Bishops' Schedules: Bishop Robert C. Morlino Thursday, Oct. 4, 2007 1:00 p.m. -- Preside and preach at Rural Life Mass, Holy Rosary Church, Darlington Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007 10:30 a.m. -- Attend meeting of Diocesan Pastoral Council, Bishop O'Connor Center, Madison Sunday, Oct. 7, 2007 11:00 a.m. -- Preside and preach at Stational Mass, Respect Life Sunday, St. Patrick Church, Madison Bishop William H. Bullock Monday, October 8, 2007 12:00 noon -- Preside and Preach at Celebration of the Eucharist, Bishop O'Connor Catholic Pastoral Center, Madison

October: Month of Rosary and respect for all life

		Under the Gospel Book + Bishop Robert C. Morlino

(printable version)
(en Español)

Dear friends,

The month of October always challenges us to a renewed understanding of the role of our Blessed Mother in our Catholic lives since October is the month of the Most Holy Rosary. The month of October also calls us to reflect on the commitment to the respect for life, which we share in the first place as members of the human family, and also as baptized Catholics.

Mary is precisely the "new Eve" and the Hebrew name "Eve" means "mother of all the living." In Mary we find the one who was, in a perfect sense, the protector and the giver of life, in that she gave birth, according to the flesh, to Him who is the author of all life. During the month of October our devotion to Mary and our respect for all human life, from conception until natural death, should easily coalesce and find deeper expression.

I would hope that all of us, during this month, especially in the context of the family, would pray the Rosary daily and offer that Rosary up so that our country and our culture would grow in concrete expression of respect for human life.

Related items this week: • Praying for life: At Planned Parenthood clinics' doorsteps • Forty Days for Life • Bishop Morlino --     Respect Life Month: The spirit of power, love • Pro-life events • Making Sense Out of Bioethics --     Embryo's fate: Stakes are high in debates • Editorial -- Mother's womb: Help make it safe for all babies • Letter -- Support bill to protect women from coerced abortions

We are not free to disrespect life

Respect for life extends beyond human life, which is always most important. It is sometimes discouraging to see more sympathy accorded dogs which are brutally murdered than pre-born human beings who are themselves brutally murdered. But at the same time, everything which is alive does make a claim on us. We are not free to disrespect the life of any living being.

And so, in recent days Our Holy Father Benedict has been inviting us to ponder our responsibilities toward the environment. Pope Benedict is being called by some "the Green Pope," and as long as that nomenclature is not subsumed into simply some political agenda, it is very appropriate.

Pope Benedict has been reflecting recently on the Fathers of the Church, many of whom show us how the beauty of all creation leads us to see the face of its Author, the face of its Creator. When the environment is disfigured, one of the main pathways to seeing the face of our Creator becomes blocked, in such wise that an approach to the Creator open to all human beings is then closed.

Stewardship for the sake of humans

Stewardship of the environment, care for the life which is around us for the sake of the flourishing of human beings might well be the focus of this year's respect life observance during October. Care for the environment means maintaining that natural pathway, available to every human being, to approach the beauty of its Author and Creator, God Himself. Careful stewardship of our environment is, in fact, an act of caring for the freedom of every human being to come to know the Creator by way of the beauty of His creation, which we are careful not to disfigure.

And so, during this month of October, when we again proclaim the sacred dignity of every human being, from conception until natural death, let us also reflect on the care for life which has been entrusted to us by the creator in terms of the beauty of nature and the environment, which is His special gift to us human beings, so that we might better be drawn into the embrace of His own eternal beauty and divine love.

Thank you for reading this and may God bless each one of you.

Praised be Jesus Christ!

Official Appointments

Please note the following parish changes, proposed by the Priest Personnel Board and approved by Bishop Robert C. Morlino, which will take effect October 24, 2007: • St. Joseph, Edgerton, to be linked with St. Pius, Cambridge, with Fr. Bill Vernon, Administrator. • St. Norbert, Roxbury, to be linked with St. Aloysius, Sauk City, and St. Mary, Merrimac, with Fr. Miguel Galvez, Administrator. • Holy Ghost, Dickeyville, and Immaculate Conception, Kieler, with Fr. Bernie Rott, Pastor. • St. Henry, Watertown, with Fr. Brian Wilk, Pastor. • St. Dennis, Madison, with Fr. Diego Cuevas as Temporary Parochial Vicar (until June). • St. Mary, Palmyra, to be linked with St. Joseph, Fort Atkinson, with Fr. Anthony Swamy Aakula as Temporary Administrator (until June). • St. Mary, Sullivan, to be linked with St. John and St. Lawrence, Jefferson, with Fr. Tom Coyle, Pastor. The following pastors will be retiring and transitioning to retired priest status: Fr. William Hower Fr. Laverne Meier Fr. William Nolan Fr. Francis Steffen Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino Bishop of Madison

Respect Life Month: The spirit of power, love

By Bishop Robert C. Morlino

This Sunday, you will hear this psalm, "If today you hear His voice, harden not your hearts."

What a wonderful psalm for Respect Life Sunday. Whether you are a child, a teen, an adult, or a senior, listening for God's call and keeping your heart soft to receive the call is how we are moved to new efforts.

	Pro-life events You can register for these pro-life events by calling or e-mailing Susanna Herro, 608-821-3087, sherro@straphael.org • "Reaching Out: An outside the box view of abortion decision and abortion wounds": this workshop is led by Vicki Thorn, National Office of Post-Abortion Healing and Reconciliation, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Bishop O'Connor Center, Madison. The only cost is for lunch, $5. • Rachel's Vineyard Retreat: October 12 to 14 in the Madison area. • Catholic Charities offers caregiver training by calling Jean Mueller, 608-833-4800.
	Related items this week: • Praying for life: At Planned Parenthood clinics' doorsteps • Forty Days for Life • Bishop's column -- October: Month of Rosary and respect for all life   (en Español) • Making Sense Out of Bioethics --     Embryo's fate: Stakes are high in debates • Editorial -- Mother's womb: Help make it safe for all babies • Letter -- Support bill to protect women from coerced abortions

You will hear in the second reading, "For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather of power and love and self-control." Bringing these two messages together, if we would listen for God's voice and act with power and love and self-control, we would go far to protect life.

How are you called to serve the disabled, sick, and dying, their families and caregivers? Providing friendship and care shows a soft heart and merciful attitude, that promotes the culture of life. Have you heard a message that your listening skills provide comfort and solace? Perhaps you are called to help heal the women and men who have cut themselves off from God's mercy. Are you called to Project Rachel training or to help with a Rachel's Vineyard retreat? If one of these questions causes a stirring inside, listen to His voice, harden not your heart.

Are you someone who is troubled by the lack of justice for the human embryo, the unborn child, those threatened by assisted suicide? Do you cry, like the person in the First Reading "How long, O Lord? I cry for help, but you do not listen! I cry out to you, 'Violence!' But you do not intervene." If this mirrors your feelings, take that energy and volunteer to work for justice.

We all suffer at the seemingly slow progress towards restoring legal protection for the unborn and those pressured to end their lives through assisted suicide. But listen for the conclusion of the story: "For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint. . . . It will surely come, it will not be late."

In our homes, in our schools, churches, and many fine organizations we can show God's mercy, call others to healing and speak for justice. You are people who have been given a spirit of power, love, and self-control.

Listen to His voice and use your gifts!