Month: February 2016

On
Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

What makes a Mass ‘Pontifical’

What's That All About column by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

The third in a series by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf about the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite.

In this installment we can finally get into the nitty-gritty of what Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison does when he celebrates a “Pontifical Mass at the Throne” in the older, traditional, Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite as it has been for centuries before the Second Vatican Council (1962-65).

In the traditional form of Holy Mass there are distinct levels of solemnity, each carefully regulated.

For Masses of priests, we have “Low,” “High,” and “Solemn” Masses.

At Low Mass, all the texts are spoken, no incense is used, and you will see one or two altar boys.

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On
Patrick Gorman, For the Catholic Herald

Rite of Election, Call to Continuing Conversion, to be held Sunday, Feb. 14

Rite of Election
A catechumen signs the Book of the Elect at the Rite of Election in 2015. (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash)

WAUNAKEE — The Rite of Election of Catechumens and Call to Continuing Conversion for Candidates for Full Communion in the Catholic Church will be celebrated by the parishes of the Diocese of Madison on Sunday, Feb. 14, at 3 p.m. at St. John the Baptist Church in Waunakee.

Parishes from throughout the diocese will send those who will celebrate the sacraments of initiation this Easter, as well as their sponsors, family, and friends. About 800 people are expected to attend, with Bishop Robert C. Morlino presiding.

‘Election’ means ‘chosen’

The word “election” is used in this liturgy to mean “chosen.”

In this liturgy, we acknowledge those who seek to be part of the Church have been chosen by God. The celebration comes from an ancient Christian practice of asking those who were to celebrate the sacraments of initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) to come forward at the beginning of Lent to show their intent.

The people of the Church, in turn, promise their support, guidance, and prayers. The celebration is one part of a long process that is called The Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).

The RCIA encompasses many facets of initiation, from the time a person first experiences the call of Christ or wishes to know about the Church, to the celebration of the sacraments of initiation and continued growth as a Christian.

It also includes adaptations for those who were baptized in another Christian denomination and seek to become members of the Catholic Church through the Sacraments of Confirmation and Eucharist.

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On
Bishop Robert Barron

Pope Francis and the evangelicals, part two

Part two of a two-part series.

In his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), displaying his penchant for finding the memorable image, Pope Francis excoriates Christians who have turned “into querulous and disillusioned pessimists, ‘sourpusses,'” and whose lives “seem like Lent without Easter.”

Such people might be smart and they might even be morally upright, but they will never be successful evangelists.

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On
Mary C. Uhler, Catholic Herald Staff

Get involved in the election process

We’ve been inundated with presidential election news for many months, but most of the activity has been happening in other states.

Soon the election process will get underway in Wisconsin. In our state, the spring primary election will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 16. This primary is for nonpartisan state and local candidates.

The spring election and presidential preference vote (presidential primary) will be held on Tuesday, April 5.

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On
Kevin Wondrash

Knights of Columbus support program for homeless veterans

PINE BLUFF — Jeff Heller, grand knight of Knights of Columbus Three Hearts Council of St. Mary Parish in Pine Bluff, recently presented a check for $340 to Monica Quinones, Madison volunteer with Military Outreach USA, to support the Military Outreach USA program for helping homeless veterans.

This program provides a move-in kit of new household supplies for the kitchen, bathroom, and other essentials for veterans who have qualified for a housing voucher, have a job, and are exiting homelessness.

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On
Fr. Donald Lange

Lent has surprisingly modern appeal

Christians around the world mark Lent’s beginning by celebrating Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10 this year.

Lent has a surprising modern appeal. Some pastors say that next to Christmas, more people come to church on Ash Wednesday than on any other day, including Easter.

Facing a basic truth

The ashes help us face a basic truth that we may try to avoid, namely death. When we receive ashes, the priest or deacon says, “Remember, you are dust and unto dust, you shall return.” They may also say, “Repent and believe the Good News!”

Combined, the words remind us that we will die and return to dust; therefore, while we’re still alive, we are to repent and believe the Good News!

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On
Kevin Wondrash, Catholic Herald Staff

Holy Name ‘History Lounge’ seeks memories

marc ott
Marc Ott, lead architect for Gorman & Company, displays some of the items that will be part of the History Lounge in Holy Name Heights, the former Holy Name Seminary in Madison (Catholic Herald photo/Kevin Wondrash).

MADISON — “We really want to tell the entire story of what it was like to leave home and come to a seminary school and live every day with hundreds of other young men.”

In addition to being the lead architect on the project to repurpose the Bishop O’Connor Center (BOC) in Madison — the former Holy Name Seminary — Marc Ott from Gorman & Company has taken on a sentimental role.

Ott, member of St. Maria Goretti Parish in Madison, along with his wife and children who attend school there, is heading up the efforts to make part of the Holy Name Heights building a museum.

The so-called “History Lounge,” along with other parts of the building, will tell the stories of more than three decades of students who learned and lived within its walls.

The project has sentimental meaning for Ott who is a 1992 graduate of New Glarus High School and used to compete at Holy Name in football and wrestling.

Ott said it’s a “very special connection” and a “lot of fun” to work on the project there.

Looking back and looking ahead

Holy Name opened in 1963 and closed in 1995. The building was then renovated and re-opened in 1998 as the Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center.

Since then, it has been serving as the home of diocesan offices and other organizations such as Catholic Charities, the Catholic Herald, Relevant Radio, and Catholic Mutual Group.

Within the last few years, studies were done to determine how to make better use of the building.

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