Rev. Msgr. James Bartylla, Vicar General, announces the following appointments made by Most Reverend Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison:
Rev. Msgr. James Gunn …
Year: 2011
Working through a hard death
Caregivers and health care professionals can and often do greatly assist those who are suffering and dying. Even with careful pain management and comfort measures, however, the dying process can still be agonizing and difficult.
Each death has a unique and particular trajectory, but even the most difficult and unpleasant deaths often have powerful graces and remarkable opportunities for growth mysteriously interwoven into them.
The paradox of democracy
To the editor:
On the topic of democracy, 50 years ago the Rev. John Courtney Murray, in his book We Hold These Truths, described majoritarianism as a kind of democratic tool shed in which the weapons of tyranny may be forged. We see this in the American political system, where you get both war and abortion, or usury and the normalization of sodomy no matter who you vote for.
Disappointed that author undermined sanctity of labor
To the editor:
I read the guest article in the Catholic Herald regarding the current labor situation in Wisconsin with deep disappointment.
The author clearly sought to undermine the Catholic moral principle of regard for the sanctity of labor and the right to form unions by selective use of quotations. The author suggests that Church doctrine does not encompass unions representing public workers, or unions that are politically active. This is simply not true.
Guest column offered fair and balanced contribution
To the editor:
I would like to congratulate Dr. Constance Nielsen on her fair and balanced contribution to the guest column that was published in the Catholic Herald on March 3.
A couple of weeks ago, referring to Pope John Paul II’s Laborem Exercens 20, Archbishop Listecki partially and one-sidedly commented on the rights and value of unions. Nielsen dared to go beyond the archbishop’s blind spot by quoting the precarious aspect that John Paul II emphasized in LE 20.
La obediencia es una maravillosa receta para la Santa Cuaresma
|
|
| Esta columna está dirigida a los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia transgrede la intención del Obispo. |
Queridos amigos:
Esta semana comenzamos la Cuaresma y las lecturas del domingo pasado nos dirigen perfectamente al Miércoles de Ceniza.
La primera lectura (Dt 11:18, 26-28, 32) decía claramente que estamos para obedecer las reglas de Dios, sus mandamientos y decretos. Nos toca ser gente obediente: un duro trabajo para nuestra cultura. La autoridad siempre está bajo fuego, ya sea la autoridad civil en el gobierno o aquella sagrada de los Apóstoles. Incluso en la Iglesia, la autoridad siempre está bajo fuego. Y así es que los obispos estamos acostumbrados a esquivar las flechas disparadas hacia nosotros: y todo eso en el trabajo del día a día.
Pero la autoridad está simplemente dada por el amor de Dios Nuestro Padre para guiar a su pueblo a la salvación. Eso es lo que es: un servicio y es un servicio humilde. Algunas veces cuando la gente en la Iglesia tiene que ejercer esa autoridad lo hace humildemente, y así en realidad se hacen humildes. Pero eso está bien, porque la autoridad y la humildad deben ir de la mano.
Victory for Catholic student group: Supreme Court declines to hear UW-Madison appeal
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to hear the University of Wisconsin’s appeal of an appellate court ruling in favor of a Catholic student group at the university’s Madison campus.
Theological reflection regarding the pastoral letter
 |
|
Following is a Theological Reflection Regarding the Pastoral Letter of The Most Rev. Robert C. Morlino on the Practice of the Commemoration of the Departed In the Sacred Liturgy of the Church (25 February 2011).
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the re-presentation of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross for the forgiveness of our sins, so that we may be found worthy of the Eternal Life prepared for us. This is the unwavering doctrine of the Catholic Church, and it only follows that the Funeral Mass, given the circumstances of its celebration, carries with it a uniquely intense focus on the mystery of God’s endless Mercy.
The Funeral Mass celebrates the mystery of the Divine Mercy of God, infinitely Just and infinitely Merciful. The greatest act of charity that can be given to Catholics who pass from this life, within the confines of the Church, is the offering of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. It is the ultimate supplication of mercy to Almighty God for the soul of one who has departed from our midst. It only follows in reason that everything about the offering of this Most Precious Sacrifice must be in accord with this petition of His Mercy.
| Pastoral Letter |
|
| Click here to read Bishop Robert C. Morlino’s Pastoral Letter regarding the Practice of the Commemoration of the Departed in the Sacred Liturgy of the Church (PDF) | |
The Church urges the maximum participation of the faithful in the Holy Mass, which unmistakably calls for their uniting themselves with the Sacrifice being offered on the Altar for the deceased person. It is to the greater benefit of the faithful to be able to do so with undistracted attention and utmost focus. Anything, therefore, that distracts from this focus is a grievance to those present as well as a grave injustice toward the deceased for whom the Mass, Mystery of God’s Mercy, is being offered.
Our top priority and the common good
 |
| This column is the bishop’s communication with the faithful of the Diocese of Madison. Any wider circulation reaches beyond the intention of the bishop. |
Dear friends,
The Gospel of this past Sunday is addressed to those who are too worried about tomorrow. That’s why Jesus addresses them as “you of little faith.” If they were where He wanted them to be in their relation to His Father and Himself, He wouldn’t have said, “you of little faith.” Because of our human weakness and frailty, whatever faith we have, from God’s point of view, is certainly always “little,” but for Jesus to address it as such indicates a moment of challenge to growth.
One of the measures of our faith is: “how much do you and I worry about tomorrow?” Why is it not a good thing to make worrying about tomorrow my top priority? Certainly it is among our priorities, for obviously we have to be concerned with putting food on the table of our family, and clothing on their backs, and shelter over their heads. It is the sacred responsibility of parents to “worry” about such things. Jesus’ point is not offering some kind of recipe for a care-free life, where one’s responsibilities are just forgotten and put aside. But, our top priority can never be worrying about tomorrow, if we have met Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
The more worrying about tomorrow is our top priority, the more we need to place Jesus Christ ahead of that priority, so that He is our top priority.
Nuestra principal prioridad y el bien común
|
|
| Esta columna está dirigida a los fieles de la Diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia transgrede la intención del Obispo. |
Queridos amigos:
El Evangelio del último domingo está dirigido a aquellos que están demasiado preocupados por el mañana. Esa es la razón por la que Jesús se dirige a ellos como “vosotros de poca fe”. Si ellos hubiesen estado donde Él querría que estuvieran en su relación con Su Padre y con Él, no les habría dicho eso de “poca fe”. Debido a nuestra humana debilidad y fragilidad, sin importar la fe que tengamos, desde el punto de vista de Dios siempre será “poca”, pero cuando Jesús usa esta expresión para dirigirse a alguien indica un momento de desafío para crecer.
Una de las medidas de nuestra fe está en “¿qué tanto tú y yo nos preocupamos por el mañana?” ¿Por qué no es bueno preocuparse por el mañana como mi principal prioridad? Ciertamente es una de nuestras prioridades, pero obviamente tenemos que estar preocupados por poner comida en la mesa de nuestra familia, y ropa en sus espaldas, y un hogar sobre sus cabezas. Es la responsabilidad sagrada de los padres “preocuparse” por estas cosas. Lo que Jesús dice no ofrece receta alguna para una vida libre de cuidados, donde las responsabilidades personales puedan ser olvidadas y dejadas a un lado. Pero nuestra principal prioridad no puede ser nunca preocuparnos por el mañana, si es que nos hemos encontrado con Jesucristo, resucitado de entre los muertos.
Mientras más nos preocupemos por el mañana como nuestra principal prioridad, más necesitaremos colocar a Jesús primero, porque Él es nuestra principal prioridad.