Month: February 2013

On
Chris Lee

Bishop’s statement on Pope Benedict XVI’s resignation

As news reports have indicated, Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will resign at the end of February. Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison, has offered the following statement in regards to this development:

With the rest of you, I woke this morning to learn of the shocking, but not altogether surprising, news that our beloved Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, is resigning his service as the successor of St. Peter, Bishop of Rome. His announcement brings me sadness personally, as he is a hero to me and a great shepherd for the Church. I first met the Holy Father as Cardinal Ratzinger in 1983.

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Bishop Robert C. Morlino, Bishop of Madison

How we respond to shock and scandal
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,

In the Gospel readings of this past Sunday we encountered a moment of tremendous shock and even of scandal. So often when we hear the word “scandal” in the Church these days, our minds are drawn immediately to the horrific travesties carried out by some who had promised to serve the Church but instead abused some of the most innocent of their flock.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Plans for new high school underway

DODGEVILLE — A group of parents and professionals in the Dodgeville area in Iowa County is undertaking an effort to found an independent high school in the Catholic tradition.

Michael J. Lancaster, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Madison, said the group has received approval from the Diocese of Madison to name the school Holy Family High School (HFHS).

“While the diocese has and will continue to provide guidance, as is the case with all schools, HFHS will receive no financial support from the diocese,” said Lancaster.

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On
Chris Lee

Knights honor essay contest winners from St. Ambrose Academy

MADISON — On January 25, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life marking the 40th anniversary of the historic Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.

St. Ambrose Academy juniors and seniors were among the throngs of pro-lifers. Several St. Ambrose marchers also were recent winners of the Knights of Columbus Respect for Life Contest at the diocesan and state levels.

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Obispo Robert C. Morlino

Enfrentando el escándalo de la Iglesia

Esta columna es la comunicación del Obispo con los fieles de la diócesis de Madison. Cualquier circulación más amplia va más allá de la intención del Obispo.

Queridos amigos:

En las lecturas del Evangelio del domingo pasado encontramos un momento de tremendo shock e incluso de escándalo. Con frecuencia, cuando escuchamos las palabras “escándalo” en la Iglesia estos días, nuestras mentes son arrastradas inmediatamente a los horribles travestis en que se han convertido algunos que prometieron servir a la Iglesia pero en vez de eso abusaron de los más inocentes de su grey. Además de ser un asunto de tremenda vergüenza y pena para las víctimas y la familia, la revelación del abuso por parte de ministros de la Iglesia es un recordatorio chocante de la realidad de que a esta Iglesia, fundada por Jesucristo, se le encarga el cuidado de los seres humanos y por ello está sujeta a las caídas de los seres humanos. Recordamos esto y nos arrepentimos por las veces que hemos fallado, especialmente ahora que llega el tiempo penitencial de Cuaresma.

El dolor de las víctimas es entonces experimentado (no de la misma forma) por toda la Iglesia y es compartido –así como debería ser nuestra respuesta compartida– en el amor. Sin embargo, de este dolor surgen dudas que son fáciles de comprender. ¿Cómo puede ser que esta Iglesia esté fundada realmente por Jesucristo e insuflada por el Espíritu Santo si sus miembros son tan pecadores? ¿Cómo es posible?

 

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Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Navigate your faith: The Catholic press is more important than ever in today’s stormy culture

Editor's View by Mary C. Uhler

Let’s face it. People obtain their news from many different sources these days. How do you know who to trust in this profusion of newspapers, Web sites, blogs, television and radio programs?

There are also many sources of religious news today, some of them purporting to be Catholic. Yet I’ve found that some of these so-called “Catholic” news outlets and blogs do not always report the full truth of the Catholic faith.

We must be careful that we are getting clear Catholic teaching as handed down by the magisterium or teaching authority of the Church through our popes and bishops and as articulated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and other Church documents.

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