Thirty-sixth in a series on the 75th anniversary of the Diocese of Madison.
The Bishop O’Connor Catholic Pastoral Center (former Holy Name Seminary) in Madison was repurposed into a multi-family housing project while retaining the center for diocesan offices.
Holy Name Heights project
On September 26, 2013, the Diocese of Madison signed a letter of intent with Gorman & Company to enter exclusive negotiations for a development contract and a 60-year lease agreement to renovate the building as a “certified historic rehabilitation” in compliance with historic preservation guidelines prescribed by the National Park Service.
The diocese would retain ownership of the land and determination over the future use of the 72-acre property. The diocesan offices, along with Catholic Charities and other organizations, would continue. The chapel would be preserved.
On February 25, 2015, Bishop Morlino approved going forward with the redevelopment project to be called Holy Name Heights, which would include 53 residential apartments. The apartments were available for rental in February of 2016.
On August 18, 2016, a Mass of Thanksgiving and grand opening ceremony were held at Holy Name Heights. Bishop Morlino thanked Gorman & Company saying, “I’m very grateful for what we’ve been able to do here.”
Strengthening catechesis
In 2008, the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis announced the new Seat of Wisdom Diocesan Institute (SOWDI) beginning in September. It is a program of adult faith formation and catechetical certification with the purpose of strengthening participants to be more effective witnesses and teachers of the Gospel. It is still offering classes.
Outreach to youth and young adults took place through such programs as Love Begins Here (LBH), Frassati Fest, teaching of Theology of the Body through the Revolution of Love series, and Totus Tuus.
LBH was launched in June of 2009 with 56 local missionaries. After 12 years of growth, there were over 600 missionaries serving throughout the diocese in 2019. Middle school and high school students are involved in parishes to provide service in local communities.
Courageous defender of life
Bishop Morlino often prayed outside the Planned Parenthood Clinic in Madison and participated in the 40 Days for Life campaign. At that event in November of 2008, activist Will Goodman introduced Bishop Morlino as a “courageous defender of life.”
Bishop Morlino gave the opening of Our Lady of Hope Clinic in Madison his blessing in 2009. The clinic provides free outpatient health care for the uninsured and is 100 percent pro-life.
Also in 2009, the diocese began offering Rachel’s Vineyard retreats, which provide healing for persons struggling with the emotional and spiritual pain of abortion. The diocese also offered various methods of Natural Family Planning.
In 2012, Bishop Morlino encouraged donors to support the new Women’s Care Center, located across the street from the Planned Parenthood abortion facility on the east side of Madison, and he allowed the center to have a chapel containing a tabernacle with the Blessed Sacrament.
In June of 2015, Bishop Morlino visited Care Net Pregnancy Center in Madison. The people of the diocese led by the bishop had provided ongoing support to the center for over 10 years at that time, especially for The Elizabeth House, its residential program.
Other news
Effective July 1, 2014, Daun Maier was named executive director of the Catholic Diocese of Madison Foundation, Inc.; Jill Driscoll was named director of the diocesan Office of Stewardship and Development; and Maggie Opichka was appointed director of accounting in the diocesan Office of Finance.
In July of 2015, papal honors were given to Msgr. Lawrence M. Bakke and Msgr. Monte Robinson, who became Prelates of Honor, and William D. Yallaly, who was named a Knight of the Pontifical Order of Pope St. Sylvester.
In August of 2015, Kevin Phelan retired as chancellor of the diocese, a position he held since 2004. William Yallaly became the chancellor, while Eric Schiedermayer remained as vice chancellor and assumed the position of director of the diocesan curia.
In September of 2016, Catholic Charities announced it would operate a new homeless day resource center in Madison. A contest to name the center resulted in choosing the name The Beacon. It opened in October of 2017 operating 365 days a year.
Awards for Bishop Morlino
In 2006, the national Alliance for Marriage joined with the Congress of Racial Equality to present Bishop Morlino with their Lifetime Achievement Award for his promotion of the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
In 2008, for his work in defense of the dignity of the human person, Bishop Morlino was awarded Human Life International’s Cardinal von Galen Award, named after the German bishop who worked actively against the Nazis.
The same year, he also received the St. Edmund’s Medal of Honor, awarded to Catholics who have used their God-given talents in promoting the common good.
For his service to the United States and his promotion of human rights education, the bishop was honored by the Department of the Army in 2009.
In 2015, he was the recipient of the Relevant Radio Christ Brings Hope Award, and in 2018, he received the St. Thomas Aquinas Medallion from Thomas Aquinas College in California.
Bishop Morlino dies
Bishop Morlino died on November 24, 2018, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison. The College of Consultors of the diocese met on November 26 and unanimously elected Msgr. James R. Bartylla as diocesan administrator. He had served as Vicar General. He would serve as diocesan administrator until the appointment of the fifth Bishop of Madison.
Bishop Morlino’s Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Maria Goretti Church in Madison on December 4 with Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee as principal celebrant and Monsignor Bartylla as homilist.
Source: Archives of the Catholic Herald newspaper.
Mary C. Uhler served on the staff of the Catholic Herald-Diocese of Madison for almost 47 years, the last 34 years as editor. She retired in July of 2020.