particular the truth about the love which is the very essence of God."
Bishop Swain then addressed the crowd gathered at the Capitol. While he noted that they were standing in front of the "beautiful, imposing Capitol building," he said the building "pales in comparison with the presence of our Lord in the Blessed Sacrament."
He said being at the Capitol brings back many memories for him. He started practicing law at an office nearby, then worked for former Governor Lee Dreyfus at the Capitol. "I have great respect for public officials," he said, noting that they face many pressures, both internal and external. "Like all of us, they face the temptations of life."
Church in public square
Bishop Swain said public officials must consider the financial, bureaucratic, political, and moral aspects of their decisions. The church can - and must - be in the public square, especially in raising the moral issues, he said. "The church is present here because she cares for the salvation of souls," he said.
Although he dreamed of working at the Capitol, once he got there Bishop Swain realized how "narrow" the mission was. "So I went searching for the source of life and it led me down the street (to St. Raphael Cathedral). I discovered the presence of the Lord in the Eucharist," he said.
That led him to become Catholic and later to be ordained to the priesthood and consecrated as a bishop.
Bishop Swain referred to St. Thomas More, the patron saint of public officials, who said he was the king's servant, but "my God's servant first."
"Once we accept the Lord, it must touch everything we do," emphasized Bishop Swain.
At cathedral site
The procession then continued on Main St. to the site of the burned St. Raphael Cathedral. The crowd surrounded a tent where the monstrance was placed on an altar. Bishop Morlino presided at the liturgy for Benediction.
After Benediction, Bishop Morlino discussed his plans for the future of the cathedral. He thanked everyone for coming "to participate in faith." He expressed gratitude to Bishop Swain for returning to Madison for this event.
Bishop Morlino also thanked Chief Debra Amesqua of the Madison Fire Department for the department's professionalism and loving care at the time of the St. Raphael Cathedral fire. He also thanked all city and state civic officials and the Madison Police Department who made the procession possible.
On this day, Bishop Morlino said he was thinking of his predecessors, Bishops William O'Connor and Cletus O'Donnell. Bishop Morlino said he was wearing a cross that belonged to Bishop O'Connor and carrying his staff.
He said he was grateful for the presence of Bishop Wirz and the presence "in spirit" of Bishop William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus, who was representing the diocese at an anniversary celebration in Gary, Ind.
Cathedral decision
In discussing the cathedral future, Bishop Morlino noted that he has held listening sessions throughout the diocese for the past two years. "I made it clear I was leaning in a certain direction, but my mind was open. "I have listened and received sufficiently copious
correspondence."
He also consulted with the Diocesan Pastoral Council, Diocesan Finance Council, and the Presbyteral Council (priests). "I believe anyone who wanted to have a say has been heard," he said.
Bishop Morlino read a message from Archbishop John Glennon of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, who talked about building a new cathedral there about a century ago. Much of what he says still applies today, 100 years later.
Archbishop Glennon noted that some people say a cathedral building isn't necessary. Excess money should be spent on helping the poor, sick, and lowly. Are we forgetting the poor, the archbishop asks?
He answers that the cathedral will serve as a home for the poor, including the spiritually poor - those who have lost their faith. They will "find consolation, peace, and hope in our temple."
Why build a church? Archbishop Glennon said that a material structure of a cathedral is just as necessary as our material bodies are to the soul. The cathedral is the place where sacraments are ministered and the faith is preached.
The other churches of the diocese are "orphaned" until the cathedral - the mother church - is built. The circle is not complete.
Bishop Morlino said the archbishop's remarks apply to the Diocese of Madison, too.
His decision to rebuild the cathedral on the present site was met with applause and cheers from the crowd.
He said the present church and rectory would be dismantled. Commissions will be formed to consider all aspects of the new cathedral. "We will seek input so we go forward with collaboration," said Bishop Morlino.
"This will be a cathedral - please God - for centuries," he said, asking people to pray, especially to the patron of the diocese, St. Raphael.
Comments on decision
Bishop Swain commented that he was "delighted" with the decision. He said when the new steeple was erected in 2004, it was an affirmation "that we're here to stay as a parish and as a downtown community."
Monsignor Holmes said, "We pledge to do everything we can to build up the parish so you have a most vibrant parish to worship God."
St. Raphael Parish Council member Margaret Bomber said, "I am so thrilled. It's the announcement that I prayed and hoped for."
She said she was so pleased that Bishop Swain could return and that the weather was beautiful.
Bomber is also a member of the Diocesan Pastoral Council. She said that council - made up of over 25 lay people from around the diocese - was overwhelmingly in favor of a downtown cathedral. "We need a presence downtown," said Bomber. "We need to speak as one voice. We need to be here."
Charles Scott, another St. Raphael parishioner, said, "I'm delighted. It's exactly what I wanted. It is immensely important for the cathedral to be downtown and to be a major presence here."
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Four men:
Ordained transitional deacons
By Kat Wagner
CATHOLIC HERALD STAFF
(See also front-page photo.)
MADISON -- The ordination to the transitional diaconate may be secondary to next year's ordination to the priesthood for the four new Diocese of Madison deacons, but the occasion was still joyful and an important reminder of the gravity of this step on the journey.
Brian Dulli, David Greenfield, Lance Schneider, and Patrick Wendler were all ordained transitional deacons in the stately, two-and-a-half hour Mass on June 1, with Bishop Robert C. Morlino presiding.
Bishops William H. Bullock, bishop emeritus, and George O. Wirz, retired auxiliary bishop, as well as more than 30 concelebrating priests were present to welcome the new deacons. Twenty servers, many of them seminarians, assisted in the Mass and Msgr. James R. Bartylla, vocation director, served as Master of Ceremonies. The Diocesan Choir provided music.
After the Liturgy of the Word, the ordination began with the presentation of the four men who, in one year, are to become priests. The four Elect declared themselves "present" and were applauded by the crowd that had packed the pews of the Bishop O'Connor Center's Bishop O'Donnell Chapel.
The bishop then gave his homily, a reflection on the text proscribed by the church to be used as a homily at the ordination of transitional deacons. He first reminded the deacons to never be turned away from the hope of the Gospel: "As deacons you are called to the ministry of charity and the altar, and the ministry of charity is your primary responsibility," he said. "And, in the first place, . . . the ministry of charity is a ministry of hope."
Second, he said, they as new deacons are now not only hearers of the Gospel but its ministers, as well. "That means you speak the truth of Jesus Christ with authority and without fear," the bishop said. "This is your service, this is your charity: a ministry of truth."
He spoke thirdly of the dedication to celibacy. "Our whole life is a witness to our spousal union with the church in the person of Christ, the servant," he said. "If we live that out faithfully, the ministry of charity, which is the ministry of hope; the ministry of truth; and the ministry of celibate love, there is no question that when we actually do go, at the end of history, out to meet the Lord, he will say 'well done, good and faithful servant, good and faithful deacon, enter into the joy of your Lord.'"
(More of the bishop's homily can be found on the Bishop Speaks page.)
After the homily, the Elect made their resolve to be consecrated for the church's ministry and promised to discharge their office with humility, to proclaim the church's faith in word and deed, to live in celibacy, to conform their lives to the example of Christ, and to respect and obey the office of the bishop.
The entire congregation then kneeled and the Elect prostrated themselves before the altar during the Litany of Supplication, in which the saints are invoked in prayer.
Afterward, the bishop laid hands individually upon the head of each man and then, as they
knelt before him as a group, chanted the Prayer of Ordination.
The new deacons were then assisted in vesting the stole, worn across the left shoulder by the deacons to signify ordination, and the dalmatic, an ancient Roman tunic, which is the vestment of the deacon. Each deacon was assisted by a priest of their choice: Fr. Randy J. Timmerman for Deacon Brian Dulli, Fr. Jay Poster for Deacon David Greenfield, Fr. Richard M. Heilman for Deacon Lance Schneider, and Msgr. Duane R. Moellenberndt for Deacon Patrick Wendler.
After each was vested, the newly ordained knelt before the bishop to receive the Book of the Gospels as a sign of their ministry to "believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach."
Finally, Bishop Morlino greeted each deacon with the "Kiss of Peace," followed by the other deacons present, who welcomed the four to the Order of the Deacons with the sign of Christ's peace.
The gifts were brought forward by guests of the deacons: Jessica Dulli, Beverly Hartberg, Harold Wendler, and Kate Wiskus.
After the Mass, friends and family had a chance to welcome the newly ordained deacons and congratulate them at a reception.
Theology of Body for teens: God's plan for love offers alternative to distortions in popular culture
By Ron Garcia
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD
In 2000, John Paul II wrote in his apostolic letter Novio Millenio Ineunte, "Sometimes when we look at the young, with the problems and weaknesses that characterize them in contemporary society, we tend to be pessimistic.
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"The jubilee of young people however changed that, telling us that young people, whatever their possible ambiguities, have a profound longing for those genuine values which find their fullness in Christ."
I was recently convinced of this when I taught a "Theology of the Body for Teens" class at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison. I was asked to co-write this article with one of my students, John Carey.
However, when he e-mailed me what he had written about his experience with the Theology of the Body for Teens, it was immediately clear that his work would stand on its own.
Following is what John Carey wrote:
A teen's perspective
on Theology of Body
Americans watch 250 billion hours of television annually, and the average person will spend approximately two months out of the year watching TV - and not much TV is wholesome today. It's estimated that 90 percent of teens have been exposed to pornography on the Internet. The glorification of promiscuous sex is promoted on the television and on the Internet, but it doesn't help anyone - and not many people today understand why.
Theology of the Body, written by Pope John Paul II, answers that question for us. Theology of the Body (TOB) teaches us that sex, love, and our bodies are elevated to sacred and holy in the eyes of the church. It is a far more perfect view of these things than what most teenagers see today on the TV or on the Internet.
Popular culture inculcates values and distorts the truths of our faith to teenagers, which can cause immeasurable pain. The church offers a better way to find and keep love, which is brilliantly shown in the new program, Theology of the Body for Teens, offering teenagers a version of the pope's teaching which is easy to understand.
As the introduction to the program states, most teenagers simply think that the Church teaches that you should give up everything that you want and follow meaningless rules, which inhibit and imprison you - or go straight to hell.
It's an easy mistake to make; it's what my generation is told by the media. Teenagers are taught that teenage sex can be safe and without any consequences, that pornography is normal and harmless, and many other things. Catholic teaching disagrees in the strongest way with these lies, because Jesus gave us a better way to find love and to keep it.
The TOB for Teens class imparts this knowledge. The good news of the Church's teaching on sex and love needs to be spread throughout our youth today, and this curriculum is a wonderful way to do that.
Each chapter in the book focuses on a different aspect of the Church's teaching, ranging from dating with purpose and purity to the different vocations. They each offered a hopeful and joyful presentation on the truths about human sexuality. Some of the material I was familiar with from my classes at St. Ambrose Academy, yet the teachers went into detail on different aspects, which we had merely touched on. It was a valuable learning experience for all of those involved in the class.
I am very grateful that TOB for Teens allowed myself and others to take a more detailed look at God's plan for love. It is very clear to me now that the word needs to be spread about this joyful and holy alternative to the lies which popular culture teaches teens across the world. TOB for Teens is an excellent way to do that. Teenagers need to understand why the church teaches what it teaches, and that there is a better way to find love, happiness, and ultimately heaven.
Training opportunity
As John Paul II said in Novio Millenio Ineunte, "If Christ is presented to young people as He really is, they experience Him as an answer that is convincing and they can accept His message, even when it is demanding and bears the mark of the Cross."
The Diocese of Madison is sponsoring training on the Theology of the Body for Teens program on Saturday, June 23, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison. The training is for religious education specialists, youth ministers, and catechists interested in learning how to implement the program at their parishes. For more information and registration, go to www.madisoncatholic.org/oec/TOB/TOB_for_Teens.asp.
Ron Garcia is Youth Minister at St. John the Baptist Parish in Waunakee. John Carey is a 17-year-old student at St. Ambrose Academy in Madison.
Technical support:
Diocese opens help hotline for parishes
By William Yallaly
FOR THE CATHOLIC HERALD
MADISON -- In an effort to better support parishes throughout southwestern Wisconsin, the Diocese of Madison has unveiled plans to provide general technical support for the computer and networking needs of parishes through the work week.
Noting how frequently the diocesan staff utilizes its own in-house IT (information technology) support, Vice Chancellor Grant Emmel considered the possible help such a support person could offer to parishes.
"We've really been blessed to have Dan Ballweg on-board and looked for a way to share his gifts and talents with the parishes," Emmel said.
"Modern technology provides us with a tremendous resource by which we can more effectively spread the Gospel. Unfortunately, many of us are hindered when that same technology seems to work against us," Emmel quipped.
The 20-year-old Ballweg, who worked for some time with the Geek Squad, has studied computer networking at Herzing College. He also recently received his Network Plus certification from CompTIA and has gained a great deal of experience through his daily work at the diocese.
Ballweg says his work at the diocese has provided him an opportunity to do one of the things he loves the most, working with computers, while at the same time growing in his faith.
"This is the only job where I've been encouraged to take time out of the work day to go to Mass," Ballweg said with a smile.
This technical help will be available to priests and parish staff of the diocese four hours per day, by way of a hotline.
"Most parish computer needs can be solved through hardware or software tech-support lines, but I'm here to help with a lot of the daily questions and more complex problems that fall through the cracks," Ballweg added.
Ballweg can be reached at 608-821-3094 or email: computersupport@straphael.org
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