St. Ignatius of Antioch
and the Office of the Bishop

Insights on call to obedience Here are some insights - some of which are cited by the Second Vatican Council - into what St. Ignatius of Antioch had to say about our call to be obedient to the Office of the Bishop: • "Wherefore it is fitting that you should run together in accordance with the will of your bishop . . . For your justly renowned presbytery, worthy of God, is fitted as exactly to the bishop as the strings are to the harp. Therefore in your concord and harmonious love, Jesus Christ is sung" (Epistle to the Ephesians, 4). • "Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the bishop, in order that we may be subject to God" (Epistle to the Ephesians, 5). • "It is fitting, then, not only to be called Christians, but to be so in reality: as some indeed give one the title of bishop, but do all things without him. Now such persons seem to me to be not possessed of a good conscience, seeing they are not steadfastly gathered together according to the commandment" (Epistle to the Magnesians, 4). • "Let nothing exist among you that may divide you; but be united with your bishop, and those that preside over you, as a type and evidence of your immortality" (Epistle to the Magnesians, 6). • "It is therefore necessary that, as you indeed do, so without the bishop you should do nothing, but should also be subject to the presbytery, as to the apostle of Jesus Christ, who is our hope, in whom, if we live, we shall [at last] be found" (Epistle to the Trallians, 2).

On February 14, I was present at the gathering of catechetical leaders at the Bishop O'Connor Center in Madison in which Bishop Robert C. Morlino was generous enough to take time out of his busy schedule to address us in person.

During that meeting, he offered a brief catechesis on the relationship between Jesus Christ, the Church, and the virtue of love manifested through obedience. In doing so, the bishop drew from many places in Scripture where this theme can be found, such as the conversion of Saul (Acts 9) and the obedience of Christ (Phil 2).

Finally, he turned our attention to our own call to be obedient to the successors of the apostles in each diocese, as the Second Vatican Council has instructed us (cf. Lumen Gentium, 23-28).

As I drove home after the meeting and reflected on some of these themes, I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite saints, St. Ignatius of Antioch. Around the year 107 AD, this great bishop of Antioch (appointed to that see by St. Peter himself) was arrested by a legion of Roman soldiers and taken to Rome for martyrdom.

As he traveled through Asia Minor, St. Ignatius wrote seven letters which have come down to us today as some of the earliest Christian writings outside the New Testament canon itself. In these letters he addresses many issues such as the danger of heresy, his desire for martyrdom, the Eucharist, the practice of charity, and finally obedience to the bishop.

In the box at right are some of the insights from St. Ignatius of Antioch. All quotations taken from www.newadvent.org

Paul Matenaer is the director of religious education for grades seven through 12 at St. Ann Parish, Stoughton.

Let's support our
World Youth Day pilgrims

	Fr. Paul Ugo Arinze

"Sed accipietis virtutem supervenientis Spiritus Sancti in vos, et eritis mihi testes." This Latin phrase is taken from the theme of this year's World Youth Day (WYD) from Acts, Chapter 8:1, and it simply means, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall become my witnesses."

With those powerful words from Acts of the Apostles in mind, hundreds of thousands of young people from all over the world will join Pope Benedict XVI in Sydney, Australia, this July for the World Youth Day celebration.

As the chairperson of the diocesan planning committee for this event, I would like to give you some insights about our pilgrimage to Australia for WYD.

Diocesan pilgrimage

We have 72 pilgrims that are registered and committed to travel with the diocese for this event. Our group is made up of Msgr. Jim Bartylla, the director of vocations for the diocese; our seminarians; college age students; young adults; about 18 high school age students; a handful of adult chaperones; and my humble self.

Bishop Robert C. Morlino will join us in Melbourne and Sydney for the events of the WYD celebration.

Our pilgrimage will begin on July 7, the day of our departure to Sydney via Tokyo, Japan. On arrival we will proceed to Melbourne for the Days in the Diocese encounter. This is meant to introduce the international pilgrims to life in Australia.

There will be opportunities for the pilgrims to pray together, worship together, work together, and interact with the host diocese. An integral part of this event is the dedication of one day for social justice service. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and helping our brethren in Christ.

Excitement is building

Indications from Sydney and Melbourne organizers point to a high degree of excitement in Australia for this event. It will be our Holy Father's first visit to an Oceania country and an opportunity for the Catholic faith to shine in a land where Catholics have been in a minority for so many years.

The young people will have the opportunity to witness their faith, share communion with other young people, and gain a renewed experience about their place in the world.

Make no mistakes; one should not be deceived by the location of this event into thinking that it is not a pilgrimage in the real sense of that word. Previous participants to WYD will tell you how tedious the schedule can be and how exhausting one feels at the end of the day.

These are days loaded with spiritual exercises, catechetical instructions, worship, and fellowship. The inspiring part of this experience, as I witnessed in Cologne in 2005, is that you are retiring around midnight, tired and exhausted, yet as soon as day breaks, you are ready and excited about the new day.

Financial support

As we told you in the previous articles we had on WYD, it will cost each pilgrim approximately $3,600 to $4,000 to go on this pilgrimage. While all the registered pilgrims are working hard to meet this goal, it would be really appreciated if we could support them financially.

Here is an idea I borrowed from another priest who is leading a group for his diocese. I am looking for people to match my $100 dollar personal donation that I am making on behalf of the pilgrims. Here is how it will work: you can either match half, $50, or match my whole $100 amount. Make checks payable to "Diocese of Madison WYD 2008" and mail it to WYD 2008, Attn: Rev. Paul Ugo Arinze, St. Joseph Parish, 405 S. Dacotah St., Dodgeville, WI 53533.

Your support will give a big boost to these young people and will be an affirmation of the sacrifices they are making to go on this pilgrimage. Whatever is donated will be used to subsidize the cost for the pilgrims, keeping in mind those who would need more assistance.

Who can tell? Many years from now, you may have helped foster a vocation or trained a future leader or a responsible Catholic through your support.

I would like to end with a quote from venerable apostle, Paul. "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone . . . Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication and with thanksgiving let your request be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

"Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:4-8).

Fr. Paul Arinze is pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Dodgeville, and chairman of the diocesan World Youth Day Committee for the Diocese of Madison.

Reminding our Good Friday world
of God's abiding love

		Propagation  of the Faith  Msgr. Delbert  Schmelzer

My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

These words - the cry of Christ on the Cross - are familiar to us and yet still a shock to the heart as we hear them each Good Friday.

But haven't we sometimes felt abandoned ourselves? As we cope with the serious illness of a precious child or parent? As we are told, at age 53, that our job has been terminated? In the gray loneliness that follows the death of a beloved wife or husband? At these times, hope seems to have disappeared.

And yet, in the midst of our darkness, we remember that God did not abandon His beloved Son, but raised Him from death to glory. And God does not abandon us.

The heart of the Church's missionary work is to bring all people of the world, in all times, this message that God, in Christ, has saved us and is with us, day by day.

Doing God's work

In the north of Uganda, a local religious community, the Little Sisters of Mary Immaculate, offer this message to those they serve. They teach the faith to children in schools and parishes. They bring smiles and the love of Jesus to little ones affected by the fighting and violence in this African nation. In hospitals, they offer the healing love of our Lord to the poor, praying with them, perhaps holding the hand of a mother, a child, a grandfather who is ill.

A similar story is repeated in neighboring Kenya, where Sister Angelina speaks of the hope of our Lord's resurrection to the children in two of the poorest parishes in the Diocese of Kitale. She and others in her religious community run the medical clinics and staff two schools. But perhaps the most vital service they provide is at the center for street children, nearly all of them orphans - having lost their parents to the HIV/AIDS virus; many of these children suffer from the disease as well. The Sisters educate them and offer them health care. They relieve the children's fears and loneliness by teaching them about Jesus Christ and His unconditional love for them - even to His dying on a cross. "We give them the hope and promise of eternal life by telling them of the glorious resurrection of our Savior," Sister Angelina explains.

Rescuing the abandoned

And a continent away, in a small village in India, there had first been that feeling of abandonment for one family - until the Sisters came.

"Our mother was a picture of sorrow," said Sudha, describing the time after her father abandoned their family. Their mother, too sick to care for them, watched helplessly - filled with profound sadness - as her little ones were forced to live on the streets in their native India. "Our condition was miserable," says Sudha. "We were left orphans, crying on the road."

But here, too, we see the darkness and despair replaced by Christ's light and His hope. We see that God does not abandon us - and He did not abandon Sudha and her sisters. "God sent Sister to pick us up from the road," says Sudha. Sister Anna took the three little girls to her boarding school. "Our doors are always open to all in distress, all who feel alone and without hope," explains Sister Anna, adding, "We want our lives to reflect to all the love of Christ."

Says Sudha: "We experience love, care, and warmth from the Sisters. We feel wanted. They are the 'other Christ' in our lives. Our sorrows have vanished, and the love of Jesus has transformed us. Each of us here is treated as someone so precious."

Your support is a blessing

The Lord calls all of us to be His voice and His heart in our world today, to remind others - in word and service - that He is with us always. This Lent, would you be one of those loving missionaries with your support of the Society for the Propagation of the Faith? As I ask always for your prayers, I ask also for your financial sacrifice. Perhaps you can offer $40 - $1 for each day of Lent - in support of this life-giving service of the Church throughout the missions?

In whatever way you can help our mission family, you are in effect telling them: "God will never abandon you." And everyone should know that!

May God bless you and those you love!

Msgr. Delbert Schmelzer is director of the Propagation of the Faith for the Diocese of Madison. Contributions to the Propagation of the Faith may be made at the parish or may be sent to: P.O. Box 44983, Madison, WI 53744-4983.