Who's our bishop? Not Bill Wineke!

Bishop Robert C. Morlino got an early fifth anniversary "gift" from Wisconsin State Journal columnist Bill Wineke on July 26. The headline on Wineke's column reads: "Bishop talking nonsense on pill, clergy sex abuse."

	Editor's View Mary C. Uhler

Wineke commented on Bishop Morlino's last staff catechesis as reported in the July 24th issue of the Catholic Herald. The bishop discussed the 40th anniversary of the encyclical, Humanae Vitae, and took the opportunity to point out Pope Paul VI's insightful prophesy of the decline of moral standards in society.

Lowering of sexual morality

Bishop Morlino noted that a lowering of sexual morality and the trend to give "conscience the authority to determine moral truth" was a factor leading some priests and bishops "to follow their own conscience in terms of sexual misconduct." Wineke countered, "To ascribe the biggest scandal in church history to the idea that individuals have no right to form their own conscience is just bizarre."

Although there were certainly instances of sexual abuse of minors by priests prior to the 20th Century, it has been documented that clergy sexual abuse skyrocketed in the 1960s and 1970s. This was the time of the "sexual revolution" in the United States, when many traditional values of chastity and marital commitment were overthrown by promiscuity and "free love."

Priests affected by the culture

Priests are certainly affected by the culture in which they live. They come from families, schools, and neighborhoods. They live in that culture after they're ordained. They don't live in a bubble (unless, perhaps, they're cloistered monks).

So, Bishop Morlino is certainly right (as was Pope Paul VI) that our culture would indeed be affected by a weakening of sexual morality and norms of behavior. Sexual abuse by clergy - and also by family members, teachers, coaches, you name it - is just one aspect of this decline.

Telling the bishop what to teach

But what bothers me even more about Wineke's column is his attempt to tell Bishop Morlino what he should be teaching! Is Bill Wineke a Catholic bishop? His blog says he has worked for the State Journal since 1963 and he is also an ordained clergyman of the United Church of Christ.

Does that make him an expert in Catholic teaching and theology? I don't think so.

It is interesting, too, that I've rarely seen Bill Wineke criticize the teachings of other religious leaders: Lutheran or Episcopalian bishops, Jewish rabbis, the Dali Lama, for example. But he sure seems to like criticizing Bishop Morlino. Why is that?

Not afraid to confront the culture

I think one reason is that Bishop Morlino - just like the Holy Father and many other Catholic bishops - believe in preaching and teaching through the pulpit and the printed word. They aren't afraid to confront the popular culture.

Bishop Morlino preaches at his Stational Masses and at other venues. His homilies are usually recorded and are available for anyone to hear on the diocesan Web site and often on Relevant Radio. His columns are printed in the Catholic Herald and on the paper's Web site for anyone to see, Catholic or not.

The bishop uses modern means of communication to teach and evangelize, much as Jesus did over 2,000 years ago. Bishop Morlino teaches the truths of the Catholic faith passed down in the Scriptures and the magisterium of the Catholic Church.

Now we have Bill Wineke, a journalist and clergyman of another denomination, telling the Catholic bishop of Madison what to teach. It boggles the mind!

Offer prayers and support to bishop

August 1 marks the fifth anniversary of Bishop Morlino's installation as the fourth Bishop of Madison. This should be a time when we offer our prayers and congratulations to the bishop for his leadership and service to the people of the Diocese of Madison and the universal Catholic Church.

I hope many people will indeed keep the bishop in their prayers and send him a message of thanks and support. Or perhaps write a letter to the editor to the Wisconsin State Journal reminding Bill Wineke that he is not a Catholic bishop and he should not presume to tell our bishop what to teach.

Mailbag

	Mailbag policy We reserve the right to edit or reject letters. Limit letters to 200 words or less. All letters must be signed. Please include your city or town of residence. Send letters to: Mailbag The Catholic Herald 702 S. High Point Rd. Madison, WI 53719-3522 Fax: 608-821-3071 E-mail: info@madisoncatholicherald.org

Obama promised support
for Freedom of Choice Act

To the editor:

Incredibly, 50 million abortions have occurred in the U.S. since Roe vs. Wade in 1973. Least there be any doubt, that is still not enough abortion-related deaths for Barack Obama, the presumptive pro-abortion nominee of the Democratic Party.

Now Obama wants abortions (including partial-birth abortions) anytime, anyplace, for any reason (even to overthrowing state laws which sometimes regulate abortions).

Obama made his vows to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund that abortion would be the first priority of his administration. As Obama promised: "The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act." This he said in his July 17, 2007 speech to abortion advocates worried about the increase of state level pro-life legislation.

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is federal legislation Obama has co-sponsored along with 18 other senators that would annihilate every single state law limiting or regulating abortion, including the federal ban on partial-birth abortion

Wayne Laufenberg, Eau Claire

Thanks from Holy Father

To the publisher:

The Holy Father has asked me to acknowledge the offering of $56,000 which you sent through the Apostolic Nunciature as a contribution from the Diocese of Madison for the support of the Holy See.

His Holiness is grateful for this donation and for the devoted sentiments that inspired it. He very much appreciates the support which you and your people have given to him in his service to the universal Church.

I am pleased to assure you of the Holy Father's prayers for you and for those entrusted to your pastoral care. Invoking upon all of you joy and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ, he cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing.

Yours sincerely in Christ,
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State